[AndrewH13]

As for being too bassy, I find that with a very tight seal they can have somewhat dominant bass on certain recordings, but if I loosen the fit just a hair, it lightens up (and tightens up) tremendously. 

Found exactly that! Not sure how can keep a looser seal unless move down so more of bottom of ear is outside which might get uncomfortable. But just a little release gives a much more balanced sound.

 

[AndrewH13]

PS - did you say your W40s had gone? I have just found a crack in both housings, after someone else reported it on Westone forum.

 

[vinnievidi]

Re. the UE900: I didn't realize that they retuned them. I had a pair in the past and thought they were a bit dry and mid-centric, but you've just piqued my interest to know more.  I'll have to check that thread and do my research. 
 
Re. the C5: I find that they sound really bassy, maybe too much so, when I use the stock tips and jam get a proper seal. If I pull them out a touch and break the seal, it starts to lean toward the sound I’m looking for. BUT, I loose all isolation, and living and commuting in NYC, that’s a necessity. I put an order in for various different tips and will see what I have at home to experiment with.
 
Re. the P7: I wonder if the looser seal can be achieved by softening the leather pads. I remember them being a bit stiff when new – definitely stiffer than how they are now. When I first got mine, I also remember wearing them a bit lower on my ears in order to create a gap around the back of my jaw. That helped. I don’t have to do that anymore, and I wonder if it’s because of what I mentioned about breaking in the pads.
 
Re. the W40: Truthfully, I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I did see a larger seam at the top of the left earphone. It wasn’t a full split as I saw in some of the photos floating around and now I’m wondering how that would have held up if I kept them. Have you tried contacting Westone about it or returning them to the store?

 

[AndrewH13]

Re 40s, I sent pics to dealer and he asked for return for either repair or replacement. Will be interested in chap who first found this as he has contacted Westone.

P7s, if you clamp right to your ears you only hear bass. So you are right that the opposite, less pressure, gives tighter comfortable bass instantly. That would explain how dealers demo model sounded great to me. I have stretched top band which was very stiff and that gave me less bass due to less pressure. Sounds very very good once pressure relieved.

 

[AndrewH13]

I listened to half a dozen iems (not easy) and picked W40s as my favourite and nearest to JH16s I compared them with, but in my price range of £400.

I spent last weekend listening to Headphones at three shops and the P7s (along with fantastic priced Musical Fidelitys) were my favourite. I also liked very exciting grado 325s but shop had no stock other than demo pair.

But apart from some muffled akgs I have, and bass-light etymotics earphones I sold, I have little idea how they are sound balance wise. Just that I like their signature.

I have 1000 p7 posts to read! But how are the P7s and W40s known? V shaped (I assume means bass and treble emphasised?), mid centric or somewhere balanced in between?
I need to know in written terms what I like!

 

[DrSheep]

I read a while ago that Westone said the W40 basically sounds the same as the old W4/4R, so it should be a bit warm and more neutral.  Most of the B&W products that I have sounded V (C5, MM-1, P5, and P7), and I believe this i how they generally tuned their sound.  However, most of the time their mids are still very clear and with good staging relative to the lows and hights.

 

[tinyman392]

  I read a while ago that Westone said the W40 basically sounds the same as the old W4/4R, so it should be a bit warm and more neutral.  Most of the B&W products that I have sounded V (C5, MM-1, P5, and P7), and I believe this i how they generally tuned their sound.  However, most of the time their mids are still very clear and with good staging relative to the lows and hights.

 
That bolded statement makes no sense...  The W4 was already warm over neutral...  So more warm means that it's less neutral.  Measurements (by Tyll) show that the W40 and W4R are exactly the same :/  I didn't find the P7 v-shaped (midrange is smoother and less aggressive, but not recessed)...  It doesn't measure that way either...  C5 I'll agree with though. 

 

[imackler]

Nice to hear from you, vinnievidi! This may or may not be helpful at all. I'm going to commit the cardinal sin of headfi. I've never heard the P7, but I've heard it described as more of a W signature than a V. Today, I was looking at how the SM64 is described by earsonics. The sound signature is at the bottom of the page: http://www.earsonics.com/en/audiophiles-earphones/sm64/ I've never heard the P7 or the SM64 but when I saw how they described the sound signature I thought of you and your P7. Maybe its worth exploring...

 

[DrSheep]

   
That bolded statement makes no sense...  The W4 was already warm over neutral...  So more warm means that it's less neutral.  Measurements (by Tyll) show that the W40 and W4R are exactly the same :/  I didn't find the P7 v-shaped (midrange is smoother and less aggressive, but not recessed)...  It doesn't measure that way either...  C5 I'll agree with though. 

I meant more towards neutral relative to the P7, I didn't say that the W4R is neutral.

 

[tinyman392]

  I meant more towards neutral relative to the P7, I didn't say that the W4R is neutral.

 
Ah, gotcha. 

 

[AndrewH13]

For next iem, god help me, three purchases in last month, if I want W40 quality but without added warmth, what should I be looking at?

Re the W4 and W40, Westone have said it is the very same, different, and improved! Only those with both can make their own mind up.

Worryingly, four of us have now discovered cracked W30/40 housings.

 

[DrSheep]

For next iem, god help me, three purchases in last month, if I want W40 quality but without added warmth, what should I be looking at?

Re the W4 and W40, Westone have said it is the very same, different, and improved! Only those with both can make their own mind up.

Worryingly, four of us have now discovered cracked W30/40 housings.

Custom cable might help to lessen the warmth by speed things up a little, but in general Westone tune their IEMs towards the warm side, so you might want to try the SE535LTD instead.

 

[imackler]

Worryingly, four of us have now discovered cracked W30/40 housings.

 
I've been seriously worried about the build quality of the Westone. Part of the nice thing about companies like Shure, Sennheiser and Etymotic is how good their out of warranty repair service. Yes, it costs, but its relatively affordable. 

 

[AndrewH13]

  Custom cable might help to lessen the warmth by speed things up a little, but in general Westone tune their IEMs towards the warm side, so you might want to try the SE535LTD instead.

 
I tried to get a listen to those, but the shop didn't have them in (well 535s anyway). Are the 535LTD different sounding?  I like cymbals and snares with bite and had read Shure's house sound has a softer treble?

 

[AndrewH13]

btw, I don't dislike the W40 sound, just if I was buying another pair, would like just a wee bit less upper-bass and more treble bite. Not sure if that equates to less warmth?