[bscott]

Wow. Well I have owned the 530s for over two years and I love their sound. The 535s are supposed to be ever so slightly better on the high end, so I'm sure I'll love those even more. It's all personal taste I guess. I also own the hd650s as you do, which I love to death

 

[bscott]

just got the 535's in and trying them out for the first time.  Immediately I seem to notice a lot more pronounced high end listening to Radiohead - now, this could be placebo effect, so I'm not jumping to conclusions yet.  I'll try it out on something other than my iPhone tonight, with FLAC.
 
Gotta say, this cord is like ROPE.  Sturdiest thing I've ever seen or felt for earbuds.  Only issue is, I can hear it when it moves if there is silence.  Never had that issue with the 530's.

 

[shane55]

Quote:

just got the 535's in and trying them out for the first time.  Immediately I seem to notice a lot more pronounced high end listening to Radiohead - now, this could be placebo effect, so I'm not jumping to conclusions yet.  I'll try it out on something other than my iPhone tonight, with FLAC.
 
Gotta say, this cord is like ROPE.  Sturdiest thing I've ever seen or felt for earbuds.  Only issue is, I can hear it when it moves if there is silence.  Never had that issue with the 530's.

Welcome to the world of 'microphonics'. Yes, the sound is transfered through the cable (and yes, they are like ropes!). It effects some people more than others. Also eartips can change how loud the microphonics are. For me it is greatly lessened with foam (Comply's or Olives).
 
Congrats on you new IEM's.
 
shane

 

 

[bscott]

thanks man.  I don't think I'll notice it much, but I might need to run the wires taut under my chin while walking with podcasts.
 
These things are so tiny.  Almost hard to get into your ears since there's not much to grip and move.  Got the clear ones.
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
Quote:

Immediately I seem to notice a lot more pronounced high end listening to Radiohead - now, this could be placebo effect

That's not a placebo...that's treble that is not rolled off.

 
Quote:

 

I'm afraid I disagree. I find the UM3X very musical and very much "about the music". I do not get distracted by what you call "the sum of many parts" or by what mp3 calls " "too" revealing and analytical", I actually find the whole thoroughly enjoyable, and more coherent sounding than the SE535, where I found it hard to 'find the music', I'm sorry to say.
 
Yesterday I spent many hours with my new UM3X and I wouldn't say I kept analysing the excellent details being reproduced. I found myself tapping my feet and, dare I say it, even dancing a little at times - my body simply responded naturally, just moved, no thinking here.
 
I would now and again switch to my ES3X, noticed the improvement but never felt "Wow, what a difference!", then switched back to my UM3X and just carried on enjoying the experience, the music. Again, like the first time I owned them over a year ago, I could just not put them down.
 
On 2/3 occasions I switched to the SE535 and at one point I thought "Enough! You know these are not for you. Why keep trying to see if there might be something there for you when every single time there's been no enjoyment, and no connection with the music as you've come to know it?"

Sorry I gotta go with Sypro on this one too.

 

[music_4321]

^^ Hey, no need to 'apologise'. 

I know you and Spyro have (almost) identical views on the SE535 as evidenced by your and his posts here and other SE535-related threads. Not everyone will love either the UM3X or SE535 - I think we can establish that.

However, the view that the UM3X is overly analytical and somewhat 'sterile' because of its neutral presentation and excellent instrument separation I find way off the mark, specially after having A/B'd both several times.

I personally find the UM3X more engaging & fun to listen to; the excellent instrument separation & imaging, along with its not so narrow (as claimed by some) soundstage play a big role in my enjoyment of this fine IEM.

I liken the UM3X to a very well cooked dish, where you can identify some or all the ingredients that went into preparing the dish, the right amount of cooking time, and so on, rather than a similar dish where there's too much or too little of certain ingredients apart from the actual cooking process. A good frozen Paella can be tasty but nothing like the real thing. I don't find the SE535 like a frozen Paella, but more like a fast-food type of Paella, great if you're hungry or if it's the first time you've tried such an 'exotic' dish. When you try real Paella, you simply cannot go back to the frozen or fast-food type. 

 

[iponderous]

 
Quote:

I personally find the UM3X more engaging & fun to listen to; the excellent instrument separation & imaging, along with its not so narrow (as claimed by some) soundstage play a big role in my enjoyment of this fine IEM.
 

 
In your opinion of course. In my opinion the UM3X had the most constricted presentation of any earphone that I have heard. I was very disappointed with its sound signature, which sucked the life out of the music to my ears. I also regarded it as too warm to be considered neutral. I haven't bought and sold a phone so quickly since.
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

^^ Hey, no need to 'apologise'. 

I know you and Spyro have (almost) identical views on the SE535 as evidenced by your and his posts here and other SE535-related threads. Not everyone will love either the UM3X or SE535 - I think we can establish that.

However, the view that the UM3X is overly analytical and somewhat 'sterile' because of its neutral presentation and excellent instrument separation I find way off the mark, specially after having A/B'd both several times.

I personally find the UM3X more engaging & fun to listen to; the excellent instrument separation & imaging, along with its not so narrow (as claimed by some) soundstage play a big role in my enjoyment of this fine IEM.

