[grcassidy]

I've had my UM3x's for a week or so and I must say I'm very impressed. My previous IEM were shure e4c and my desktop phones are Grado GS1000.

Not at all pleased by the comply tips - the small ones dont even seem to be able to seal and they sound like $10 plastic computer speakers. They large complies improve the sound alot but still keep a similar coloring to plastic computer speakers.

I find the best sound from tripple flange modded to biflange and with the stalk trimmed. I put a bit of saliva or brylcreem on these when I insert them so they slip in and make a great seal.

Very close in sound to the modded biflange is shure olives. For comfort and ease of use I find myself using the olives most of the time. If olives were just a but longer I suspect that would be good. I might try and trim a slice off a comply and place it behind the olive as a spacer.

The detail of these IEM are amazing, they even have more detail than my GS1000's.

Extension of bass is also very good - I've been able to hear a 30Hz tone using a tone test. It actually takes a bit of getting used to having such extended bass in an IEM - with speakers you experience bass with the whole body, with GS1000's its with the entire ear, with the UM3x's its only the sound. Kinda wierd.

Midrange is accurate and detailed and as described elswhere in this thread.

Highs are a bit recessed (mentioned elswhere in this thread), especially compared to the GS1000's which just sparkle. The detail in the highs is still great though. I wonder if it was deliberate to recess the highs since sibilance and sparkling highs seem to go together. I think sibilance in an IEM would probably twist your brain into knots.

I really do pitty that red headed step child

 

[dissembled]

I thought about it and maybe there's a slim chance I'm not inserting these correctly.
The top piece with the back showing....That's how these pups are inserted in, right?

Stupid question, I know. But I'm desperate. These things take me a great deal of effort for them to sound good. A bit too much, if you ask me.

 

[Punnisher]

This style of iem takes some getting used to if you haven't used one before. I was a little frustrated about fitting my UM2 but now it's a breeze for me.

There's not much you can do wrong aside from not inserting them deep enough. They will fit nicely in your ear and it's quite obvious when they're in correctly.

Perhaps your ear is shaped differently than the average person or you need to experiment more with different tips.

The only tips I'll use are the small Shure foamies, and it took me a long time to discover them.

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif He needs to do what he needs to do, and we should stop pushing him in two different directions - right now he is back to considering the UM56 again...

Thanks Larry.

I was on the verge of either the JH13 or the 10X3, but stepped back and realized that while I know those phones are certainly on a higher level than the UM3X, I just can't justify spending that much cash on phones I would use at most for an hour a day - despite a recent windfall.

It would be easy to just drop the cash, but after PMing with a few good HF friends, I realized that for me, part of the fun of this hobby is trying new things, and spending $800 or more on a custom eliminates that option ... at least for me.

Also, there have been some serious advances in universals lately, and I am looking forward to see what happens in the next year or two.

Finally, I guess I just don't feel my level of sophistication warrants a custom in that price range. I really do love the UM3X, and figure that with so many others who have found custom sleeves a good compromise, I am spending some of my not hard-earned cash on the UM56 for now. I can use the rest of the cash to get a nice, new leather recliner (replacing the one that I've had for 18 years!). I know, practical and boring. But it's not like I am settling for a pair of PL30s or something.

So, for now, I can say of HF, "Happy for my wallet."

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakhtiar /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am pushing him to buy the JH13s, I just persuading him gently. Anyway tstarn06, it's your money, your ears and your hobby, and wish you good luck. TQ.

No problem, I know you were just having some fun. Made me laugh, in fact. King of like the "chug, chug, chug" chant in the 70s. But as you see, my decision is a much less dramatic one...taking your course, in fact with custom sleeves, not phones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvdonly /img/forum/go_quote.gif After a couple of hours, I realized that they were in fact beating the UEs like a red-headed stepchild.

I LOL'd at the way you lead up to that as you listened to them and got used to them

 

[dvdonly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissembled /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought about it and maybe there's a slim chance I'm not inserting these correctly. The top piece with the back showing....That's how these pups are inserted in, right? Stupid question, I know. But I'm desperate. These things take me a great deal of effort for them to sound good. A bit too much, if you ask me.

