[ben4345]

Can any one give a me an idea how the JH5's compare to the W2's unamped.
I might be giving up on universal IEM's, returning the W2's. It just seems like customs are a way to go for me.

This is what I am looking for in sound.

Bass
no mid bass humps like the W3's!
deep well extended and agile. Very tight and rich.
If there has to be a hump somewhere it has to be 10Hz-40Hz range. Then I might like it. The only problem with the W2 is it doesn't feel like it's hitting 20-30Hz marks, and the bass disappears completely in more intense passages on some of my metal.

Mids, not too forward, not down the block either. smooth and detailed, full of body. The W2's hit the spot here.

Highs
detail, accuracy, well extended, clarity. I'd rather have more sparkle than rolled off.
The W2's sound good here only if I use the silicon tip, but I been having some serious problems with them.

sound stage, bigger the better, I'd like to get a minimum sound stage of my Sf5p's or as close as I can.


instruments,
I have noticed with my W2's that some instrument do get pushed behind, and I don't like that. Some also sound really "light" and "thin" at times.
The key instruments I listen for is.. Violins, electric bass guitar, cymbals, bass drum, bass violin vocals, and grand piano.
I like to have some good separation between the bass drum and bass guitar. I like the violins to sound powerful and realistic.

I rather spend only up to $850 for the ear pieces and get it right then spend $$ here and $$$ there , wondering what it could of gotton.

 

[Hsiu]

why not just reshell a w2 if you like the sound so much. the cost probably lower than JH5

 

[ben4345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hsiu /img/forum/go_quote.gif why not just reshell a w2 if you like the sound so much. the cost probably lower than JH5

I thought about it.

I think I'd like try some other options first.

 

[ben4345]

I just read through the "JH Audio JH5pro appreciation thread" and there was a lot of "how do these compare to XXX" with no response.
I have a feeling I am not going to get a response here either.

 

[ben4345]

last try

 

[Spyro]

Have you actually heard the W3's or just what you have read?

If you leave EQ off the W3 bass is very polite.

I would like to think W3 is a superior sound to JH5 at less than 1/2 the cost with a practical design that is darn near custom for everyone. If you are going to go customs, go all the way to the top of the line. That's my line of thinking.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you actually heard the W3's or just what you have read? If you leave EQ off the W3 bass is very polite. I would like to think W3 is a superior sound to JH5 at less than 1/2 the cost with a practical design that is darn near custom for everyone. If you are goinf to go custom go all the way to the top of the line. That's my line of thinking.

I agree with this. I preferred the sound of the W3 to the JH5 demos. If I was going for JHAudio, I'd go for the 10X3 or the JH13. High end universals may actually sound better than low end customs.

That said, customs do have advantages for some uses. I was listening to my custom remolds on a 5 hour plane flight this Sunday, and the comfort and isolation is much better than universals, especially for long time periods. Listening to customs makes a long plane flight much less dreary. I'd also prefer customs for stage use, as they stay in better with activity, have less sound variation from fit, and look more professional.

 

[ben4345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you actually heard the W3's or just what you have read? If you leave EQ off the W3 bass is very polite. I would like to think W3 is a superior sound to JH5 at less than 1/2 the cost with a practical design that is darn near custom for everyone. If you are going to go customs, go all the way to the top of the line. That's my line of thinking.

JH5 = 399 + $40 (impressions) - $30 (32 OHM discount) = 409
Westone 3 = 399 + 120 (UM56 + impressions) = $519
Westone 2 = 250 + 120 (UM56 + impressions) = $370

I am also not sure what ear tips you guys are using, but I did get the chance to listen to the JH5 and W3's.

The W3's very bass heavy the mid bass hump that everyone has been talking about is obvious and really does kill the mids. The highs are ok, the W2's do better. Not my cup of tea per say.

