[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I forgot to say that I agreed with Zanth, and of course he's right that head-fi is chump change to the bigger picture. I just don't like when companies treat entire segments as chump change, because having a small business, I certainly don't. But it is Westone's bed to make isn't it?

And I agree with you too. Your point was valid and when I quoted your post it was more because you summed up the feelings of quite a bit of the malcontent and I figure since it was recent it was best to make reference to it rather than to all the whiney posts (which became nauseating to read anyhow).

 

[p0wderh0und23]

Hey Headfier's I was asked to post this today. A similar letter was sent to all our dealers last Thursday/Friday.


PUBLIC Westone 3 Delay letter from Lynn

Dear Westone Customers:

I would like to apologize for the delay in releasing the Westone 3. We value you as our customer and understand your concerns about the introduction schedule for this product.

Although we have been testing and refining prototypes of the 3 for the past year, the pre-production units have not met our performance expectations. Rather than release a product that might be “good enough,” we recently decided to redesign certain aspects of the product.

While we remain committed to the project, we are not prepared to release a product that does not meet Westone’s standards of excellence and performance. We take full responsibility for the delay and we will provide more information later this year.

Given the lead times necessary for the redesign and production tooling, we do not expect to release the product until late 2008 at the earliest.

Sincerely,
Lynn Kehler
President/CEO
Westone Laboratories, Inc.

I will answer what questions I can on the subject.-
- p0wderh0und

 

[Zanth]

Thanks for the update. Glad to know Westone is committed to releasing a product they can be proud of. It is also wonderful to read some words from the CEO even if they are not directed at Head-fi specifically.

So Christmas maybe, or early 2009, I am a patient man; I can wait it out.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by p0wderh0und23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Letter from the CEO of Westone

Thanks for the update.

 

[Dzjudz]

Yes, thanks for the update. Now I can finally look for something else with the reassurance that the W3 doesn't come out a week after I buy something else.

 

[LORD-eX-Bu]

meh.

 

[OracleGuy]

Glad to finally get some news directly from Westone, P0wderH0und.

I was stunned when I heard of the latest delay, given that I've had a pre-order in for over a year now. In fact I remember excitedly thinking that come May, I'd be listening to my Westone 3's. That was May 2007, of course.

All I can say is that I hope you relay my (and I'm sure that goes for many other Head-Fi'ers) sense of disappointment to upper management. Especially disappointing to me has been the lack of ongoing feedback, when a highly anticipated project has been so long delayed. I feel like Westone has been stringing us along for over a year now. The initial delay was described as "packaging problems", which most of us interpreted to be a matter of fixing up the blister-pack or something similar.

Anyway, I'm obviously looking at buying something else now. I can't believe I've waited over a year, only to be finally told that Westone was going back to the drawing board.

All I can say, is that if the Westone 3 is ever finally released, it had better be the absolute BEST IEM on the market!

 

[NoiseGUI]

Thanks a lot for the update p0wderh0und!

Any chance the custom version will now be released with the universal? Any plans to develop casings other than black (e.g. clear)? Any chance an 'old' prototype could show up at the Denver meet in July?

 

[MaloS]

Thanks for the word.
So I can still hope for Westone 3 customs by the time I am planning to graduate.. (June 2009) =]

 

[raisin]

Ah, the disappointment in realizing that the "three" in Westone 3 referred not to the number of transducers, but to the years needed to bring this vaporware to market...

in****ingcredible!

 

[daveDerek]

PowderDoug, thanks for checking in. does this mean that the 3s will not sound like the prototypes that a number of folks have heard (and some have reported on)?

 

[Sieg9198]

finally some update!! although end of 2008 is still a long wait =_=

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, the disappointment in realizing that the "three" in Westone 3 referred not to the number of transducers, but to the years needed to bring this vaporware to market... in****ingcredible!

Seems about right...

 

[craiglester]

Well that is if you can't count I guess.. January 2007 - January 2009 (or so) is 2 years.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by craiglester /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well that is if you can't count I guess.. January 2007 - January 2009 (or so) is 2 years.

Haha good point.