[Zalithian]

I wouldn't be as quick to bash them. My guess is their projections indicate there is still demand for their line up, but supplies and materials for the old models were running thin, and they decided to update the look and feel while possibly increasing their margins in the long run. It's business. I don't see that downfall to mediocrity many of the users seem to note. Their product is still competitive, although maybe with too familiar a face. I wouldn't be surprised if they introduced new top tier product soon, also.

 
I don't think it's just based on this. The ADV was a pretty big disappointment for almost everyone who tried it on here that I can remember. Combine the ADV + the 'new' UM and W series and yeah, people are disappointed. I'm sure everyone will forget about it if Westone just releases a new IEM that improves on the W4 or UM3X.

 

[fluffyberry]

The new connectors do cramp our choices in terms of aftermarket cables since so many use the 2-pin connectors...plus the shure cables are so hideously thick and chunky IMO

 

[Omnirai]

What was with the headfonia blog talking about all these changes in the sound? All imaginary? I was so excited for an upgraded W4 too.

 

[Spyro]

Give the W4 the UM3X bass and more crisp clarity like W3 and they'd have a winner!

 

[Deviltooth]

  What was with the headfonia blog talking about all these changes in the sound? All imaginary? I was so excited for an upgraded W4 too.

Sounds like imagination and hype to me.  I'm not going to trust too much that comes out of that camp now.

 

[Mooses9]

Sounds like imagination and hype to me.  I'm not going to trust too much that comes out of that camp now.

Out of curiosity why dont you trust their reviews

 

[Zalithian]

Out of curiosity why dont you trust their reviews

Because the W10-40 are supposedly the same as the W1-4 but the review claims the W10-40 sound much better. If the old and new lines sound the same then the reviewer is either lying or has no idea what he is talking about.

 

[bumbabeef]

  Bought the PRO 30 today. Spent most of the day with them. Here are my thoughts and impressions:
 
1. Design and build. Improved, without a doubt. The housing is smaller, definitely sturdier. Feels more damage-proof than the UM3X (whose housing fell apart numerous times, with glue drying out). The cable is OK. I can really appreciate the rubberised cable braiding bit that goes behind the ear. Not a big fan of the connectors. Ergonomically, the PRO 30 is clearly superior to UM3X (for me), of course having in mind that physiology of the ear canal differs for everyone. Due to smaller housing, they sit comfortably in the pinna. Which results in better isolation than with UM3X, due to them not moving and sitting flush. Tested with an hour worth of playing drums. Overall, I'm pleased with the improvements.
 
2. Sound. Can't notice any difference. Upon first listen, I thought I noticed that they are a bit rougher and wobbly on higher volumes, while also being a bit harder to drive. But I thought that was due to not using any headphones for a couple of days, with ears taking a break of sorts. That seems to be the case. I can't hear anything that would suggest they tampered with sound signature, balance, soundstage, tone and all that stuff. Maybe I'm not trying though, which again (in my opinion) proves the point that the sound is the same, and I don't have to try and find the differences, they are just not there.
 
3. Conclusion. For someone on the fence, the PRO 30 are the ones to get if you were planning on getting the UM3X. Even with the UM3X price going down, I would still pay the difference and pick the new edition over the old one. But most improvements come to light under specific circumstances, in my case while on the drums, and may not be as beneficial to others. But if you own UM3X, there's absolutely no reason to even consider purchasing this facelifted offering. I'm a bit puzzled by the fact that Westone went for iteration rather than improvement, but I guess they wanted to nip and tuck the workhorse and bring it more or less to today's standards. To conclude, I am a bit disappointed, although still quite satisfied, since I just love my UM3X, and wouldn't have bought the PRO30 if the right speaker didn't fail. And the PRO 30 is basically just that -  prettier, slightly improved (design-wise) UM3X.

Did you let the 30s burn in or are you going off out of the box sound. I know mine sounded different after 50 hrs. I'd like to know what your thoughts are after they are properly burned in.

