So after months of reading Head-fi and becoming increasingly paranoid that my Shure SE530s just don't provide the best possible sound for listeners like me who want big, brash sounds that are also detailed, I took the plunge and got a pair of Westone 3s last week. Thanks to everyone who has posted their impressions, good or bad, as I feel I was able to make a pretty informed decision.
The choice for me came down to the W3s, UM3x, and Senn IE8s. I've heard the Triple.fis and loved the slamming bass, well-defined treble, and large soundstage, but I didn't like the massive size of the earpieces. The Shure SE530s have been consistent for me across all genres, but for the house, hip-hop, and hard rock that I often listen to, the sound simply isn't aggressive enough for me. The bass has punch but lacks any real impact or boom, while high frequency sounds like high hats and cymbal crashes seem muffled. Getting custom UM56 tips improved the sound quite a bit, but the sound still lacked a certain fullness and power, and I prefer not to use them because I can't eat or run with them (however, please let me know if you're able to do these things with your UM56).
Now that I've had my W3s for a week, I've confirmed that I was looking for a more "U"-shaped sound, and I'm hearing details across the sound spectrum that I just didn't hear with the 530s. More importantly, unamped out of my iPod Touch 2g, the music sounds lush, dynamic, and alive--I find myself smiling and bobbing my head far more than I ever did with my 530s.
I was a bit weary of all the impressions reporting fit or sibilance issues with the various tips, but I haven't had these problems. I get a good fit and sound with all tips, but I get the best overall sound with the P-series Complys (standard size), which I feel provide the most visceral bass without losing too much of the treble energy. The percussion seems to reverberate a bit longer with these tips, thus providing the feeling of a larger soundstage. And the bass impact is incredibly pleasurable--you feel the kick of the bass drum, and you can clearly pick out the notes of bass guitars. If there is a mid-bass hump, it isn't bothering me.
Moreover, the comfort is simply sublime. Because of the short nozzle and flat design of the earpieces, the W3s don't feel intrusive and they don't stick out of my ears at all. The bulb-like design and long nozzle of the Shure SE530s made them somewhat uncomfortable to sleep on, even with the deepest insertion. With the W3s, I can sleep on my side and never feel the earpiece sticking out or shifting when I move my head. The light, thin cable also produces none of the microphonics that I constantly got with the 530s; I'm surprised that more SE530 owners don't note the annoying thumping/scraping sounds of the cable against one's chest when running or even walking.
My only issues which would come close to being complaints:
1. Without using the "Treble Booster" EQ on my iPod Touch and Classic, the sound seems distant, muffled, and dark. I had to use this EQ with my Shures as well to open up the sound and brighten the highs. Maybe I'm actually a treble-head in addition to being a bass fanatic? Even with this EQ, I haven't heard sibilance. Certain tracks, such as Vampire Weekend's "Walcott", produce a slight distortion when the piano hits high notes--kind of a buzzing noise. But this is limited to certain tracks, and I'm sure it would disappear with a quality amp or better equalization.
2. I find myself cranking up the volume, mostly because I'm enjoying the ride so much. After listening, I'll occasionally hear a few seconds of ringing in my ears, but I read that as a sign that I should take a break after a few hours and monitor the volume more closely. It's fine with me, because I'd rather have 4 hours of emotional, fist-pumping, leg shaking music than the 8 hours of smooth, non-fatiguing but ultimately forgettable listening that I had with the SE530s.
Although it seems a majority of Head-fiers prefer the UM3x, I feel pretty confident that I made the right choice. At the risk of oversimplification, it seems that the UM3x's sound signature of forward mids and toned-down bass and treble would have been more akin to the SE530 sound signature, albeit with much-improved detail. Maybe I'm the audio equivalent of a wine drinker who needs the instant gratification of sweet, fruity flavors, but I want my IEMs to instantly captivate me with details and meaty impact, without ever sounding sloppy.
Kudos to Westone for designing a true marvel of engineering.
