[twister6]

Ah i thought they were given to you for you to keep as phone and other electronic manufacturers do for their reviews

Off-topic, but usually those big android review sites get new phones every 6 months for review and once a new model is released, they just exchange it. But in general, it's up to a manufacturer if they want their product back, but I still consider everything to be on a long term loan. OK, let's get back on topic, but maybe it's a good idea to suggest to Westone to do some giveaways whenever a new product is released

 

[swesko]

Off-topic, but usually those big android review sites get new phones every 6 months for review and once a new model is released, they just exchange it. But in general, it's up to a manufacturer if they want their product back, but I still consider everything to be on a long term loan. OK, let's get back on topic, but maybe it's a good idea to suggest to Westone to do some giveaways whenever a new product is released

Yep good idea btw what audio format u listen to?i tried some mqa and flac of same tracks didnt hear a difference

 

[Imusicman]

The reason why more people talk about Campfire, 64 Audio, Empire Ears, Noble, etc. because these manufacturers religiously attend every single CanJam, and many people get a chance to try it at the show. I have been chatting with Westone guys and trying to convince them to attend the next CanJam NYC. Hopefully it will give them more exposure to showcase the whole W-series and UM Pro series line up. When you attend CanJam shows, more people talk about your products.

Very true. I bought my W80’s after hearing them at the London Canjam. If they had not been there to demo I wouldn’t have purchased them. It’s that simple.

 

[twister6]

Yep good idea btw what audio format u listen to?i tried some mqa and flac of same tracks didnt hear a difference

If you want to have some fun, go here: https://www.oppodigital.com/hra/dsd-by-davidelias.aspx and download a free David Elias track in many different formats from mp3 to flac and dsd. That will be a perfect test if you can hear a difference. But if you are using a smartphone and a stock audio player where songs are downsamples, you won't hear much, unless if you are using something like Neutron with a bit perfect playback.

 

[Jim Barry]

Back to the audio dropout issue... I contacted my dealer about this and he said to return the W80 to the distributor, who confirmed the problem, and after consulting Westone sent me a brand new W80. Which is great.

However, while I was without my W80, I went back to using my W60 and started having the exact same problem. Actually, I had some audio dropouts with the W60 before but figured it was to do with the cables rather than the earpieces themselves. Sadly, my W60 is now out of warranty and pretty much useless for anything other than reshelling.

I'm grateful to have a brand new W80, but it seems to me almost certain that the same issue will occur in a year or two, by which time it will be out of warranty, and I'll be out of luck. Westone used to have a pretty good policy on out-of-warrany replacement - originally there was a very generous 75% discount, which was then reduced to 50% and is now only 25%, making it uneconomical for international customers due to tax and shipping costs.

So my viewpoint is that Westone is basically selling disposable $1000 or $1500 earphones, which can hardly be considered an "investment". Right now I feel that the move to MMCX has been a mistake, and other manufacturers were right to stick with the 2-pin connector.

 

[twister6]

Back to the audio dropout issue... I contacted my dealer about this and he said to return the W80 to the distributor, who confirmed the problem, and after consulting Westone sent me a brand new W80. Which is great.

However, while I was without my W80, I went back to using my W60 and started having the exact same problem. Actually, I had some audio dropouts with the W60 before but figured it was to do with the cables rather than the earpieces themselves. Sadly, my W60 is now out of warranty and pretty much useless for anything other than reshelling.

I'm grateful to have a brand new W80, but it seems to me almost certain that the same issue will occur in a year or two, by which time it will be out of warranty, and I'll be out of luck. Westone used to have a pretty good policy on out-of-warrany replacement - originally there was a very generous 75% discount, which was then reduced to 50% and is now only 25%, making it uneconomical for international customers due to tax and shipping costs.

So my viewpoint is that Westone is basically selling disposable $1000 or $1500 earphones, which can hardly be considered an "investment". Right now I feel that the move to MMCX has been a mistake, and other manufacturers were right to stick with the 2-pin connector.

Dropouts because of a cable issue? Sorry, if it was discussed before, did you try swapping the cable? Or using deoxit to clean contacts?

