Westone UM2 RC Review

The UM2 (along with the UM2) was Westone's first take at making universal earphones. The one I have for review is the RC (removable cable) version, but there is no difference in sound between these and the non-RC version. 

Specs:

Driver: Dual Balanced Armature, one crossover

Frequency Response: 20Hz~18KHz

Impedance: 27Ω
Sensitivity: 119dB
Cord Length: 1.32m

Plug Type: L-Plug
MSRP: $420.00  // Current Price: $299.99

Packaging / Accessories:  

The UM2 RC has simple packaging, using a paper box that has a transparent section to display the earphones. Inside the box, there are quality control slips with dates and initials; I find this as a great addition as it gives me extra assurance on its quality. Accessories are identical to the Westone 3 with 10 pairs of tips, a carrying case, filter and tip cleaning tool, 1/4" adaptor, and an in-line volume control extension. My UM2s were purchased during the "AMPD" promotion so I also got a free Fiio E6 portable amp along its charger and belt clip.

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable: 
The housings on my UM2 is clear (in some areas more opaque than clear) and you can see the dual BAs inside with all the cabling. It is built of durable plastic and looks very good. On the housing, there is a coloured dot on each side indicating left and right - blue for left, red for right. Westone's Epic cable is one of the best. It resists tangling well and has no microphonics. The braided design absorbs a lot of tension and can certainly withstand some pulling and tugging if caught on something. Because mine is the RC version, the cable is changeable should it stop working. Also on the RC, the section of cable that loops around your ear has a clear memory covering over the cable that allows the cable to stay in shape. Some people find this (or ear-guides) very helpful to help the cable stay in place while I prefer it without. 

Comfort / Isolation: 
The UM2 fits very nicely in the ear and are extremely comfortable. They don't stick out of your ears like the TripleFi.10 and are comfortable even when lying down on the side of my head. Isolation is extremely high and the angled nozzle also helps. 

Sound:  
The UM2 has a full, natural and buttery smooth sound - but they do give up some resolution and clarity in exchange for that smoothness. I can wear these for hours and hours without any fatigue. 

Lows: After spending a lot of time with the Westone 3, it was very noticeable that the UM2 has a smaller quantity of bass, though not bass light in any way. The bass is powerful, but not boomy. Out of the box I thought the bass was a bit bloated, but whether it's the burn in hours or not, it has noticeably tightened up and sounds much better. Although it's not exactly detailed and articulate, the bass does sound very natural. 

Mids: When listening to the UM2, there are times when I feel like I'm right there on stage with the band. In fact, on some recordings, I even feel like the lead singer. The mids are forward and anyone who likes the Shure house sound will really enjoy these. There is a lot of emotion in female vocals and you can really feel the singer pouring her heart out. Even though the midrange is lush and warm, it doesn't come off as veiled. A more noticeable sacrifice for the smoothness is the transparency. 

Treble:  I thought the highs were a bit rolled off with the Comply tips. With Shure Olives they opened up, although still not extending as high as I would like them to. The good thing is that there is quite a lot of detail. When listening to the sounds of a violin, it  has that nice sharpness to it, without being too much and grating. For the UM2, I would recommend adjusting the EQ and boosting the treble.

Soundstage: 
Soundstage to me is the open-ness and depth of the sound presentation, and in UM2's case, it was not all that impressive. That's not to say they don't sound good overall, because they do and a large soundstage is not a necessity in order for an IEM to sound good. The UM2's soundstage is average in size, but the lack of a well defined treble takes away from the airiness and sense of space. This results in a much more intimate presentation. 

Summary: 
The UM2 is a fluid and natural sounding IEM. It is quite balanced with sweet vocals and some warmth overall. They came out a while ago (2003 if I'm not mistaken) and have withstood many technological advancements in earphones. They can still compete with other mid-level IEMs, but should no longer be considered a 'top tier'. For $300 these are not the best in the class and better IEMs can be had for the less. The UM2 is a forgotten classic that has been in the shadows of the UM3X and Westone 3s for some time now, but if you get a chance to try these at $200 or less, I definitely think they are worth a listen.

Xears TD-III V2 Pro Blackwood Review

The TD-III is one of Xears' flagship in-ears. This is the revised version.

