EarSonics SM3 Appreciation, Discussion, & Review Thread - Technically Best Universal? (see first post for reviews and info)

[average_joe]

 
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I just ordered a pair.. Couldn't resist

 

Congratulations!
 
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I prefer the sound of the SM3s.  To me they seem a lot more intimate.  As i said i do not have a lot of experience with iems, but i found the sound to be breath taking in places.  When I first used my Shure's i was amazed at how much more of the music i could hear and how much i had been missing.  However, i think the SM3s take this to a new level.  The first track i listened to and always tend to use as a test track was The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony.  The strings sounded so clear and for me the way that the volume increases over the first part of the track as it heads towards the bass mirrors my excitement.  Needless to say i was not let down in anyway.  I have used these for approximately 5 - 10 hours only and as i said have little experience, but i am not disappointed.  I was always going to replace my Shures with new Shures, but living in the UK this was going to be a pain, however, due to a slight bit of luck i ended up with the SM3s and couldn't be happier.

For me the presentation changes along with how the music was recorded to a large extent.  I have heard live music and trance sound wide and expansive vs. intimate, but many songs are recorded in an intimate way.  The SM3, also seems to have more volume differences between instruments depending on the placement.  What I mean by that is if an instrument is in the background, it will sound like that, and can sound recessed (for example a drummer at the back of the stage).  I am still wowed by these regularly.
 
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wow I'm glad I didn't get the IE8 now. Do you think the SM3 is a good IEM for trance (or "Techno" whatever you call it) ? I'm going to France by the end of this summer and if it's this good I might get the sm3 from there with a detax( 290 euro * 1.23 = 350$!) .

I think they do very well with trance.  They are as expansive as the IE8, have better deep bass, less of a mid-bass hump, and are more liquid.  While they are as expansive, they have a much more 3D presentation, allowing me to hear the sounds that were created with much better clarity and depth.  I would say that I can 'understand' parts of the music in all genres better with the SM3 as they are recreated in a more accurate space, bringing the proper depth and width ratio I have not heard combined within the scale of width.

 

[JMGM]

 
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I think they do very well with trance.  They are as expansive as the IE8, have better deep bass, less of a mid-bass hump, and are more liquid.  While they are as expansive, they have a much more 3D presentation, allowing me to hear the sounds that were created with much better clarity and depth.  I would say that I can 'understand' parts of the music in all genres better with the SM3 as they are recreated in a more accurate space, bringing the proper depth and width ratio I have not heard combined within the scale of width.

 
Thank you very much I'll make sure to grab one of those when I get the occasion

 

[average_joe]

Thanks lucozade for your SM3 thoughts.
 
I agree they are special!

 

[MayaTlab]

OK. So it seems to be a consensus that in addition to stinky cheese, wine, frog legs, bad drivers, socialism, women and short politicians, my country produces quite outstanding IEMs. That's a stereotype I did not expect.
 
440 euros are invariably getting closer everyday to the edge of my wallet and coins are preparing parachutes out of bills to land softly into the hands of Frank Lopez.
 

 

[Big Kev]

I've just got my hands on the SM3's  and aren't blown away so far, but I've only been listening to them for an hour, so early days.
 
The packaging is very basic and the inclusion of only two sets of tips is pretty feeble in my book, for that price, I'd expect a decent selection, like their main competitors supply.
 
I also went for the Sensorcom Puresound (large) and some curved profile tips, which I thought were Sensorcom, but look generic.   Both sets of tips are too small for my cavernous ear canals, so the only tips that I can use at the moment are some Comply P series and some Shure Olive's and as Average Joe said, these aren't the best for sound quality. Having said that, I'll  give some of my Westone 3 tips a go as well.
 
The sound is very good, but it doesn't sound that much different to the W3's, with the Comply's, but it's early days.
 
It's just a pity I can't find any Sensorcom curved profile tips over here like Joe's, but I've emailed them to enquire.

 

[shigzeo]

@Big Key - you are right on many fronts, but you have one thing wrong: the SM3 is almost packaged exactly like its competition, and that is the entire problem. The W3 isn't its competition, neither is the TF10 or the SE530. Those are audiophile products. While the SM3 fits the audiophile camp in its sonic signature, it is designed, and operates, like a professional product. Its only real massively produced competition is the Westone UM2 and UM3x - both of which come pretty shabbily outfitted. 
 
If Earsonics went ahead and outdid their competition instead of standing on their backs, it would be a good thing. As it is, the SM3 is exactly the same as its compeitition.

