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Click here for Earsonics SM3 in Review: 2010's Star Child pictures and full review.
I've had the SM3 for... 2,5 months, so this review is not only late, but comes holding the hand of experience AND enthusiasm.
The bottom line: the SM3 is well-worth it. It sounds great, is easy to drive, and has overall good, but not great construction. I didn't come to the SM3 from the wilderness. I own the EM3Pro (review coming) and the SM2, the SM3's big brother. So, when I say that the SM3 duly (and pleasantly) surprised me, please don't take it as another inexperienced bout of praise.
I have a lot to fume over, but let's get to the good stuff.
Drivability:
The SM3 is one of the EASIEST to drive IEM's I've ever used. Sure the Westone UM3x is also easy to drive, but for some reason, it does actually wake up a bit with an amp. The SM3 plugged into your favourite DAP is nearly as good as it gets. There is no reward for expensive cables and very little reward for expensive amp. I have a tangled mess of DAP's at my disposal and all of them (apart from the very hissy AMP3 Pro) sound wonderful with the SM3. Adding an amp won't really replace anything unless you have underachieving DAP's such as the iPod nano 1-3G, the Cowon D2, the Zune (actually, it is a really looooong list here). Those DAP's will enjoy a good chew of bass when driving an amp. But otherwise, telltale improvements: stage sparkle, depth, placebo, are there in the smallest of increments.
That's a good thing.
Sound:
Well, it's easy to continue my praise here. Earsonics got the formula right this time. The SM2 is an amazing earphone and in some ways, smacks the SM3 around with no-frills performance. Driven properly, it is drier, chalkier, and tighter (not as in 'taiiiiight mate!', more like zipped up). The SM3 has no chalk: it is lush and expansive. From bass to treble, it is smooth, hitching no snags along the way. There're no zig-zaggy confused pathways between channels or frequencies. The SM3 is succinct. The SM3 is emotional. The SM3 is deep.
But it's not TOO anything and that is the brightest point, really. There isn't too much bass and the midrange, while prominent, isn't too emphasised. When it comes to high notes... well, there is something to chat about. Etymotic fans, stay away. Victor fans, stay away. Shure SE530 fans, you've found a great upgrade.
The SM3 is laid back; its treble is its left foot, neither having enough power to drive a deep goal, nor high kicking. Though languid, it extends fairly well, but never enough to really stand tall. Some call it perfect. Some call it rolled off. I call it tweener. It is a little of both. Earsonics obviously didn't build the SM3 with the ear's own EQ in mind. The ear rolls off frequencies in the highs and lows; we humans (well, at least I can speak for myself) tend to hear stuff in the middle more than the bottom and top. There is a method to emphasising bass. There is a method to emphasising treble. Earsonics didn't both with either one, but that isn't a problem.
I love the laid back, yet oddly powerful sound from the SM3. It adapts to any genre, to any singer/performer. A little loudness curve or treble boost turns it into a luxury barnstormer.
Build:
I do not agree with the decision to mould professional earphones in plastic shells, particularly when those shells are as thin as they are. With the SM3, Earsonics had the chance to break Westone's mould, to up the bar. They didn't. The SM3 is the same 'careful now, careful now' earphone that the SM2 is/was and while a good-sounding earphone, is prescious weak for the money.
Final Score: GRAB or 4/5
Click here for Earsonics SM3 in Review: 2010's Star Child pictures and full review.
I've had the SM3 for... 2,5 months, so this review is not only late, but comes holding the hand of experience AND enthusiasm.
The bottom line: the SM3 is well-worth it. It sounds great, is easy to drive, and has overall good, but not great construction. I didn't come to the SM3 from the wilderness. I own the EM3Pro (review coming) and the SM2, the SM3's big brother. So, when I say that the SM3 duly (and pleasantly) surprised me, please don't take it as another inexperienced bout of praise.
I have a lot to fume over, but let's get to the good stuff.
Drivability:
The SM3 is one of the EASIEST to drive IEM's I've ever used. Sure the Westone UM3x is also easy to drive, but for some reason, it does actually wake up a bit with an amp. The SM3 plugged into your favourite DAP is nearly as good as it gets. There is no reward for expensive cables and very little reward for expensive amp. I have a tangled mess of DAP's at my disposal and all of them (apart from the very hissy AMP3 Pro) sound wonderful with the SM3. Adding an amp won't really replace anything unless you have underachieving DAP's such as the iPod nano 1-3G, the Cowon D2, the Zune (actually, it is a really looooong list here). Those DAP's will enjoy a good chew of bass when driving an amp. But otherwise, telltale improvements: stage sparkle, depth, placebo, are there in the smallest of increments.
That's a good thing.
Sound:
Well, it's easy to continue my praise here. Earsonics got the formula right this time. The SM2 is an amazing earphone and in some ways, smacks the SM3 around with no-frills performance. Driven properly, it is drier, chalkier, and tighter (not as in 'taiiiiight mate!', more like zipped up). The SM3 has no chalk: it is lush and expansive. From bass to treble, it is smooth, hitching no snags along the way. There're no zig-zaggy confused pathways between channels or frequencies. The SM3 is succinct. The SM3 is emotional. The SM3 is deep.
But it's not TOO anything and that is the brightest point, really. There isn't too much bass and the midrange, while prominent, isn't too emphasised. When it comes to high notes... well, there is something to chat about. Etymotic fans, stay away. Victor fans, stay away. Shure SE530 fans, you've found a great upgrade.
The SM3 is laid back; its treble is its left foot, neither having enough power to drive a deep goal, nor high kicking. Though languid, it extends fairly well, but never enough to really stand tall. Some call it perfect. Some call it rolled off. I call it tweener. It is a little of both. Earsonics obviously didn't build the SM3 with the ear's own EQ in mind. The ear rolls off frequencies in the highs and lows; we humans (well, at least I can speak for myself) tend to hear stuff in the middle more than the bottom and top. There is a method to emphasising bass. There is a method to emphasising treble. Earsonics didn't both with either one, but that isn't a problem.
I love the laid back, yet oddly powerful sound from the SM3. It adapts to any genre, to any singer/performer. A little loudness curve or treble boost turns it into a luxury barnstormer.
Build:
I do not agree with the decision to mould professional earphones in plastic shells, particularly when those shells are as thin as they are. With the SM3, Earsonics had the chance to break Westone's mould, to up the bar. They didn't. The SM3 is the same 'careful now, careful now' earphone that the SM2 is/was and while a good-sounding earphone, is prescious weak for the money.
Final Score: GRAB or 4/5
Click here for Earsonics SM3 in Review: 2010's Star Child pictures and full review.