[Maxx134]

Correct, I already have the w3000anv that set me back a month in finances loll and just recently blew $900 on three cans (sony7520 & Nadhp50 & Focal Spirit pro)...
Oops I forgot the schiit vali and the woo wa7 and the Arc am irDac all in a month (!) Wew!
I guess I am insane!

 

[Maxx134]

Wait I almost forgot the HiFiman he560 preorder(!)
OMG I HAVE lost it!
I can now see the deep end of Headfi insanity!

Edit:
Lucky I don't use IEMs due to my ear canal sensitivity.. So far..

 

[up late]

prefer wearing full sized cans to earphones personally but use earphones more for their portability. gotta say tho that the k3003 is more reference than the w3000anv imo and that's with an iphone.

 

[88records]

  You got me excited for a second there. Unfortunately, it still ships from the states. Any savings I might find, will very likely be wasted in duty. Anything over   ~$20 is subject to duty/import. I've never had anything over $100 not get charged duty, electronics over $1000? I'd rather eat the cost difference now, and then be able to not worry about duty issues especially if I have a warranty problem down the road.

Not sure if you've purchased your iems but I thought I'd chime in as a fellow Canadian, if you can get the shipper to use USPS you can avoid paying for duty or any taxes when they hand it over to Canada Post. I've purchased numerous things from computer parts to iems to headphones and if you use USPS you won't be hit with additional fees. The only exception to this rule however is with stuff like Global Express Guaranteed where they hand off the package to FedEx to deliver in which case you'll be hit with the appropriate fees.
 
By the way if your in Toronto by any chance and you have the k3003 I'd love to hear them! My end goal is to have the IE800, K3003 and FAD X-G. I'll hopefully be getting the fad sometime next month and the k3003's down the road.

 

[Aero Dynamik]

prefer wearing full sized cans to earphones personally but use earphones more for their portability. gotta say tho that the k3003 is more reference than the w3000anv imo and that's with an iphone.

And I prefer IEMs for their generally more intimate and detailed(?) sound. Of course, haven't heard anything but the Sennheiser HD 650 which I own but hardly ever use. When I bought the HD 650 I had the EarSonics SM3v1 and the EM6, but was blown away by the HD 650. However, once I got the AKG K3003 it was a completely new world. I simply love the AKG K3003 and believe I'll keep it forever.

 

[elnero]

  Not sure if you've purchased your iems but I thought I'd chime in as a fellow Canadian, if you can get the shipper to use USPS you can avoid paying for duty or any taxes when they hand it over to Canada Post. I've purchased numerous things from computer parts to iems to headphones and if you use USPS you won't be hit with additional fees. The only exception to this rule however is with stuff like Global Express Guaranteed where they hand off the package to FedEx to deliver in which case you'll be hit with the appropriate fees.
 
By the way if your in Toronto by any chance and you have the k3003 I'd love to hear them! My end goal is to have the IE800, K3003 and FAD X-G. I'll hopefully be getting the fad sometime next month and the k3003's down the road.

 
Sorry, this is just wrong or you've been incredibly lucky.
 
Shipping from the US into Canada the only way to avoid any tax, duties or brokerage fees is for the item to have extremely low value or to have the shipper declare an extremely low value. Undervaluing can be good for the wallet but it can be dangerous as well because that's the highest value that can be insured. For a normal shipment declared at real value via USPS/Canada Post you will normally have to pay standard Provincial taxes (HST or GST/PST) plus a nominal brokerage fee of around $5. Coming from the US there's usually no duties charged unless for some reason there's an odd declaration on the package. Outside of the US all bets are off in regards to duty. This method is fairly predictable, easy to calculate and not much more than buying from a local store because the only fees above what you'd pay locally is the $5 brokerage fee.
 
With couriers like FedEx and UPS it's a different story, you have to be aware of the method by which the item is being shipped. You'll still always pay applicable Provincial taxes and duties the same as USPS but these couriers differ in how they deal with brokerage and other hidden fees. Standard ground options are cheap but they charge ridiculous brokerage fees at the door so any savings can be quickly eaten up. The faster, more expensive options usually include these brokerage fees but then charge a "disbursement" fee of around $10 (at least from my experience that's around how much it is).

