[shadow_shooter]

   
Yes a number of problems for me, the 20 degree opening problem with the w40, what feels to be less durable plastic than the w4r and the relatively short nozzle length drove me to get the 846 instead of waiting for the w60, se846 are just well built and lack issue 1 and 3 which causes possible problems with isolation.
 
The delays are a pain, problem with the printing on the box causing a month delay? I've seen quiet a few people on the forums cancel their pre-orders that would have gotten the w60 if this delay didn't occur.
 
I also prefer a more exciting signature at the moment.

Where do you live? That you can audition them in stores? In California they even don't know what Westone/Shure is.
 
So back to topic, when you say dark signature... M100 would be dark as well with their awesome bass response... So how come s846 would be a better option if 250 is the one sounding darker? Also can you define what you mean by bass texture vs punch/impact. If punch/impact means something hitting my eardrum without that thumping feeling, I'd be running away from it. To me I want bass which sounds full. It's amazing willing to spend a grand but not being able to know whether w60 or 846.

 

[spook76]

I have a question about the reviews on Earphone Solutions. Namely, when the reviewer was comparing the W60 and the SE846 what specific filter(s) were they using in the 846. I do not want to sound like a Shure fanboy but considering the material sonic differences between the filters the only honest comparison would have to be with all three filters vs the W60.

 

[milford30]

  Where do you live? That you can audition them in stores? In California they even don't know what Westone/Shure is.
 
So back to topic, when you say dark signature... M100 would be dark as well with their awesome bass response... So how come s846 would be a better option if 250 is the one sounding darker? Also can you define what you mean by bass texture vs punch/impact. If punch/impact means something hitting my eardrum without that thumping feeling, I'd be running away from it. To me I want bass which sounds full. It's amazing willing to spend a grand but not being able to know whether w60 or 846.

 
I live in Hong Kong there are about a handful of stores that have demo units, as long as you're thick skinned enough you can basically sit there for hours trying different headphones.
 
I assume by 250 you mean w50, some would consider dark as in lacking treble, a dark headphone will not necessarily have better bass, just less treble relatively (as opposed to bright - treble dominant). The se846 does not have the most treble, but it has enough that the iem sounds much closer to balanced. I would consider the M100 more warm than dark, i.e the treble is not lacking.
 
Bass texture is like how much detail is in the bass, does say a drum sound like a pop, or does it actually sound like a drum with the decay etc. so the bass sounds full and thick.
 
Bass impact is when you hit a drum do you hear the thunderous bang or just a pop.
 
So basically the se846 gives you the bang, but lacks in the details, you probably won't notice the lack in details much on a pop song. It depends on what you are looking for, from my experience and interpreting the review, bass wise, 846 allows drums to sound better (impact), whereas the w60 portrays the details in say a double bass (texture) better. 
 
Please note this is probably nit picking both se846 and w60 probably sound similar with one feature very slightly better. There is a bigger difference in signature, laid back and accurate vs aggressive and fun.

 

[Kepller]

-Aerversair

 

 

 
Managed to audition the W50 and um 50 pro just awhile ago and here are my initial impressions:
 
By the way this was the track i played during the audition:

 
W50:
 
Lows:
Superb quantity, really rich and strong but lacking really slightly behind the um 50 pro in terms of texture. By far the most powerful bass experience in the westone line up. Not muddy at all. Very clean sounding and aggressive. Cleaner than the W30 and other iems i tried such as the Senns IE80 (the bass on the W50, totally crushes the senns in every aspect, texture, detail, quantity, etc)   
 
At 0:32 of the track, when the first peddle drum kicks in, it has a nice rumble to it. It makes the bass feel less agile and slightly slow IF and only IF i were to compare it with the UM50 PRO (primarily i think it's because um 50 pro is a totally different "type" of iem a.k.a stage monitor). Where else the sound of the peddle drum produced by the um 50 pro had lesser rumble and each boom seems to last slightly shorter. Because of this, the bass seem more aggressive and quick.
 
At 0:48 of the track, when the main bassist/bass guitar starts to kick in, it sounded strong, deep, rich, and powerful. I basically could feel the impact and was blown away by how great the bass was in terms of quantity, i kindda enjoyed it. But than i tried the um 50 pro and at the exact 0:48 moment, while there was slightly lesser bass(or perhaps the bass was sharing the 2nd to the frontline(vocals) with the other mid and high frequencies), there was more texture here, and it sounded slightly cleaner with slightly more detail. 
 
Mids:
Really smooth and clear. However if compared to the UM 50 PRO, it seems the violins (especially at 1:20 of the track) seems to be less present/forward making it sound slightly thin. With the UM 50 PRO and at the exact same 1:20 mark, i was basically enclosed with buttery moans of the violins floating around mostly at the top right-middle end of the soundstage. It could be due to the smaller soundstage of the UM50 PRO though, as the same impression was experience when played with the W30. 
 