Specs:

Driver: Dynamic

Frequency Response: 6Hz~28KHz

Impedance: 124Ω
Sensitivity: N/A
Cord Length: 1.2m

Plug Type:  Straight Plug

MSRP: 79.90€  (30€ from xears.com with coupon code KLANGFUZZIS)

Packaging / Accessories:  

About packaging.. Xears have no packaging. The company minimizes the cost of shipping by mailing everything in a small envelope. When I received the envelope I was actually unaware that it was my Xears, leading to a pleasant surprise when I opened them. The accessories include 3 pairs of single-flanged tips, 2 pairs of bi-flanges, a pair of foam tips and a soft carrying pouch. 

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable: 

Build quality is decent but there has been many reports of quality control issues. The TD-III V2 Pro is made of wood and really just look like wooden Monster Turbines with the straight barrel design. Although the quality of the housing seems solid, the layer of coating over the wood feels quite plasticky. After 2 months with my Xears, the silver ring around the casing has become loose and swivels around. Out of the box, there was noticeable driver flex, but it has since completely disappeared. The TD-III V2  have a fabric-sleeved cable in a j-cord configuration. Surprisingly, microphonics is low, which has not been the case for all the other fabric cables I've tried. The cable, however, too hard for my liking and retains memory very well. The strain reliefs are also all very rigid. In fact, this is a rare instance where the strain reliefs are too rugged. 

Comfort / Isolation: 

They were very snug and comfortable in my ear. My only complaint regarding comfort is the roughness of the cord on parts where it graze my skin. Isolation is a only average - it's nothing to complain about but often I would still have to turn up the volume to block out chatter and ambient noises. 

Sound:

Lows: The bass extends very low and can really make a track rumble. Not only is the bass deep, it is also hard hitting with lots of impact. Attack and decay times are highly enjoyable, although it can cause the bass to seem just a little slow during faster tracks. Notes have an added hint of thickness and warmth. Compared to the MetroFi 220 (another bass heavy earphone), the bass on the TD-III v2 is much quicker, cleaner, and more detailed. In addition to the abundance of sub-bass, the mid-bass is clearly emphasized. Although there is a large quantity of bass, the quality is there too.

Mids: The mids are very smooth, forward, sweet and lush. Detail retrieval is good but bass bleed into the mids and thickness of notes does reduce the clarity. It can also sound quite veiled as a result.

Treble:  Laid back and a bit rolled off. When listening to strings, notes are thicker and the driver sounds like its gasping for air in the higher frequencies. However, it is smooth, not too bright nor overly edgy. 

Soundstage: The soundstage is quite big with good width and depth. Instrumental separation is average and imaging could be better. The TD-III V2 is very good at presenting intimacy but does not possess the pinpoint positioning more commonly found on balanced armatures IEMs. Tonally, these are just a little dark. 

Summary: 

The Xears TD-III V2 Pro Blackwood is a very dynamic and exciting earphone that has a lot of bass power, liquid-sounding mids and a large soundstage. The amount of space produced by this woody is commendable as is its ability to present distance. It can give you the "in the club" feeling and for people who tolerate the emphasized bass, they are great for casual listening. 

Dunu Trident (DN-12) Review

Entry level earphone from Chinese company Dunu

Specs:

Driver: Dynamic

Frequency Response: 10Hz~20KHz

Impedance: 16Ω
Sensitivity: 100dB
Cord Length: 1.2m

Plug Type: 45° Angled Plug
MSRP: $35

Packaging / Accessories:  

The Dunu Tridents are packaged very well, in fact the packaging is almost identical to Monster's in ears. I would never have expected such nice packaging for a $35 pair of earphones. They come with a good bundle of  accessories, including 7 pairs of tips (3 single-flanged narrow channels, 3 pairs of single-flanged wide channels, 1 pair of bi-flanged), a synthetic leather pouch, and a patented cord wrap integrated into the cable.

