[kurosuto]

Quote:

 


Yeah I just got the UM3X RC and the UM3X is pretty fantastic for vocals - I actually prefer it over the W4 for female vocals. However, the W4 outshines the UM3X in terms of soundstage and "realism" though, especially audible in classical music.

I guess I see what you mean. Either way, Imma just keep it. Better to have extras in case of emergencies. Still trying to force my gf to be an audiophile but makes me sad when she can't tell diff between W4/UM3X vs iphone earphones.

 

[nikp]

Quote:

I guess I see what you mean. Either way, Imma just keep it. Better to have extras in case of emergencies. Still trying to force my gf to be an audiophile but makes me sad when she can't tell diff between W4/UM3X vs iphone earphones.

Haha! Mine can't tell the difference in sound quality, but can tell the difference in terms of comfort. 
 

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Quote:

I guess I see what you mean. Either way, Imma just keep it. Better to have extras in case of emergencies. Still trying to force my gf to be an audiophile but makes me sad when she can't tell diff between W4/UM3X vs iphone earphones.

Yeah, I handed down my Ety MC5 and HF2 to mine, and she can't tell the difference on them - she does admit the isolation is great though. She can't tell the difference between 1080p and SD video either. Sigh.
 
She'd flip her lid if she knew how much these Westone IEMs cost - lol. 

 

[tnmike1]

Quote:

yeah i got the W4 with the 20% so i wouldn't lose 15% just to gain a cable although the new waterproof "music vault" would be nice. O wells, $360 for W4 from an authorized dealer can be seen as a steal if anything. The W4 seems to be alright to me but I don't see a vast improvement over the UM3X but my next purchase will probably be IE8 or GR10 depending on when soundearphones will have a discount code. 

agree with you.  In fact, just posted to Earphone Solutions for the return authorization for my W4--I could tell a LITTLE better sound from these than my UM3X but in all honesty couldn't see spending $350+ for that subtle difference.  Now getting the UM56 custom molds for the UM3X instead, which seems to be abetter avenue considering the slight sound difference I can hear.  Then again, as they say, YMMV

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Got in touch with Westone CS regarding sound signature on the W4R: "Thank you for your email. Currently we do not have a specific release date on the W4R. The sound signature is exactly the same when compared to the W4 just with a removable cable option. Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a good day. "

 

[crumpler]

Quote:

Got in touch with Westone CS regarding sound signature on the W4R: "Thank you for your email. Currently we do not have a specific release date on the W4R. The sound signature is exactly the same when compared to the W4 just with a removable cable option. Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a good day. "

Thanks for that! 

 
You just saved my wallet from me!

 

[imackler]

Yeah, this is good to know!
 
Quote:

Got in touch with Westone CS regarding sound signature on the W4R: "Thank you for your email. Currently we do not have a specific release date on the W4R. The sound signature is exactly the same when compared to the W4 just with a removable cable option. Please let me know if you have any questions. Have a good day. "

 

 

[kurosuto]

Quote:

agree with you.  In fact, just posted to Earphone Solutions for the return authorization for my W4--I could tell a LITTLE better sound from these than my UM3X but in all honesty couldn't see spending $350+ for that subtle difference.  Now getting the UM56 custom molds for the UM3X instead, which seems to be abetter avenue considering the slight sound difference I can hear.  Then again, as they say, YMMV

arent you gonna be losing 15%?  well for now i got myself W4 and a custom shelled UM3X. Must not ever go back on this forum...any more reading and I might pull trigger on GR10 and IE8.

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Quote:

arent you gonna be losing 15%?  well for now i got myself W4 and a custom shelled UM3X. Must not ever go back on this forum...any more reading and I might pull trigger on GR10 and IE8.

hah, i don't think upgrade-itis for a while. 
 
i have the same combo of iems and it's pretty stellar in terms of coverage i can get with these 2 babies. custom shelled um3x sounds awesome - i'll be settling for the um56 over winterbreak. 

 

[kurosuto]

 
Quote:

hah, i don't think upgrade-itis for a while. 
 
i have the same combo of iems and it's pretty stellar in terms of coverage i can get with these 2 babies. custom shelled um3x sounds awesome - i'll be settling for the um56 over winterbreak. 

where are you gonna put the UM56? the W4 gives me excruciating pain on my left ear no matter what tip i use so im thinking about getting UM56 for them just so I can wear them for more than a15 minutes. hows UM56 compared to custom shell? you can still remove the UM56 after removing it?

 

[zeitfliesst]

I ordered my W4 from Earphones Solutions, and since I saw that the W4R was coming out I thought I should just hold it off and so I cancelled the order just before they shipped it. The next day I just went ahead and re-ordered the W4 (excellent customer service). One reason behind this is that IEM's with removable cables tend to fail more than the ones without, and this is backed up by my own experience of the um3x (RC) arriving with a rattling transducer and also Flavio's own post in the Westone 4 appreciation thread where he said that he actually had hard data supporting his claim. So if anyone's trying to decide whether to wait for the W4R or not, that was my 2 cents.

 

[music_4321]

Here's Flavio's original post on the W4 thread and my reply to it (see below). At the time (6th January 2011) the W4 had not been released and many people were very disappointed to learn the new and very expensive Westone flagship did not have a detachable cable.
 
I had both UM3X versions, with fixed and removable cables, and had absolutely no issues with the latter; there have been many other owners of the removable cable version, which came out 1.5 years ago,  who have had no issues whatsoever. On the other hand, there have been quite a few people who have had cable issues with the (fixed cable) W3, which has now been around for 3 years.
 
