[slaters70]

You proclaimed the W2 is the best dual driver, but how many have you heard? Anyway, I just disagree. Not only is the DBA a superior BA dual driver in my opinion, and I have owned both, but the AT CK10 (also a dual driver BA) are also a better IEM. There are guys who prefer the W2 to the SE530 and TF10? Perhaps. But the only person that I have seen here who prefers the W2 over the DBA posted that it was because the DBA fit was not good. The one thing he said was better about the W2 was the soundstage was wider, but the DBA had better imaging. My guess is very few people have actually owned both the W2 and the DBA. Ethan, myself, and Rip N Burn come to mind. Two of us favor the DBAs, and the other one liked the DBAs but found they didn't fit properly. Not saying the W2 isn't a good IEM, but to put it at the top without having heard any others is not gonna fly. I do agree, though, that the W2 needed a little bass lift when i used it with my Sony X.

 

[Nestroit]

I wrote that the W2 is MAYBE the best dual driver...
 
I've read  that the DBA-02 has a lack in the bass too...(not more low end then W2) and the highs maybe to sharp and the smaller soundstage.....
 
so do you say that there is no possibility to prefer the W2 over the FA DBA?
 
User Spyro mentioned the W2 to be just slighty behind the best universal IEM (the W3) and propably the best Dual Driver IE.
 
whatever, I don't want to argue about this(because I am just very happy with my W2), as long as I can put just a little Bass in the W2 via good EQ, the sound is 99% perfect for me and I don't miss the Um2, not for a single second... even they(UM2) are so much fun and they are considered to be one of the best Dual Driver(not technically, but they rock the crap)...

 

[slaters70]

Glad the W2 does it for you. That's all that matters. Just wanted you to know there are other dual drivers that sound better based on the POV of people who have heard/owned them all. DBA is not bass lite at all. No need to EQ. It gives you what the mix offers.

 

[Spyro]

Yes, to be fair, I have not heard DBA-02 but am thoroughly impressed with W2.
 
While it's bass isn't as "full" sounding as W3, it still carries viciseral "weight" which so many other IEM's lack.

 

[slaters70]

No doubt, nice IEMs. Just wanted to chime in on the notion that they are "probably" the best dual drivers out there, since I have owned the W2s and sold them long ago. I did like them, but thought I could do better at their price, and I did (for $75 cheaper). Also, I sort of felt they had a congested soundstage with certain passages/tracks.

 

[Nestroit]

Portishead-Dummy for example sounds fantastic with the W2, there is nothing more you can ask for...(almost, because it always depends on your preferences)
 
it really depends on the Source - because the W2 does not deliver that much bass to do any source justice, like Bright Eyes-A perfect sonnet sounds to mellow for my taste(richer than on the um2), there is no punch in the kickdrums...
 
that's exactly why I want to set the Clear Bass on the Sony to +1, like many other Sony+W2 users.
 
<<<<<<<Now the W2 has got more Bass than Um2(Um2 without Clear Bass, they don't need any boost anyway)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
BUT THATS AN EXTREME STEP, it's really a Black Music-Setting and not for the Fans of the neutral sound... it's like having 2 In-Ears in one... fantastic for me!
 
I've bought the Sony NWZ-A845 16 GB...
 
but I will still use the iriver x20 with the Sony in-ear which come with the DPA for on the road... I don't want to overuse my Sony DPA and my Westone 2, just at home, but not everywhere..
 
so, the cheap bass-thumping sound off the Sony In-Ear is all I demand when walking around the city.

 

[JoeyRusso]

Your review was spot on regarding the W2's vs. the W3's.  Just as you described, they are different enough for a change of pace but still retain all the best features of the W3's (minus the wonderful extra bass impact).  I also prefer these over the TF10's as well, they are as detailed, fit better and don't sound as "cold" as the UE's.  I couldn't be happier with these as a change/back-up for my W3's.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Your review was spot on regarding the W2's vs. the W3's.  Just as you described, they are different enough for a change of pace but still retain all the best features of the W3's (minus the wonderful extra bass impact).  I also prefer these over the TF10's as well, they are as detailed, fit better and don't sound as "cold" as the UE's.  I couldn't be happier with these as a change/back-up for my W3's.

Cool - I still prefer the W2 over the TF10Pro.  Now that I have the UM3X I can say the W2 bass is slightly less but very flat, and the mids are not as forward, putting you a little farther back in the audience like with the W3.  I couldn't be sure in my review because I was going based on memory of the UM3X when I did it.  Un-amped I've been using the UM3X and W3 more, but with the Pico Slim I have really been digging the W2 as well as my ES3X and ES5.