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable: 

Build quality on the Trident is very impressive, not just in the price range but in general. These can definitely take a beating and I wouldn't be worried if I were to accidentally drop them. The metal housing and simple design combines to give off an elegant and professional look; they look and feel more high end than other $35 earphones.  On the housing, there is also a ring of colour around the diameter of the rear of the housing - red for right, and blue for left - making it easier to figure out which side is which. The Trident has an 45 degree angled jack that is certainly also very well built. The cord is a little stiff but I don't find them to be memory prone. It is however quite microphonic unless worn over the ear. I have been very fond of the cable wrap and certainly believe that it is a good addition.

Comfort / Isolation: 

These are very comfortable and I had no problem wearing them for several hours straight. Though the housing is not extremely big, people with smaller ears may find the diameter of the shell uncomfortable in longer listening sessions.  Isolation is decent and is sufficient for public transit.

Sound:

Lows:  Bass is done very well considering the price range the Tridents fall in. The bass is deep and punchy but can be a bit slow and may fall behind when listening to trance or electronic music. Even though these are dynamic earphones, they are in no way bass monsters - more of a balanced sound with some bass boost. It may not produce the large amount of bass (no matter how muddy it is) other IEMs in this price bracket pumps out, but the Trident's bass is of higher quality. Dunu has done a great job with the Trident in the lower frequencies, offering just the right amount of bass quantity to not overwhelm and still being very well controlled. It's like the bass is being extra careful to not be too shy nor too outgoing. 

Mids:  The midrange is warm and lush. It's not particularly forward with the overall sound a bit V-shaped. It also lacks some clarity, but still very good for a $35 earphone. Vocals sound fluid and does have some emotion, but there are others that render vocals better. I also noticed that the timbre is decent in the mids and portrays acoustic instruments quite well. Overall, the mids are smooth and pleasant to listen to.

Treble:  Top end extension is not as good compared to the bass, but there is no harshness and the sound is non-fatiguing. The treble is relaxed and has no sparkle, but it has good clarity and certainly performs up to its price tag. Although the Trident is no slouch in the higher frequencies, the high standards set in other areas as an overall package has deemed the treble as its weakest quality. 

Soundstage: .

Soundstage wise, the Trident is only average but it does give a good sense of space for an entry-level product.  Instrument separation is decent; there is space between each instrument, just not very much. 

Summary:
The Dunu Trident are an amazing value at $35. It's performance is superior to others in its price bracket and is surely one of the most bang for buck earphones out there. There may be others that can match the  Trident in sound quality, but it'll be hard to find a pair that has both good build and sound quality. The nice packaging, assortment of tips and the integrated cable wrap is just icing on the cake. I really enjoy listening to the Tridents and find it difficult to fault it in any way. They have, in my opinion, the best value for a budget earphone. 

Westone 3 / Westone 3 LE Review

Former flagship and triple driver earphone from Westone's True-Fit series. The Limited Edition version was released November 2009 in celebration of Westone's 50tn anniversary and has a limited production of 333 units. Each pair of the LEs are individually numbered.

Specs:

Driver: Triple Balanced Armature

Frequency Response: 20Hz~18KHz

Impedance: 30Ω
Sensitivity: 107dB
Cord Length: 1.28m

Plug Type: L-Plug
MSRP: $569.00 // Current Price: $349.99

Packaging / Accessories: 
Simple hard cardboard box with a see through section that showcases one side of the earphone. The box is packed with accessories, including a nice assortment tips (3 Comply, 6 single-flanged, and 2 bi-flanges), travel case, cleaning tool, 1/4" adaptor, and an in-line volume control extension. That's quite an impressive array of accessories and one should have no trouble finding the right tips.

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable:  
The housing is made of plastic and has a very ergonomic design. There is a negative "3" on the shell with a red background for the normal W3s and gold for the LEs. The twisted cord is supposed to add extra strength and I must agree that this is one of the best cables I've used. The cable can definitely take the accidental pulling and stretching and has good reliefs. Because of the way they are designed, the cable is meant to be worn behind the ear which successfully eliminates all microphonics.

