[FrederikS|TPU]

I just wanted to add a link to my review of the Westone 4 in-ears. I hope it is alright with the OP.
Great thread lots of good impressions, I do not think there is much new my review can bring to the table except for maybe a few pictures.
 
Westone 4 - TechPowerUp.com
 
Cheers,
Fred

 

[Very Legal]

Yes i know fit is important, but the largest silicontips had the best fit i have tried in tips so far, but i am almost 100% sure i could hear some boominess in the bass when i started to burn them inn yesterday. I couldent help myself but listen to them now and they definitly dident have the same boominess. dammit guise you are just kidding with me arent you? i am so confused right now. Either my head is kidding with me or you are

are you sure burn in dident happen?

 

[Hyl]

I think i will pass on this one and i will probably directly go for the es5 instead. Because from what i have read the w4 is a minor upgrade compared to the um3x, seeing that i already own the um3x and sm3 and don't think that i need more similar sounding iem's

 

[FIRSTinSPACE]

Nice review.
 
Have you ever heard the ES5's? I noticed you were comparing the unviersals top line custom fits which is good when trying to draw a comparison for those whose budget is out of reach of customs like the JH-16 but I'd love to know how you compare Westone's best with them?
 

 
Quote:

I just wanted to add a link to my review of the Westone 4 in-ears. I hope it is alright with the OP.
Great thread lots of good impressions, I do not think there is much new my review can bring to the table except for maybe a few pictures.
 
Westone 4 - TechPowerUp.com
 
Cheers,
Fred

 

[shigzeo]

The ES5 is quite different, IMO. I only heard it briefly, but with MY music and for a space of time that gave me a good idea what to expect. The ES5's bass has huge slam which I found a bit uncharacteristic for a Westone earphone. It isn't out of control, though, which is great. Huge slam. Other than that, I can't really comment as I only had about five minutes with it.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

I just wanted to add a link to my review of the Westone 4 in-ears. I hope it is alright with the OP.
Great thread lots of good impressions, I do not think there is much new my review can bring to the table except for maybe a few pictures.
 
Westone 4 - TechPowerUp.com
 
Cheers,
Fred

Nice review.
 
One thing to note, though, in your review, is your comments on soundstage:
 
"Back when the Westone 3s hit the market we were surprised by their sound stage capabilities. And now a year later with the Westone 4s you get the same kind of wow effect as with the 3s back in the day. The sound stage is bigger and slightly more coherent on the Westone 4s in comparison to the Westone 3s. With the Westone 3s you were quite close to the instruments with the Westone 4s it sounds as though you are positioned just a couple of rows further back.

Sound stage wise these are ahead of the pack and completely demolish the Sennheiser IE8s in that respect. All of the positioning clues are left intact with the 4s and that really completes the listening experience. Listening to The Persuasions sing a cappella really showcases the vastly improved midrange of the Westone 4s over the previous design"
 
Your commnets seem to be the opposite to those from HeadphoneAddict.

 

[shigzeo]

Soundstage is somewhat of a fidgety topic. Some people hear soundstage as instrument separation. Some hear it as intsrument arrangement. Some hear it as an ethereal placement of yourself in relation to the music. That could be the problem with describing the W4's soundstage. Clarifying that, and we might come to the end of this!

 

[shotgunshane]

I thought I'd post Westone's response to some questions I asked about the difference in the 3 and 4. They happen to recommend the 3 for my rock oriented music library. However I still plan on picking up the 4 versus the 3. Their description seems to mirror a lot of what you all have said.

"Hello, and thank you for you interest in our products. Sound is difficult to describe in words, but I will do my best to provide as much information as possible. The Westone 3 is a proven personal listening earphone that has a very high end audiophile sound, and I believe would work exceptionally well for you, especially for the style of music you listen to. The Westone 3 delivers a very balanced sound, and has good low end thump, without being over bearing.

The Westone 4 is really for the consummate audiophile looking for the most neutral sound in an earphone. While the specifications on the Westone 4 do show an extension in the lows, that should not be interpreted as an increase in low frequencies, but rather an extension to provide more detail. The Westone 4 has a tight frequency response, and keeps the low end response very pristine, detailed, and accurate. The mids and highs have another level of smoothness, when compared to the Westone 3, due to the speaker and cross over configuration, again to be more neutral and less colored.

The Westone 3 could be considered a fun earphone for personal listening, whereas the Westone 4 would be for the person wanting extreme detail and neutrality with as little coloration as possible from an earphone. I hope this has helped in your decision making process."

 

[Onza]

Although far from a decision swinger its worth noting that the minor cosmetic changes that the Westone 4 received over the original Westone 3 is now included in current Westone 3s (at least from July last year). This includes the hardened carry case and the low profile L plug...

 

[Onza]

Informative respose from Westone. Good to know!
 
