[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wutsupguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am also expecting the comparisions between um3x & w3

I believe I wrote up my comparison in this thread around June 2nd 2009, right after CanJam was finished.

 

[jkozlow3]

Interestingly, I am liking the W3 *much* more than the UM3x. I realize that most people obtain a better fit with the UM3x, but not me. I prefer the gray silicone flex sleeves (in large) and they fit me very well with the W3 and I get a perfect & easy seal every time. With the Um3x, the longer nozzle tries to push the tip too far into my ear and this doesn't quite work. This ends up pushing the body of the headphones out of my ear after a minute. Going down to a medium size sleeve does not give me a seal so this bass becomes anemic.

I have no idea how people use the comply tips as they don't seem to work well on either the W3 or UM3x for me. I either don't get a good seal, or the ends of the tips get compressed and volume is reduced by about 50% (this happens almost every time I try them). My ear canals must be an odd shape or something.

Either way, the UM3x don't EVER sound as good as the W3 for me. I'm completely willing to accept that this is a fit issue since most of the forum members prefer the UM3x's sound, but there is no comparison for me. I either have a fairly muffled sound with good bass on the UM3x or unmuffled sound with poor bass/no seal.

So I guess I'll either sell the UM3x or spring for UM56 tips and do the comparison again. HeadphoneAddict, you're in COS, correct? Any recommendations as to a good place to order UM56 from locally and a material recommendation (vinyl, silicone, otoblast, etc) would be appreciated!

 

[dissembled]

My replacements sound as muffled as my first pair unfortunately. I've tried inserting the UM3xs in every angle possible with both the large and medium Klipsch gels. I think the only solution for me is to insert them shallowly. Still muffled a bit but not as much as before.
I've purchased more tips for them that will hopefully, hopefully resolve the issue for me.

 

[animalsrush]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissembled /img/forum/go_quote.gif My replacements sound as muffled as my first pair unfortunately. I've tried inserting the UM3xs in every angle possible with both the large and medium Klipsch gels. I think the only solution for me is to insert them shallowly. Still muffled a bit but not as much as before. I've purchased more tips for them that will hopefully, hopefully resolve the issue for me.

Have you tried Modfied triple flanges ( Bi-flange to be specific). They work the best for me now and provide the most complete seal. I got my tips from etymotic not shure and also they are not the gray ones they sell now .. You should give that a try. The bass is now more pronounced as i am getting a great seal

 

[dissembled]

Thanks for the advice.
The tips that I've bought from a Headfier has modified triple flanges. He cut the largest flange though so it's left with the two smaller flanges. I'm not sure how that's gonna work out with my ears but I'm hoping the flanges will be large enough to be able to cling to my canals.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkozlow3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interestingly, I am liking the W3 *much* more than the UM3x. I realize that most people obtain a better fit with the UM3x, but not me. I prefer the gray silicone flex sleeves (in large) and they fit me very well with the W3 and I get a perfect & easy seal every time. With the Um3x, the longer nozzle tries to push the tip too far into my ear and this doesn't quite work. This ends up pushing the body of the headphones out of my ear after a minute. Going down to a medium size sleeve does not give me a seal so this bass becomes anemic. I have no idea how people use the comply tips as they don't seem to work well on either the W3 or UM3x for me. I either don't get a good seal, or the ends of the tips get compressed and volume is reduced by about 50% (this happens almost every time I try them). My ear canals must be an odd shape or something. Either way, the UM3x don't EVER sound as good as the W3 for me. I'm completely willing to accept that this is a fit issue since most of the forum members prefer the UM3x's sound, but there is no comparison for me. I either have a fairly muffled sound with good bass on the UM3x or unmuffled sound with poor bass/no seal. So I guess I'll either sell the UM3x or spring for UM56 tips and do the comparison again. HeadphoneAddict, you're in COS, correct? Any recommendations as to a good place to order UM56 from locally and a material recommendation (vinyl, silicone, otoblast, etc) would be appreciated!

Are you in Colorado Springs? I ordered mine from the Beltone Hearing Center on Filmore, and they did my impressions for $30 and UM56 were $70. With new ownership the price went up, but not sure how much. I liked my Vinyl ones (can't find them right now).

 

[jkozlow3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you in Colorado Springs? I ordered mine from the Beltone Hearing Center on Filmore, and they did my impressions for $30 and UM56 were $70. With new ownership the price went up, but not sure how much. I liked my Vinyl ones (can't find them right now).

Yep...COS. I live in Monument & work in Briargate.

I called and made an appointment with Beltone on Filmore for next week. They charge $94 out the door including the impressions for clear vinyl. Not bad!

The UM56 should fit the W3 & UM3x the same, correct? I don't need to bring one or the other with me do I?

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkozlow3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep...COS. I live in Monument & work in Briargate. I called and made an appointment with Beltone on Filmore for next week. They charge $94 out the door including the impressions for clear vinyl. Not bad! The UM56 should fit the W3 & UM3x the same, correct? I don't need to bring one or the other with me do I?