Comfort / Isolation:  
Although it may take a couple tries at first figuring out how to put this on (if you've never worn earphones where the cable goes behind the ear), the Westone 3 is very comfortable as I find all Westone IEMs to be. However, with 3 drivers, the housing is "fatter and "tubby", which may be uncomfortable for people with smaller ears. Isolation is truly excellent, especially with the P-Series Comply foam. With other tips, it is still very good but not as noise isolating as when using the P-Series. It was a pleasure to wear these on a 10hr flight as they caused no discomfort whatsoever and isolated chatter and plane noise completely. Also, due to the ergonomic design, I am able to comfortably lie on my side with them in my ear. 

Sound:

Lows:  The first thing you notice is that it has lots of presence. There is a lot of impact and really slams with authority and power, but at the same time very well controlled and refined. The bass has a lot of weight and is full-bodied.  Depending on personal preferences, the bass can be too much as these are definitely the "bassiest" BA I've heard, but it does give incredible detail and texture. Compared to bass from a top tier dynamic (JVC FX700), the W3's bass sounds more artificial and punchier. There is also a slight mid-bass hump that makes the W3 just a bit muddy at times, but it never interfered with my enjoyment of the sound as a whole.

Mids: The mids are semi-warm, and again has great detail even with the added warmth the boost in the lower midrange. It is not forward as on the UM2, yet not recessed like I found the TF10 to be. I found the mids to be very transparent and even quite lush. The midrange of the W3 is slightly laid back and can sometimes sound a little harsh, but it is still nicely presented majority of the time.

Treble: The highs are sparkly and has a lot of energy. It is pretty bright and can be sibilant. Though I fixed the sibilance issue by using the Comply P-Series tips, which dampened the high end, and found the highs much more enjoyable. The sibilance is probably also caused by poorly recorded tracks as it was not present on my reference ones. Treble extension is good and on par with the TF10.

Soundstage: The W3 has a great soundstage. It is very wide with a great sense of space, like the stage just completely opened up. Imaging and instrument separation is excellent. They also have a very impressive headstage that I have only experienced with overhead headphones.

The W3 is quite sensitive to the quality of the source. They are not very forgiving and will certainly pick up sibilance if it is part of the recording. I also want to add that the W3 is extremely easy to drive. With these, I usually have the volume 15-20% lower than any of my other in ears.

Summary: 

The frequencies come together very well and has a very impressive soundstage. They are an extremely fun and musical sounding IEM that really engages you with the music. It has a big, full-bodied sound that reveals an incredible amount of detail. Keep in mind that the sound is very tip dependant. The Westone 3 is a very special product worthy of its top tier status for those that appreciates powerful lows and sparkly highs, but the sound signature is certainly not for everybody. People that's looking for an earphone with a flatter response and a more forward midrange should look elsewhere. Listening to the Westone 3 is a very intense experience and they definitely have that wow factor.

--Westone 3 Limited Edition //  The LE version sounds the same as the "normal" Westone 3s. The LEs come with a ton of extra stuff including: Numbered Westone 3 T-shirt Westone 3 gold-plated keychian, acrylic Westone 3 paper weight,  autographed "All Access Card" by the Westone team, and a lanyard. 

                 

Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220 Review

One of Ultimate Ears' discontinued entry-level earphone.

Specs:

Driver: Dynamic

Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz

Impedance: 18Ω
Sensitivity: 103dB
Cord Length: 1.16m

Plug Type: Straight
 MSRP: $79.99 / $89.99 for the version with in-line microphone

Packaging / Accessories:  

Packaging is very simple - with the earphones visible through clear plastic. Included are 3 sets of silicone tips (S,M,L) and a hard carrying case. Packaging is minimal.

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable:  

Build Quality is average. The MetroFi 220 is made of plastic and has a chrome finish with coloured translucent caps to indicate left and right (red for right, black for left). I'm not very impressed with the cord- it is extremely microphonic, prone to memory and tangles very easily. It is also missing stress reliefs.

Comfort / Isolation: 

I find them to be quite comfortable with the stock medium tip. However, I mostly use them with ComplyFoam tips as it offers me more comfort and increases the isolation. The MetroFi 220s have little isolation due to the port in the back and also because of the shallow insertion; when I'm out and about, I can still hear noise from my surroundings and would need to increase the volume in order drown it out.

