List Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $381.76
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- Highest-performance universal fit musicians' in-ear monitor
- Uses 1 bass, 1 mid-range and 1 high frequency driver for the most dynamic sound reproduction in a universal fit in-ear monitor
- 3-way crossover splits the audio signal into separate frequency bands that can be routed to each micro driver
- EPIC removable cable has ultra supple braided design insures comfort and resists tangles
- True-Fit sound port delivers maximum comfort and in-ear coupling for dynamic transfer of sound
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I am surprised there aren't more reviews of this headset. I am using a Cowon J3 and Clip+ and went through several $ 50 and under headsets. I always felt I was missing something, I have a great player which allows me to fine tune the sounds in 21 separate areas. I needed headset to match! I have now jumped to the UM3x and wow what a difference a good pair of sets have done. For example it reminds me of my first day out of boot camp at San Diego. After three months of D.Is thrashing you and seeing green and olive drab my eyes buldged at the sparkling reds, yellows and blues female were wearing. I read various posts for weeks and settled in on the Senn IE 8 or the UM3x. The UM3x lives up to and surpasses what I expected. The Lows are very punchy like your head is in front of the bass drum but at the same time you hear clarity that is unexplainable. Its like can hear the singers heart beat (I think), The Highs are so crisp its hard to explain like fresh lettuce compared to spinich. The Mids are clear and right there in your face but you don't lose the concert hall spaciousness. Bottom line in a simple phrase is "Cristal clear and clean you will hear instrument which you never knew were there".The over the ear twisted wire is very impressive and strong. You don't hear the muffle sound even if you variously wiggle the wires. You wear these over the ear and then Cinch them securely to the back of your head took me awhile to figure this out. Its amazingly secure they are in your ear it will never give you the "pop out" effect that ear dangling IEMs do. The ear portions of the UM3x are not fancy and glossy and tend to disappear in your ear without the irritation you may expect. I am very happy I took the chance on these head sets. I will update this post if my feeling change.
Latest Update**********
I had worries about removable wires popping off or with time shorting out. Not the case. The Westone folks build the UM3x the USA way, built to last.! Love em.
Another Update *********
Still enjoying these ear buds. I have over 100 hours on them. Feel asleep with them on a few times. I've read review about the Mids being weak. I don't get it if clarity is weak then these Westons are the weakest phone I've ever heard! I have found myself enjoying music I had long ago set aside.
These sets kinda twist into your ear and then loop over the back the cables have toughness and are tightly twisted together. As the cable loops over your ear they is a rubber cinch thing which I thought was to keep the cable straight. Well it has become an excellent way to snug the headset to your head as the cable runs down your back providing great confort. Not looking back.Being a very picky listener and musician, I'm on a constant search for the best in ear monitors. I've used Ultimate Ears for years. I got sick of replacing my UE10 cables every 2-3 months and they finally got stolen which forced a decision upgrade to custom UE's or pursue some other alternative. I decided to try Um3x's with custom made inserts. Simply awesome and at half the price of UE's custom set up. It's still a $500 plus rig, but well worth it if you are picky and want to hear all the musical details (rich low end bass tones and highly articulated mids and highs) whether on on your iPod/MP3, on stage or in the studio. I decided on the 3's rather than the 4's because the removable cables are important to me. When they do the 4's in a removable cable version, that's my next stop!I have owned these for about six months now and have been pleased with the sound quality, design etc. Recently, however they have proven defective and I was surprised to learn that the manufacturer does not warranty this product when not sold by an "authorized" reseller for which Amazon sellers are not. As a result I am out a pair of very expensive IEMs.
Forewarned is forearmed.Originally written April 2012:
You might say I've been on a quest of sorts. I've tried many mid and top tier universals, searching for something I can be content with for the long haul; something I can use on my daily commute that's not only satisfying aurally but also in build and fit, with a pleasing aesthetic.
Sound wise, I thought I might have found it in the Hifiman RE262 but ultimately is was too light in bass for my tastes and the new modular cable was too heavy and flopped around, constantly reminding me of its presence. From that experience I knew I had to find something with really spectacular mids and better bass weight and impact. Having an admitted bias for dynamic drivers, little did I know I'd find it in a balanced armature design!
When it comes to pliable, easy to deal with cables and sleek, form fitting housings, no one really holds a candle to Westone. I've owned both the 3 and 4 in the past and absolutely loved the build, fit and aesthetic but always found something to complain about in the sound. Having read that several head-fiers, while ultimately preferring the 4 to the UM3X, thought the UM3X had the better mids with more bass quantity, I knew it was something I should give a try. I had thought the 4's mids were pretty darn good intimate, warm and involving, so if the UM3X could do it better, it sounded like a good candidate on my quest.
I decided to buy from Earphone Solutions, for their reputation as an outstanding authorized Westone dealer and the 2 year manufacturer warranty. I also opted to buy the removable cable RC version. Right from the beginning I got a great fit, with great sound using the standard Westone gray flex sleeves but just to be sure, I tried all of the supplied tips, plus several others from my box-o-tips. Yep, those gray tips are perfect.
My initial impressions, for the most part, still hold true now after having spent many more hours and commutes with them. Here are some of my initial impressions I shared with a couple of friends and fellow head-fiers:
The overall presentation is pretty natural sounding, perhaps even more so than the W4. I think it is as technically proficient and just as accurate as the W4, however the UM3x can appear a little sterile, whereas the W4 was maybe more musical.
I like the W4 treble a better. It's smoother and more detailed. The W4 is warmer and nearly as intimate in mids but the UM3X is clearer and more detailed throughout the midrange. The UM3X wins in bass hands down. It's the most satisfying bass I've ever heard to date in a BA. If the W4 had this bass, it would have been a masterpiece for me.
The UM3X separation and layering is unique and a step better than the W4 but the W4 has a wider soundstage. I'd also probably give the W4 the edge in instrument realism due to its treble. Fit is significantly better than the W4 and less tip dependent. I put on the med gray flex tips and I'm done.
As I said, those were my initial impressions and they're still pretty accurate to how I hear the UM3X. Here are some additional thoughts after using them for significantly more time:
Great forward guitars; nice thickness and decent bite.
Bass guitar is prominent, textured, musical and the thumping backbone to the music.
Drums sound excellent: nice tight toms; snares really pop; shimmering and sparkly rides, hi-hats and cymbals without any piercing or fatiguing aspects.
Very intimate soundstage with really good depth. I haven't heard this much depth in universal BA's before.
Unlike the SM3, there is space between backing and lead vocals, instead of being placed on top of each other.
Instrument realism and dynamics improve with a cleaner, more powerful amp.
Incredible instrument separation; each instrument is on its own layer and seems to rise up and out of the music if you focus on one in particular.
Vocals have a very analogue/vinyl feel and presentation to them. Always up front and center.
With the right recordings, vocals are incredibly intimate; as if the performance was being made exclusively for you.
So is this the end of the quest? Well it's the end of this particular quest. I've finally found a universal that I thoroughly enjoy from top to bottom, use daily and entertain zero thoughts of selling. However there is always room for a new quest: Vsonic GR08? Cardas Mirror? AKG K3003? FitEar To Go?
I love this hobby!
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