 

[up late]

And I prefer IEMs for their generally more intimate and detailed(?) sound. Of course, haven't heard anything but the Sennheiser HD 650 which I own but hardly ever use. When I bought the HD 650 I had the EarSonics SM3v1 and the EM6, but was blown away by the HD 650. However, once I got the AKG K3003 it was a completely new world. I simply love the AKG K3003 and believe I'll keep it forever.

different strokes for different folks i guess but headphones are already an intimate way to listen to music and the high-end models are plenty detailed. personally i'd prefer not to have to stick things in my ears when i wanna listen to music but earphones are more discreet than headphones. definitely not losing out on sound quality with the k3003 tho.

 

[88records]

So, does anyone know of any retailers currently carrying the non-mic version for the akg k3003 (basically non i version) in North American and if possible Canada?

 

[superkaka]

I am in Canada as well and unfortunately I can only find the 'i' version through the online search. I just bought a 3003i version, sounds great so far, but to be honest, I do not like the mic design at all. Most of the time I use 3003 with my other high quality music players other than my apple devices, so the mic seems superfluous....  

 

[Audiowood]

  I am in Canada as well and unfortunately I can only find the 'i' version through the online search. I just bought a 3003i version, sounds great so far, but to be honest, I do not like the mic design at all. Most of the time I use 3003 with my other high quality music players other than my apple devices, so the mic seems superfluous....  

 
The mic can be used to fool people in the office that you are working as they thought you are on the phone or get ready to receive call similar to people who stuck their bluetooth mic all day long. We will not be accuse of listening to earphone all day long and not working.

 

[superkaka]

good point

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Yeah I've been in talk with a number of K3K owners here who tried to procure a mic-less version of this phone and it's always been a no go. I myself tried to get AKG to source me a mic-less K3K when I replaced a failed pair. They simply can't order the model since it's solely meant for the Asian market

 

[up late]

pricejapan sell the version without the remote

 

[Rurouni]

I'm kinda in a same scenario as an earlier poster, I can get the IE800 for around $800 and the K3003i for around $1k USD, but can't decide between the two, and have only been able to demo the Shure 846.
 
I'd like a portable universal shallow fit IEM that has a similar sound profile to my HD598. The 846 while very detailed, being very much a stage monitor, gave me a very closed in feeling, and the extreme isolation doesn't sit well with me. I also found the bass to be a bit too over the top. Though I guess a lot of it is personal preference, I love hearing details in the lows/mids/highs, and ideally a slight biasness towards a warmer sound.
 
Wondering how the K3003 stacks up to some of the well received open ear headphones here (E.g. HD698 or 650), and also in comparison to the IE800?
 
Since I guess many of you guys have way more cans than me, this forum would be the best place to research! : ) 

 

[sp3llv3xit]

  I'm kinda in a same scenario as an earlier poster, I can get the IE800 for around $800 and the K3003i for around $1k USD, but can't decide between the two, and have only been able to demo the Shure 846.
 
I'd like a portable universal shallow fit IEM that has a similar sound profile to my HD598. The 846 while very detailed, being very much a stage monitor, gave me a very closed in feeling, and the extreme isolation doesn't sit well with me. I also found the bass to be a bit too over the top. Though I guess a lot of it is personal preference, I love hearing details in the lows/mids/highs, and ideally a slight biasness towards a warmer sound.
 
Wondering how the K3003 stacks up to some of the well received open ear headphones here (E.g. HD698 or 650), and also in comparison to the IE800?
 
Since I guess many of you guys have way more cans than me, this forum would be the best place to research! : ) 

I think you are more an IE800 person than you are a K3003 one.

The IE800 compared to the K3003 is treble shy and a bit muddy sounding.  However, if you want the warmth and smoothness of the HD650, you will definitely not find it in the K3003.  By the way, I absolutely hate the HD650.  I often liken it to hearing music out of a pair of decent speakers covered by a piece of thick towel.  

Anyways, both the IE800 and the K3003 have large soundstage with the latter having a deeper and wider sonic field.  Mid-bass sounds more loose out of the IE800 though.  That said, you can't go wrong with either.