Quote:

REF: the whole fixed cable vs. replaceable cable issue.
 
What if I tell you all that Earphone Solutions has hard data collected since the first replaceable cable universal earphones were launched that supports, without a doubt, and by a huge margin, that earphones with replaceable cables fail much more often and at a much higher rate than earphones with fixed cables?
 
I completely understand the perception that with removable cables, one may feel "safer". The only products we don't have enough data yet because they are relatively too new, are the SE535, SE425, SE315, UM2-RC & UM3X-RC.
 
I have a set of UM2s that are completing 5 years now.
 
Another aspect to consider. When the cable fails on an earphone with fixed cables, they get replaced or repaired at no charge for the first 2 years (after submitting registration, etc.) under the manufacturers' warranty.
 
When the cable fails on an earphone with replaceable cables, the first and most common action is to buy a new set of cables.
 
This could be big business. We sold many thousands of cables back in the day. Customers wouldn't think twice between trying to enter a warranty claim with the manufacturer or simply buy new cables.
 
So my question is: is that BETTER for the consumer? I don't think so. My everyday set is a fixed cable UM3X. I also love my SE535 but the way Shure built these cables it seems these would never fail hence never replaced.
 
I think in Shure's and Westone's case it's the manufacturer responding to demand and desire. It's the perception of the end user that replaceable cables are better, which honestly, I don't share that view. Because I know the return rate and the sales of replaceable cables, and the calls and feedbacks we receive from our customers. Hard data collected for several years.
 
The problem, I think, is because once you have a replaceable cable, you have just created a "weak link": the connection.
 
One needs to re-think the "freedom" of being able to replace ( = buy) cables every so many months (sometimes weeks).
 
I have had this conversation with numerous customers and manufacturers. It's difficult not to offer replaceable cables given the perception and desire for them. I will stick with my fixed cable set. Less moving parts, less connections, to me, equals simpler, more reliable and ultimately better.
 
Just my 2 cents.

 
Quote:

No offence to you personally, Flavio, but the fact that you work for Earphone Solutions -- a company that has a clear interest in selling this new expensive product -- makes your post somewhat awkward.
 
The huge margin you refer to very likely has a lot to do with the TF10, whose detachable cable is known to be of substandard quality and nothing like the Westone (ES) detachable cable. Also, the TF10 connector is known to be of similar quality, ie not very good or as you call it "a weak link". You yourself admitted there's not enough data to talk about the recent UM2 & UM3X with detachable cables. If what you said were true, why is it that the vast majority, ie not all, of custom IEMs come with the detachable cables? That has been the industry standard for many years now.
 
Apart from the TF10 substandard cable & connector quality, there's no reports that I know of of the new UM2, UM3X (and Sennheiser IE8) issues with their detachable cables. Also, although a couple of people don't like the UM2/ UM3X memory wire, I find it very useful both on my ES3X & UM3X, and the memory wire is also used in pretty much all custom IEMs. In addition, the Westone ES cables can be had in different lengths - I personally prefer the longer 64" cable as opposed to the 50" standard length. Ultimate Ears sell 2 different lengths, too, 48" & 64". Although I don't believe in cables making a difference in SQ -- I think it's pretty much snake oil --, for those who do, they have the option of getting one of those expensive aftermarket cables.
 
On the subject of durability, I don't doubt you have had your UM2s for 5 years. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and there are many reports of people having cable issues after, or within, the 1 or 2-year warranty period. The fact is that not everyone treats their IEMs equally.
 
On a related note, both UM2 & UM3X with detachable cables come with quite a few more accessories than the UM2 & UM3X with fixed cables - you get 6 more different eartips, a 1/4" headphone adaptor, and an inline volume control:
 

 
 

 

[Bokyung]

Great post music_4321 !

 

[zeitfliesst]

Thanks for bringing those posts over music_4321. Ultimately, there's no right or wrong answer. Either versions are prone to fail for some reason or the other, and each can only speak from his/her experience, and people will have to go with what they think is right. But as I said, my perception of removable cables still stands and don't think it would be less expensive to maintain in the long term.

 

[Danz03]

The only Westone IEMs I owned that have replaceable cables are the UM3X, and I have to have them replaced twice within the first year due to failed drivers and broken cable. I've never had any problems with my UM2 until after I've had them for nearly 3 years, then the cable broke and as the warranty had expired, I was lucky to have found someone who was able to fix them for me. With the Westone 4, touch wood, I'm happy to say that they are as good as as new so far since I got them nearly a year ago. But if I had the choice, I'd definitely get the RC version instead, as good and durable as the fixed cables are, they will still get broken one day and it'll very likely be after the warranty has expired. And if the cable broke near to the driver, it'll be a hard (and expensive) job to get them repaired.

Just for the record, I dislike the replaceable cable of my UM3X, as one of the drivers get detached from the cable quite easily, and i find the moldable ear rests very uncomfortable.

I ordered my W4 from Earphones Solutions, and since I saw that the W4R was coming out I thought I should just hold it off and so I cancelled the order just before they shipped it. The next day I just went ahead and re-ordered the W4 (excellent customer service). One reason behind this is that IEM's with removable cables tend to fail more than the ones without, and this is backed up by my own experience of the um3x (RC) arriving with a rattling transducer and also Flavio's own post in the Westone 4 appreciation thread where he said that he actually had hard data supporting his claim. So if anyone's trying to decide whether to wait for the W4R or not, that was my 2 cents.