meurglys0
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
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Quote:
[size=x-small]Hi everyone,[/size]
[size=x-small]I am very much interested in trying the sm3 because vocals and soundstage are the most important parts of a musical track for me. I am a bit afraid though that they may lack treble and bass for me but you only know htat when trying them out yourself.[/size]
[size=x-small]What I am more worried about is their apparent build quality. I want to buy them second hand because I cant afford their new price and because I am not sure if they are my cup of tea I would lose less money this day. But according to previous threads I read I, as a second owner would not be able to get warranty (this is often the case with european companies although not always, unlike japanese companies I think). So if something would happen to the iem I would be in dire straits. This would be even more the case if I in turn would have to sell them on.[/size]
[size=x-small]I am a bit torn if I will get this one.[/size]
[size=x-small]Greetings, Anouk,[/size]
I like the SM3 in many ways. Since the day I got it (about 4 months ago) I cannot get enough of listening to my favorite albums with it. It's truly great in many respects:
1. Controlled, tight bass that is plenty for me. I am neither a bass-head nor a treble-head. I would call my preference in sound neutrality. I neither like unnaturally bloated bass (that really has nothing to do with the original recording) nor music that sounds thin, deprived of bass. Bear in mind that with the SM3 a neutrality guy like myself keep the low frequency value on the EQ at about minus 2 to 5 depending on the music. That means there really is enough bass to satisfy a bass loving person for sure.
2. Controlled, pleasant, non-fatiguing treble that is adequate for me. With the SM3 I keep the high frequency value on the EQ at plus 2 mostly. Depending on the album I may need to increase it to 3. But I have to say that 90 % of my albums are from the seventies when the albums were not made as bright as today's albums. So if your collection consists of contemporary albums, then I would say you wouldn't want to raise the treble higher than 2 for sure, if you're not a treble-head of course. Some people say the highs are not sparky on the SM3. For me that's not an issue. For me the SM3 has very well-balanced highs, never tiring, although all the information is there; never piercing, but never less than adequate: just perfect.
3. Wonderful soundstage. Great instrumental separation. Not much to add here.
4. It get more comfortable to wear with each day. At first the housings hurt my ears, but now I don't even feel it's there. It took a few weeks to get used to it though. Now I can listen to music with it for 2-3 hours without needing to take it off.
5. It's not as fragile as it looks; the cable is really strong I think. And flexible. After using it I place my SM3 in its case right away anyway, because I wouldn't want such an expensive gentle thing to lay around. So if you take care of it, you wouldn't have to worry about its build quality much.
Alongside these wonderful qualities the SM3 has an important flaw; it's important for me at least. The lower mids have been boosted and they are very thick. I have to pull down the lower mid frequencies to at least minus 6 db (even 8 db sometimes) and the mid-midranges have to be decreased to minus 2. This is my subjective experience, but there are others who complained about this lower-midrange hump and thickened mids. Many SM3 owners mentioned they equalize the lower-mids by a few db. But also there are many who consider it a minor issue. Nowadays I am looking for an IEM that bears all the positive qualities I have listed above, with no thickened, in-your-face midrange. That doesn't mean I want to sell my SM3, though. It's a keeper. Before placing your order, even though the SM3 is great in every other respect, just bear in mind that you may have to struggle to eliminate this flaw with the help of the EQ. Heck I had to buy a Cowon X7 mainly for its customizable EQ to be able to use my SM3!
I hope this review helps you in making your decision.
EDIT: Your last comment came while I was writing this review. I'm afraid my last paragraph harbors the answer to your question about the Iphone 4 - SM3 synergy. I definitely advise you not to buy the SM3 if you don't have the means to customize your EQ. I have used my SM3 with my friend's 6th gen Ipod for about 6 weeks and it was a sonic nightmare for me, because the EQ presets on it are totally useless. They are useless for what they are and more importantly they are useless for taming down the thick, overpowering midrange hump. I gave up on my Zune 120 because it had no EQ, not even presets. I got my X7 to be able to deal with the mentioned flaw of the SM3, and I cannot manage to do it 30 % of the time even with the customizable EQ on that device. But that's only my story. I'm still glad to have the SM3. But I wouldn't be glad if I had to use it with a device with no customizable EQ... In short, I don't recommend getting the SM3 if you will not switch your Iphone with some other device that has a customizable EQ.
And this was the longest thing I ever wrote!