[Kalli]

Also trying the M3 at the moment.

Just a few questions for now because it feels somehow weird on some things and I'm not sure if my device might be faulty.

• Multi-pairing is weird. Sometimes they connect to both devices when switching on, and sometimes not. When switching connected devices, music is somehow "locked" on the device sometimes until i disconnect and connect again. And the app says "only one device at a time" in the connection menu.
• When using the EQ it takes a random amount of time to take effect after a change. Everything between more or less instantly to up to ~5 seconds.
• Shouldn't the on/off mechanism be, if both sides are collapsed it is off, and if both sides are extracted it is on? For me it seems like the mechanism is on the left side only. The right side has no effect at all.
• the auto-pause/resume is totally random. Sometimes it's inverted. Sometimes it doesn't work at all.
• In general it starts to play music when switching on the headphones, which is quite annoying and is normally an android music player setting.

Apart from those weird quirks they seem to be a really solid choice. Quite some boosted bass, but not that ugly bleeding XM3 bass. If I would have to describe it, I would say the bass is really fast, if that makes any sense. Reducing bass with the EQ might be a valid option (not sure on that yet). But if you like a bit more bass they're hard to beat I would say.

 

[angelom]

Thanks

So I got them. Listening to them now.

First thing I noticed with the sound is the mids sound a bit veiled/recessed - vocals not forward.

Good detail and separation though.

And the bass blooms - I was picturing shockwaves or fireworks - blooming out.

And a warm, enveloping sound.

Not sure how suitable it is for rock etc. Maybe more for classical, cinematic sounding stuff?

I feel like they'd suit a Hanz Zimmer soundtrack well.

The earcups on my Definitive Technology Symphony 1s are falling apart, which will effect the sound, but in comparison the M3s are warmer, bassier, and less crisp.
The Symphony 1s perhaps sound harsh in comparison. Funny, as I never felt they did. But the M3s are definitely warmer. And vocals are less present.

Would have to get used to it but I do think the M3s sound much better actually.

Funny, as I when I tried the original Momentum Wireless I remember them having a snappy bass, and the Symphony 1s sounding warmer and gentler - and I did prefer the snappy bass of the Momentum Wireless.

Unfortunately, the earcups, despite being increased from the previous versions (I tried and returned the original Momentum Wireless when they came out) are still too small for me.

Smaller than my Definitive Technology Symphony 1s

My earlobes and tips of my ears touch the earpads.

Has anyone tried the PX7?

I actually bought them months ago for a good price - but haven't opened them yet.

Apparently, despite looking like a compact design, the earcups are roomier inside.

Hopefully they're roomy enough.

The first thing: If the fit isn't sufficient good for you, then this headphone maybe isn't for you.

The second thing, the sound: The m3 isn't have recessed mids, but maybe this is your opinion if you coming from more bright or headphone with less bass and more elevation in mids or lower treble.

In my opinion this headphone is more good for rock than classical, or than for classical with orchestra (not solo music like violin or piano sonatas or even music for quartets). With more bass like m3 with classical orchestra is more difficult producing correct sound because the lows in the string and similar instruments can sounding muddy sometimes. For this a more analytical or flat headphone is better in my experience.

If you think you can living with the fit, maybe after some days because your ears finding more comfort, I suggesting you giving the m3 sound more time for your ears appreciating and learning this 'new' type of sound. Of course you having the eq too (with 3 bands, not with the terrible dot) if you want experimenting different tuning.

 

[Shinoke]

The first thing: If the fit isn't sufficient good for you, then this headphone maybe isn't for you.

The second thing, the sound: The m3 isn't have recessed mids, but maybe this is your opinion if you coming from more bright or headphone with less bass and more elevation in mids or lower treble.

In my opinion this headphone is more good for rock than classical, or than for classical with orchestra (not solo music like violin or piano sonatas or even music for quartets). With more bass like m3 with classical orchestra is more difficult producing correct sound because the lows in the string and similar instruments can sounding muddy sometimes. For this a more analytical or flat headphone is better in my experience.

If you think you can living with the fit, maybe after some days because your ears finding more comfort, I suggesting you giving the m3 sound more time for your ears appreciating and learning this 'new' type of sound. Of course you having the eq too (with 3 bands, not with the terrible dot) if you want experimenting different tuning.

Well yeah, I will try the PX7 and I hope they accommodate my ears better.

I think unfortunately the earcups are still too small on the M3

Hopefully some on here have tried both and can comment.

As for sound, it takes some getting used to sure. Already stated I think I prefer the M3s to my current headphones already though.

I think warm and rich describes the sound well.

I'm pretty sure plenty have commented that the signature sound is V shaped no?

So that would recess the mids.

If the response was flat then the mids would naturally be less recessed.

If I were being negative I could say sometimes it sounds muddy.

But yeah, my current headphones sound harsh in comparison, and I guess they have a brighter sound.

The M3s are more engaging, I'm hearing beats separately in each ear. More detail.

To me is sounds like the M3s are better for hip hop and EDM etc. than rock.