 

[Jim Barry]

Dropouts because of a cable issue? Sorry, if it was discussed before, did you try swapping the cable? Or using deoxit to clean contacts?

No, not a cable issue, but rather the MMCX sockets on the earpieces. Yes, I tried cleaning the contacts but without any real success.

 

[javahut]

No, not a cable issue, but rather the MMCX sockets on the earpieces. Yes, I tried cleaning the contacts but without any real success.

I would definitely try those o-rings I listed a page or two back. They'll keep the mmcx connector straight in the socket, and more than likely fix the dropout problem. It worked for me.

 

[davidcotton]

Cross post from the UM Pro thread, but advancedmp3players in the uk have 15 percent off all westone models except clearance ones. Enter westone15 at checkout to qualify. Works on the w80 as well.

 

[jgosroc]

I'm very open about the review samples I receive, those are not products I own. When I started reviewing, many were loaners, and as I continued and built my reputation, I started to receive long term loaners so I can continue comparing between different iems, test different dap pairs up, and test with different cables. Can't do giveaways or anything like that, these are all long term loan samples.

Ah Twister6, “long term loan sample”... I’ll take your explanation with a lump of semantic salt...

 

[twister6]

Ah Twister6, “long term loan sample”... I’ll take your explanation with a lump of semantic salt...

Why? When you own something, you can sell it, you can trade it, you can give it away as a present or giveaway, you can mod it, take it apart, etc., you can do whatever you want with it. With a long term loan sample you can't do any of these, and on a few occasions I even had manufacturers/retailers asking me down the road if I can pass it along to another reviewer.

 

[jgosroc]

Why? When you own something, you can sell it, you can trade it, you can give it away as a present or giveaway, you can mod it, take it apart, etc., you can do whatever you want with it. With a long term loan sample you can't do any of these, and on a few occasions I even had manufacturers/retailers asking me down the road if I can pass it along to another reviewer.

Trying to envision how that works for all the custom “long term samples”... the mechanics of accomplishing this is like completing a Rubex Cube... whilst blindfolded.

Honestly, you earn your long term samples - I don’t begrudge them one bit - only the terminology.

 

[twister6]

Trying to envision how that works for all the custom “long term samples”... the mechanics of accomplishing this is like completing a Rubex Cube... whilst blindfolded.

Honestly, you earn your long term samples - I don’t begrudge them one bit - only the terminology.

I know mate, you mean no harm Though we are getting way off topic in this W80 thread, I just don't want others to think it's a "trophy collection" of review samples, since they are being used in future review comparisons and to answer numerous questions I get on HF and FB.

And to get back on topic, I will post later today about a cool new mmcx cable I just got from MeeAudio with interchangeable termination that goes between 2.5mm TRRS balanced, 3.5mm TRRS balanced, 3.5mm TRS singel ended, and the latest 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn

 

[javahut]

I will post later today about a cool new mmcx cable I just got from MeeAudio with interchangeable termination that goes between 2.5mm TRRS balanced, 3.5mm TRRS balanced, 3.5mm TRS singel ended, and the latest 4.4mm TRRRS Pentaconn

I've purchaserd several MeeAudio cables in the past. They make a really quality cable for the price. I saw the new balanced cable that comes with a set of adapters. Again, looks really nice for the price, and was tempted. But I really don't feel the need for it when i have my SE pure silver Double Helix.

 

[twister6]

I've purchaserd several MeeAudio cables in the past. They make a really quality cable for the price. I saw the new balanced cable that comes with a set of adapters. Again, looks really nice for the price, and was tempted. But I really don't feel the need for it when i have my SE pure silver Double Helix.

Yes, that's the one. If you have a high end aftermarket cable, you already made your investment. If that cable is 2.5mm TRRS balanced terminated, makes sense to get 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter. But if you got W80 which comes with Ref8 w/3.5mm SE terminated plug, for $99 that MEEaudio cable is one heck of a value if you have Sony or A&K DAPs or any other daps supporting those balanced terminations. It even supports 3.5mm TRRS Hifiman balanced termination.