My upgrade from W2 to W3 impressions

[LugBug1]

Ive had my W2's for about 6 months now but have always wanted to hear the 3's because like most peeps on here I'm never satisfied!
 
Early days yet but I'm very happy with the W3's. For me, an IEM is never going to compete with a over ear hp and so my ideal would be to have an iem that sounds as close as poss. Therefore important factors for me are; sound stage and transparency (or instrument definition). What I don't want is a small analytical sound.
 
I loved the sound of the IE8's when they came out but no isolation was a big problem for me. After all, if I wanted an EM only for private listening I would listen to my 650's. An EM is for convenience, and so sound isolation should be at the forefront. My IE8's were soon shelved for the W2's.
 
I was never blown away with the W2's but they did grow on me. The sound isolation for a start was the best Ive ever heard including my active Sony x freebies and gold ring 1000's. The detail was amazing, but the sound was always too clinical. I hate having to use an EQ, we really shouldn't ever need to use and EQ when we pay $$$££££ for good hp's (unless we have BDD.. bass difficency disorder). But I had to with the W2's, one notch of Sony's clear bass and a notch down in the high mids. Brilliant! but why couldn't they have sounded like that to begin with?
 
Like the W2's the W3's have a similar soundstage which is big for an IEM but not huge like some people describe. They still sound like IEM's but they are certainly another step in the right direction.
 
What I'm loving about the W3's is their musical sound, I'm not listening for new details.. Im too involved in the music. The vocals sound real, the overall presentation is smooth and easy to listen to. Ive had them on pretty much all day with no sign of fatigue. There's definitely NOT too much lower end as some have said, its nice and warm thats all. Ive just listened to a new recording of the Magic Flute and the frequencies are pretty much spot on when compared to an actual concert performance. If you are in a central position in a good theater with an orchestra in front of you you will hear both very high treble with brass sometimes, and also a slight boom with the low strings. This is natural, what is not natural for me is what is called a "natural" or "accurate" sound with headphones. Leave those types of hp's for studio technicians. Let me enjoy the Magic Flute how I enjoyed it at the theater with the ear bashing brass and groin trembling cellos.
 
My W3's are hear to stay! 
 
for now anyway.  

  
  
 
  

 

[JoeyRusso]

congrats and welcome to the W3 fan club... 

 

[LugBug1]

Just bit more from the W3 fan club!
 
Ive had my W3'w for over a week now and have had more time to compare with the W2's  don't want people thinking that the W3 are that much better than the W2's as they are different not only in the big price margin.
 
Pros W3;
 
 Slightly bigger sound-stage, great bass, less fatigue for long listening sessions, no need to EQ. More musical. (not so much less detail, more the details aren't grabbing your attention..) I hate the term "fun-fi" I'd rather say enjoyable as opposed to analytical.
 
Pros W2;
 
 More accurate in respect to the actual recording, better isolation on account of the longer speaker stems fitting deeper in ear, Better mids (more detail). Better for use on public transport because of the isolation and overall brighter sound signature (you are never going to be able to appreciate good bass on a train or bus and you can damage your ears trying!)
 
Cons W3;
 
 The warm bottom end may not be accurate enough for some.  Cant use shure olives as there too much bass.
 
Cons W2;
 
 Tiring for long listening sessions as upper mids are slightly forward. Bottom end may be a bit too accurate for some.
     
I'm still very pleased with my W3's but I'm keeping the W2's for train journeys etc.
As mentioned in another thread, my modified tips work brilliantly on W3's- snipping the first 2 cups of the triple flanges leaving the stalk long. Bigger sound, better isolation.

 

[albau]

@LugBug1: Nice review. I also had W2 which I didn't like much and now have W3 about which I'm sort of conflicted. In general I agree with your assessment with exception that both, including W2, seem similarly a bit dark to me. Main difference being that W2 has less bass and less soundstage and thus sounds anemic.
 
None of them sound bright to me. Never heard any much talked about W3 sibilance. If anything on W3 I have to lift up highs 1-2 dB via EQ. By the same token to get rid of irritating warm veil over mids (mid-bass hump?) both to me sound best EQed 2dB down around 150 HZ. What I can't understand is why $250 and $350 cans need to be EQed at all. I even had to get rockboxed clip+ since iPhone 4 doesn't have parametric EQ. The only tips that worked for me on both Westones are long foams and moded tri-flanges with either stem or top cup cut off.
 
So do you hear similar warm veil and feel the need to up highs in W3? Or maybe it's tips in my case?

