[slowth]

Been curious about this for awhile...

everyone waited so long for the W3, the UM3X popped along in no time...

Ultimately, i've been thinking the UM3X could have already won out..

 

[maceto]

Great poll

1. Please only vote if have/had both
2. Please state why, e.g. Better sound stage,warmer, comport etc

 

[Zalithian]

Just depends. I think the UM3X is a better all arounder but the W3 is better for certain other genres. If I had to only keep one IEM, it would have been the UM3X, but because I can have different flavors I think the W3 is better for that.

 

[kloan]

Voted UM3X. I found the treble too spiky with the W3.

 

[steviebee]

Have W3, borrowed UM3X...
Voted W3 for it's more pronounced treble & better soundstage (relative to 3X), but am tempted to give the 3X another go, mebbe....

 

[gameboy115]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steviebee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have W3, borrowed UM3X... Voted W3 for it's more pronounced treble & better soundstage (relative to 3X), but am tempted to give the 3X another go, mebbe....

Anyone could lend me his W3 for a while. I am dying to see the difference between two. Would proivde my UM3x as collateral

 

[music_4321]

Voted UM3X - absolutely NON-fatiguing, very natural, neutral & balanced sound. Tight bass, wonderful clear mids, and just the right amount of treble extension.

The W3 impressed me more at first - the so-called wow effect - , but with the UM3X, after 1 hour, I just couldn't take them off my ears and ended up having them on for 4!, a first for any IEM in my case (except for the UM3X's older sibling, the custom ES3X). The fact I could play music louder (not very loud, though) and not experience fatigue, allowed me to enjoy the music a lot more. Also, the detail and instrument separation I found better on the UM3X.

 

[Ubijza]

i had both for a month...
Ended up with just UM3x. There is not much between them, the deal breaker for me was once again "spiky" harsh splashy treble on the W3. Everything else I was content with and some things were simply Wow-wow-wow, with good fit everything sounded so full bodied and palpable- the highs, the mids, the lows. The treble though was almost always bordering on harsh (very unrealistic cymbals for example), but on some recordings/listening sessions was simply sublime (triangles in Rach concertos I remember still

Wich brings me to fit issues- I am still not sure how to get that "good fit" that brings the best from w3 consistently.

Um3x are easier to get consistent sound from, but recently I've pretty much ditched them too in favour of Yuin PK1s- these make the most of my iMod quite simply. iMod + PK1 = best portable sound I have experienced yet, UM3x are still prefered on a bus/train/plane, but in a quiet room I would never choose them above Pk1.

 

[Spyro]

I fully agree with the 2 posts just above me. I'll add that the huge soundstage is the only criteria I prefer W3. Bass, treble and midrange and non-fatigue factor (smoothness) I much prefer UM3X.

 

[steviebee]

Yet more proof that we all hear differently. W3 treble for me is soft in comparison with, say, Triple Fi. Needs a couple of db boost to bring it up. Where I'm not as keen sometimes w/ W3 is the bass -sometimes it is simply superb, others, a bit overblown & boomy. I'm beginning to think, in light of this & possibly the treble as described above by others, that it's time to visit Tip Valley...

 

[qusp]

definitely UM3X. sometimes I miss the W3 for use with electro and other various dance music genres, but the whole package with UM3X is far superior IMO. texture and amount of detail across all frequencies is just sublime. with a great source they are head and shoulders above every universal IEM I have heard/owned to date (SE530, W3, TF10) they are IMo like SE530 on steroids. basically everything I would have liked SE530 to be. perhaps the SE530 still has an edge in the mids, but only VERY slightly. I think natural is the one word I find suits them the best.

sure in so far as soundstage they fall short a touch, but the rest of their attributes is for me more than enough to make up for it. besides with iroiver->D10->amp of choice. i'm in heaven and JH13 have got some shoes to fill. though from all reprts that shouldnt be much trouble. JH13 are oirdered, so they'll be dethroned, but for universals they will definitely be my go-to IEM. and i've stopped reading other threads they are that good.

 

[imackler]

Although a little too clean for me and a little less comfortable than the W3, the UM3X have just a really nice balance of bass, mids and treble. The mids on the W3 are a little recessed, the highs a little fatiguing, and the bass a little sloppy, in my opinion. The UM3X are not really the best at anything, but really, really solid package. Because I listen to so much different music, lots of rock, but also lots of classical and jazz. Bass, mids and highs are all important.

 

[LeMat]

Anyone could make a direct association between these and a full size can ?? For example :
Um3x = k701 and W3= sr325i

 

[jlbrach]

um3x for me,i had all kinds of problems getting prpoer isolation on the w3 due to the different angle and size of the nozzle

 

[Pianist]

In stock condition, prefer UM3X because it sound more balanced and because it is much easier to get a good fit with than with W3. However, if both were fitted with custom UM56 tips, I am not sure which one I would pick. W3 sounds very musical with some genres.