[BoomBoomChild]

How about gel tips for the W30, is there a brand that fits and works well? I mean, the foam tips work great, but they take a moment to seat them properly, you know - they're not just put in and go, but if a gel tip would give the same isolation as foam then it would be great to just be able to put the IEMs in and just go and still have great isolation.

 

[BoomBoomChild]

Here's all I have in my pocket. The Cowon is no bigger than a pager and thinner too and then the W30 and that's all I have to lug around for awesome sound. (I actually don't tuck $400 IEMs into my pocket and instead I leave them hanging around my ear when I take them out when I'm out and about. At home they go in that orange thing they came with. It's strong.

 

[imeem]

  Update on my Westone W30 review.
 
My brain has burned into them totally now. They're awesome, reallyl. I listen to a lot of rock, metal of all kinds, pop, rap, Type O Negative - it just all sounds awesome though my Cowon D2+. I also use them to record guitar into my DAW at home - this way I can mic my amp and not have to hear the amp, but only the mics I'm monitoring (the gun range ear muffs I wear also help). Great isolation with the foam tips that fit best. I mean, they cost $400, but if you can afford that I would not feel guilty at all about telling you to buy these. I've only the UE Superfi Pros (pre-logitec) to compare these to and I loved those. At first I thought these W30 lacked bass. Now I can't seem to tell, because I'm burned into them. Anyway, I'm all settled into these and they're awesome. I like they way they wear, too, with the zip cable behind your neck - people can't even tell you're wearing these - their lips move when they talk to you, but they don't know why you can't hear them. I'm spoiled to be longboarding around Seattle with such good sound.

how do they perform for EDM? Like for Daft Punk, Avicii, and drum and bass? 

 

[korzena]

how do they perform for EDM? Like for Daft Punk, Avicii, and drum and bass? 

 

+1
Very interested in it, too!

 

[mchang]

I've been reading this this thread for the past week, and thought I would share some initial thoughts on my newly received W20.

Apologies if you also read this on my Etymotic hf3 thread, but I thought it pertinent here.

---

Got the Westone W20 yesterday. I find them to be quite opposite from the Ety hf3.

Comfort and ease of use: Advantage hf3 pretty much all around.

Cable: W20 because it is removable. However the mic is way smaller on hf3.

Sound: It's very weird. The W20 sound muffled and congested compared to Etys. But the Etys place a huge emphasis on trebles compared to W20, which balances more evenly across the spectrum. Here is a very rough breakdown (treble/mids/bass):
hf3 -- 60/20/20
W20 -- 25/40/35

I can't tell if I miss the "sparkle" of the Etys or like the "laid-back approach" of the W20. From memory, it's the same dilemma I faced when evaluating the bright Denon 5000 and the smooth Sennheiser 650. Obviously, I chose the Denons, but had to mod them, which isn't an option here.

 

[nimbostruck14]

fix the beginning of your post mchang. You said your thoughts on the w20, but you gave it on the w30.

 

[mchang]

Fixed! Thanks for the heads up. All comparisons were between the hf3 and W20. Too many 2s and 3s.

 

[AndrewH13]

Yeah, I came from etys to Westone 40s. Chalk and cheese. I ended up selling, etys. Maybe fit but I just didn't get any bass!

 

[BoomBoomChild]

  how do they perform for EDM? Like for Daft Punk, Avicii, and drum and bass? 

Daft Punk hits really hard with the W30. I think the W30 is having the mid bass up front and that's how it's hitting hard. When I first got the W30 I was filling a lack of bass as I was coming from the Superfi 5 pro, but I've EQed them and they sound awesome with the EQ. That's just on the Cowon D2+ though. I feel like there's plenty of bass with the EQ added, but I still wonder if I'm missing something. I need to listen to them through other sound sources other then the Cowon, which I will. Like I said the W30 took me some getting used to, but I over-thought it a bit too. I wish I could buy another IEM and that sucks as I don't to start that. I had read that the W30 was the one to get over the W20 and I didn;t want to be disaapointed and have to retrun it so I got the W30 and I don't regret it. My brain has been affected for sure, but I'm also wondering if there is truth to driver burn in, as the W30 does seem to have improved over time, but maybe not. I think the soundstage is just wider and more expansive the what I was used to. It's really quality sound though, that's not debated anywhere that I've seen. But you need EQ, at least on my Cowon. I like  lot of heavy bass but with a good balance and these seem to have that.

 

[twister6]

I should be getting UM Pro 30 soon   Will be a nice comparison/review to my W40!!!

 

[BoomBoomChild]

Rammstein just sounds huge on these and their sound is huge. I'm not sure if these are delivering on the sub bass though, I'll have to listen to some more of that. Again, I think it's mid bass that's being pushed up front.

 

[MachBot]

Daft Punk hits really hard with the W30. I think the W30 is having the mid bass up front and that's how it's hitting hard. When I first got the W30 I was filling a lack of bass as I was coming from the Superfi 5 pro, but I've EQed them and they sound awesome with the EQ. That's just on the Cowon D2+ though. I feel like there's plenty of bass with the EQ added, but I still wonder if I'm missing something. I need to listen to them through other sound sources other then the Cowon, which I will. Like I said the W30 took me some getting used to, but I over-thought it a bit too. I wish I could buy another IEM and that sucks as I don't to start that. I had read that the W30 was the one to get over the W20 and I didn;t want to be disaapointed and have to retrun it so I got the W30 and I don't regret it. My brain has been affected for sure, but I'm also wondering if there is truth to driver burn in, as the W30 does seem to have improved over time, but maybe not. I think the soundstage is just wider and more expansive the what I was used to. It's really quality sound though, that's not debated anywhere that I've seen. But you need EQ, at least on my Cowon. I like  lot of heavy bass but with a good balance and these seem to have that.

I feel it does get better over time, more trebles and bass quantity after burning in the w30.

 

[NightFlight]

Hey awesome find on the silver plated OCC for $40 USD shipped! I totally agree on your summary view cable changes. Your initial impression will speak most of the change. Within a day it the impression will disappear into business as usual and then its time for the next upgrade. 

 
 
My impression of silver coated copper has been the delivery of more detail without totally wiping out the overt warmth of straight copper.  Go with purse silver if your a detail junkie and you don't mind a ruler flat presentation across the spectrum. I have found you can loose some of the organic nature of music with pure silver.

 

[Total Hype]

Sorry if this has been answered but if I was interested in buying a used pair, how would I know if I'm getting a w10, 20, 30 etc? Are there any markers on the headphones themselves that will identify what model # it is?

Thanks

 

[MachBot]

There is a serial number on the exterior of the sound bore.

That serial number should corresponds with the sticker on the product packaging.