 

[JoeyRusso]

Quote:

Cool - I still prefer the W2 over the TF10Pro.  Now that I have the UM3X I can say the W2 bass is slightly less but very flat, and the mids are not as forward, putting you a little farther back in the audience like with the W3.  I couldn't be sure in my review because I was going based on memory of the UM3X when I did it.  Un-amped I've been using the UM3X and W3 more, but with the Pico Slim I have really been digging the W2 as well as my ES3X and ES5.

 They definitely do well amped, after listening for a bit I plugged in my LOD and amped them and they really stepped up.  They benefit more from amping than the W3 (first impression).  They offer a lot of bang for the buck, especially when you can pick them up used.  I still have to hear the UM3X, for a complete picture, but I'm quite satisfied with my arsenal now.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

 They definitely do well amped, after listening for a bit I plugged in my LOD and amped them and they really stepped up.  They benefit more from amping than the W3 (first impression).  They offer a lot of bang for the buck, especially when you can pick them up used.  I still have to hear the UM3X, for a complete picture, but I'm quite satisfied with my arsenal now.

When I got into IEM I was a Shure lover and worked my way up from E2c to E4c, and then to SE530 + SE310.  I still have my SE530 in a custom shell but never listen to them.  After that I stuck with Denon C700 which were great un-amped from a 5.5G iPod video because of their smiley face frequency response.  Once I got into higher end gear and amps, I started to realize the C700 weren't so great after all.  That was when I got to try qJAYS, SA-06, Image X10, and TripleFi 10 Pro.  The later 2 IEM came close to what I wanted, but then the W3 was finally released and won my heart.  That was almost 2 years ago and I still enjoy the heck out of the W3 now (long Complys foam tips or UM56 custom tips).  
 
I still have the Denon C700 because they aren't worth selling, and I can give them to one of my kids when they break another skullcandy.  The TF10Pro don't get used much at all, except for a short while when I though the microphone on the cable was mandatory for my iPhone and I liked their increased detail over my NE-7M (Phonak PFE ended up cracking 3x and being a little sibilant).  I keep the TF10 for comparisons in reviews, but not for pleasure, and I might actually like the MTPG more than TF10Pro.  Most of my other high-end universal IEM are gone now that I have several $800-$1200 custom IEM, but my favorite universal IEM remain the W3, UM3X, and W2, followed by MTPG and TF10 which I sometimes use for a change of pace.  Those 5 will likely always be in my "arsenal" as you put it, but 80% of my IEM listening is now with my Westone ES5.  If I had to pick just one IEM out of the dozens that I own, the ES5 would be the one I'd pick above all the others as my "desert island IEM".

 

[JoeyRusso]

Quote:

When I got into IEM I was a Shure lover and worked my way up from E2c to E4c, and then to SE530 + SE310.  I still have my SE530 in a custom shell but never listen to them.  After that I stuck with Denon C700 which were great un-amped from a 5.5G iPod video because of their smiley face frequency response.  Once I got into higher end gear and amps, I started to realize the C700 weren't so great after all.  That was when I got to try qJAYS, SA-06, Image X10, and TripleFi 10 Pro.  The later 2 IEM came close to what I wanted, but then the W3 was finally released and won my heart.  That was almost 2 years ago and I still enjoy the heck out of the W3 now (long Complys foam tips or UM56 custom tips).  
 
I still have the Denon C700 because they aren't worth selling, and I can give them to one of my kids when they break another skullcandy.  The TF10Pro don't get used much at all, except for a short while when I though the microphone on the cable was mandatory for my iPhone and I liked their increased detail over my NE-7M (Phonak PFE ended up cracking 3x and being a little sibilant).  I keep the TF10 for comparisons in reviews, but not for pleasure, and I might actually like the MTPG more than TF10Pro.  Most of my other high-end universal IEM are gone now that I have several $800-$1200 custom IEM, but my favorite universal IEM remain the W3, UM3X, and W2, followed by MTPG and TF10 which I sometimes use for a change of pace.  Those 5 will likely always be in my "arsenal" as you put it, but 80% of my IEM listening is now with my Westone ES5.  If I had to pick just one IEM out of the dozens that I own, the ES5 would be the one I'd pick above all the others as my "desert island IEM".

You're killing me Larry.. LOL  It's bad enough to keep hearing about the UM3X's and now you hit me with the ES5??  I MUST resist, must close my browser and walk away..