I liken the UM3X to a very well cooked dish, where you can identify some or all the ingredients that went into preparing the dish, the right amount of cooking time, and so on, rather than a similar dish where there's too much or too little of certain ingredients apart from the actual cooking process. A good frozen Paella can be tasty but nothing like the real thing. I don't find the SE535 like a frozen Paella, but more like a fast-food type of Paella, great if you're hungry or if it's the first time you've tried such an 'exotic' dish. When you try real Paella, you simply cannot go back to the frozen or fast-food type. 

Quote:

 
 
In your opinion of course. In my opinion the UM3X had the most constricted presentation of any earphone that I have heard. I was very disappointed with its sound signature, which sucked the life out of the music to my ears. I also regarded it as too warm to be considered neutral. I've never bought and sold a phone so quickly since.
 

And that is why Baskin Robbins make more than just chocolate!

 

[iponderous]

^ Yeah, but do they do a frozen Paella?

 

[MKang25]

Oh boy this is a damned if i do and damned if I don't. If I like the UM3x more than the 535s death from above, if i like the 535s more death form below!!!!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Oh boy this is a damned if i do and damned if I don't. If I like the UM3x more than the 535s death from above, if i like the 535s more death form below!!!!

Get'em both and sell the ones you like the least?
 
I preferred the W3s to the UM3x's (I found the latte uninspiring IMO of course), but prefer the SE535s to all three.

 

[jaredalv]

 
[size=medium]

So I'm jumping-in to my 1st and 2nd pair of IEM's in this new-found fascination of mine.  Bought the Shure SE535's first and loved them.  Incredibly crisp, clear, hearing things in recordings I had never heard.  The instrument separation was incredible.  Really an incredible experience - though the low-end was a little light maybe, but not a lot - the detail was amazing.  I'm a musician and vocalist, so not having a heavy low-end wasn't necessarily a turn-off for me.
 
But coupling the sound with incredible build-quality, removable cables (I bought a Shure integrated iPhone/Mic control cable to replace the standard), and the awesomely comfortable olive tips: I loved them.
 
Being the noob I am, I slightly bent the nozzle out of round and the filter moved down a bit when changing out the tips for the first time - side note: manufacturer's tips are crazy hard to remove - so I had to send them back under EarPhone Solutions return policy.  Kudos to them for excellent cust. svc by the way.
 
Went ahead and ordered a pair of UM3X's (new replaceable cable model) along with the replacement SE535's.  I had heard that the UM3X has considerably more defined low-end, so I was kind of looking forward to a richer sound and and comparing the two models.
 
>>>
 
Got them in today.  Big-time disappointment in the quality of the UM3X.  First of all the left monitor doesn't work.  Sound is incredibly faint - definitely broken - so it will have to go back.  I'm not sure if this is a knock on Westone or if Earphone Solutions gets discounted/refurb models from somewhere??  I also switched the monitors on the cables, and the faintness followed the monitor, so it's not a cable issue.
 
That and the housings and cables just feel cheaper to me - especially compared with the heavy-duty 535's: the 535's just felt like more substantial gear.  The UM3X shorter cable is also not as much to my liking.  The tips were comfortable, though.  Seemed to do a good job of isolation.
 
Listening in just one ear it was impossible to form an informed opinion on their sound.  But it did seem a little veiled on the high-end.  But again, that's not really fair to the phones without hearing a working pair.
 
>>>
 
My solution so far: I will send the UM3X's back to see if I like them when testing a functional pair.  I've heard so many great things about them (at least about the old/non-removable cable version), I'm sure they're good phones - I just am disappointed in their quality of construction.  They don't feel as substantial as the 535's.
 
>>>
 
The 535's are again sparkling, stellar.  Especially on acoustic selections, the vocals are amazingly crisp, bright and present.  The low-end may still be a little light to some, but I've found a solution that works for me as well: I turn my iPhone EQ setting to either Electronic or Rock.  So far, Electronic seems to be my favorite.
 
With those two settings employed, I think the 535's have won me out over the UM3X's.  I have seen enough positive feedback to give the UM3X's a fighting chance, but I don't know that they'll be able to unseat my 535's.
 
>>>
 
Cheers to all on such a great forum.  I've learned a ton stalking these threads over the past few weeks.
 
 
BTW - is that a no-no amongst audio-philes?  Both the iPhone? and the EQ setting use?  Due to portability and usability, I'm pretty much locked-in to using the iPhone as my source.  But the EQ I felt might be a little bit of a cheat to the 535's - but hey, it works for me.  
 
 
Thanks to all,
Jared
 
​

[/size]

 

[MacedonianHero]

^^^
 
Thanks for jumping in! Great post! Too bad about your UM3x...I wouldn't worry, Westone is a top notch company and should take care of your issue.
 
Welcome to Head-fi....and my apologies to your wallet.
 
BTW, have you heard your SE535s with a good portable amp/dac?

 

[MKang25]

EarPhoneSolutions.com is a sponsor here and probably one of the largest Westone Distributors so I doubt they are selling fakes/refurbished units, you probably got a lemon.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

EarPhoneSolutions.com is a sponsor here and probably one of the largest Westone Distributors so I doubt they are selling fakes/refurbished units, you probably got a lemon.

I can back them up...top notch company who I used to buy my DT880/600 and SE535s!
 
They are about as good as it gets (along with Headroom, Moon Audio, B&H and TTVJ).