 

[Mooses9]

Dynamic drivers burn in. There really isnt any burn in period with balanced armatures. Brain burn in probably but physical burn in of the,drivers I dont think so.

 

[alksv]

 
Did you let the 30s burn in or are you going off out of the box sound. I know mine sounded different after 50 hrs. I'd like to know what your thoughts are after they are properly burned in.

I am quite sceptical when it comes to burn in and its role in headphone sound. More so, I don't believe in armature headphones burn in. I can maybe accept dynamic driver burn in as the driver moves in the housing and MIGHT settle in. I cannot accept armature drivers burning in. Ears adapting and getting used to the hardware - yes. Otherwise, no.

 

[Mooses9]

Completely agre

I am quite sceptical when it comes to burn in and its role in headphone sound. More so, I don't believe in armature headphones burn in. I can maybe accept dynamic driver burn in as the driver moves in the housing and MIGHT settle in. I cannot accept armature drivers burning in. Ears adapting and getting used to the hardware - yes. Otherwise, no.

Completely agree. Which is kind of a trade off with dynamics theirs a period of time where the iem can improve, where as with balanced armature iems what you hear is what you get out of the box.

 

[Spyro]

I don't believe in burn-in either.  The thing is.....95% of people that talk about burn are just talking smack.  It's not like they are listening to a brand new pair versus a pair that has 100 hours on them.  They are basing their comments on brain burn in only(getting used to the sound.).

 

[Deviltooth]

Add me to the list.  I own a lot of earphones now, dynamic and balanced armature and I've never encountered 'burn in'.  I also wonder why mystical burn in always results in better sound.  I get especially boggled when people are claiming that solid state electronics or cables are burning in.  The science just doesn't support it.

 

[Spyro]

  I also wonder why mystical burn in always results in better sound. 

Hahaha.....so true.  Only gets better, never worse.

 

[parb]

I visited hong kong for the week and today i spent the afternoon at the mingo store in hong kong.
While i have a smallish collection of headphones they are all full size cans which i use at home with the audio technical 900x as my personal favorite.
for in ear monitors i've had a cheapish pair of ultimate ears i got on a deal a year or so ago but i was never in love with them (i've also had sennheisers and shure).
my main gripe with iem's has always been fit, something which i suspect is more related to my ears than anything else.
 
making a longish story shorter, mingo has something like 200 headsets one can audition. On a monday afternoon right upon opening i was one out of two customers in the store.
i wanted to try iem's as i have enough of big can's and i already know what my next big headset purchase is going to look like. An hour in i had found a headset i liked, the westone.
 
i first tried the westone 1. It was excellent and i liked the fit. Then i tried the westone 10 pro. Holy cow what a difference in sound! And the fit was still great.
I spent a good hour with the 10 pro and i really liked it a lot. Then i went and tried the 20 pro. Didn't like it as much, there was something in the mid register that just didn't sound as good to me as the 10 pro. After this came the 30pro. What a difference.  I spent another hour with them, switching back and forth with the 10 pro. Clearly a very different sound signature and i can see how i liked them both! The 10pro seemed to me to be more forgiving of poorly recorded material, while the 30pro seemed to call out every little detail, and went a bit deeper in the bass region. the 30 pro was just fantastic when listening to them with great recordings but a crappy recording, especially with music with lots of electronica sounded too harsh, maybe even a tad bit shrill. To me this was more a reveal of the flaws in the recording but as i want to enjoy my music even when crappy i found that the 10 pro didn't give me the same experience.
 
listening to the BBC news broadcast via podcast yielded about the same experience on both models.
 
Since i plan to travel and use iem for commute and travelling i think the 10 is the better choice for me. For critical listening i'm using full size cans anyway.
 
Conclusion:  to me the 20 pro didn't sound good at all, the 30 pro excelled in all aspects with great program content, but the 10 pro was more forgiving of less great recordings and content at the expense of a bit lower bass. For a great all rounder i think the 10 pro is the better choice.