Phonak PFE to UM3X?

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bixby /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am sorry you feel that way. Next time you may want to put the entire quote in your post. You conveniently left out For me. For me the Westone 3 trounces the PFE. Now you can read it again and still disagree but it is my opinion and I am sticking by it. good day

All our opinions are from our personal point of view, "for me", seemed redundant and the rest of the quote was not related to what I was commenting about. It wasn't convenient because it took more effort to erase the post than to just quote it.

I don't disagree with you. It's your opinion. I just pointed out that words like trounce, especially with a quality product, seem a bit excessive unless your talking about the UE11 vs Apple earbuds. The PFEs and UM3X have both been established as very competent IEMs to be so easily trounced . I just stated my reaction to your post.

Good day

 

[bixby]

okay, appreciate your clarity.

Then I choose the word CRUSH as in to a pulp..............

just kidding.....................

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bixby /img/forum/go_quote.gif okay, appreciate your clarity. Then I choose the word CRUSH as in to a pulp.............. just kidding.....................

I was thinking annihilated or vaporized them, but I guess if you want to be soft about it, crush works

Pardon my ignorance, but who is that pictured in your avatar?

 

[bixby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pardon my ignorance, but who is that pictured in your avatar?

Hadrian

 

[Bilavideo]

I own both IEMs. I like both very much. I prefer the UM3X.

The PFEs are a single-driver monitor. For their price range ($139 brand new), they are remarkable. They sound better than rivals phones at twice the price. But value for the money is not the same as "better." The PFE's have a higher impedence, which means they need more power to produce the same output. This is not a huge issue. It's simply a matter of cranking them higher. What's more, the choice of filters makes a serious difference in the presentation. With the green filters, the PFEs have a heavier emphasis on HF, though they remain a fairly balanced phone. With the black filters, there's substantially more bass. When I pumped the PFEs through my M^3 amp, I was blown away by the quality of the bass. If you don't have an amp, you've never really heard what these monitors can do.

That said, the UM3X has three drivers. The benefit of this is less stress on any individual driver, greater output and a presentation that feels natural and full. It is luxuriously so. The UM3X sounds more natural than any IEM I have or have ever enjoyed. It isn't just that you can hear them, in all their glory, without needing an amp. It's that the details of this can are amazing.

If you have an amp, a good one, the PFE is the better value - no question. But if you're willing to pay more to get more, the UM3X is clearly the best in show. It's more expensive but it's also a better-sounding set of monitors. It also has better ergonomics, fitting snugly into the ear and staying there.

 

[mbevier]

Are the Sony hybrid tips worth trying? I like the silicone that came with them, but I have a feeling there is some room for improvement on the fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bixby /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have owned the PFEs and The E5 and the T4 and heard the Westone 3. I think Bakhtiar post carries a lot of weight. For me the Westone 3 trounces the PFE. No cheap amp like the e5 can make the PFE sound better, it just strips away some of the treble exaggeration with the gray filters. And the soundstage sucks IMHO ith the E5. Even the T4 alters the sound of the PFEs and not necessarily to the better. Trying different tips helps a lot. I used the PFEs most while active either hiking, walking, biking, etc. And the Complies worked best for me. But you do get much different sound with Sony hybrids and others rather than the PFE silicones. But when you talk about a Westone 3 and the PFE, the Westone is just effortless in delivering clarity, detail, bass etc. To me the difference and money for the upgrade are almost obvious. Especially when you don't have to buy an amp for the Westone 3. I have not heard the Westone you are considering but if they are more balanced than the 3s then they should be great. It all depends on your value system and where you feel the law of diminishing returns comes in. That is it really, you have to decide. Cheers and let us know how things turn out.

 

[scytheavatar]

Have you considered the UM2? IMHO there's a strong case to be made that the UM3X is not worth the extra $$$$ from the UM2.