Sound:  

Dynamic and lots of bass. The lows are very powerful and smooth, but accuracy and detail suffers and can sound a tiny bit muddy. They will make your eardrums rumble if the song calls for it, but I never found them to be excessively boomy (note that I like my music to have some weight and analytical or neutral loving people may have a lower tolerance to bass). The bass extends quite low and has good decay. Mid-bass hump is there, but the bass still sounds quite natural despite not being of the best quality. Midrange is present and the treble is slightly rolled off and does not have that top end sparkle. Vocals can sound dry and dull sometimes. The soundstage is pretty big though with good separation and placement. The MetroFi 220 also sounds more airy and spacious than other bass heavy earphones.

Summary: 

The MetroFi 220 is a very fun earphone to listen to with its emphasized bass and decent mids and highs. Although no longer being manufactured, I feel like the MSRP of $79.99 was too high. They are a great pair of budget earphones but there are many others in the same price range that offers better quality and clarity in sound.

Klipsch Image X10i Review

The Klipsch Image X10i is the updated version of the original X10 with an added in-line remote and mic only compatible with apple products. It is the current flagship of Klipsch in-ears. 

Specs:

Driver: Single Armature

Frequency Response: 5Hz~19KHz

Impedance: 50Ω
Sensitivity: 110dB
Cord Length: 1.3m

Plug Type: Straight
MSRP: $349.99

Packaging / Accessories: 
The X10i is packaged very nicely, like jewelry on display. It is enclosed in a black box that is see-through on the top, showing the X10i and it's in-line microphone and remote. Also included are 5 sets of Klipsch oval gel tips, a protective leather pouch (one of the nicest I've seen, it's hard and closes with a magnetic flap), an airline adaptor, 1/4" adaptor, ear tip cleaning tool, and a shirt clip. 

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable:  
First off, these are tiny and very very light. They are extremely sleek and attractive with metallic copper and switches beautifully into the rubber strain reliefs. The cable however, feels fragile and is tangle-prone. The cable can be microphonic but nothing too extreme. The remote and mic is located at the y-split instead of being on one side of the cable. Although it works just fine, I find the mic/remote to be too far and would've preferred to have them on one side instead. Thankfully, Klipsch did include a shirt clip to bring the mic closer.

Comfort / Isolation:  

Very comfortable, although some people may not like how deep the insertion is. Unlike other earphones that require you to wear the cable over and behind the ear (Westone, Shure to name a few), these are meant to be worn cable down. This makes it very easy to take the earphones in and out. When worn, these literally disappear in your ear canals and it seems like a piece of wire hanging out. I usually like to switch to Sony hybrid tips or ComplyFoam tips on earphones, but the oval tips the X10s come with offers a superior seal than any other tips I've tried on them.  Comfort and isolation is very good with the stock tips and sometimes I even forget that they're even there due to how tiny and light they are.

Sound:  

The Image X10 has a warm, rich intimate sound that has no harshness or sibilance. They sound transparent most of the time and are quite involving. It is a warm and sweet sounding IEM. With the double-flanged tips, bass is controlled and very punchy with good depth. I never found the bass to be lacking nor did I ever find it overwhelming. Keep in mind that the seal and depth of insertion will greatly affect the bass quantity and the overall sound signature. The single driver of the X10 is tuned to focus more on the mids and lows. The mids are present and full sounding. Vocals are clear and acoustic guitars sound decent, but cymbals and other higher frequencies aren't as sharp. Treble extension is disappointing and really made me feel like I'm missing a lot of highs. The soundstage is quite average in size and somewhat narrow. Overall, bass extends quite low but the driver struggles a little with clarity and highs.

Summary: 
It was very impressive that Klispch was able to pack this kind of sound in such a tiny package when the original X10 first came out a couple of years ago; however over the past several years other companies have been able to match and surpass Klipsch by packing two BA drivers into earphones just as small (UE 700, Jays Q-Jays). Of course, more drivers doesn't mean it's better. The UE700 and Q-Jays are faster, more detailed, and thinner sounding, so they have a different sound signature than the X10i. I must stress again just how tiny and light these things are. Combined with such good isolation, these were great on public transits. The current street price at around $300 is extremely high and not competitively priced in my opinion. But for users who are interested in high quality sound and an in-line mic with remote, these may just fit the bill.