I listened to the JH5's for 45 minutes, despite using a foam piece so I don't get them too dirty. They reminded me a lot like the SF5Ps except 10 times better and more depth to the music. They are defiantly more musical, fun, warm earphones, but some how makes the music much more realistic. The cymbals sound like real cymbals, the bass guitar sound powerful, the bass seems to extend much deeper than the SF5P and the W2's. The Mids, sounded powerful, detailed and very realistic.
The highs, have some roll off, but even better timbre than the W2's and yet sound more realistic.
The sound stage, now I don't know if it's because I didn't have them completely inserted, but it is very acceptable. Same as the SF5Ps but not quite as good as them W2's.

Piano sounds power powerful than any of the IEM's I have listened to date.

I'd go all the way to the JH10X or even the JH13's, believe me, it's tempting

.
I am going to be using these unamped, on my PMP. commuting to and from work or to go work out.
I guess if I was more of an audiophile and made more money or was a musician then it would make more cents.
My budget for IEMs or any audio device is just $380, so I am going over my budget to begin with.

Anyway, I think I'll be sending my W2's back, and get my impressions done on the 11th.

 

[ben4345]

what tips are you guys using with the W3's? So I can retry them, I do want to get a better idea before committing to customs.

 

[LintHart]

What is this 32 OHM discount? My girlfriend just ordered jh5's and I certainly didn't k ow of any discount?

 

[Spyro]

I use the regular sized P-series comply.

In my experience with any other silicone tip whether a modded tri flange or flex tip, the midrange sounds badly recessed to me and some siblance creeps in. What I love most about W3 is:

-Big bold sound
-Big bass extension
-Crispy, detailed treble
-Huge soundstage
-Pure comfort

What more do you want right?

 

[ben4345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LintHart /img/forum/go_quote.gif What is this 32 OHM discount? My girlfriend just ordered jh5's and I certainly didn't k ow of any discount?

It is a local store here in Portland, OREGON
the is an authorized JH audio dealer. Bout time something worthwhile in Portland, OREGON.






Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use the regular sized P-series comply. In my experience with any other silicone tip whether a modded tri flange or flex tip, the midrange sounds badly recessed to me and some siblance creeps in. What I love most about W3 is: -Big bold sound -Big bass extension -Crispy, detailed treble -Huge soundstage -Pure comfort What more do you want right?

OK, I'll give them a try with the p-series. I did try them with the T-series, I was not impressed as i said above.

 

[LintHart]

Damn gonna be a little hard to get that discount from Australia

 

[ben4345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use the regular sized P-series comply. In my experience with any other silicone tip whether a modded tri flange or flex tip, the midrange sounds badly recessed to me and some siblance creeps in. What I love most about W3 is: -Big bold sound -Big bass extension -Crispy, detailed treble -Huge soundstage -Pure comfort What more do you want right?

UPDATE.

I tried your suggestion, I listened to the W3's with the p-series for about 30 minutes with various music that I listen to.
The P series did improve the sound a little but not a whole lot. Bass smoothed out a tad, the mids were still so-so and the highs came out a little.
The sound stage was not any better than the W2's to me in fact it was only a tad better than the SF5P's

I really wanted to give them a honest try. I guess they're just not for me for $400 I think I can do better.

I retried the JH5 and even tried the JH7's. The JH7's sounded almost exactly the same as the JH5 but with more bass (As many would think). I felt the bass didn't intrude on the mids or highs but is was still way too much for me. It also seemed to lose some dynamic range in the bass.
This IMO, is a good thing to me, as I don't feel like spending more for the next step up.

The Jh5's like I said above with the foam tips. I'd say the weakness points of sound is that it doesn't have as much sparkle as other IEM's and the "decay" in the bass may some times be too much for really really fast music but it's still adequate for most of the metal I have. The mids can feel defiantly on the warm side. This could all be because of the foam tips.
The thing I can't get over though, is the instrument separation and realism that they give. It's just blows away all other universal IEM's I've heard. The Sound stage was on par with the SF5P's but with the best instrument positioning that I have heard so far.

 

[ethan961]

Pick up the W3 or another top universal and get them reshelled.. Used W3 here costs $250-300