Highs:
As good as the W40's. Cymbals and high hats has the shimmery effect to it that makes it easy to enjoy. Didn't notice any sibilance. Drums have right amount of detail making it extremely enjoyable over those sharp piercing spats with other iems (especially iems with dynamic drivers). Really sweet sounding (drums on W30, W40, um30 pro, W50 and UM 50 pro all were equally enjoyable and made me actually enjoyed treble for the first time.) Drums on the UM50 PRO hat the biggest punch/impact though which may seem too hard for some. 
 
Soundstage:
Much more open and spacious than the UM 50 PRO. The soundstage is the most noticeable difference between the two iems. It felt like i was taking a breather after coming from the um 50 pro to the W50.
 
Presentation:
Bass felt like it was infront of all the other instruments, followed by the vocals. Violins came from the left-behind the vocals when listening to the track.
 
Cons:
Mids and Highs needs to be slightly more forward. Violins, cymbals and high hats tends to sound slightly thinner than the um 50 pro. Maybe that's why it makes the bass stand out more. There's no way i'll be complaining about the superb bass, great job westone on the bass! 
 
Pros:
Wide Soundstage, Extremely clean and insane bass, Crystal clear highs, Buttery Smooth mids.
 
Overall, big improvement over the W40 which was lacking mainly in the bass/low frequencies. Would've been an easy pick if only the um 50 pro didn't exist..
 
 
 
 
UM 50 PRO:
 
Lows:
Extremely well textured, can feel and hear the kicks and slams. Quantity is great, much more than the W40 and slightly or equally as big as the um30 pro.
 
Mids:
Vocals seems to still give the in-your-head kindda feeling but slightly lesser than the um 30 pro. Vocals sounded slightly clearer here than the W50. Violins (especially during 1:20 mark of the above track) basically filled up the top right to middle side of the soundstage. Felt really buttery and clear! Boosted the musicality of the song by a fair bit over the W50.
 
Highs:
Definitely more cymbals and high hat crashes here than the W50 and the um 30 pro. Drums hits harder here than the w50. May come across as too hard for some, but the detail and texture of the drums makes it seems less hurting on the ears as oppose to listening drums off of a dynamic driver iem where it basically pierces your eardrums with high pitch screams that doesn't sound like drums at all. No sibilance heard.
 
Soundstage:
Still gives the in-your-head experience although it took sometime for me to notice. It seems to give more breathing space than the um 30 pro though. The um 30 pro gave me some kind of pink noise effect after hearing the extremely close vocals singing away to my eardrums, but i no longer experience that with the um 50 pro.
 
Presentation:
Vocals are at the frontline, followed by everything else. Violins can be heard more from the top-right side and it sounds much fuller than the W50. This just boosts the musicality of the song and makes it more enjoyable as everything feels just right.
 
Cons:
Soundstage still makes it feel slightly suffocating, although it has slightly more breathing space than the um 30 pro.
 
Pros:
Extremely well defined bass, Crystal clear highs, Buttery smooth mids, Balance across the frequencies.
 
Overall, another big improvement over the um 30 pro. Has a more spacious soundstage than the 30 pro.
 
I'm not an extreme basshead but i wouldn't deny that i'm a basshead as i enjoy listening to bass more than any other instruments. But i did find the bass to be slightly forward in the W50 and find that the bass was just right in the UM 50 PRO. I enjoyed both iems nonetheless, as their cons hurt only slightly at best and their difference between them is minimal. Both gave me the WOW feeling. 
 
W50 for it's hard hitting bass slams and more open soundstage, and UM 50 PRO for it's musicality. Came out of the shop empty handed though as i couldn't make up my mind which i enjoyed more (probably would've gotten both if they cost half their msrp). If the um 50 pro had a slight more open soundstage i would've gotten it on the spot. Which do you think is more important? Soundstage or musicality? 
 
EDIT: Will constantly edit more stuffs in as soon as i can recall my experience with these 2 iems, which i basically auditioned for 2-3 hours straight.

 

[xaddictionx]

Nice impressions! I have demo-ed the UM50 too. The bass although pretty large in quantity but doesn't come close to H300. Texture, quality, timbre, clarity, punch and kick, the H300 made it real realistic! Do audition the H300 if you have a chance and especially if you like bass!

 

[marshallmole]

So in terms of bass quantity, W50>um50>W40? 
Hmm... Guess I'm right to have ordered W40s... I do appreciate their bass (very 'dynamic-like'), but can't say would like more. 

 

[Kepller]

Nice impressions! I have demo-ed the UM50 too. The bass although pretty large in quantity but doesn't come close to H300. Texture, quality, timbre, clarity, punch and kick, the H300 made it real realistic! Do audition the H300 if you have a chance and especially if you like bass!

Unfortunately i can't seem to find a retailer at my current location that carries the t-peos lineup so they are within my reach. Tried amazon but no luck either. They seem to be pretty impressive as the reviews in head-fi are mostly positive!
 
Quote:

  So in terms of bass quantity, W50>um50>W40? 
Hmm... Guess I'm right to have ordered W40s... I do appreciate their bass (very 'dynamic-like'), but can't say would like more. 

