[matto]

Do the UM3x have more sibliance than the Westone 3?

 

[Danz03]

The UM3Xs are not sibilance at all, and neither are the Westone 3s, but in general, the Westone 3s are slightly brighter than the UM3Xs.

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

The UM3Xs are not sibilance at all, and neither are the Westone 3s, but in general, the Westone 3s are slightly brighter than the UM3Xs.

 
depends on what tips you use and the fit you can achieve....

 

[Danz03]

Yes, but I don't think they have ever sounded sibilance with any of the tips I've tried, they seem to affect the bass more, and I use Shure Olives, reversed. With the same tips, the Westone 3s sound slightly brighter. 

 
Quote:

Quote:

The UM3Xs are not sibilance at all, and neither are the Westone 3s, but in general, the Westone 3s are slightly brighter than the UM3Xs.

depends on what tips you use and the fit you can achieve....

 

[matto]

Hmm really considering on getting the UM3x HM HM HM

 

[b0ck3n]

After modifying a set of tips that came with the RE-ZEROs I've now managed to get them sounding right, and funny enough the low end is actually the better part of their sound. I may have exaggerated somewhat when saying their sibilance is unbearable. They're still too bright for my tastes though, and they rather do fail to envelope me with music - I'm hoping the Westones do a better job in that respect as I'm big on immersion.

 

[Coupe]

Sorry for the OT, but the Sony Hybrid tips make the RE-Zero/0 a totally different experience.
 
I am super excited about either the W3 or W4.  I will listen mostly to electronic/trance.  What do you guys thing?

 

[imackler]

 
Quote:

The UM3Xs are not sibilance at all, and neither are the Westone 3s, but in general, the Westone 3s are slightly brighter than the UM3Xs.

 
I agree.

 

[Asr]

Larry/HPA: perhaps I missed it somewhere but how do you have a production version of the W4 already? If you have a special relationship with Westone, that is something that should be disclosed to the readership on Head-Fi and added as a disclaimer to your impressions.

 

[Flavio T]

One of our customers, Art, posted a really good comparison between UM3X and W3 here:
 
http://www.earphonesolutions.com/comparison-westone-3-um3x.html
 
 

 

[Young Spade]

Do the UM3x have more sibliance than the Westone 3?

 


Not at all. They have somewhat of a dark sound signature in my opinion. Amazing detail and clarity, but the bass is a tad strong, although it does not bleed into the other ranges and sounds amazing.

 

[gerbi]

Quote:

Hi all,
 
I'm just coming off a pair of Head Direct HiFiMAN RE-ZEROs that I really didn't like. They're extremely uncomfortable, the highs are unbearably sibilant and grainy and the lows, while detailed, are seriously underwhelming. Now I'm on the hunt for a pair of IEMs that are everything that the RE-ZEROs aren't, while still maintaining a high level of detail.
 
From reading W3 reviews I was sure I'd found the right fit - warm and full-bodied, musical, exciting - this is nothing like my RE-ZEROs! Enter W4, and I'm lost again. I guess what I'm wondering is this: do the W4s have proper thump to the bass, do they sound warm and full-bodied and exciting as the W3 does, whilst improving on mids? Is there anything the W3 does better than the W4? I'm looking to avoid anything that sounds too bright and brittle here.
 
Still, I'm not a basshead by any means. At home I use modded Sennheiser HD 555s (removed the foam tape inside the cans) out of a Xonar Essence STX and after burn-in they sound fantastic at their price range, and the bass is just right.
 
So, should I look at the W3s or W4s? I'm from Sweden so trying them before-hand is out of the question, returning them probably won't be so easy either, I'm just hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

I have the Westone 3 and I don't find them sibilant at all. I come from a pair of Audio Technica ATH-CK10 (very bright and little bass) and Sennheiser IE 8 (very bassy and little highs. All this according to my personal opinion, obviously). I find the W3 to give the best of both worlds and the tips they come with have an impact on how they sound: Comply foams for example have an impact on the highs. I find the Shure Olives to be the quite comfortable and producing a nice balanced sound. I said in another post that I've ordered the W4 since if they are going to improve on a sound I already like it would be great!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Hi all,
 
I'm just coming off a pair of Head Direct HiFiMAN RE-ZEROs that I really didn't like. They're extremely uncomfortable, the highs are unbearably sibilant and grainy and the lows, while detailed, are seriously underwhelming. Now I'm on the hunt for a pair of IEMs that are everything that the RE-ZEROs aren't, while still maintaining a high level of detail.
 
