[prscustom]

got my w3 yesterday here is my first impression (or shall i call it disappointment)

for the record, i own shure530 and tf10 for a long time
my sources: ipod 4th gen, iphone 3g, sony a816


sound

westone 3
its very detailed but sounds boring, flat, grainy,dirty...like 10€ earbud

i think either drivers or the filter is made from cheapest materials..

the shure530 produces the sound so natural compared to w3 and all other iems, you dont need to say any word about..

you can hear every frequency is covered but the sound quality is cheap
its like a tape player..if you know what i mean, its very different and actually disappointing.

just compare it to shure530..any song..and just hear it

EDIT: sorry for the harsh 10€ bud example, w3 isnt THAT bad

shure530

people complain about highs are rolled off.

no, highs are all present, but they are just not put forward to impress people like other iems..it would be unnatural and very fatiguing.(ex. i cant listen tf10 more than 15-20mins)

i dont need to say anything about shure, its almost perfect
it could be maybe little more detailed, airy and open sounding..
comfort

westone got bigger and thinner case, shorter tube. you need to use extra long foams to get proper seal and comfort.









shure is again better here, smaller case and longer tube makes it truly universal, it should fit every ear, small to large.
only advantage of westone3 is the smooth tube, its easy to change tips


i cant comment on durabilty of westone cable but its very comfortable and flexible but knots every time and looks cheap

shure got thick and stiff cable which barely knots and always stay in place but less comfortable than westone
and its also popular that shure cables are not very durable to body oils brake easily

i still prefer shure cable (because its thick and stiff, not counting the breaking issue) but its subjective. westone also got a decent cable

conclusion for now:

westone3
pros:
flexible cable
non-fatiguing highs
very detailed sound and almost perfect frequency coverage
cons:
cheap, grainy boring sound quality
short tube
quality doesnt justify the price AT ALL

shure530
pros:
very high quality sound reproducing, enjoyable for long periods
rich,lush non-fatiguing sound
excelllent fit
luxurious looks
cons:
famous cable-brake problem
recessed highs, but subjective

for info:
shure sound:


linn klimax:
this is the perfect sound..




i think w3 is way too much exaggerated

 

[Calexico]

Sorry I couldn't read on after having you complain about supposedly flat sound as a problem.

 

[tnmike1]

anytime anyone reviews something, I just have to ask: what's the source?? Amped or unamped?? WOuld really help in the review since I know my X10s sound totally different out of my Nano than they do out of my Imod with Reference amp

 

[prscustom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry I couldn't read on after having you complain about supposedly flat sound as a problem.

did you ever compare to shure530

 

[Lil' Knight]

Don't know if it's true or not but reading that the W3 sounds like a 10euro earbud makes me laugh a lot. So is this a hype?

 

[toughnut]

Se530 actually smaller than W3. That's new to me.

Try to give more time listening to W3 and judge again. Unless u gave up on it already...

 

[hockeyb213]

someone preferring a shure cable to a westone cable....................

 

[Lil' Knight]

Solution:

 

[lordnikon]

Nice.

 

[hockeyb213]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif Solution:

awesome but wouldn't you be breaking warranty?

 

[Lil' Knight]

haha, of course

 

[kenyee]

prscustom: thanks for the comparison pictures. I've been looking for those for a while
What source did you use for the comparison? Though if you're using the same one, it's still a valid comparison unless the Westones are harder to drive than the Shures

Lil' Knight: how did you swap the cables? That's a nice clean job...

 

[Bolardito]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif haha, of course

How did you do it? I want to do it, mine are broken and out of warranty

 

[ath]

It's a photoshop job guys...

To the OP, I have both Westone 3 and Shure e530. I use it unamped from my Rockboxed Ipod 5.5 G. To my ears, the westones are certainly a step above the shures. Are you sure you get a good seal?

 

[prscustom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyee /img/forum/go_quote.gif prscustom: thanks for the comparison pictures. I've been looking for those for a while What source did you use for the comparison? Though if you're using the same one, it's still a valid comparison unless the Westones are harder to drive than the Shures Lil' Knight: how did you swap the cables? That's a nice clean job...

i tried from all sources , ipod 4th gen, iphone 3g, sony816 in 320kps mp3
and sony amp super audio cd

always same song, same source no eq best fitting tips


the problem is SQ..low mids highs etc all fine.