 

[crocandy]

Why is it that as soon as you buy something new something older decides to give up.  I have my SM3s sat on the side because my poxy iphone has decided to get stuck in the stupid reboot cycle.  To top it all off 3 new sets of tips have arrived today through the post.

 

[brandnewgame]

I've had these IEMs for a few days and I do prefer the sound to my old Etymotic ER-4P/Ss. It's more smooth and fuller. Compared to my full sized cans (somewhat unfair, I know), of course their presentation is completely different. They lack the natural tone of Grado GS1000s, which isn't entirely bad as the GS1000s achieve their natural tone through a fast, arguably brittle, sound signature. They sound more like my HD600s as far as full-sized comparisons go, and the added intimacy of the SM3 is a welcomed characteristic. So while I can tell from the soundstage and 'smoothness' of the sound that I am listening to IEMs rather than speakers or full-sized cans, the sound they produce is very refined and most importantly enjoyable. I haven't heard their direct rivals, so I can't comment in that regard.
 
I'm still waiting to see if physical/mental burn-in will change my appreciation and comparisons 

 

[koonhua90]

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Why is it that as soon as you buy something new something older decides to give up.  I have my SM3s sat on the side because my poxy iphone has decided to get stuck in the stupid reboot cycle.  To top it all off 3 new sets of tips have arrived today through the post.

That's why people here usually have more than one player 

 

[Big Kev]

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@Big Key - you are right on many fronts, but you have one thing wrong: the SM3 is almost packaged exactly like its competition, and that is the entire problem. The W3 isn't its competition, neither is the TF10 or the SE530. Those are audiophile products. While the SM3 fits the audiophile camp in its sonic signature, it is designed, and operates, like a professional product. Its only real massively produced competition is the Westone UM2 and UM3x - both of which come pretty shabbily outfitted. 
 
If Earsonics went ahead and outdid their competition instead of standing on their backs, it would be a good thing. As it is, the SM3 is exactly the same as its compeitition.

I understand what you're saying, but I think it was just my frustration that the supplied tips were not sufficient and in my mind, not up to the task, plus the one's that I bought were useless. 
 
I have found a set of tips from my Westone set, so will alternate between them, the olives and Comply's for now and give the phones a good test over the next couple of weeks.  I just hope I can find some other large tips that may do the job as well, but I haven't found that an easy task so far in my IEM experience.

 

[lucozade]

 
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Thanks lucozade for your SM3 thoughts.
 
I agree they are special!

Yes agreed, I am very impressed with the SM3 Joe, they have hardly been out of my ears since i got them on Friday night and they continue to impress me with each album i play through these

 ,and your right ,there is something very 3 dimensional sounding how they recreate sounds ,especially strings.

 

[average_joe]

 
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I understand what you're saying, but I think it was just my frustration that the supplied tips were not sufficient and in my mind, not up to the task, plus the one's that I bought were useless. 
 
I have found a set of tips from my Westone set, so will alternate between them, the olives and Comply's for now and give the phones a good test over the next couple of weeks.  I just hope I can find some other large tips that may do the job as well, but I haven't found that an easy task so far in my IEM experience.

Tip update...the MC triple-flange is the best for me.  Better treble and dynamics.  They turn the SM3 into an ultra-powerful, perfectly balanced IEM with no veil to my ears.  I had the Sensorcom curved fit and PureSound tips in for a few days and while I have finally figured our the right angle for them, they don't seem to seal in my canals like the triple-flange and lack the dynamics and deep bass I get with other tips, even though they have wide openings and go deep.
 
I tried the PFE tips with foam under and they just don't sound quite right to me.  Kinda the same as the other not-so-deep insertion tips.
 
So, I decided to try the RE bi-flange tips on an olive spacer to see how those work.  They work real well.  That may be a good tip for you if you have large canals.  You have to mount them on a space, but they are much larger than any other bi-flange.
 
For all those that are not hearing the SM3 as dynamic with visceral bass, I would suggest trying either the MC triple flange (or ebay equivalent) or the RE bi-flange.

 

[crocandy]

What does the MC stand for?  Sorry to ask what is probably a stupid question.
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 MC triple flange (or ebay equivalent) or the RE bi-flange

 

[JMGM]

 
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What does the MC stand for?  Sorry to ask what is probably a stupid question.

 
I think it's monster cable but i'm not sure.

 

[koonhua90]

It's the Monster triple flange that comes when you buy Monster earphones I think.