[jukeboxbri]

This thread is not about which is better, but about comparisons of the two.

I'm ordering the Head Direct RE0s however, I do want to have a fun sounding IEM handy for my more, well, fun tracks. I already have the Westone 3 and like them but... they are a little bass-y for me and I just wish I could hear the treble more. So I was considering trading them for the Triple.fi 10, however, I'm only aware of their general sound signature, but not their sound compared to each other. Thus, I was wondering if anyone that has heard both can compare them to help my decision. So far, from their descriptions, they sound very similar...

Also, whichever one I decide on, I'm having remolded into customs to just experience the custom world before my big purchase (if you know what I mean).

Has anyone remolded their Westone 3s before, and if so, how does the sound quality change?

And if anyone that has remolded Triple.fi 10s and unchanged Westone 3s could compare them, I would be grateful!

 

[TheMarchingMule]

I've owned the triple.fi 10 Pro two times (currently on my second, and never selling them again!), and the Westone 3 once for a good couple of months.

To my ears, the W3 sounded very EQ'd no matter what tips I tried with it. That is to say, it had great booming bass that bled into the decent mids, and the highs were rather curtailed towards the top, so it never got to "expand" up and outwards.

The triple.fi 10 Pro, on the other hand, has very extended highs with no real feeling of it being stopped prematurely, the vocals are pretty relaxed (recessed is one way to suggest it, so they sound slightly muffled at times), and the bass is reminiscent of a miniature Grado, but with a bit more overall "oomph" to it, albeit a tad loose.

Hope that helps.

 

[jukeboxbri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've owned the triple.fi 10 Pro two times (currently on my second, and never selling them again!), and the Westone 3 once for a good couple of months. To my ears, the W3 sounded very EQ'd no matter what tips I tried with it. That is to say, it had great booming bass that bled into the decent mids, and the highs were rather curtailed towards the top, so it never got to "expand" up and outwards. The triple.fi 10 Pro, on the other hand, has very extended highs with no real feeling of it being stopped prematurely, the vocals are pretty relaxed (recessed is one way to suggest it, so they sound slightly muffled at times), and the bass is reminiscent of a miniature Grado, but with a bit more overall "oomph" to it, albeit a tad loose. Hope that helps.

Yep, that definitely helps. Thanks for your input!

 

[jukeboxbri]

Others?

 

[Spyro]

Owned both at the same time.

W3 has far better crispness and detail and sounds more transparent. TFP10 is more neutral, a bit less bass and smoother but is a bit cloudy sounding. Takes some getting used to.

The key to W3 is leave the bass on a flat EQ and just slightly tip the treble.

 

[PouncePony]

I've only had the TF10s a couple of days, but, compared to my W3s, I find that the low bass is lighter/muddier and the mid bass less punchy. Also, the sound stage TF10 is good, but condensed compared to the W3s. These are the main differences I find. To me, they have a similar sound signature.

I do not find the treble any brighter or greater on the TF10s.

-Pony

 

[jukeboxbri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Owned both at the same time. W3 has far better crispness and detail and sounds more transparent. TFP10 is more neutral, a bit less bass and smoother but is a bit cloudy sounding. Takes some getting used to. The key to W3 is leave the bass on a flat EQ and just slightly tip the treble.

Great advice. Do you have any inferences on how the W3 would sound remolded as a custom?

 

[jukeboxbri]

@PouncePony FWIR, I was thinking they might sound very similar. Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[PouncePony]

You may want to check out the UM3X if your are looking for something similar but less fun than the W3s.

 

[Lunatique]

This is the EQ setting I use to make the W3 sound more neutral/accurate (using my Klein + Hummel O300D's as main reference, and HD650 and M50 as secondary reference):

 

[dj nellie]

I've had the W3s for over 3 months and just got the Triple.Fis in the Amazon deal. I'm planning on writing a more detailed comparison, but in short I have to say the two are far more similar than they are different. Both have good treble clarity and extension, and the bass is well-defined and powerful on both. Vocals on both are a bit recessed compared to Shure SE530 and UM3x, but I prefer this "U-shaped" sound signature, as it seems more balanced and lively.

I'm using custom UM-56 tips for my W3 and small stock silicones for my TF10 (flip-flopped), while my sources are an unamped iPod Touch 2g on Treble Booster and a Cowon S9 with the same EQ settings for both IEMs. I listen to a variety of music, including hip-hop, dance, rock, jazz and classical, with my favorite genre being house. If I had to characterize their differences, I would note the following (but keep in mind that these are subtle differences):

1. The W3's sub-bass extends a bit lower and the overall bass quality is better; on hip-hop and house/trance songs, it feels like you're standing next to the subwoofer. Bass and snare drums reverberate a bit longer on the W3s. At times, the TF10's bass can seem a bit cloudy and undefined by comparison.

2. The spatial placement of instruments and sounds is better-defined on the W3. In recordings that were engineered to have sounds "appearing" far apart from each other in a vertical and horizontal sense, the W3 truly captures (maybe even exaggerates) the widths and placements of these sounds, leading to a cleaner sound that feels grander.

3. Due in part to the differences I noted above, the levels of clarity and detail are higher on the W3. This could be due to the fact that I'm using custom tips, but I have to say this is the overall biggest difference.

In addition to these 2 IEMs, I've heard the Shure SE530, Westone Um3x, and Klipsch X10. The W3 and TF10 are easily the most similar to each other out of this group, with the SE530 and UM3x also seeming to be cousins/brothers to me--both SE530 and Um3x provide a less bright sound signature that emphasizes lush and forward mid-range/vocals.

Hope this helps. I hope to do a song-by-song comparison sometime, if anyone would find that useful. This was my first real attempt at an in-depth verbalization of sound, it really isn't easy!

 

[jukeboxbri]

@Lunatique - Thanks for the EQ picture, I tried it on my PC and like the sound much better.

@dj nellie - I would love to read a song-by-song comparison, you seem to like many genres like me, so it would be very helpful. Thanks for your short, but concise review.

How much different does the W3 sound with custom tips compared to stock tips?

 

[dj nellie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jukeboxbri /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much different does the W3 sound with custom tips compared to stock tips?

I'd say it's the same basic sound signature, but everything is cleaner and more detailed. The bass is better-defined but still has good impact. The mids and vocals take a slight step forward compared to Complys and bi-flanges, while the treble is a bit more energetic without being harsh. Overall, it just seems like a veil is lifted over the sound.

I haven't owned an amp that costs the same as custom tips (~$100-150), but I would guess that you get more sound improvement for the money with custom tips than a similarly priced amp, and obviously a more portable setup.

 

[what]

This is interesting, I think that with the great discounts offered on TF10 th TF10 is the obvious option

 

[MacedonianHero]

I currently own both and have just (a couple days ago) did a A-B test and prefer the W3s. The bass is outstanding, the mids aren't as sloppy and the highs seem more refined. They do everything just a bit better and if I could only own 1, easy answer: W3s!