[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by talisman42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The UM3X are much warmer. I wasn't aware that 'balanced' sound meant warm. As far as accuracy is concerned, the UM3X suppresses the highs and the W3 brings them forward. There's a middle ground somewhere... but then again, your musical tastes are probably more diverse than one IEM can respond ideally to.

I don't hear the UM3X as suppressing highs, just presenting them in a nice, non-fatiguing manner. W3 is nice too if you get the right fit, but suppression is not the word I would choose for the UM3X.

 

[Godfsvor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. Mine are in the harder vinyl material and are comfortable and durable. Westone says that the vinyl can shrink over 3-4 years unlike the silicone, but mine after 2 years show a continued good fit with minimal discoloration. 2. I don't know about letting him do a cut along the eartip, as mine never needed that, and I also have 6 pairs of custom IEM and none need anything like that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by talisman42 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like the W3 but did not have luck with the UM56. The silione version of the UM56 is very grippy so if your ear canals are relatively dry, you'll need to rely on some kind of lubricant. They can become quite difficult to insert and remove without it. I wouldn't suggest cutting a groove in it. That sounds more like a suggestion from someone who deals with hearing aids or attenuators than having tips made for listening to music.

Thanks for your answers. I told the audiologist not to make the cut but he told me that the cut will equalize the highs and boominess in ear (I quite experience boominess with some tips, fatigue?), and all customs (at least hearing aids customs) have this canal (inside the sound canal which extends to a tiny hole outside the earphone or along the earphone). But maybe is just that he deals with hearing aids and musicians that have a hearing loss (boosts up some frequences with a tiny amplifier) and is quite different technology. The Westone 3 is closed design with the best sound achieved with a good seal.
He will send the custom tips without the cut and if I experience any problems I'll send them back.

 

[p0wderh0und23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godfsvor /img/forum/go_quote.gif but he told me that the cut will equalize the highs and boominess in ear (I quite experience boominess with some tips, fatigue?), and all customs (at least hearing aids customs) have this canal (inside the sound canal which extends to a tiny hole outside the earphone or along the earphone).

This is ONLY true with hearing aids. With earphones and such it is ALL based upon the seal. Compromise the seal, compromise the SQ. Those vents are two fold. 1) to equalize any possible air pressure and 2) to allow in some ambient noise as well. They are not used as much for EQ.

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aphexii /img/forum/go_quote.gif So if the Westone 3's are a bit too warm for my tastes, would the UM3X be a good alternative?

NO! UM3X are much warmer. W3 are much sharper sounding. Almost siblant to some.

 

[headfever]

hi,HeadphoneAddict, good write up, PLease accept my respect for your hard typing.

i will brush up it again.

 

[Pirius]

I've had my 3's about 20 days and they definitely benefit from +48 hours of break-in. The difference is incredible in all areas.

Upon first listen:
- Bass: regularly boomy with little bass frequency differentiation
- Mids: very recessed
- Highs: periodically sparkly and sibilant
- Overall: sounds like 3 distinctly separate drivers. Poorly balanced, not musical.

After 48 hours:
- Bass: controlled with amazing pitch definition
- Mids: out of the closet! Vocals are beautifully rich and life-like
- Highs: natural and smooth, sibilance gone.
- Overall: amazingly balanced and neutral - yet natural.

Break them in -- it makes an amazing difference. These are the best I've heard. Wooo - they're great!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirius /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had my 3's about 20 days and they definitely benefit from +48 hours of break-in. The difference is incredible in all areas. Upon first listen: - Bass: regularly boomy with little bass frequency differentiation - Mids: very recessed - Highs: periodically sparkly and sibilant - Overall: sounds like 3 distinctly separate drivers. Poorly balanced, not musical. After 48 hours: - Bass: controlled with amazing pitch definition - Mids: out of the closet! Vocals are beautifully rich and life-like - Highs: natural and smooth, sibilance gone. - Overall: amazingly balanced and neutral - yet natural. Break them in -- it makes an amazing difference. These are the best I've heard. Wooo - they're great!

