[Spyro]

Okay, I just spent 5 days with it. Bottom line....

If you like W3 and IE8 bass....DO NOT BUY THIS IEM!!

W2 will be the benchmark in double driver IEM's, period. W2 beats Super Fi pro like rented mule!!

If you do not need big bass, W2 may be the most musically balanced IEM ever made. NOTHING IN ANY FREQUENCY is out of line with this IEM. It is splendid!

 

[Ntropic]

Quote:

W2 will be the benchmark in double driver IEM's, period.

And the UM2?

 

[Rubrmn]

I have had teh UM-2's for a number of years now. I find there response very accurate as, well. (could use a little more low frequency impact, but what is there is tight and un-colored).

I am new here. I have spent weeks trying to find some direction to an mid-level portable amp.

What amp are you using? Does anyone have experience and a recommendation for use with the UM-2's?

 

[Nestroit]

I have owned a pair of UM2 and now I'm curios about the W2, they seem to improve all the weaknesses the Um2 has....(better bass quality, mids better, bigger soundstage, better highs with more details, airy and smooth sound, not too aggressive and in-your face like the um2......perfect for me)
 
but the last question left is the Bass Amount, Spyro, first you wrote the amount is equally, but the quality is better on the W2...
 
on a latter post you've wrote that the amount of bass is slightly less on W2...
 
I would be fine with that, but there are a couple of guys moaning about the lack of bass on the W2 which makes me wonder, because almost nobody moaned about the lack of bass on the um2...
 
so whats the deal yo?
 
I really love the standard "Shure gray flex sleeves" and I can handle them, imho they offer the best sound...
 
so it's not a question of the wrong tips or use of tips... just only if the W2 deliver enough bass without lacking

 

[Rip N' Burn]

I just received UM2's that I bought form someone here at head-fi and I also have the W2. The UM2 noticeably has more bass. I really do like the bass presentation much better than the W2. The W2 does have a larger soundstage ,sounds more neutral, and has sharper highs. I like using the clear single flange tips from my W2 for both. To me it sounds much better than using the gray soft flex sleeves. It has a wider opening.
 
Quote:

I have owned a pair of UM2 and now I'm curios about the W2, they seem to improve all the weaknesses the Um2 has....(better bass quality, mids better, bigger soundstage, better highs with more details, airy and smooth sound, not too aggressive and in-your face like the um2......perfect for me)
 
but the last question left is the Bass Amount, Spyro, first you wrote the amount is equally, but the quality is better on the W2...
 
on a latter post you've wrote that the amount of bass is slightly less on W2...
 
I would be fine with that, but there are a couple of guys moaning about the lack of bass on the W2 which makes me wonder, because almost nobody moaned about the lack of bass on the um2...
 
so whats the deal yo?
 
I really love the standard "Shure gray flex sleeves" and I can handle them, imho they offer the best sound...
 
so it's not a question of the wrong tips or use of tips... just only if the W2 deliver enough bass without lacking

 

[Nestroit]

hmmmm.... that's new... that someone prefers the Bass presentation of the Um2..
 
like I said before, I could deal with less bass if it's not too much of a downgrade, sometimes the Um2 bass was annoying.. I could imagine enjoying less but better bass...
 
so Spyro and some other guys wrote that the W2 has better bass(tighter and more controlled)
 
that's why I wonder about your view.
 
what ever, I will get my W2 tomorrow or on thursday...and if I am not happy, I could give them back, easy deal.
 
 
I had the W3 once for testing, I did not like the "weird" sound signature, bass amount was perfect, but the bass hump was kinda annoying at times...
 
the UM3x are not really interesting, because I'd like to get a bigger soundstage off the phones, and that delivers the W2 and W3...
 
I am really thinking about purchasing the Earsonics SM2 or SM3....
 
How about a comparison SM2 vs W2?
 
I think the SM3 should be clearly superior...

 

[Rip N' Burn]

It depends on what type of bass you prefer. I like bass with some weight and impact. The W2 doesn't have or do that for me but I agree that it is tighter. I'm not so sure about the more controlled bit. If you could do with less bass than the UM2, the W2 is probably what you are looking for.
 
The Earsonics SM2 and SM3 have been getting some really great reviews...

 

[Nestroit]

they are really an alternative to the westones... I like westone in-ears... but Earsonics use the same style(almost a look alike)
 
and yes, they are really beloved among all their owners...
 
and there are not many alternatives... the Klipsch Custom 3 should work fine but the ergonomy sucks because of the cable and cable noises, they shouldn't be as comfortble as the westones... so are the UE Triple Fi 10s
 
but the price is really fair, if you live in America... in Europe I would pay at least 160 Euros for importing them from the US.
 
