Grado GR10 VERSUS Westone W3
I have spent a couple hours with each of these side by side and will share my thoughts on the comparison.
Preface: 3G Nano unamped was used for the comparison. Many people would also use EQ as off for a comparison but I do not. I adjust the EQ to each IEM to try to obtain the most pleasurable sound to my ears. My preferred setting with W3 is “treble booster” and with GR10 I am using the “rock” setting. Please keep this in mind throughout the review as it will help you in understanding how the GR10 really sounds. P-100 comply tips were used with W3 and the supplied gel tips were used with GR10. Also, as many of you know, I have considered the W3 (& SE535) to be perhaps my favorite universal IEM so I knew the GR10 had big shoes to fill. So let’s go!
TREBLE: On the respective EQ settings the amount of detail is very close which says a lot about the treble of GR10. Quite excellent on both, no siblance or harshness with either except on some vocals W3 started to get a little edgy sounding. The way each achieves the treble seems a little different. With the W3 it sounds a little more manufactured and sort of liquid smooth and forgiving of recordings. With the GR10 it sounds more real with a bit more transparency which will reveal more flaws in a recording. GR10 might be a bit faster sounding as well.
MIDRANGE: I was surprised to learn that GR10 was not quite as forward sounding as first I thought. Yes, it is forward but perhaps not quite as much as the Shures. Very smooth on the GR10, W3 more distant. Not bad, just distant and not as intimate. I find the GR10 midrange perfect! So realistic but not necessarily in your face.
BASS: No surprise here, W3 is still a bit more. The treble booster setting does tame down the bass and enhance the overall clarity but it can still get boomy at times. It’s not bad and it’s not the most balanced but it is fun and engaging. It seems to work really well with some recordings and not quite as well with others. Conversely, GR10 can sound a little lean on some recordings but for the majority it comes through very fine. It is certainly more correct than W3 but I guess sometimes not as fun.
SOUNDSTAGE: W3 is definitely bigger and has a more distance where GR10 is closer and more intimate. At higher volumes the closer more intimate GR10 could be more fatiguing on the ears but at the same time GR10 sounds more “real” and more “live.”
FINAL THOUGHTS: It is amazing how far IEM technology has come where a simple 1 driver earbud produces the same or better sound than a triple driver and this is certainly the case here. The W3 is a bigger sound and more dynamic but the GR10 is definitely more together and cohesive…so complete sounding. I simply cannot say either one of these is better than the other. They are both excellent but different. If I want to ROCK OUT and get an adrenaline rush I will reach for the W3’s but if I want to analyze music or listen for extended periods or enjoy some vocal or acoustic music I would take the GR10’s every time. The GR10’s clearly have more transparency but the airiness keeps the sound smooth and harmonic making it very pleasurable to listen to. It is worth noting that the GR10 might be a bit more finicky with different sources. When paired with a single cd Sony boombox I also use, the GR10's sound way to lean and the W3's sound great. Without comparing with additional sources I do not know whether this could be a problem with GR10 but synergy with Ipod products is great! The W3 is like the IEM on steroids. Its sound is big and full. You know it is not the most balanced but you don’t care because it is very fun and engaging. I certainly see a place for both of these in my collection and the GR10 also has an advantage of ease of use as an earbud. I have enjoyed many IEM’s I have heard or purchased but GR10 will certainly be one that stands out in the crowd. I hope more people get to hear it.
