[Bigsy]

I've fallen out of the headphone loop and just had to send my IE8's back as they were faulty, but don't want another pair. Great sound, build quality and comfort too poor to consider again.

In the past I have had:
sfp5 - (using them as back up now) love these things just missing a bit of detail.
triple.fi - not warm enough for me.
e500/se530 - went trough 2 sets of these before my IE8's, their great but not as full sounding as IE8's

So basically is there anything that offers close to IE8 sound but with added comfort and build quality? I prefer emphasis on the bottom end.

When I was looking at IE8's Westone 3's were doing the rounds, these still worth considering? My problem is they are very expensive in the UK so would prefer to avoid them.

Thanks.

 

[timmyGCSE]

For westone 3's have a look at earphonesolutions.com. its a US based company but they will ship to the uk via fedex express (3day shipping).
They are $400 plus $30 shipping, if you add the coupon code uk8 at the basket you get 8% off. All in all including the westones with the discount, shipping, VAT and customs duty it comes out at £286. I've checked this out fully..I rang the customs helpline to find the import duty code then used the fedex import tax calculator. Obv with currency fluctuations it may be a few quid either way but much cheaper than the £350 cheapest you can find them from uk dealers

 

[DeTrun]

http://www.ineargear.com/tripledriver/westone3.html

I just wanted to let you know there's a cheaper option.
Converted, it's 219 pounds. (W3 + Global Express shipping = $350)

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeTrun /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.ineargear.com/tripledriver/westone3.html I just wanted to let you know there's a cheaper option. Converted, it's 219 pounds. (W3 + Global Express shipping = $350)

Yea not bad, plus VAT and customs that's £256ish

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Heh, if you are really that worried about the low end then there is only one option for you, the JVC/Victor HP-FX500s. The low end on these is almost as powerful as the IE8, but they reach even lower and have very life-like reverberations because of the wooden housing and diagram. I have never heard an IEM produce instrumental sound so life-like.

In comparison to the Super.fi 5 Pros:

Highs:
Slightly less harsh, but with greater detail and sparkle. All and all pretty close.

Mids:
The FX500s have slightly recessed mids, but with a lot of detail. The Super.fi 5 Pros have slightly more detail in the mids, but they are artificially forward. I would give this to the FX500 since they have a higher level of clarity. Also the string instruments sound extremely life-like because of the reverberations.

Low:
No contest, the Super.fi 5 Pros sound anemic in comparison, not because of the amount of bass which still can't compare, but because of the texture, detail, and presentation of the FX500's bass. The FX500s also have the ability, like your IE8s, to produce more life-like reverberations in the bass. The FX500 not only excel at this, it easily puts the IE8s to shame in this department. The reverberations, they aren't only in the bass, they also grace any string instrument as well, are amazing and music is simply not the same without them.

Soundstage:
The Super.fi 5 Pros have a very good sound stage, but I would give the nod to the FX500 but only slightly. That said, the FX500 have a slightly better instrument separation as well. They are pretty close and neither, like basically any IEM, can compare to the IE8 in this department.

For the Westone 3 vs. FX500 debate, they aren't really comparable. I would not say, in the least, that the Westone 3 or the FX500 are better, overall, than the other because they are so different. I also like the Westone 3, and while I far prefer the FX500 I can't look past the Westone 3's slightly greater detail and warmer mid range, nor can I ignore the FX500s far greater low end and slightly more exciting high end. I would also give the soundstage to the Westone 3, it is slightly better.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bigsy]

Thanks for the comments guys, I will read up further on the HP-FX500s, but again they seem impossible to buy in the UK and the design worries me compared to westone in regards to comfort, I found se530s very comfortable and westones are in a similar vein.

I found theres on the bay: WESTONE 3 Sound/Noise Isolating Earphones Earbuds NEW on eBay (end time 16-Oct-09 19:22:44 BST)

That would make it £200 shipped to the UK which seems excellent, but does anyone know how westone feel about honoring warranties of phones bought off ebay?

Thanks.

 

[ZARIM]

FX500 canbe wear over the ear like IE8 and they are very comfy, they also has wide soundstage with great deep bass extention. ATH-CKS70 exceeds IE8 in soundstage and bass area with clear mids and highs.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigsy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the comments guys, I will read up further on the HP-FX500s, but again they seem impossible to buy in the UK and the design worries me compared to westone in regards to comfort, I found se530s very comfortable and westones are in a similar vein.

The HP-FX500s are the most comfortable IEM I've ever tried. Also you can order them here:

SEYO-shop.com*»*Headphones*»*JVC-Victor*»*JVC-Victor HP-FX500

 

[milford302009]

from the iems you use it sounds like time to for the customs
companies like ACS are based in the UK

 

[timmyGCSE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeTrun /img/forum/go_quote.gif http://www.ineargear.com/tripledriver/westone3.html I just wanted to let you know there's a cheaper option. Converted, it's 219 pounds. (W3 + Global Express shipping = $350)

whats also interesting is they will mark the package as a gift or sample for customs purposes. But are they an authorised reseller?

 

[midoo1990]

if you like the ie8 dark sound signature,then i doubt you will like the fx500(bright phones),two entirely different sig.

 

[qusp]

UM3X with custom tips, that way you get the full bass you are chasing, plus slightly better comfort than W3 and better midrange detail than W3 as well. instrument separation is up a notch from W3 also IMO

 

[DeTrun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmyGCSE /img/forum/go_quote.gif whats also interesting is they will mark the package as a gift or sample for customs purposes. But are they an authorised reseller?

Yes, they are. They were one of the first to sell the W3, so I guess they are.

They sold it in an Ebay-store, called Frequency City Sound. http://www.freqcitysound.com/
If you click the In Ear Monitor Pro button, at Gear Sales, they'll redirect to ineargear.com. It's probably created recently. I don't really know

 

[BIG Dave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmyGCSE /img/forum/go_quote.gif whats also interesting is they will mark the package as a gift or sample for customs purposes. But are they an authorised reseller?

I asked them that very question. Their response was:

"hi, our supplier (audio vengeance) is an authorized dealer"

I'm still not sure if Westone will honor the warranty...

 

[pila405]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif UM3X with custom tips, that way you get the full bass you are chasing, plus slightly better comfort than W3 and better midrange detail than W3 as well. instrument separation is up a notch from W3 also IMO

Sounds like the best option. I own the ES3X which suppose to be very alike to the UM3X + UM56.

http://www.ineargear.com/tripledriver/westoneum3x.html