From reading W3 reviews I was sure I'd found the right fit - warm and full-bodied, musical, exciting - this is nothing like my RE-ZEROs! Enter W4, and I'm lost again. I guess what I'm wondering is this: do the W4s have proper thump to the bass, do they sound warm and full-bodied and exciting as the W3 does, whilst improving on mids? Is there anything the W3 does better than the W4? I'm looking to avoid anything that sounds too bright and brittle here.
 
Still, I'm not a basshead by any means. At home I use modded Sennheiser HD 555s (removed the foam tape inside the cans) out of a Xonar Essence STX and after burn-in they sound fantastic at their price range, and the bass is just right.
 
So, should I look at the W3s or W4s? I'm from Sweden so trying them before-hand is out of the question, returning them probably won't be so easy either, I'm just hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

The W4 bass is as strong as the W3, but more balanced in the low, mid and upper bass.  They sound as warm and full bodied as the W3, but with better bass control and midrange presence and detail.  The W3 has a little deeper soundstage, a little farther from the stage, with a little more sparkle in the highs.  The W4 treble is a little smoother and more refined and laid back sounding than the W3.  It would be more like a "Denon D5000 vs an LCD-2" kind of difference in the sound.
 
Quote:

Larry/HPA: perhaps I missed it somewhere but how do you have a production version of the W4 already? If you have a special relationship with Westone, that is something that should be disclosed to the readership on Head-Fi and added as a disclaimer to your impressions.

Well, I did not hide the fact that I know and visit the guys at Westone on occasion (living in the same town) and was able to get mine early to work on a review, because the gang would be gone for over 2 weeks for CES and NAMM.  As for my relationship with Westone, I love their products and own many of them.  I also have been mailing around one of my W3 for a loaner program that I started for Westone last fall (I have a limited edition W3, and also traded my IE8 for a regular W3).  I've spent about $50 shipping the W3 to listeners over the past few months and to send the W3 along with some replacement UM1/2 to a soldier in Afghanistan, not including my time and gas.  So I don't feel like I was taking advantage of them when they allowed me to trade one of my W3 for the W4, in order to donate the W3 to a soldier in Afghanistan who broke his UM2 in a firefight (I also donated a headphone amp to Westone to use as they see fit).  So yes, that could be considered a special relationship, but I have worked, given my time, or spent money in the course of events; and in no way are they "buying my vote".
 
This does not stop me from reporting my findings as accurately as I can.  You can listen to them and confirm or disagree with my findings if you wish.  I'm sure we can find a time to do a Colorado Mini Meet.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Quote:

Hi all,
 
I'm just coming off a pair of Head Direct HiFiMAN RE-ZEROs that I really didn't like. They're extremely uncomfortable, the highs are unbearably sibilant and grainy and the lows, while detailed, are seriously underwhelming. Now I'm on the hunt for a pair of IEMs that are everything that the RE-ZEROs aren't, while still maintaining a high level of detail.
 
From reading W3 reviews I was sure I'd found the right fit - warm and full-bodied, musical, exciting - this is nothing like my RE-ZEROs! Enter W4, and I'm lost again. I guess what I'm wondering is this: do the W4s have proper thump to the bass, do they sound warm and full-bodied and exciting as the W3 does, whilst improving on mids? Is there anything the W3 does better than the W4? I'm looking to avoid anything that sounds too bright and brittle here.
 
Still, I'm not a basshead by any means. At home I use modded Sennheiser HD 555s (removed the foam tape inside the cans) out of a Xonar Essence STX and after burn-in they sound fantastic at their price range, and the bass is just right.
 
So, should I look at the W3s or W4s? I'm from Sweden so trying them before-hand is out of the question, returning them probably won't be so easy either, I'm just hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

I have the Westone 3 and I don't find them sibilant at all. I come from a pair of Audio Technica ATH-CK10 (very bright and little bass) and Sennheiser IE 8 (very bassy and little highs. All this according to my personal opinion, obviously). I find the W3 to give the best of both worlds and the tips they come with have an impact on how they sound: Comply foams for example have an impact on the highs. I find the Shure Olives to be the quite comfortable and producing a nice balanced sound. I said in another post that I've ordered the W4 since if they are going to improve on a sound I already like it would be great!

I agree completely.  I finally got to listen to joker's CK-10 last month and was surprised at their brightness, and I liked the W3 enough to trade my IE8 for a second pair.

 

[Inks]

Odd, to each their own, but I didn't find the CK10s that bright at all. It's angle/depth dependent but when done right, not harsh at all. There's a spike somewhere really high up there but it isn't bothersome at all.