[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif Okay UM3X aficionados, I've been following this thread for quite a while. Tell me, are clarity and crisp two words that you would associate with the sound signature of this phone?

Clarity yes. Crisp in the very fresh sense not necessarily as the highs are fairly rolled off at the top. It is crisp in the clear sense of course.

 

[iponderous]

Rolled-off highs you say? How would you compare the highs of the UM3X to those of the IE8?

 

[Spyro]

X2....it is perfect IMHO. I tend to listen on the loud side and any more "crisper" would result in too much ear fatigue. Westone struck a perfect balance between clarity, amount of detail, and crispness.

We already know they can achieve a "crispy" treble as was done with W3 so I am certain the mild treble roll-off of UM3X was done completely by design.

Going on 5 months with mine and they newness has not worn off one bit. I still like them like I liked them the first week.

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rolled-off highs you say? How would you compare the highs of the UM3X to those of the IE8?

They are noticeably less if you A/B them but they are very nicely defined and again, aren't overwhelmed by bass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...any more "crisper" would result in too much ear fatigue. Westone struck a perfect balance between clarity, amount of detail, and crispness. .

X2. Really, the highs are just about right. They aren't a worry and will probably only impact someone coming from an Ety... but then they deserve it for getting etys in the first place.

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif X2....it is perfect IMHO. I tend to listen on the loud side and any more "crisper" would result in too much ear fatigue. Westone struck a perfect balance between clarity, amount of detail, and crispness. We already know they can achieve a "crispy" treble as was done with W3 so I am certain the mild treble roll-off of UM3X was done completely by design. Going on 5 months with mine and they newness has not worn off one bit. I still like them like I liked them the first week.

Hi Spyro,

I know that you have high praise for this phone. How do the highs compare to those of the Triple.Fi 10 Pro (which I know you own/owned)? I expect that the Trip's highs will be far more prominent. How do the sound signatures of these phones compare overall?

I have the SE530's and I do enjoy them but they do have a veiled quality to my ears, which I suppose is a consequence of its rolled-off highs. I know that you owned the SE530's at some point, and I was wondering if the UM3X's succeed in completely overcoming this shortcoming? Do the UM3X's possess greater clarity than the SE530's from your memory?

Thanks.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlie0904 /img/forum/go_quote.gif is D10 the only ideal amp for UM3X? how about D2+? I don't think I can utilized optical from D10. any suggestions?

I have not tried the D2+ with UM3X, but I have tried the D2 with ES3X customs, and they work fine together (i.e. it's not a bad combination). Blutarsky liked the combo enough to buy my D2, which I didn't mind doing because my D10 is still better. I suspect the UM3X will work similarly with the D2.

 

[charlie0904]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have not tried the D2+ with UM3X, but I have tried the D2 with ES3X customs, and they work fine together (i.e. it's not a bad combination). Blutarsky liked the combo enough to buy my D2, which I didn't mind doing because my D10 is still better. I suspect the UM3X will work similarly with the D2.

thanks for the input.

maybe I could save some cash for my future customs.

 

[Nemosan]

I've returned my UM3X for a replacement, and in the meantime I am back to using my Nuforce NE-7M. I went to the shop I got the Nuforce from and tried the Icon Mobile. Wow! was my first impression. It improved the 7M so much - the mids are more prominent and clearer, and the bass is more controlled and not so rumbly. I never thought about portable AMPs before, but after this experience I am now looking for one.

A_Dying_Wren mentioned he found the Icon Mobile does not pair well with the UM3X so I don't think I will buy that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have not tried the D2+ with UM3X, but I have tried the D2 with ES3X customs, and they work fine together (i.e. it's not a bad combination). Blutarsky liked the combo enough to buy my D2, which I didn't mind doing because my D10 is still better. I suspect the UM3X will work similarly with the D2.

HeadphoneAddict, you say the D2 with ES3X is "not a bad combination". Can you elaborate on that more? I have read on here (your AMP reviews!) the current best is the D10. However I cannot justify spending such an amount again, after just buying a factory unlocked iPhone 3GS->Nuforce 7M->UM3X. Is there such as difference as to warrant the D10 over the D2/D2+ ?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemosan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've returned my UM3X for a replacement, and in the meantime I am back to using my Nuforce NE-7M. I went to the shop I got the Nuforce from and tried the Icon Mobile. Wow! was my first impression. It improved the 7M so much - the mids are more prominent and clearer, and the bass is more controlled and not so rumbly. I never thought about portable AMPs before, but after this experience I am now looking for one. A_Dying_Wren mentioned he found the Icon Mobile does not pair well with the UM3X so I don't think I will buy that. HeadphoneAddict, you say the D2 with ES3X is "not a bad combination". Can you elaborate on that more? I have read on here (your AMP reviews!) the current best is the D10. However I cannot justify spending such an amount again, after just buying a factory unlocked iPhone 3GS->Nuforce 7M->UM3X. Is there such as difference as to warrant the D10 over the D2/D2+ ?

