[roy_jones]

I very much agree with the sentiment that portable amping isn't the most efficient use of $$ to increase SQ in most portable rigs.  I am glad to see the move towards improving portable sources, like the HiFiMan 801/601/602.  I'd advise anyone who was considering dropping a few hundred on a portable amp to consider investing that money in a better IEM. 

 

[roy_jones]

Quote:

I did a lot of research on the W3 before buying it on December 27th from Earphone Solutions. Several days later the W4 was announced. I can still return the W3 and upgrade to the W4, but the question is whether it is worth the price premium. I have followed this conversation and hear mixed opinions. I listen to a mixed collection of music from Latin to Hip-Hop to accoustic and classical to rock. Thoughts?

If you have the option to return them, I would absolutely do the exchange.  Especially if you're satisfied with the ergonomics of the W3. 

 

[Confispect]

Quote:

If you have the option to return them, I would absolutely do the exchange.  Especially if you're satisfied with the ergonomics of the W3. 

Agreed, same housing but a tighter overall sound...I would upgrade but then again you just got the W3...Hmmm.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Quote:

I did a lot of research on the W3 before buying it on December 27th from Earphone Solutions. Several days later the W4 was announced. I can still return the W3 and upgrade to the W4, but the question is whether it is worth the price premium. I have followed this conversation and hear mixed opinions. I listen to a mixed collection of music from Latin to Hip-Hop to accoustic and classical to rock. Thoughts?

If you have the option to return them, I would absolutely do the exchange.  Especially if you're satisfied with the ergonomics of the W3. 

x3. I'd do it no question. I love my W3. W4 seems to be very good...very expensive.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I did a lot of research on the W3 before buying it on December 27th from Earphone Solutions. Several days later the W4 was announced. I can still return the W3 and upgrade to the W4, but the question is whether it is worth the price premium. I have followed this conversation and hear mixed opinions. I listen to a mixed collection of music from Latin to Hip-Hop to accoustic and classical to rock. Thoughts?

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The W4 are the best universal fit IEM I've tried, and they're a little more forgiving of a poor source or amp.  If they were my only IEM I could still be very happy with their sound, even though my ES5 are a step above in clarity and detail.  I find the W4's more forgiving nature to allow me to enjoy them with every genre and bit rate of music that I have tried so far.  Still, the better quality your amp and source the better they will sound, but I'm pleased just using my iPhone 4 or 6th Gen Nano.  
 
If you can return the W3 for the W4 I would do it, if you don't like it you can return them for the W3 again.  They do sound different, and some people might still like the W3 more, but I feel like the difference between the W3 and W4 is like the difference between a Denon D7000 and my LCD-2 or LA7000 (note - lawton audio modded D7000 may not all sound the same).  The W4 bass is better controlled, the mids are fuller, and the highs are smoother.  The W3 might be actually closer to a Denon D5000, but I haven't heard one in a long time.
 
 
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[/size]

 

[EraserXIV]

I'm not sure he's talking about a direct exchange here.. I'm pretty sure he's asking whether he should return them and then separately purchase the W4 at the normal price.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I'm not sure he's talking about a direct exchange here.. I'm pretty sure he's asking whether he should return them and then separately purchase the W4 at the normal price.

I know that.
 
Also, in regards to the discussion about amped or not - I've been listening to Diana Krall tonight, "Live in Paris" and I switched from my iPhone 4 headphone out to my Macbook > HDP > SR-71b amp about 2/3 of the way through the album.  I had to go back to listen again to some of my favorite songs that I'd just heard a few minutes before; because the increase in clarity, micro-detail and space between the iPhone 4 and my laptop rig is pretty obvious.  It's clearly not an issue of whether the W4 need an amp or not, because they are still very efficient, but and issue of how much better a good DAC and amp can sound over the stock iPhone headphone jack.  The laptop rig steps it up a notch, and the W4 scale up very nicely as the gear improves.

 

[jacobap100]

probily just a little less bass and improved mids and highs

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

On another note, I'm having a WOW! moment listening to the W4 with my uDAC-2 as well.  

