the_dong146
100+ Head-Fier
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- Sep 5, 2006
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Hello everyone - so to my great excitement, I finally received my Westone UM3Xs. The wait to open the package was... well excruciating.
Some of you may have seen my posts - just to give you guys a quick idea of tastes and search. IEM history is below - no other top tier universals to compare it with, but a decent (somewhat) range. Here I present my quick impressions, right after unboxing, on the Westone UM3X, with what will probably end up almost like a stream of consciousness as I move from song to song. I will not be A/Bing phones (other IEMS sold off to pay for these, nor is this meant to be a mega review), but I will probably make some conscious comparisons, just my thoughts as they come. Look for more impressions coming later.
This is my first time doing something like this, I've commented, asked questions, but my first actual, if not review, commentary thread. Comments/thoughts are free. So to share:
Sound signature preference: Slightly forward mids, deep/extended bass (disclaimer, not a bass head), pleasant highs.
Music tastes: Mainly rock oriented, starting to throw in some more variety: Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Led Zeppelin, Muse, Black Keys
Source: Lenovo T61 (MediaMonkey 3.1 w/ MAD MP3 Output) -> HotUSB1 DAC -> UM3X
Unboxing
I was prepared for almost Spartan packaging, but it still seemed a little bare. Definitely not a truly consumer targeted earphone. Just start testing right away with the supplied Complys - do have some Shure olives lying around for later. Fit is easy - most comfortable so far that I've used (X10s are comfortable, but the dangling is annnoying...).
Initial Impressions - 10/26/09 - 3:55 (0:00 headtime)
Reckoner - Radiohead
Whoah - warmer/more bass than I expected. A full, full sound. Opening beats don't sound quite as punchy as the X10s (but better than the PFE, IE7 etc.), Thom Yorke has never sounded so lush/close. Very in the head sound, coming from IEMs more known for soundstage (IE7/X10), kind of expected to have to adjust to this again. A very complex song is being very easily handled here.
Neighbourhood # 1 - Arcade Fire
Catching opening high-pitched drone but not painful as it was sometimes on the X10s or largely absent on other earphones. The highs are definitely there, if not "sparkly." Really revealing the separation of the UM3Xs here. Definitely feel like there are multiple instruments going in a studio setting, as opposed to a mere recording. Again, definitely a warmer sound than I was expecting from review calling it "flat" and "boring".
Knights of Cydonia - Muse
A decidedly poor recording, try and see just how unforgiving the UM3Xs are.
Opening hoofbeats have never sounded so percussive. Definitely not as alive as the previous two recordings (flatter sounding), but from previous experience that's not exactly the recording's fault . Guitar is definitely wailing going strong, Bellamy's falsetto is right there and has never sounded so good. More forgiving than expected, more so I'd say than X10s
B.O.B - Outkast
Something a little different here. Bass is again showing it's excellent presence/extension, without intruding into the mids/vocals. Not much more to say.
Inertia Creeps - Massive Attack
The opening to this song is almost ludicrously complex - on most headphones comes through as a kind of noise. Flawlessy resolved - never heard that kind of detail/clarity on that section (including with full size). Again a complicated song that really shows off the separating power of the UM3Xs.
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
Something relatively simple. I can almost hear the pick going across the strings... Clapton sounds more emotional than I've heard him. Captures the acoustic twang, with the percussive effect, amazingly.
Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon, long an audio test record, and female vocals. Piano sounds warm, may a little too much? Definitely never really heard the intro commentary clearly before. Female vocals are apparently also excellent. Bass continues to hit strong (almost too much for my taste). High notes come out clearly and powerfully.
Quick hits:
Pros: Full sound, accurate, detailed and well-extended bass. Lush/awesome mids - great vocals. Ridiculous instrument separation. How are these supposed to be "boring?" - just best balanced earphone I believe I've heard, only the IE7s can compare, and the detail/clarity of those were not close.
Cons: More bass than expected, small as expected soundstage. Highs could be somewhat more present/extended
Total headtime: (00:30)
Look for more to come - unfortunately real life calls so not sure when that will be.