Yea they'll fit the same. They also with with other earphones besides westone i think.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkozlow3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep...COS. I live in Monument & work in Briargate. I called and made an appointment with Beltone on Filmore for next week. They charge $94 out the door including the impressions for clear vinyl. Not bad! The UM56 should fit the W3 & UM3x the same, correct? I don't need to bring one or the other with me do I?

Nice. I was told the price would go up, but 2 years later it is $4 cheaper! It will fit both Westones, as well as the Shure SE530 and Klipsch Image X10.

 

[kokyao]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissembled /img/forum/go_quote.gif My replacements sound as muffled as my first pair unfortunately. I've tried inserting the UM3xs in every angle possible with both the large and medium Klipsch gels. I think the only solution for me is to insert them shallowly. Still muffled a bit but not as much as before. I've purchased more tips for them that will hopefully, hopefully resolve the issue for me.

Hi just to find out, may I know what is your reference earphones when you mention that the UM3X sounds muffled? Because I think this will give us a clearer picture of what the exact problem might be.

 

[dissembled]

I don't own any other canals/IEMs besides the UM3x. I do own the full sized AD900s. There is a very stark difference in clarity between the two.

I'm really quite jealous of the ones here stating that the UM3xs are detailed phones. Because with my weird shaped canals, they literally sound like $15 ear buds from a dollar store. Maybe even less.

I think the only solution for me would be to get the UM56s. Unless I'm an idiot and have been inserting these the wrong way...I need a photo of it in someone's canals though to be completely sure.

Bah!

EDIT: Found this photo. Turns out I've been inserting them right after all.

 

[jkozlow3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissembled /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm really quite jealous of the ones here stating that the UM3xs are detailed phones. Because with my weird shaped canals, they literally sound like $15 ear buds from a dollar store. Maybe even less.

Yeah, my canals must be similar to yours. I'm hoping the UM56 tips make a big difference. Even with my W3s which many claim to be siblant, I hear no sign of siblance whatsoever. I think the shape of my canals in relation to how the W3/UM3x is positioned against my ears causes me to hear things differently than I'm supposed to. More so with the UM3x and their longer stems than with the W3 though.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

My IE8 are great with my ALO Amphora amp, and opamp rolled D10, but not with my iPhone or Nano. So I found someone to trade my IE8 for their W3 here at RMAF meet, and since I lost my W3 I think I'm going to do it. I could go for his UM3X which are technically just a little better than the W3, but I already have ES3X customs and I don't think I need a universal IEM that sounds similar to the ES3X - I like to change up the "flavor" every once in a while.

While the UM3X are maybe more accurate, the W3 are a little more fun or exciting sounding to me (but more accurate if used with my UM56 custom tips). With the IE8, I just feel more limited because of the narrower selection of amps that wake them up and make them sing. If these would be my only IEM, or if I was having sibilance issues with the W3 then I'd probably go for the UM3X though. Just an FYI.

 

[coco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif My IE8 are great with my ALO Amphora amp, and opamp rolled D10, but not with my iPhone or Nano. So I found someone to trade my IE8 for their W3 here at RMAF meet, and since I lost my W3 I think I'm going to do it. I could go for his UM3X which are technically just a little better than the W3, but I already have ES3X customs and I don't think I need a universal IEM that sounds similar to the ES3X - I like to change up the "flavor" every once in a while. While the UM3X are maybe more accurate, the W3 are a little more fun or exciting sounding to me (but more accurate if used with my UM56 custom tips). With the IE8, I just feel more limited because of the narrower selection of amps that wake them up and make them sing. If these would be my only IEM, or if I was having sibilance issues with the W3 then I'd probably go for the UM3X though. Just an FYI.

I am looking for some definitive advice about moving from Grado RS-2 to an iem. I sold the RS-2s to get the HF-2, big mistake, as I thought the former did everything so well. Now I am looking for a great iem to cover everything. It seems Westone is a good option and either the "3" or the UM3x would fit the bill. I have heard that the 3 is warm, too trebley, and too bassy. I have heard the UM3x is not involving and warm amoung many, many other things. I am not a "warm" fan and like a crisp presentation but with deep bass, not overpowering or too round. I don't like the ergonomics of the Triple-fi. And don't really like the initial reviews of the JH5pros. Any advice for Grado, but not hf-2, fans would be great.

 

[VicAjax]

i've been an Ety ER4P/S owner for about 5 yrs now... the left cable finally shorted a couple of months ago, and i'm getting a twinge of upgraditis for the first time in ages.

the UM3X sound like they may be the ticket. i don't have the battery power on my laptop to read through all 149 pages, so i'm being lazy and asking a question that may have already been answered (sue me

)...

do Ety triple-flange tips fit on the UM3X? i hate foamies, and i'm actually a fan of the deep-insertion of the ety tips... great seal, great sound. if not... are there deep-sitting triple-flange tips that fit on the UM3X?

TIA!