 

[monsieurguzel]

I'm glad you are enjoying yours!  Are yours a production version or a prototype of the final Westone 4?  If they're finalized, then I guess we are just waiting for them to go through the manufacturing run before they get released to the general public.

 

[corentin]

How big an improvement would I notice coming from my UM2s to those W4?

 

[TCD1975]

Quote:

The people at Weston know that 99.9% of people buying these products will specifically be listening out of an iphone / ipod touch / nano, so it makes a lot of sense that they are tuned quite specifially to Apple Mp3 players

Apple don't have a 99.9% market share and amongst audiophiles, who are most likely to purchase a $450 IEM, I imagine their the market share is even lower.
 
According to this article their claimed market share was 73.8% in 2009 ...
 
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2009/09/09/ipod_market_share_at_73_8_percent_225_million_ipods_sold_more_games_for_touch_than_psp_nds_apple
 
Whether Westone tune their IEMs for Apple products or not I can't say for sure, but it seems unlikely.

 

[FIRSTinSPACE]

I'd be shocked if I found out a specialist company such as Westone actually TUNED their products to suit a particualr company's product. However, I'm sure the recent range of Universal IEM's have had their marketing tilted slightly towards the comercial market.
 
However, here in the UK not many people have heard of Westone compared with a brand such as Shure.
 
How are Westone and their products marketed in North America? Either way they are so bloody expensive here compared to the States. The difference in price for something such as the ES5 is shocking, I dread to think what the W4's will be priced at once they are released here.
 
Saying that, the biggest commercial retailer here for electronics (Dixons / Currys) sell the SE535's for approx £400. They don't even stock Westone!
 
Quote:

Quote:

The people at Weston know that 99.9% of people buying these products will specifically be listening out of an iphone / ipod touch / nano, so it makes a lot of sense that they are tuned quite specifially to Apple Mp3 players

Apple don't have a 99.9% market share and amongst audiophiles, who are most likely to purchase a $450 IEM, I imagine their the market share is even lower.
 
According to this article their claimed market share was 73.8% in 2009 ...
 
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2009/09/09/ipod_market_share_at_73_8_percent_225_million_ipods_sold_more_games_for_touch_than_psp_nds_apple
 
Whether Westone tune their IEMs for Apple products or not I can't say for sure, but it seems unlikely.

 

[Flavio T]

Retailers don't stock SE535 in the US either. High-end IEM is almost exclusively offered online due to the size of the market and the limited reach of a brick and mortar store. Unless you are in NYC or another market like that where the street traffic comes from all over the world.
 
On a meeting with a huge manufacturer (Google partner) product manager, it was disclosed that the sub $20 earbud market represents almost 80% of the overall market in dollars. How about that?
 
Most people prefer to buy a new cheap $20 earbud every other month than a quality IEM. It's just lack of knowledge I guess.
 
Now what Apple really has going for them in my opinion is the iTunes. I think that is what yields the most "stickness" to iPods. And then of course there is the iPhone. Once battery life continues to improve on upcoming versions of the iPhone more people will use them for music.
 
For the the CES trip I had to bring a Nano for the 2 flights because I knew the iPhone would be drained by the time we got there if I had used it for inflight music listening.
 
Apple's market share goes up as you go up on the market segment (more affluent consumers). They now have almost 100% of desktop computers over a certain dollar amount (can't remember right now the dollar). Plus their desktop business is growing at a staggering 25% year over year while the PC is shrinking at -6% and Apple only has 4.5% of the overall desktop business. Apple's stronghold is at the top of the consumer market. Affluent consumers don't mean audiophiles. I "kind of" consider myself an audiophile but I don't have the money for expensive cables and peripherals. Where I see the most benefit in performance for $ is in IEM for portable and for full size stereo, amplifiers and speakers. The other components in comparison, the benefit is quite marginal when comparing to these. That's my experience.

 

[shotgunshane]

Most people prefer to buy a new cheap $20 earbud every other month than a quality IEM. It's just lack of knowledge I guess.

So true. A friend of mine bought some $5 earbuds from some facebook daily deal thing and tells me "they're awesome".

Right.

Ignorance is bliss, at least where the wallet is concerned.