Yes, assuming left is "forward" (i.e. toward your face) and right is back (toward the back of your head).

As I said, even as a three year owner of UE IEM, I had a little trouble getting the seal right at first. Try multiple sized tips (not sure if you're using the Complys or Shure tips) as well as that can make a huge difference.

Quote:

Being a stage monitor the UM3X definitely is a very intimate closed in feeling (not necessarily a bad thing) where the TF10Pro is more open and a refreshing change of pace when I switch to them.

I agree that the soundstage isn't wide open with the UM3X. I wonder if the UEs are (or seem) wider because of their shape [they stick out of your ear] and perhaps that results in the armatures being further from your ear?

In any case, I have no problem with the UM3X's sound. If I'm giving up any soundstage (and to be honest I don't feel I am from my Super-fi 5 Pro, I don't own a TF10), it is more than offset by the sound quality, accuracy, imaging and neutrality [faithfulness to the original recording for good or bad] that it gives me.

Testing out the clear Shure silicone tips (small) and I might be liking the feel of these over the black silicone tips.

 

[bakhtiar]

If you look closely, and you can see it in the picture, there is a colored dot on each side of the earpieces.
RED -> Right side
BLUE -> Left side

 

[dvdonly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissembled /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought about it and maybe there's a slim chance I'm not inserting these correctly. The top piece with the back showing....That's how these pups are inserted in, right? Stupid question, I know. But I'm desperate. These things take me a great deal of effort for them to sound good. A bit too much, if you ask me.

Just following up: did you ever get your fit issue straightened out?

I find now in my third day of ownership that it's getting easier and easier to insert them correctly. I have settled on the small dark shure soft flex sleeve tips to be the best combination of fit and sound for me. I tried on the small and medium of the black soft flex and the white flex sleeves.

Loving the sound more and more each day...

 

[Stevtt]

Daiben - No problems with them and the helmet.

Oh yeah.

 

[dissembled]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvdonly /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just following up: did you ever get your fit issue straightened out? I find now in my third day of ownership that it's getting easier and easier to insert them correctly. I have settled on the small dark shure soft flex sleeve tips to be the best combination of fit and sound for me. I tried on the small and medium of the black soft flex and the white flex sleeves. Loving the sound more and more each day...

I have a rather strange method of inserting them . I insert the left tip from a downward angle and insert the other tip from an upward angle. It's not 100% foolproof but it does sound a bit better than sticking them straight on. Still takes a couple of tries though.

 

[tigon_ridge]

@tstarn06

How much do you enjoy your cans out of your Amp3, in comparison to each other? From what I read in your posts, this is what I came up with, as a guess:

SR-60 > KSC-35 > UM3X + impedance adapter > stock PAA-1

Is that accurate? Which, to you, is most emotionally evocative? Has fastest attack? How much better do you think those three sound than the PAA-1?

 

[tstarn06]

Finally took the plunge today and got lucky too. Went to a local audiologist listed on the JH Audio site, and when she did the impressions she said she would also get the sleeves direct from Westone for me (they do Westone hearing aids as well). Asked her the price, and she said $130. I asked how much for the impressions, she said "included." Wow, that's $80 for the UM56, because impressions cost me $50 four years ago for my Futuresonics EM3s (they don't work with the UM3X).

Anyway, I got silicone not acrylic, which are the cheaper option. But still, I am a happy camper. The UM56 alone on Freq City site, for example, were $120 for silicone, plus the cost or impressions (which you had to get on your own).

Anyway, hope it's worth it. But no matter, I am glad I finally got it done.

 

[bakhtiar]

^^^
Honestly, I am very happy at your decision. Ooo.. are you also getting the JH|xx Pros?
Looking forward your UM3Xs + custom sleeves and the JH|xx Pros review.

 

[battosai]

Has anyone of you tried the new tips by Comply, the one with a protection against wax deposit

I have ordered mine, but I was impatient to get some feedbacks...