 

[LugBug1]

 
Quote:

@LugBug1: Nice review. I also had W2 which I didn't like much and now have W3 about which I'm sort of conflicted. In general I agree with your assessment with exception that both, including W2, seem similarly a bit dark to me. Main difference being that W2 has less bass and less soundstage and thus sounds anemic.
 
None of them sound bright to me. Never heard any much talked about W3 sibilance. If anything on W3 I have to lift up highs 1-2 dB via EQ. By the same token to get rid of irritating warm veil over mids (mid-bass hump?) both to me sound best EQed 2dB down around 150 HZ. What I can't understand is why $250 and $350 cans need to be EQed at all. I even had to get rockboxed clip+ since iPhone 4 doesn't have parametric EQ. The only tips that worked for me on both Westones are long foams and moded tri-flanges with either stem or top cup cut off.
 
So do you hear similar warm veil and feel the need to up highs in W3? Or maybe it's tips in my case?

Hi thanks, I do hear the warm veil but I hear it mostly in the lower half so I don't adjust the eq. In fact these are the first IEM that ive never needed to EQ. They are pretty much what I like in a headphone, that is a bit of a "u" shape. I love the D2000's and consider the W3 to be the IEM equivalent in sound signature, with a big warm bottom end and a touch of emphasized sparkle at the top.    
 
Having said that, I dont use the comply's or Shure black olives on the W3's because they seem to soften the sound a little too much and the bass seems to slightly eclipse the other frequencies. This could be the veil that you are hearing?
 
I was using the standard silicone ones until I started experimenting and after modifying the triple flanges I'm really happy with the sound.  
 
I do still use the Shure olives on the W2's because they do soften and warm the sound slightly and I feel they sound the better for it. 

 

[davidcotton]

Nice review.  As a w2 owner I agree with a lot of what  lugbug says.  Had been tempted to step up to the w3 but somehow always managed to resist it.  Now it sounds like the w4 ironically may be a better bet for me than the three.  Interesting to hear about the stem length.  Been having trouble with the fit on these so it sounds like the 3 would have been a nightmare.  With the comply p series I can now get a pretty good seal 9 times out of ten.  However been seriously contemplating getting these reshelled into customs for the comfort factor. 
 
Cheers.

 

[LugBug1]

 
Quote:

Nice review.  As a w2 owner I agree with a lot of what  lugbug says.  Had been tempted to step up to the w3 but somehow always managed to resist it.  Now it sounds like the w4 ironically may be a better bet for me than the three.  Interesting to hear about the stem length.  Been having trouble with the fit on these so it sounds like the 3 would have been a nightmare.  With the comply p series I can now get a pretty good seal 9 times out of ten.  However been seriously contemplating getting these reshelled into customs for the comfort factor. 
 
Cheers.

Hi thanks, the W3's are bigger than the W2's and don't fit as deep into the ear but this is for acoustic reasons I think, and that's how they have a larger sound stage. I too am looking forward to the W4's and it sounds like Westone have taken on board what people like and don't like with the W3's and so there should be a better quality of bass rather than quantity, but probably with the same sound-stage. As far as I know they are the same size as W3's though. Its a shame that you cant try the W3's before you buy (remember you can always send them back depending where you buy them from) and see if they will fit you because I must admit I do prefer them over the 2's as a whole.   

 

[LugBug1]

Just a few words in regards to a possible upgrade to W4 and my journey with westone..
 
Ive been sooo interested in the W4 thread and have followed it right to the first reviews with all the excitement and to now when everyone seems to be coming down and we are seeing a more realistic and dare I say, more down to earth impressions.
 
And one thing that keeps coming up is the comparison between the W2's and W3's and if you will " a best of both worlds"
 
However, what is also being pressed, is the refinement of the bass, and what I interpret as a lack of punch and impact when in comparison to the W3's. Now, the problem that I have already would be- I dont want to lose that! With the right tips on the W3's the bottom end is realistic and if anything on some music I would like a bit more...! Quality of bass is ofcourse another thing... and yes it does matter.. but not less of it.. not for me! or most people who love the W3 for the same reasons.
 
So, the W4's are not an improvement to the W3's they are in fact a new signature. So, If you are like me and love the "U" shape of the W3's then there is not much need to renew the mortgage and buy the 4's.
 
As it is now, I'm using my W2's for traveling, my 3's for wandering around the house or when I'm watching tv with the wife. (I prefer watching tv when I cant hear it,especially her soaps...and if you nod your head when she speaks to you..) So I'm not sure where the W4's would fit in?
 
I need to read more about them anyways. But for now, you either love the 2's or love the 3's not both at the same time! unless you are like that....