 
 
-----
 
I hope the W2 will satisfy my needs, I am going to try 3 or more different players to squeeze the best out of them.
 
375 Euros for the SM3 to get a piece of mind and be sure that there is no TECHNICALLY better universal in-ear out there could work too... lol
 
----
 

 

[Spyro]

I would be literally in shock if anyone preferred UM2 to W2.  W2 is that much better.

 

[Rip N' Burn]

I have been using the clear single flange tips that come with the W2 on both of them. It has a larger opening than the triple flange and grey tips which produces more space and airiness when I listen to both of them.
 
I have been going back and forth with them and I'm on the fence right now. Both of them have their strengths and weaknesses but I wouldn't say the W2 is much better.
 

 

[Nestroit]

it's not that easy.. I mean back then I admitted that the W3 are technically better but I enjoyed the sound of the Um2 more, so I could say Um2 are better or W3 are better... depends on where your priority is.
----------------------------
the w2 certainly doesn't need to sound that aggressive and powerful like the um2, as long as the bass amount is not to low, I would prefer the clearer sound and the bigger soundstage, that's just what I wanted to change on my um2, I am not interested in purchasing another pair of um2.
 
I adore the grey flex sleeves(comfortable, nice,clear and tight sound, simply the best choice) but I am also excited to try all the other tips(like the different Triflanges, I once had the Ety Triflanges which weren't comfortable at all) and the clear tips.... and because of the airy and clear sound of the W2, I could give the Foamies another try, I didn't like them on the um2, because the sound was too dark and muddy and way to much in-your-face.
 
My Problem with the westones would be, if the W2 are not going to be what I need, I couldn't use any of the other Westones I guess, I didn't like the sound signature of the W3, too warm and the recessed mids(compared to um2) were a turnoff. Where the Um3x are propably a better choice for me, if there would not be all the UM3x Bashing after the SM3 came out...
 
 the same price range, so I think I would prefer trying the SM3. The SM2 would be like(I already tried the W2 and I don't think I could improve in Dual Drivers, so why not Triple Driver?)....
 
the cheapest answer to my problem would be the Klipsch Custom 3. Highly Recommend and Strong Bass assured. What would you guys say?
Um2--->W2---->C3
 
does it make sense?

 

[Nestroit]

the W2 has finally arrived!!!
 
first impression:
bass amount ist at least 85% of the UM2, they are both not a subwoofer.but the Bass is better on the W2, the mids are recessed compared to the um2, but not too much, the w2 still sound euphoric, but certainly not as much as the um2.
 
the highs and the sound stage are clearly better on the W2...better definition, just more highs, never annoying.
 
the W2 is simply superior to the um2, hands down.
 
I have to admit that the iriver x20 does not deliver the whole amount of bass my brothers Sony Walkman can deliver(Clear Bass+1 and 400 Hz -1 = perfekt), so I am going to change my Gear, propably a Sony S545 with 16 GB.
 
and I like the Sound Signature of the W2 more than the soundsignature of the W3, I was really not interested in the W3 anymore... but maybe the Um3x.... if the W2 would not be what I am looking for...
 
but I am very happy with the W2. they are worth every cent.
 

 

[Rip N' Burn]

^ Congrats, I guess you have found the sound signature that you prefer. I've been listening to the UM2 alot lately and I prefer it's sound signature over the W2. I especially like how the mids are presented.
 

 

[Nestroit]

i can fully understand what you mean, the um2 are so much fun it's not funny anymore.. ^^
 
the mids on the W2 are a little recessed to the um2, but I don't miss anything, i listened to rihannas umbrella and I never realised how much vocals are in the background(chorus), the W2 delivers.
 
I need a new Gear, the iriver x20 doesn't do justice to the potential of the w2 bass...
 
on my brothers Sony, with the setting Clear Bass +1 and 400 Hz -1, the bass is fully satisfying, the W2 sound tiny and  too dry on my x20.
 
but all in all the sound of the W2 is more enjoyable, more chilling and more high-end(mostly thanks to the bigger soundstage)
 

 

[Rip N' Burn]

I think the soundstage presentation is the biggest strength for the W2. It reminds me of the Triple.Fi 10 but with more forward mids and less bass. Lately, I have been using my Sony S639 and it has very good synergy with the W2 and UM2.