Some of you may have seen my posts - just to give you guys a quick idea of tastes and search. IEM history is below - no other top tier universals to compare it with, but a decent (somewhat) range. Here I present my quick impressions, right after unboxing, on the Westone UM3X, with what will probably end up almost like a stream of consciousness as I move from song to song. I will not be A/Bing phones (other IEMS sold off to pay for these, nor is this meant to be a mega review), but I will probably make some conscious comparisons, just my thoughts as they come. Look for more impressions coming later.
This is my first time doing something like this, I've commented, asked questions, but my first actual, if not review, commentary thread. Comments/thoughts are free. So to share:
Sound signature preference: Slightly forward mids, deep/extended bass (disclaimer, not a bass head), pleasant highs.
Music tastes: Mainly rock oriented, starting to throw in some more variety: Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Led Zeppelin, Muse, Black Keys
Source: Lenovo T61 (MediaMonkey 3.1 w/ MAD MP3 Output) -> HotUSB1 DAC -> UM3X
Unboxing
I was prepared for almost Spartan packaging, but it still seemed a little bare. Definitely not a truly consumer targeted earphone. Just start testing right away with the supplied Complys - do have some Shure olives lying around for later. Fit is easy - most comfortable so far that I've used (X10s are comfortable, but the dangling is annnoying...).
Initial Impressions - 10/26/09 - 3:55 (0:00 headtime)
Reckoner - Radiohead
Whoah - warmer/more bass than I expected. A full, full sound. Opening beats don't sound quite as punchy as the X10s (but better than the PFE, IE7 etc.), Thom Yorke has never sounded so lush/close. Very in the head sound, coming from IEMs more known for soundstage (IE7/X10), kind of expected to have to adjust to this again. A very complex song is being very easily handled here.
Neighbourhood # 1 - Arcade Fire
Catching opening high-pitched drone but not painful as it was sometimes on the X10s or largely absent on other earphones. The highs are definitely there, if not "sparkly." Really revealing the separation of the UM3Xs here. Definitely feel like there are multiple instruments going in a studio setting, as opposed to a mere recording. Again, definitely a warmer sound than I was expecting from review calling it "flat" and "boring".
Knights of Cydonia - Muse
A decidedly poor recording, try and see just how unforgiving the UM3Xs are.
Opening hoofbeats have never sounded so percussive. Definitely not as alive as the previous two recordings (flatter sounding), but from previous experience that's not exactly the recording's fault . Guitar is definitely wailing going strong, Bellamy's falsetto is right there and has never sounded so good. More forgiving than expected, more so I'd say than X10s
B.O.B - Outkast
Something a little different here. Bass is again showing it's excellent presence/extension, without intruding into the mids/vocals. Not much more to say.
Inertia Creeps - Massive Attack
The opening to this song is almost ludicrously complex - on most headphones comes through as a kind of noise. Flawlessy resolved - never heard that kind of detail/clarity on that section (including with full size). Again a complicated song that really shows off the separating power of the UM3Xs.
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
Something relatively simple. I can almost hear the pick going across the strings... Clapton sounds more emotional than I've heard him. Captures the acoustic twang, with the percussive effect, amazingly.
Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
Dark Side of the Moon, long an audio test record, and female vocals. Piano sounds warm, may a little too much? Definitely never really heard the intro commentary clearly before. Female vocals are apparently also excellent. Bass continues to hit strong (almost too much for my taste). High notes come out clearly and powerfully.
Quick hits:
Pros: Full sound, accurate, detailed and well-extended bass. Lush/awesome mids - great vocals. Ridiculous instrument separation. How are these supposed to be "boring?" - just best balanced earphone I believe I've heard, only the IE7s can compare, and the detail/clarity of those were not close.
Cons: More bass than expected, small as expected soundstage. Highs could be somewhat more present/extended
Total headtime: (00:30)
Look for more to come - unfortunately real life calls so not sure when that will be.