[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAQemUP /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headphoneaddict, one could read your posts to be extremely slanted and fanboyish. But I just understand that for you, with all the different IEMS and such that you have heard, that these W3 are the best thing you have heard as an IEM. Everyone's ears are different (shape, size and even hearing) and no matter what one person's hears or feels, it's still in the end their own opinion and not fact for everyone. It may be true for some but not everyone. I do understand your enthusiasm about what you hear and perceive though. It is very infectious really. Personally I don't take any offense nor dislike for you. I have always enjoyed your opinion on things and sometimes even follow your advice on others. In my case, it has been opamp rolling for the D2 Viper. The important thing that everyone should take note of is that this is a headphone forum. How people can get so worked up on such things is beyond me. Everything, everyone says is subjective. In the end, most people are just trying to pass along advice and help and pointers and such.

That's exactly what I was saying in my recent long reply, that I was typing while you were posting this.

 

[tyrion]

I've deleted a number of posts. Let's limit the discussion to the IEM's not the people.

 

[Sideman7]

HeadphoneAddict- Thank you for your well articulated, productive posts (and explaining what was going on here)! I have never understood the "battle" mentality I see on some forums, and it's even more baffling here since so much of this is so subjective. I sure I read though a bunch of what you were talking about, but simply glossed over it because I have no interest in reading a bunch of bickering. I find it's quite easy to find the real information in posts here (well, except for the posts with the guy hurling insults which I thought were at me - now that I know what that's about it's even stupider than I thought...).

Anyway, your posts have ben quite helpful for me. I only noticed one over the top thread title, but I looked passed that and found a wealth of information. Is it absolute? Of course not, but it is detailed and articulate enough to make me comfortable to take something useful away from it. I guess some people don't get that, those are the ones that will be the first to bite your head off when you try to help them and it goes against what they think.

Hopefully I will get to the bottom of my UM56 issue in the next day or two...

 

[PixelSquish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooran /img/forum/go_quote.gif I prefer my triples. I listen to a lot of orchestral and trance music, which utilize a lot of instruments in the upper registers such as harp, synth, etc. The W3s miss a lot of those extensions from the highs created by those particular instruments. Or maybe I'm just used to the triples. Don't get me wrong, I love the W3s, and they sound amazing, but when the strings come on in Keys to Imagination by Yanni, I prefer the sound of my triples.

anybody else that likes the triples have a comparison to post with the w3?


and for the record, i have nothing against the westone 3's. im considering selling my triples for them. i also started my IEM journey with the UM1 and loved them. i have nothing against westone themselves either.

Edited by Moderator

 

[Hooran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by idiotekniQues /img/forum/go_quote.gif anybody else that likes the triples have a comparison to post with the w3? and for the record, i have nothing against the westone 3's. im considering selling my triples for them. i also started my IEM journey with the UM1 and loved them. i have nothing against westone themselves either. Edited by Moderator

In the past several hours of listening to my W3s, I no longer prefer my TF10s over them anymore. The W3s bring out my breakbeats and funk--- they make me feel more like I'm on the scene bboying to the songs compared to the TF10s. I suppose for some genres, I like my TF10s more, for other genres, I like the W3s more.

As a result, I'll be keeping both TF10s and W3s as of now. Both very lovely earphones.

Can anyone comment on Westone 3's customer support once the earphones are 2 years old and out of warranty?

 

[PixelSquish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooran /img/forum/go_quote.gif In the past several hours of listening to my W3s, I no longer prefer my TF10s over them anymore. The W3s bring out my breakbeats and funk--- they make me feel more like I'm on the scene bboying to the songs compared to the TF10s. I suppose for some genres, I like my TF10s more, for other genres, I like the W3s more. As a result, I'll be keeping both TF10s and W3s as of now. Both very lovely earphones.

when you say breakbeats, what type do you mean? i listen to a lot of nu skool breaks and electro - electronic breakbeats basically.

 

[Hooran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by idiotekniQues /img/forum/go_quote.gif when you say breakbeats, what type do you mean? i listen to a lot of nu skool breaks and electro - electronic breakbeats basically.

The bboying kind--- I'm not sure what you mean by "nu skool breaks",

Here are some artists I listen to that I consider breakbeats:

Nas
DJ Franco de Leon
DJ Khaled
DJ Nas'D
Daft Punk
James Brown
(and anything else that has a funky beat)

 

[Spad]

Man, this must be what being a junkie or alcoholic is like. I decided--after after a few years, several HP amps and a couple of dozen headphones--to stop this habit cold turkey. Then I stick my nose back in here, read one rave 'phone review, and here I go again. I don't even know how to pronounce Westone, but I gotta have the W3!