Yeah, the Icon Mobile is a better match for the NE-7M and the D2 is a better match for the ES3X. With the Nuforce Icon the ES3X are okay and useable, but it's not the best choice - the mids get a little too forward at times, and the sound is not as smooth with ES3X as when using the D2. PLus I like the Nuforce better via USB than from an iPod. With the D2 the ES3X have the rich mids pulled back just a little, and the bass is ever so slightly less controlled than with the D3 and D10, while adding a slight lower mids coloration to vocals that the D3 and D10 don't have. The D2 works well with ot without using the USB DAC which is a little more detailed and spacious than the Icon DAC once I had 500+ hours on the amps. If one thinks the ES3X mids are too forward without an amp, the D2 will help a little. I don't "not like the D2" so much as being that I just own better amps right now.

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Spyro, I know that you have high praise for this phone. How do the highs compare to those of the Triple.Fi 10 Pro (which I know you own/owned)? I expect that the Trip's highs will be far more prominent. How do the sound signatures of these phones compare overall? I have the SE530's and I do enjoy them but they do have a veiled quality to my ears, which I suppose is a consequence of its rolled-off highs. I know that you owned the SE530's at some point, and I was wondering if the UM3X's succeed in completely overcoming this shortcoming? Do the UM3X's possess greater clarity than the SE530's from your memory? Thanks.

For the treble itself, TFPros are a little more prominent, not far more. But the TFPros midrange is a bit veiled and UM3X midrange is not so they almost kind of balance each other out. So listening to the whole presentation, in terms of clarity and crispness, they are similar.

Yes, no doubt the UM3X take care of the SE530 rolled off highs. It didn't bother me too much with SE530 in the first place but the treble is "much improved" once you hear UM3X.

If I had to pick on one single negative attribute of UM3X it is the fact that it being a monitor it has a very closed in, up front, in your face presentation. A small soundstage. A little more open sounding (like SE530 for example) would be good but it does so many other things better than any other IEM I have heard, the best being instrument separation. It's truly incredible it almost makes you disregard soundstage as what you are (or were) use to.

 

[tonyfiore75]

Yeah, coming from the IE8s I definitely DO miss their soundstage. The fact is, I'm so impressed with so many other facets of the UM3x's that soundstage has really become somewhat of an afterthought. I do agree that the sound is somewhat forced upon you. It's certainly right in your face and can hit you right between the eyes. I was listening to "The Sundays" yesterday and the female vocalist hit me dead in the middle of my forehead. It's certainly a different type of sound than many other phones I've heard. Still, it does so many things RIGHT that I can't help but listen and smile.

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif For the treble itself, TFPros are a little more prominent, not far more. But the TFPros midrange is a bit veiled and UM3X midrange is not so they almost kind of balance each other out. So listening to the whole presentation, in terms of clarity and crispness, they are similar. Yes, no doubt the UM3X take care of the SE530 rolled off highs. It didn't bother me too much with SE530 in the first place but the treble is "much improved" once you hear UM3X. If I had to pick on one single negative attribute of UM3X it is the fact that it being a monitor it has a very closed in, up front, in your face presentation. A small soundstage. A little more open sounding (like SE530 for example) would be good but it does so many other things better than any other IEM I have heard, the best being instrument separation. It's truly incredible it almost makes you disregard soundstage as what you are (or were) use to.

Thanks again Spyro for your honest assessment. Unfortunately, as it was previously when I first considered buying the UM3X a while back, the reports of its small soundstage remains the sticking point for me. I just can't envisage opting for anything with a smaller soundstage than what I currently have, no matter how good its instrument separation and imaging might be. Bugger!

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyfiore75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, coming from the IE8s I definitely DO miss their soundstage. The fact is, I'm so impressed with so many other facets of the UM3x's that soundstage has really become somewhat of an afterthought. I do agree that the sound is somewhat forced upon you. It's certainly right in your face and can hit you right between the eyes. I was listening to "The Sundays" yesterday and the female vocalist hit me dead in the middle of my forehead. It's certainly a different type of sound than many other phones I've heard. Still, it does so many things RIGHT that I can't help but listen and smile.

And thanks tonyfiore75 for your reply. I think I'll stick with my SE530, which I continue to enjoy and maybe consider giving the IE8 a try for a completely different sound signature. I've got a soft spot for dynamic driver earphones.

Cheers.

 

[Nemosan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif With the D2 the ES3X have the rich mids pulled back just a little, and the bass is ever so slightly less controlled than with the D3 and D10, while adding a slight lower mids coloration to vocals that the D3 and D10 don't have.

Thanks for the reply HeadphoneAddict. I prefer to listen to vocal music (Diana Krall, Norah Jones, etc.) so the D2 might not be suitable for my tastes. Looks like I will have to "save up" for the D10.

 

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