[aras]

Quote:

 
Short nozzle I guess that is intentionally made so that it doesn't break easily.

I see your point and it makes sense. However UM3X with longer nozzle is quite a bit more comfortable. I had to push W4's body quite a bit to my ear in order to get a good seal with the grey mushrooms. 

 

[ricthaman]

I'm gonna put my 2 cents down after reading this thread for a few weeks now.

I'm an old TF10 lover. Used to own them, sold them, got regret and bought them again.
Few months ago, I got a great deal on some SE535's. So I sold my TF10's once again and jumped on the SE535's.

In the meantime I upgraded to iPhone 5 and got myself an iPad mini.
Now, I can tell you that iPhone 5 and SE535 just didn't work for me. The highs were just not 'sparkly' enough as I got used to from TF10, the mids were too aggressive at most times and the lows were just terrible. They sounded hollow and there just was no 'feel' to the lows. Kickdrums sounded like somebody hit his fist against a cabinet or something....

So I sold them again and found a dealer that sold Westone. Actually, it turned out to be a main importer here in europe.

I went there with some ideas thanks to this thread and others here on head-fi, and so I knew I wanted to audition the UM3X, W3 and W4.

And man am I glad I did! The W4 was just what I was looking for. I tested it with my iPhone 5 and it sounded right the first moment I laid ears on them

Balance is the magic word. But I could feel the lows yet still be a nerd as I can be, and point out every single nuance in the lows. The mids are crystal clear and just right. Maybe not as in-your-face as the SE535's, but they were nevere ear-piercing and jimi hendrix or other guitar heavy rock soubded so awesome and pleasurable to listen to.
And the highs are as sparkly as I wanted them to be. Never overly so, but way more extende then on the SE535's. I get that 'tingly' feeling back in my ears that I used to have with my Tf10's, but more restrained and textured this time. More detailled too.

So I got myself the W4R's and am very happy with them. I'm now considering to get the UM56 custom molds for them. I hope they improve even more..... Hehe

I'm listening to them right now through my iPhone's line out and my E11 (low gain, EQ off). Sounds just awesome, really awesome.

What's the lesson here? Always audition! The SE535's get much appraisal here and on the net (as they should, they're great IEM's. They sounded very good with my cowon C2) but for me, and with my gear, the W4 were just exactly how I wanted it to be. And I probably never would've known if I didn't listen to them for myself. I would've probably gone blindky with the UE 900's or something and left Westone a mystery to me again ( westone is very, very hard to find here in the netherlands so I never even saw one in person, let alone hear).

Thank you for all your help. Now I'm off trying to find an RSA tomahawk to complement my purchase....

Regards,

Ric.

 

[JohnSantana]

Quote:

I'm gonna put my 2 cents down after reading this thread for a few weeks now.
I'm an old TF10 lover. Used to own them, sold them, got regret and bought them again.
Few months ago, I got a great deal on some SE535's. So I sold my TF10's once again and jumped on the SE535's.
In the meantime I upgraded to iPhone 5 and got myself an iPad mini.
Now, I can tell you that iPhone 5 and SE535 just didn't work for me. The highs were just not 'sparkly' enough as I got used to from TF10, the mids were too aggressive at most times and the lows were just terrible. They sounded hollow and there just was no 'feel' to the lows. Kickdrums sounded like somebody hit his fist against a cabinet or something....
So I sold them again and found a dealer that sold Westone. Actually, it turned out to be a main importer here in europe.
I went there with some ideas thanks to this thread and others here on head-fi, and so I knew I wanted to audition the UM3X, W3 and W4.
And man am I glad I did! The W4 was just what I was looking for. I tested it with my iPhone 5 and it sounded right the first moment I laid ears on them

Balance is the magic word. But I could feel the lows yet still be a nerd as I can be, and point out every single nuance in the lows. The mids are crystal clear and just right. Maybe not as in-your-face as the SE535's, but they were nevere ear-piercing and jimi hendrix or other guitar heavy rock soubded so awesome and pleasurable to listen to.
And the highs are as sparkly as I wanted them to be. Never overly so, but way more extende then on the SE535's. I get that 'tingly' feeling back in my ears that I used to have with my Tf10's, but more restrained and textured this time. More detailled too.
So I got myself the W4R's and am very happy with them. I'm now considering to get the UM56 custom molds for them. I hope they improve even more..... Hehe
I'm listening to them right now through my iPhone's line out and my E11 (low gain, EQ off). Sounds just awesome, really awesome.
What's the lesson here? Always audition! The SE535's get much appraisal here and on the net (as they should, they're great IEM's. They sounded very good with my cowon C2) but for me, and with my gear, the W4 were just exactly how I wanted it to be. And I probably never would've known if I didn't listen to them for myself. I would've probably gone blindky with the UE 900's or something and left Westone a mystery to me again ( westone is very, very hard to find here in the netherlands so I never even saw one in person, let alone hear).
Thank you for all your help. Now I'm off trying to find an RSA tomahawk to complement my purchase....
Regards,
Ric.