Quote:

I thought I'd post Westone's response to some questions I asked about the difference in the 3 and 4. They happen to recommend the 3 for my rock oriented music library. However I still plan on picking up the 4 versus the 3. Their description seems to mirror a lot of what you all have said.

"Hello, and thank you for you interest in our products. Sound is difficult to describe in words, but I will do my best to provide as much information as possible. The Westone 3 is a proven personal listening earphone that has a very high end audiophile sound, and I believe would work exceptionally well for you, especially for the style of music you listen to. The Westone 3 delivers a very balanced sound, and has good low end thump, without being over bearing.

The Westone 4 is really for the consummate audiophile looking for the most neutral sound in an earphone. While the specifications on the Westone 4 do show an extension in the lows, that should not be interpreted as an increase in low frequencies, but rather an extension to provide more detail. The Westone 4 has a tight frequency response, and keeps the low end response very pristine, detailed, and accurate. The mids and highs have another level of smoothness, when compared to the Westone 3, due to the speaker and cross over configuration, again to be more neutral and less colored.

The Westone 3 could be considered a fun earphone for personal listening, whereas the Westone 4 would be for the person wanting extreme detail and neutrality with as little coloration as possible from an earphone. I hope this has helped in your decision making process."

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

It's called Brain Burn.

whuzzat - too much tequila?

 
 
Quote:

/img/forum/go_quote.gif
Yes i know fit is important, but the largest silicontips had the best fit i have tried in tips so far, but i am almost 100% sure i could hear some boominess in the bass when i started to burn them inn yesterday. I couldent help myself but listen to them now and they definitly dident have the same boominess. dammit guise you are just kidding with me arent you? i am so confused right now. Either my head is kidding with me or you are

are you sure burn in dident happen?

burn in, especially wrt balanced armatures, is yet another area of contention on this forum. don't sweat it. play them and enjoy.

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

Clarification on what I think is sound stage:
To me it sounds like you are slightly further away from the source but with more midrange getting through to you.  To me sound stage refers to the heard distance to the music and is not in any way related to the frequency response of the headphones / in-ears.
 
Sound stage plays a part in instrument separation, if you are talking about separation in space. Instrument separation is, for me, more related to whether instruments appear as separate entities or kind of bundled up.
 
And unfortunately I have not heard the ES5 from Westone so I cannot comment on how the W4s sound in comparison to those in-ears.

 

[Very Legal]

Lol i know that tequila feeling.

 
Quote:

Quote:

It's called Brain Burn.

whuzzat - too much tequila?

 
 
Quote:

/img/forum/go_quote.gif
Yes i know fit is important, but the largest silicontips had the best fit i have tried in tips so far, but i am almost 100% sure i could hear some boominess in the bass when i started to burn them inn yesterday. I couldent help myself but listen to them now and they definitly dident have the same boominess. dammit guise you are just kidding with me arent you? i am so confused right now. Either my head is kidding with me or you are

are you sure burn in dident happen?

burn in, especially wrt balanced armatures, is yet another area of contention on this forum. don't sweat it. play them and enjoy.
 
Yup will do

 

[music_4321]

I have a question for those who have listened to the W4 AND either the W3 UM3X, ES3X and/ or TF10.
 
One thing that seems to be a fact is that the W4s are harder to drive (less sensitive) than the W3 UM3X or ES3X. I have a new DAP, the Sony NWZ-A847, but it has the dreaded European volume cap. This is one of the reasons why I sold my TF10s. With my more sensitive ES3X & UM3X I normally set the volume on the A847 at 10-13 out of 30 and previously at 7-10 out of 30 on my Sony X1061 (now sold).
 
With the TF10, on the other hand, it was 15-18 on the new A847 and 10-13 on the X1061.
 
However, with some old classical recordings I have, and wanting to listen somewhat loudly at times, I need to go as far as 17-22 with the UM3X & ES3X on the new A847 as opposed to 13-18 with the X1061. With the TF10, and with the same music, 22-27 with the A847 and 17-22 on the X1061.
 
Knowing that those who have heard some of these IEMs may not have the Sony X (or the European A847), my question is, can you be more specific, percentage-wise, as to how sensitive (ie easy to drive) the W4 is compared to the UM3X, ES3X, W3 and/ or TF10. You may compare it to your iPod, Cowon or any other DAP you have.

 

[Burma Jones]

Quote:

Clarification on what I think is sound stage:
To me it sounds like you are slightly further away from the source but with more midrange getting through to you.  To me sound stage refers to the heard distance to the music and is not in any way related to the frequency response of the headphones / in-ears.
 
Sound stage plays a part in instrument separation, if you are talking about separation in space. Instrument separation is, for me, more related to whether instruments appear as separate entities or kind of bundled up.
 
And unfortunately I have not heard the ES5 from Westone so I cannot comment on how the W4s sound in comparison to those in-ears.

Thank you for the nice review. Between the W3 & W4, can you tell me which one has more details and transparency?