[Stevtt]

I've had my set for about a week now and am getting some kind of short in the plug where it connects to the source. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[tstarn06]

No, but call and get an RMA. Westone will replace it.

 

[Stevtt]

Yup. Called them and they ar taking care of me. I've had these just long enough to miss them when I'm waiting on a replacement set.

 

[Pianist]

I just borrowed UM3X from another head-fi'er yesterday to try out in exchange for my RE0. Initial impressions when used with stock short complys were quite negative - the treble was pretty much gone. When I got home, I put my medium Shure black olives on and voila! The treble is certainly present and better extended than that on Shure SE530. The bass is very tight, quite punchy and seems to go pretty deep. The mids are lovely - very smooth and very intimate and engaging. Accuracy is excellent throughout the spectrum and overall tonal balance is just phenomenal - the sound is just so well put together and everything sounds so coherent. Also, detail resolution and separation is amazing! It seems that I can clearly follow each instrument even in very complex music passages.

Imaging is excellent and soundstage is outside the head and has good depth to it. However, treble extension could be better - the upper treble just rolls of too early and because of that the sound is not quite as airy as I would've liked. Maybe custom tips can improve treble extension.

 

[tstarn06]

At least one owner, Bahktiar, says just that. My UM56s are on the way.

I didn't care much for the standard Complys either. I find the large Klipsch single flange gels to be a better match, and also extend the treble somewhat. And great comfort. But looking forward for the custom sleeves.

 

[tstarn06]

Another Quick Reply double post.

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Hey guys. If hypothetically the UM56 was to cost the roughly the same or a bit more than a full custom remodelling, is it a no-brainer to go for the custom remodelling? UM56 tips also won't last forever i take it.

The only consideration is what if the UM4X or another amazing earphone was released but even then, the custom UM3X should easily beat a hypothetical UM4X+UM56 right?

 

[tstarn06]

Not sure, but I am looking into unique Melody for a reshell, especially if my UM56s are a good fit (I can reuse the impressions, Ithink).

UM56s will last 3-4 years minimum, so by then, who knows what will be available. If the UM56 sounds even marginally better, I will be more than happy, since I love the UM3X now.

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not sure, but I am looking into unique Melody for a reshell, especially if my UM56s are a good fit (I can reuse the impressions, Ithink). UM56s will last 3-4 years minimum, so by then, who knows what will be available. If the UM56 sounds even marginally better, I will be more than happy, since I love the UM3X now.

Oh wow... that'll be brilliant if you could compare your UM56 to a UM remodelling.

 

[tstarn06]

Well. if I like the UM56 enough, won't be going the reshelling route. Well, probably not.

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by A_Dying_Wren /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh wow... that'll be brilliant if you could compare your UM56 to a UM remodelling.

Hi,
How do you find the treble extension of the UM3X compared to your IE8? And what do you think of the soundstage of the UM3X now? I seem to recall that you were finding this to be the only shortcoming of this phone. Do you listen to these phones amped or unamped?
Thanks.

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, How do you find the treble extension of the UM3X compared to your IE8? And what do you think of the soundstage of the UM3X now? I seem to recall that you were finding this to be the only shortcoming of this phone. Do you listen to these phones amped or unamped? Thanks.

Hey. The soundstage it appears was greatly affected by my unwise use of a nuforce icon mobile. It was horrid how forward and enclosed the music became. Listening unamped from my cowon D2+ the soundstage is adequate. It's impressive with certain songs but too close on others. Could definitely be larger. On almost all songs I can clearly tell that most of the music is still well within my head (almost boxed in) unlike with the IE8s. It however appears the IE8s sacrifice isolation for soundstage which is quite unacceptable IMO.

Amping the UM3X doesn't seem to help a whole lot. I mean, I could bring out more bass with my govibe magnum but that's not the point of the UM3X which strikes a very good balance on bass. Some genres need bass and others don't but I can't have it coloring my mids. A bit more sub-bass would be nice though.The soundstage and SQ also appears to be the same with the magnum. You'd probably need to go higher up to get something which will make a difference. The D10 seems to be recommended here but is well beyond what I'd pay for for an amp.

Oh and I barely notice the dropoff in treble if there's any. I haven't been tainted by the ety sound so treble is not something that duly concerns me.

EDIT: I also listen at 8/50 volume so its not as if the D2+ is struggling to output the sound.

 

[bakhtiar]

In theory remolded/reshelled UM3X would be much better than custom sleeves, because of the better seal and isolation. So the sub bass or upper treble can be improved. You can add another bass driver at Unique Melody, and may give a much better and punchier bass, mmm.. the "UM4X" (aka Westone Unique Melody (3+1)X) is a very suitable name for the remolded UM3X + 1 BA driver.

.

For me, I am not considering the remolding because, current UM3Xs + custom sleeves are very good already. Also I want a good universal as backup when I go for the customs in future.

Pianist. Agree, the olive is good and smooth. If you like more treble quantity, you can use the modder triple flanges, but the bass might be sacrificed a bit. Custom sleeves... IMHO, you may get a different presentation. The mid is similar to universal tips, but with better bass and treble extensions. I revisited the triple flanges tips after exclusively using the custom sleeves for a month, and wow!, it seem that I got 2 different good IEMs

.

A_Dying_Wren.
Yup, Icon Mobile may has good synergy with IE8, but, not for UM3Xs. But, sometime I still using the Icon Mobile, when I watch TV series, where I can concentrate more on voices and conversations.

tstarn06
Your UM56s' ETA?

Thank you.

 

[knopi]

Pianist I can only agree with you

with shure olives it is lovely smooth sound.

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakhtiar /img/forum/go_quote.gif In theory remolded/reshelled UM3X would be much better than custom sleeves, because of the better seal and isolation. So the sub bass or upper treble can be improved. You can add another bass driver at Unique Melody, and may give a much better and punchier bass, mmm.. the "UM4X" (aka Westone Unique Melody (3+1)X) is a very suitable name for the remolded UM3X + 1 BA driver. . For me, I am not considering the remolding because, current UM3Xs + custom sleeves are very good already. Also I want a good universal as backup when I go for the customs in future.

Null Audio doesn't officially offer an additional driver for the UM3X remodelling and tbh I don't know if adding another driver will actually be a good thing. Won't it negate the neutrality of the UM3X? If at all, maybe I'd add another mid driver.

But if the UM3X could hypothetically become a custom for the same price of a UM56, wouldn't having a custom UM3X also make an excellent backup or is there something about universals u'd like to keep?