Regarding the UM56: How do they attach? Are they simply a custom shaped tip that can be moved between compatible IEMs? If you don't get a proper fit the first time, am I correct that you return to the audiologist for a new impression (if that's what it's called) to send to Westone?

HeadphoneAddict, thanks for all the work you've obviously put into the W3 threads. They've been a great and much appreciated help.

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then I stick my nose back in here, read one rave 'phone review, and here I go again. I don't even know how to pronounce Westone, but I gotta have the W3!

Heh, same here. I read HPA's review and ended up ordering the W3s a day later, received them, and yet didn't know how to pronounce Westone. It's Weh-stone by the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Regarding the UM56: How do they attach? Are they simply a custom shaped tip that can be moved between compatible IEMs? If you don't get a proper fit the first time, am I correct that you return to the audiologist for a new impression (if that's what it's called) to send to Westone?

As far as I know, yes they can be swapped between compatible IEMs and they're just custom molded tips. If you don't get a proper fit the first time, yes, you just have to get new impressions and send them to Westone within their 90-day 'free re-fit' period.

 

[musictang]

looks like W3 sound differ to some listeners, i believe source of player playing a role leads to their conslusions.

myself with Sony S739 with flat and EQ settings produce quite different result,

and even with Sony model A- series, sound come out but as fantastic my Sony S- series

so, we need to test different earphone with same player, and test different brand player source with same earphone, thus only get the most ideal sound we like!

 

[p0wderh0und23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by somestranger26 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's Weh-stone by the way. .

Actually it's West-tone.

 

[Zhdude]

how are the microphonics, because I got the klipsch custom 3's, which sound amazing, but have microphonics that annoy me.
Was listening to pearl jam and heard things i've never heard before.

 

[Janni]

Do you mean microphonics of the W3?
If so: close to none I would say! the W3 cables are so fantastically thin, light and soft that it does not create this annoying sounds that I was used to with my E4Cs or SE530ies.

 

[windrider]

Have been using these for a few days now.

The mids are drier/more recessed than i first remembered them to be when i auditioned them, that was kinda disappointing to me. This is probably because my audition session was short (there was a queue so there was a short time limit per person) and i probably upped the volume a little too much when auditioning them, thus the mids didnt sound as recessed to me as they do now.

After abit more time with them (probably including me getting more used to their sound signature), I would say they are superior to the SA6s that i used previously, SQ wise. Most noticeably in several areas:

- bass, more impact, fuller, but without sacrificing on bass texture or detail.
- more detailed: more details/more pronounced details/better dynamics than sa6.
- sound decay: its been mentioned before already, but the way the sound decays on these are the best i have ever heard in an iem so far.

However i am a mids person so i cant say im 100% satisfied with the W3. Not that they're bad; they can be very natural sounding in my opinion, but after experiencing SA6's sound presentation, i have come to the conclusion that i prefer more forward/pronounced/more liquid mids, even if that slightly colors the sound. This is a personal preference issue and im sure there would be other people who are perfectly happy with w3's presentation.

Although the mids are slightly recessed and thus slightly less smooth in comparison to sa6, to me there is no or very little harshness in the upper mids and lower treble, and sibilance isnt an issue for me with the w3.

Despite my preference for SA6's sound presentation, i would definitely pick these over the sa6 again if given a second chance. The improvements over the sa6 mentioned above, along with better isolation, better fit (possible to sleep with these), better comfort, less microphonics, is more than enough to justify its higher price tag in my opinion.

My biggest complaint with them however will have to be hissing. There is little or no hiss with my iphone 3g, but i hear very loud and prominent hissing when i plug them in to my aluminium macbook's headphone out... this further motivates me to go try out senn ie8 when i am able to get my hands on one of them. Anyone else having the same issue?

 

[shigzeo]

im sure just about any phone will hiss with the macbook. apple no longer include the amazing burr brown chipset that was present in the older ibooks. even so, those models hissed along with every computer i have heard, no matter that the sound card had valves and was shielded.

a computer's out is by no means a source quality output. always get a different pre-amp or separate DAC like a simple M-Audio Transit for instance. Even large headphones will hiss depending on model with computers.