Don't the M3s make Chris Cornell's vocals for example stand out less? And emphasise the drums, high hats, etc.

The headband is actually comfortable I find. For my Symphony 1s it took a long time to get used to the headband, which despite being thick and padded, hurt at first.

The M3s headband fits well - it doesn't have much of a single hard contact spot for me.

Just the earcups are too small. My lobes are burning now from the contact.

They should just provide a larger earpad option. That one can purchase separately even. They sell replacement earpads anyway - they could just make a larger option.

There must be lots of people that don't get a certain headphone just because the earpads don't fit. Pointlessly lost sales.

Anyway, if the PX7 fit that makes the any decision between the two easy.

 

[angelom]

Also trying the M3 at the moment.

Just a few questions for now because it feels somehow weird on some things and I'm not sure if my device might be faulty.

• Multi-pairing is weird. Sometimes they connect to both devices when switching on, and sometimes not. When switching connected devices, music is somehow "locked" on the device sometimes until i disconnect and connect again. And the app says "only one device at a time" in the connection menu.

The first thing I want asking you is: Do you having update with new firmware? Remember I having iPhone so my answers is always with iPhone and MacBook pro.
I don't having this problems you saying, my m3 connecting with 2 devices and I can changing very easy from one and the other. Yes, the app saying "only one device at a time", but I think this is meaning that the sound is coming only from one device even if connection is simultaneous with 2 devices.

• When using the EQ it takes a random amount of time to take effect after a change. Everything between more or less instantly to up to ~5 seconds.

For me when I using eq I think is taking about 2 seconds max for changing the sound. 5 seconds is long time. Maybe resetting your m3 with the factory setting is necessary?

• Shouldn't the on/off mechanism be, if both sides are collapsed it is off, and if both sides are extracted it is on? For me it seems like the mechanism is on the left side only. The right side has no effect at all.

You are correct, only the left side is important for on and off.

• the auto-pause/resume is totally random. Sometimes it's inverted. Sometimes it doesn't work at all.

Auto pause is working perfect with my iPhone and MacBook pro. I remember the first pair I having some some ago isn't so perfect always in this aspect, but I think with firmware update this is now 99% perfect.

• In general it starts to play music when switching on the headphones, which is quite annoying and is normally an android music player setting.

You have in (iPhone) app in settings under the smart pause button a "smart play" button. If this is on the music starting playing immediately when the headphone is in your head. If this button is off, when you put the headphone in your head again, you needing pressing play for the music starting playing.

Apart from those weird quirks they seem to be a really solid choice. Quite some boosted bass, but not that ugly bleeding XM3 bass. If I would have to describe it, I would say the bass is really fast, if that makes any sense. Reducing bass with the EQ might be a valid option (not sure on that yet). But if you like a bit more bass they're hard to beat I would say.

I'm answering inside your post with red text because is more easy.

 

[angelom]

As for sound, it takes some getting used to sure. Already stated I think I prefer the M3s to my current headphones already though.

I think warm and rich describes the sound well.

I'm pretty sure plenty have commented that the signature sound is V shaped no?

I think isn't V shaped. I think px7 is V shaped definitely because sometimes treble is harsh with strange peaks and bass having boost. I think m3 is more or less (not perfect) flat in mids and treble, with elevation in bass that isn't always offensive.

 

[Shinoke]

I think isn't V shaped. I think px7 is V shaped definitely because sometimes treble is harsh with strange peaks and bass having boost. I think m3 is more or less (not perfect) flat in mids and treble, with elevation in bass that isn't always offensive.

Yeah, maybe that's where I read about v shaped.

Actually just tried out some Audioslave and Chris Cornell's vocals are just as present.

So just warmer, richer sounding in general, with more bass.

I did feel the vocals were less present for Dog Fashion Disco - Erotic Massage 2.0 - but perhaps that was because of the bass. The volume may have been lower too.

Tried to get the volume the same between the both for Audioslave, and the vocals and mids are present.

 

[Kalli]

I'm answering inside your post with red text because is more easy.

Thanks a lot.

• Yes, I did the firmware update. I'm on 4.0.8.
• The ~5 seconds are a guess. So since it takes a bit for you as well that should be fine.
• I disabled "smart pause" and "smart play". I'll play around with those settings and see if I can figure it out.

 

[Kalli]

I think isn't V shaped. I think px7 is V shaped definitely because sometimes treble is harsh with strange peaks and bass having boost. I think m3 is more or less (not perfect) flat in mids and treble, with elevation in bass that isn't always offensive.

I think someone/some review described them as L shaped, which makes sense somehow.

 

[angelom]

So just warmer, richer sounding in general, with more bass.

I think this is better description.

I think with little time you maybe will hearing the treble is very good, with good details that will never offending your ears, but isn't dark/warm like other headphones and earphones, or boosted and exaggerated for enhancing details. I saying this before, good treble is very, very difficult obtaining in a headphone, and for me the best is the sa50 treble but the m3 treble isn't far in the quality and the extension.

Thanks a lot.