 
Yes Ric, Westone W4(r) combined with Fiio E11 is the good combination

 

[Geruvah]

Quote:

I'll be looking forward to your observations with the SM3 compared to the W4R. =)

I'll give a quick "I was right/wrong" after I get the W4R but plan on a very detailed write up in a month or 2 afterward because I'll have the custom tips for the W4 afterward and I already have custom tips for the SM3. 

 

[killerweed]

Quote:

 
I was amazed at how well my Woo WA6 and Eddie Current ZDT desktop amps perform with IEM when I first tried them 3 years ago.  Prior to that I had only tried portable amps with IEM, and thought craiglester was nuts when he told me that he was using my old Dark Voice 336i with his W3.  I also find my DACmini and EF2 desktop amps to be great with IEM.
 
 

 
I've been using UM56 tips since mid 2007 when I got a set in vinyl, with my most recent silicone pair being made in late 2009 after I lost the first pair.  I find that they keep the sound balanced, and extend and open up the treble in the W4.  With my W3 they smooth out the treble and keep the bass well controlled, making the W3 sound like a warmer and punchier version of my UM3X.  They don't behave the same with every IEM, and they've always been better than the stock universal tips with any IEM I've tried them with (> grey, clear, triple flange, or foam tips).  I take that back - they made all my Westone IEM and my Klipsch Image X10 sound better, but didn't sound so good with the SE530.  I fell asleep with the SE530 and UM56 and woke up with a broken sound nozzle.  That's when I converted the SE530 into customs, which are slightly sibilant and not better than stock.
 
I thought the vinyl tips were easier to insert, and they hang onto the sound nozzle a little tighter.  The silicone tips however are more comfortable for extended listening periods.
 
I hope to compare them to the new tips soon, and I'll report on that later.

Excellent description of the UM56. Makes anyone who has a Westone want a pair for sure.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Do the silicone custom tips make that painful pop when you remove them? Sort of stuck between the isolation of the silicones and the overall ease of use on the vinyls. 

 
What is this painful pop that you speak of?

 

[TwinQY]

Quote:

 
What is this painful pop that you speak of?

The loud and abrupt suction noise when you pull them out of the ear, that silicone customs are sometimes supposed to have. I've heard some reports on that, so I was worried. 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

The loud and abrupt suction noise when you pull them out of the ear, that silicone customs are sometimes supposed to have. I've heard some reports on that, so I was worried. 

 
I've never experienced that in my case, nor read about it.  That should make you feel better.  

 

[Geruvah]

 
Hey guys. I got the 4R. Surprisingly, maybe surprising for most, the custom tips for my SM3 fit the nozzles for the 4R...probably even better. It's a bit more snug on the nozzles, but it's a secure type of snug, where I know it's not going to slip off at all but not break it.
 
I can sorta see why the comment of it being the Sennheiser HD650 of IEMs, but the highs are more prevalent from what I remember on the SM3 (those are at home right now). The SM3 is a little darker, but these seem more punchy.
 
So there you go, the quick first impression using the same custom eartips so there's no bias toward a certain silicone/foam tip or whatever. 
 
Expect a detailed review in the future.

 

[BobJS]

I have a (somewhat) strange question.  I have my Westone 4 (not 4R or 4RC)  packaged up in an amazon box ready to send out.  I don't want to open and repackage the box if it's not necessary.....  The question:
 
 
The small dimension of an USPS small priority mail box is supposed to be 1 5/8 inches.   Will the Westone 4 box fit?  Thanks to anyone who can answer within the next couple of hours.
 

 

[Geruvah]

Quote:

I have a (somewhat) strange question.  I have my Westone 4 (not 4R or 4RC)  packaged up in an amazon box ready to send out.  I don't want to open and repackage the box if it's not necessary.....  The question:
 
 
The small dimension of an USPS small priority mail box is supposed to be 1 5/8 inches.   Will the Westone 4 box fit?  Thanks to anyone who can answer within the next couple of hours.
 

Mine came in today in the Small Flat Rate Box (if that helps any). And it JUST fit it. So at 1 5/8 inches, likely it wouldn't.

 

[BobJS]

Quote:

Mine came in today in the Small Flat Rate Box (if that helps any). And it JUST fit it. So at 1 5/8 inches, likely it wouldn't.

Thanks!

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

Has any of the 'initial batch' buyers still use them without any complaints?
 
Please let me know
 
thanks in adv.

 

[treal512]

Quote:

Has any of the 'initial batch' buyers still use them without any complaints?
 
Please let me know
 
thanks in adv.

 
I bought my W4 around February/March of 2011. Still using them with no complaints.

 

[hkppl]

Got my W4 in Dec 2010, no problem so far