Vote: Do you have sibilance issues with your westone 3?
Jan 29, 2009 at 11:08 PM Post #64 of 91
Is there anyone who experienced sibilance on the W3 (none with triple-flange) and tried the UM56 tips? What are the results?
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 2:33 PM Post #66 of 91
Voted No, as I solved my sibilance problem

I experience sibilance with some tips..
Medium silicone : little sibilance
Large Complies : almost no sibilance, but mutes the treble.. (bad!)
Slim Complies: almost no sibilance, but no bass! (exact opposite of Large..)
Short Complies: very good balance but again a little bit of sibilance.. (My fav. "Westone 3 Included" eartips)

Medium Olives: More Sibilance then Short Complies and even Silicone tips i guess.. (cause it doesn't go deep in "My" ear canal)

Small Olives: BEST EARTIPS FOR MY EAR CANAL! no sibilance at all, and Oh my God, the Sound! It's different then all the other tips I've tried....!
Perfect balance across the whole spectrum! Everything becomes so accurate! And yes, i didn't force the tips on the nozzle, Just when they stop going further, push a little (so that they don't come off) and leave them like that (about half of the nozzle).
and yes, Westone 3's look really good in Small Olives! (Black-Black Combination)

There will be some tracks which are just not recorded correctly, so those will be just a little sibilant with most high-end earphones.. so don't expect Westone 3's to be Anti-Sibilance...

So, I would suggest you guys to KEEP TRYING! (i know it shouldn't be hard, but once you get it right.. It's definitely worth it!)
Try ALL the tips, no matter you hated them in the past with other phones or if you think they won't work.. Specially the ones that go deep inside the ear.. So maybe even UM56's if nothing else works for you? ( I can already hear someone saying "i don't Wanna try all the fricken tips!")
Patience my friend... ( you'll also need more money
tongue.gif
)

Hope this helps...!
Cheers
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 3:10 PM Post #67 of 91
X2 (on keeping the search on until it's exhausted)

Okay, early on, I reported some sibilance with my W3s, and I THOUGHT I had tried every possible combo of sleeves, including some weird ones I had laying around (Atrio foamies, large and small), and even a pair of old custom sleeves I had made 4-5 years ago for my FutureSonics EM3s (no longer made).

With any of the Complys, I had the same issues you had. Next, I thought the modded flanges (all forms of mods) had done it, but while they definitely got rid of any sibilance, as you note, they also destroyed the highs (not a good outcome with the bass-heavy W3s). Almost like the longer tips (Comply or tri-flange) created a veil over the mids and highs.

So I started to sour on my W3s. I mean, it was so bad I started to prefer listening to my PK3s. That is no BS. I wondered how could an IEM cost $400 and be such a challenge to enjoy.

So this morning, drinking my coffee, I see this thread resurface, and wonder what's up. I read Jogiya's post, and it just so happens I have a fresh bag of small olives sitting here, purchased for use with my Phonaks. Never tried them, I thought.

I slap a pair on, get them fitting just right, and turn on my Minibox (attached to the iPod 5.5g via LOD). OMG. Finally, this is what the W3s are supposed to sound like!

Now, I still love the sound of the PFEs and they will continue to get some serious listening time on par with the W3s. But I have to thank Jogiya for his post, cause it certainly has stopped me from selling or at least shelving the Westones.

This is why I love Head-Fi.

Also, to me, the W3 remains a "problem" phone in a way, because of all the fit/sleeve/sibilance issues/contortions (not for everyone, but enough people have noted it's a problem). It should be easier when you pay top dollar for an IEM.

But I am now at least enjoying the W3s.
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 4:43 PM Post #68 of 91
For me it is mostly a problem with deep insertion couple with the single flange silicone tips. Right now I am using the largest shure stile silicone tip which gives be a shallow insertion. This has almost cured it, but I will definitely be picking up some small shure olives. Can anyone recommend a good place for buying these they are like $30 from shure and it is only a 5 pack... and no international shipping.
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 5:18 PM Post #70 of 91
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Here they are $12.95 for 5 pair, but not sure about shipping outside CONUS. It's where I just got mine (two packs).
Shure Earphone and Monitor Accessories - Earphone Accessories


Thanks! Is the "small" roughly the same size as the smallest comply tips? I have never tried them and do not want to get the wrong size.

Just tried the W3s with Future Sonics medium bi-flanges a little better, however, not quite cured.

So far the best tips are the big single flanges with shallow insertion or the tri-flanges with approximately 3 mm cut off the stem. Still a bit to much ss...
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 6:45 PM Post #72 of 91
Quote:

Originally Posted by FrederikS|TPU /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks! Is the "small" roughly the same size as the smallest comply tips? I have never tried them and do not want to get the wrong size.

Just tried the W3s with Future Sonics medium bi-flanges a little better, however, not quite cured.

So far the best tips are the big single flanges with shallow insertion or the tri-flanges with approximately 3 mm cut off the stem. Still a bit to much ss...


If you are referring to the small Complys that come with the W3s, the olives are about the same height, but narrower and firmer foam.

The biflanges (modded triflanges) also worked somewhat for me.

The tri flanges eliminated sibiliance for the most part, but seem to really muffle the highs, which I can't stand. Same with large Complys.
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 6:46 PM Post #73 of 91
Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgetman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Been using the tri-flange after 5-10 minutes of trying the olives and not getting a good fit. No sibilance issue for me.


I agree, no sibilance with the tri-flanges. But then something else (for me, the highs) goes missing as well. Not a solution for me at least. I guess I could try to EQ them, but I also feel like a stuff turkey with those tri-flanges in my head.
 
Feb 7, 2009 at 9:32 PM Post #75 of 91
Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
X2 (on keeping the search on until it's exhausted)

Okay, early on, I reported some sibilance with my W3s, and I THOUGHT I had tried every possible combo of sleeves, including some weird ones I had laying around (Atrio foamies, large and small), and even a pair of old custom sleeves I had made 4-5 years ago for my FutureSonics EM3s (no longer made).

With any of the Complys, I had the same issues you had. Next, I thought the modded flanges (all forms of mods) had done it, but while they definitely got rid of any sibilance, as you note, they also destroyed the highs (not a good outcome with the bass-heavy W3s). Almost like the longer tips (Comply or tri-flange) created a veil over the mids and highs.

So I started to sour on my W3s. I mean, it was so bad I started to prefer listening to my PK3s. That is no BS. I wondered how could an IEM cost $400 and be such a challenge to enjoy.

So this morning, drinking my coffee, I see this thread resurface, and wonder what's up. I read Jogiya's post, and it just so happens I have a fresh bag of small olives sitting here, purchased for use with my Phonaks. Never tried them, I thought.

I slap a pair on, get them fitting just right, and turn on my Minibox (attached to the iPod 5.5g via LOD). OMG. Finally, this is what the W3s are supposed to sound like!

Now, I still love the sound of the PFEs and they will continue to get some serious listening time on par with the W3s. But I have to thank Jogiya for his post, cause it certainly has stopped me from selling or at least shelving the Westones.

This is why I love Head-Fi.

Also, to me, the W3 remains a "problem" phone in a way, because of all the fit/sleeve/sibilance issues/contortions (not for everyone, but enough people have noted it's a problem). It should be easier when you pay top dollar for an IEM.

But I am now at least enjoying the W3s.


I thought I mentioned a while back to try the olives which are what p0wderh0und uses with his W3. Glad you figured this out. Curious, with the "THIS IS WHAT THE W3 ARE SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE" statement, now what do you think about my W3 vs Phonak comments from elsewhere?
 
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