• Yes, I did the firmware update. I'm on 4.0.8.
• The ~5 seconds are a guess. So since it takes a bit for you as well that should be fine.
• I disabled "smart pause" and "smart play". I'll play around with those settings and see if I can figure it out.

Kalli, if you have last firmware update (in iPhone is 4.0.8 too) and you having more problems with m3, I think this is important sign in your life for changing from Android to iOS.

 

[Kalli]

Kalli, if you have last firmware update (in iPhone is 4.0.8 too) and you having more problems with m3, I think this is important sign in your life for changing from Android to iOS.

Haha, no way! All those words I would need to describe my feelings about Apple aren't allowed in this forum.

Since you are also a big fan of the A50, any chance you can link an EQ picture of the M3 please?
Trying to minimize my time investment in that and learn for exams instead... .

 

[angelom]

Haha, no way! All those words I would need to describe my feelings about Apple aren't allowed in this forum.

Since you are also a big fan of the A50, any chance you can link an EQ picture of the M3 please?
Trying to minimize my time investment in that and learn for exams instead... .

You aren't only person hating Apple, so definitely you aren't alone in the world.

Yes, the sa50 is great headphone in my opinion and you knowing this very well in my posts in the sa50 thread, but specially the artificial leather ear cups (and headband too), and not possible folding for the travels making me selling this headphone. Is pity because the sound is so good. BUT the m3 sound isn't so good, in my opinion, but even if is different, is still excellent and sometimes even amazing.

Ok, if you want I can sending you the screenshots for my 2 principal eq settings (please confirm this), but I must saying some things first:

I'm a person that is changing the volume very much very often because I listening big playlists with different albums/masters/volume differences, and this is why I insisting that sennheiser updating the firmware for the volume jumping very much in iPhone (this very frustrating!).

Other thing is I'm listening often in the night, and this time I'm listening with more (or a lot sometimes) low volume and the bass isn't really a problem here with m3. With sa50 in the night I needing more volume up for good bass performance (the treble, because is so good, isn't killing my ears with bad peaks if I putting the volume up), but is true that sometimes I wanting less volume (amplitude in the spectrum).

So, you and I having different taste in music, listening in different volumes in different times of the day. The m3 I'm discovering now is maybe little more versatile for my personal circumstances.

Tell me if you wanting the screenshots, but I will not explaining when and why because is little complicated and I changing constantly!

 

[Kalli]

Yes, the sa50 is great headphone in my opinion and you knowing very well in my posts in the sa50 thread, but specially the artificial leather ear cups (and headband too), and not possible folding for the travels making selling this headphone. Is pity because the sound is so good. BUT the m3 sound isn't so good, in my opinion, but even if is different, is still excellent and sometimes even amazing.

Exactly. A foldable A50 would be perfect. Seems like we are actually looking for pretty similar headphones.

Tell me if you wanting the screenshots, but I will not explaining when and why because is little complicated and I changing constantly!

Yes please. And sure you don't have to explain. Already really nice of you to share them.

 

[Aaron80]

In the 3 bands EQ I set "0 3 3" with a little more middles than higs.

 

[angelom]

Exactly. A foldable A50 would be perfect. Seems like we are actually looking for pretty similar headphones.



Yes please. And sure you don't have to explain. Already really nice of you to share them.

Here:

 

[angelom]

Very good news, very big surprise.

I measuring battery life of my second pair of m3 (I never measuring this aspect with my first pair). I remember early in the thread I think some people saying that battery is maybe only 15 hours or similar and not the 17 hours sennheiser is saying in specifications. This is terrible.

This is my second charging of this headphone and I obtaining 24h 55m! Of this about 1 hour is with anc on and 45 minutes with ambient sound on. When I measuring the shure sa50 2,5 months ago I obtaining 23h 15m (always with anc and ambient mode off. Shure saying battery is 20 hours in specifications).

I hearing the first message of "recharge the headphone" 15 minutes before the total and exactly 5 minutes the same message after that. The average volume for the m3 for me is maybe 50% because is more loud than sa50 (sometimes I using 60% or 40% volume but probably the average is 50%). The sa50 is better for the messages of the battery before is finish because I think you hearing first message 2 hours before the end of the battery. For me 45m-60m is perfect time, not 15m.

Obtaining almost 25 hours from a headphone saying 17 hours in specifications, and using some anc and ambient mode, is fantastic. I think this is extremely good and big difference from 17 hours (8 hours!). I always charging 30 minutes extra than manufacturer saying so I'm sure I having 100% full charge.

From 20 hours to 23 hours with shure sa50 I'm very happy 2,5 months ago (with anc and ambient mode off), but 24h 55m with m3 is incredible. I asking me if maybe this is because of better performance because of the firmware updates. Maybe. But is true too that manufacturers producing better batches after they releasing the first batch of a product (I reading this aspect sometimes in the past with headphones that even is costing 1000-3000 euros or more. I remember very strong smelling of glue in my first pair of m3, and I can't smelling the leather at all, and this smell is for many days very strong. With my second pair is no smelling of glue (only very small and is going away in 20 minutes) and I can smelling the leather very easy the first day.