[a_recording]

Quote:

not sure how they came to think a gimmick like reflective cabling would save them in the audiophile market.

 
To be honest I'm not sure they ever targeted this product towards audiophiles...
 
I don't think the ease of use is that bad. The build quality is good and the isolation is very good. I don't actually find the cable super microphonic but the earloops are not so great for sprinting because they tend to flop over the ears...

 

[Gilly87]

$200 for consumer workout headphones? You've got to be joking.

 

[backsideslappy]

If these are actually reasonably weather-proof then there's probably a pretty good market for them.  It's quite easy to protect a DAP from the elements when you're hiking or bushwalking or just generally out and about but IEMs are a bit more difficult.  If these sound half good (which they should) and are built as well as they seem - then I might buy into them.

 

[Gilly87]

I think its pretty easy to protect IEMs...just put them in a case. Besides, who has ever sweat a pair of earphones to death? I work out in my SE215, and other IEMs too; worn them in the rain and all, zero issues. The only IEMs I wouldn't wear in the rain are the more expensive ones I wasn't sure I would keep.

If these are actually reasonably weather-proof then there's probably a pretty good market for them.  It's quite easy to protect a DAP from the elements when you're hiking or bushwalking or just generally out and about but IEMs are a bit more difficult.  If these sound half good (which they should) and are built as well as they seem - then I might buy into them.

 

[backsideslappy]

I've never killed any with sweat, but have had a set of SE215s fall apart from being rained on while running.  For use in a gym most IEMs fare just fine, but if you're running or cycling reasonably long distances then it doesn't take long for wear and tear to start getting the better of most.

 

[a_recording]

After doing some more A/Bing with the XBA-40 and JVC FXD80-Z, I posted my ADV review...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/669528/review-westone-adv-alpha-a-thing-that-goes-thump-in-the-night
 
Now I am very interested in knowing how the Shure SE215 compares as a similarly designed earphone at a lower price...

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

 
Now I am very interested in knowing how the Shure SE215 compares as a similarly designed earphone at a lower price...

 
For a "basshead" IEM, I much prefer the SE215 Special Edition (that's the teal-colored version). It's incredibly smooth, almost reminiscent of the Monster Golds. The ADV has not impressed me.

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

 
For a "basshead" IEM, I much prefer the SE215 Special Edition (that's the teal-colored version). It's incredibly smooth, almost reminiscent of the Monster Golds. The ADV has not impressed me.

 
I am very interested in the LTD... seemingly there are some pairs left in Australia!

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

  I am very interested in the LTD... seemingly there are some pairs left in Australia!

It offers the same type of sound as the ADV; less shimmer but present and smooth from the highs all the way down to the lows. You know I "hate bass", but the 215 SE definitely brought out the closet basshead in me, and I wasn't even a fan of the original 215. The retuned backspace of the driver really did it some good in conveying a good sense of space.
 
As for the ADV, I think Westone can do better.

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

It offers the same type of sound as the ADV; less shimmer but present and smooth from the highs all the way down to the lows. You know I "hate bass", but the 215 SE definitely brought out the closet basshead in me, and I wasn't even a fan of the original 215. The retuned backspace of the driver really did it some good in conveying a good sense of space.
 
As for the ADV, I think Westone can do better.

 
This is completely OT, but you were able to confirm that the SE215LTD sounds different because of physical changes they made to the interior of the earphone's body? That is really very interesting.
 
Would you say the LTD is leaner than the ADV or around the same? I'm surprised that you would say they have the same type of sound because as I understand it the SE215 is very popular and I'm not sure the ADV will be.

 

[tomscy2000]

Quote:

This is completely OT, but you were able to confirm that the SE215LTD sounds different because of physical changes they made to the interior of the earphone's body? That is really very interesting.
 
Would you say the LTD is leaner than the ADV or around the same? I'm surprised that you would say they have the same type of sound because as I understand it the SE215 is very popular and I'm not sure the ADV will be.

 
It was mentioned somewhere (forget where, probably some Japanese site) that the piston-looking thing behind the driver was completely redesigned, and the 215SE is clearly bassier than the normal version, both in 'thump' and sub-bass. Never took it apart, though, if that's what you're wondering.
 
I would say that the two are about the same in terms of thickness, but I never did an A/B. I can only say that, on first listen, I was far more impressed with the SE215SPE than I was with the ADV. The ADV may have better imaging, though?

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

 
It was mentioned somewhere (forget where, probably some Japanese site) that the piston-looking thing behind the driver was completely redesigned, and the 215SE is clearly bassier than the normal version, both in 'thump' and sub-bass. Never took it apart, though, if that's what you're wondering.
 
I would say that the two are about the same in terms of thickness, but I never did an A/B. I can only say that, on first listen, I was far more impressed with the SE215SPE than I was with the ADV. The ADV may have better imaging, though?

 
Hmm that's interesting. Given the warm tilt of the SE215 I would have thought they wouldn't push it that much further.
 
Maybe I should hold off on returning the ADV until I can do a direct comparo. I thought the SE215 would sound different enough from the ADV that I could just go off memory alone in judging the SE215, but I am worried now that they will be similar enough that my memory will not be reliable when comparing them... I'm just concerned about the resale value of the ADV if I choose to wait instead of returning the ADV within Earphone Solution's 30 day return policy. 

 

[the tiny bus]

I haven't read this entire thread but to the people who are having/had fit issues, are they able to wear other westone products?   I had a pair of w3s that fit me fine but I wouldn't dare work out in them.  I've destroyed 4 pairs of headphones in the past few weeks that I work out in. 

 

[DaddyMojo]

I haven't read this entire thread but to the people who are having/had fit issues, are they able to wear other westone products?   I had a pair of w3s that fit me fine but I wouldn't dare work out in them.  I've destroyed 4 pairs of headphones in the past few weeks that I work out in. 

What caused you to ruin them? Was it water intrusion. A ripped chord?

I do wear my Westone 3 to the gym, with no problem. However, I have caught the chord in the weights, the drawstring on my hoodie and yanked them out of my ears doing certain exercises.

 

[the tiny bus]

The casing fell apart on my ue200's, my mono prices had a water intrusion from sweat, my sony xb60's had the same thing happen.  I also had a pair of fx101's that died too.  I generally buy cheaper IEMs for the gym but am willing to pay more if they aren't going to die... I had a pair of beats tour(got them for free from monster) that had a cord fray on them.  I guess I should state the sony's were the only ones that I purchased recently.