Weird - mine didn't make that dramatic of a change, and all the changes were done in the first 24 hours (as I posted in my review). I glad they sound good for you now. Usually you have to change to different kinds of tips or change the depth you insert them into your ear canal to get those kind of large changes in sound with the W3

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Weird - mine didn't make that dramatic of a change, and all the changes were done in the first 24 hours (as I posted in my review). I glad they sound good for you now. Usually you have to change to different kinds of tips or change the depth you insert them into your ear canal to get those kind of large changes in sound with the W3

Funny, mine neither...pretty much the same from day 1 to day 100 (and counting).

 

[Del Griffith]

A little off current topic...but I forgot to mention when I got my second pr of W3 a few months ago..that the case that came with this pr was imo a much better one than with my first pair. This case is longer and the material is like a ballistic nylon with a nice little belt clip like a light duty climbing clip. I like it better anyway...never seen anything on here about it...anyone else?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

They started the new case around CanJam if I recall.

 

[warsurferX]

Hey guys,

Since the W3 has often been described as "bass-heavy", any idea how it fares relatively to the JH10x?

 

[talisman42]

That's what I have - I think. It's rectangular and it does have the clip which I thought was a very nice touch. I haven't used the case for travel yet, but should be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Del Griffith /img/forum/go_quote.gif A little off current topic...but I forgot to mention when I got my second pr of W3 a few months ago..that the case that came with this pr was imo a much better one than with my first pair. This case is longer and the material is like a ballistic nylon with a nice little belt clip like a light duty climbing clip. I like it better anyway...never seen anything on here about it...anyone else?

 

[Turko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirius /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had my 3's about 20 days and they definitely benefit from +48 hours of break-in. The difference is incredible in all areas. Upon first listen: - Bass: regularly boomy with little bass frequency differentiation - Mids: very recessed - Highs: periodically sparkly and sibilant - Overall: sounds like 3 distinctly separate drivers. Poorly balanced, not musical. After 48 hours: - Bass: controlled with amazing pitch definition - Mids: out of the closet! Vocals are beautifully rich and life-like - Highs: natural and smooth, sibilance gone. - Overall: amazingly balanced and neutral - yet natural. Break them in -- it makes an amazing difference. These are the best I've heard. Wooo - they're great!

I dont agree with you at all. W3 is not lively sound to my taste.İt has truly unnatural and fatiguing

 

[weendex]

I've begun my W3 adventure.

Day 1 thoughts:

On the first listen I was taken aback... not in a good way. I just dropped $300+ and was expecting to be blown away right away. Where was the high end? And the mid's were kinda gross. This was with the medium silicon single flange tips, which I assumed would be the right fit, since I've been using that type of tip for years. WRONG.

For the next few hours I struggled with the tips, not really finding any that made me go wow.

Eventually I ended up cutting a solid 3-4mm off the triple flange tip base. that was the best I could manage. After about 25 minutes of listening with these, I guess my mind needed to burn in, because it just started to sound better and better.

I've got some extra triple flanges coming in to toy around with, but I was disappointed that i couldn't get anywhere close to a good sound with any other tip. I find the triple flange tips a little inconvenient, but right now, it seems worth it.

I had to EQ it a bit too, Treble Boost on the iphone is a little too harsh, but the best it could do. On iTunes I am using a gentler version of the treble boost EQ. Sounding very nice with my ALAC collection.

Listening to a lot of 90's-00's modern and hard rock, so that high-mid range is pretty important for gritty guitars and rock vocals.

Hoping I can improve the tips some more, but after reading a lot on here, it seems like the fit is everyone's biggest issue with the W3. As well, I expect like most people on here, my love for the W3 is going to flourish quickly over time!

 

[tstarn06]

Wow, that is exactly my experience with the W3s, exactly. The modded tri-flanges (trimmed stalk) were the only tips that worked, and I had to boost the treble because the flanges veiled it a little. And I used them wth my Touch 2G, with acoustic EQ setting.

One route to go requires more spending, the UM56 custom sleeves.

Another route, which I took, was to move from the W3s to the UM3X, AND I ordered the UM56s too. I wish I could have kept the 3s, but could only afford one. I do prefer the UM3X, but good luck with the W3s, and think about the UM56.