Yes although i'm no audio enthusiast, i can pretty much notice a difference in bass quantity. W50>UM 50 PRO>W30=UM30PRO>W40.
However i think W30 hits the sweet spot if you're looking for balance in the overall frequencies. I find W40's bass quantity too lacking to be considered balance and enjoyable (it's like my ears constantly attempts to focus on the bass just so i can feel more slam when listening my usual flacs and mp3s with the W40), but with the W30 i'm pretty much satisfied with the high/mid/low frequencies. The sibilance that pledge the W3 is no longer present in the W30 which makes it even better.
 
I'm not really satisfied with the W30 though as clarity-wise, the um 50 pro and W50 seems to be better performers (but of cause these are at a different price level, by almost double). 

 

[marshallmole]

 I find W40's bass quantity too lacking to be considered balance and enjoyable (it's like my ears constantly attempts to focus on the bass just so i can feel more slam when listening my usual flacs and mp3s with the W40)

Hmm. People do have different ears then.
It is known. (Quoting Missandei in Song of Ice and Fire)

 

[marcusd]

Top review kepller and many thanks!

I did notice the W50 performed much better when chosen with non EDM or music with less demand on the bass. Like you I found the top end to be a little too recessed for it to really shine. The strength of the bass and lower mids could have been compensated a little by a more forward treble and a touch more sparkle at the 3-7k range. If it had of done so this would have been a killer IEM for me for all genres.

Did you find the overall tonality on the dark side?

 

[Kepller]

Top review kepller and many thanks!

I did notice the W50 performed much better when chosen with non EDM or music with less demand on the bass. Like you I found the top end to be a little too recessed for it to really shine. The strength of the bass and lower mids could have been compensated a little by a more forward treble and a touch more sparkle at the 3-7k range. If it had of done so this would have been a killer IEM for me for all genres.

Did you find the overall tonality on the dark side?

Thanks marcusd, anticipating your full review if you are working on one for the W50! I didn't find it extremely dark (bass lover here), but yes i found it slightly dark because of the slightly recessed mids and highs (highs mainly). The overall experience was fairly similar to the W30/W40, just with bigger bass slams. It was still manageable and enjoyable though, as i for one am a "casual" bass lover! The only thing i can't stand is when an iem has over exaggerated highs and lacks a punch in the lows. While listening to michael jackson's billie jeans, i actually preferred the W50 over the um 50 pro because of the drums being too hard and impactful on the um 50 pro, while the W50 was slightly laid back (still impactful but not as much as the um 50 pro). Its really hard to find a balance armatures producing this much bass impact, and i think the W50 succeeds in this area! 

 

[marcusd]

Yup I agree with you there, over worked peaky treble in an IEM is a killer for me. Some love the DBA -02 MK2 from FA and other such Knowles BA setups but I found them very tiring. Even top of the line Final Audio FI-BA-SS was just too bright for me. If I had to pick between the FI and the W50 I would pick the W50 for long listening.

Try the UE900 in compairson and tell me what you think if you get a chance. the UE900 was my personal preference. Just felt a bit more balanced and more coherent than the W50.

 

[Raptureandzune]

Just tried the Westone W50.
Vocal is stunning and the bass is balanced and solid. But...
 
I actually prefer my 3+ years old Westone UM3X over it. I think its just sounds more "natural". Is it normal?
The shop owner said the W50 is like brand new while my UM3X has 2000+ hours. I also think the W50 is a little bit too heavy as an IEM.
 
Should I upgrade to W50 or just stick with the 3X? Will my ears get "used to" the W50? I have long commutes and use my IEM 2-4 hours a day.
Thanks!

 

[davidcotton]

Just tried the Westone W50.
Vocal is stunning and the bass is balanced and solid. But...

I actually prefer my 3+ years old Westone UM3X over it. I think its just sounds more "natural". Is it normal?
The shop owner said the W50 is like brand new while my UM3X has 2000+ hours. I also think the W50 is a little bit too heavy as an IEM.

Should I upgrade to W50 or just stick with the 3X? Will my ears get "used to" the W50? I have long commutes and use my IEM 2-4 hours a day.
Thanks!

If you are more than happy with the um3x then stick with it. If it aint broke don't fix!

 

[hatefulsandwich]

If you're happy, why would you rather spend a chunk of money on something that you don't enjoy as much just because it's technically superior? Westone's latest offerings seem to have lots of complaints about build quality. So you may find your UM3Xes outlasting them in that department, too.

 

[Raptureandzune]

If you are more than happy with the um3x then stick with it. If it aint broke don't fix!

Actually my UM3X broke 3 times!
 
Once under warranty when the cable socket went loose.
Then the right case cracked. Sent it to Westone and the repair fee was like $15.
After about 8 months, the left case split in half leaving the parts dangling. Again fixed for about $20.
 

If you're happy, why would you rather spend a chunk of money on something that you don't enjoy as much just because it's technically superior? Westone's latest offerings seem to have lots of complaints about build quality. So you may find your UM3Xes outlasting them in that department, too.

The W50 hasn't run-in. I have great experience with Westone and trust their design and service.
Plus my UM3X is long out of warranty and the repair cost is getting high. I love buying earphones when they first come out.