Westone UM PRO Series Thread

Headfi user Tamicri did a review on the um30s, pretty interesting read
http://www.head-fi.org/t/691700/review-westone-um-30-pro

So if you've already got a pair of UM3Xs, there's no justifying buying a pair of UM30s to replace them?

Yes, that's correct

Incoming impression of the full line of the "new" Westone BAs.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Introduction
 
I was trying out the newer Westone BAs last week as a way to test how BAs sound and if they can provide the possibilities of being an upgrade to my GR07s MKII.
 
Test Equipment and Method
 
Source: iPod Classic
 
Test Tracks: Versailles-"Illusion" and Versailles-"Created Beauty" both in 320 kbps MP3
 
The IEM's were first given a solid 5-10 min of play to hear their overall presentation, then ABed against each other and my GR07. Somewhat level matched, volume was played up and down to compare with the previous IEM's volume level as I ABed the IEM. This was done to get rid of loudness bias as much as possible.
 
Impressions
 
In order of which I tried first, my impressions while I still remember and how it went down:
 
UM PRO 20: I hear no difference between this and the GR07s, well barely but not enough to warrant a $300 price tag. Just not impressive overall.
 
W20: Slightly V shaped sounding for my liking but treble was much more pleasing compared to the GR07s and the bass just as good. I can't really see it as an upgrade to the GR07s though but I really liked the seperation of the bass and the treble. As an upgrade, I wanted vocals to shine, these didn't cut it for me but still liked the presentation.
 
So since I wasn't all too impressed with the UM PRO 20 and the W20 fared better, I didn't really bother with the UM PRO 30 so I went straight to the W40 thinking it had to be the better IEM.
 
W40: Vocals are wide apart compared to the previous Westones and GR07s, pretty cool sounding presentation of the vocals. Treble sounded rounded (made guitars sound smoother, I am kind of in the fence whether I liked that or not) but more evenly impactful if that make sense. I liked the instrument separation, much better than previous Westones and GR07, and easier to focus on one of the instruments at a time. Not a basshead but I always test to see how the rhythm section of a band performs in a pair of headphones. Bass didn't really stand apart enough from the W20 so I was indifferent towards it.
 
Well, I was set on the W40 until the seller dropped the price to me -.-. $500 is too steep and doesn't really blow the GR07s at that price, I would've taken it for $400 at the most. Then I re-tried the W20 and contemplated with myself whether it is good enough as my first foray into BAs. I was hesitant to ask for the UM PRO 30 to try as I already had 3 IEMs in my testbench. I didn't want to come off an indecisive noob without a purchase after an hour of intense ABing. But alas, I did ask for the UM PRO 30 and I was glad I did.
 
UM PRO 30: Such clear vocals (much more intimate), my Kamijo just sounded amazing. Felt like a rediscovering of why loved his voice so much in the first place. The instrument separation was brilliantly presented (maybe its a BA thing, not sure but it was convincing enough to know this is a clear upgrade to my GR07), clearer separation than the W40s. Treble sounded just right to me, with guitars especially. Not too bright, not too smooth, just right. It didn't have the roundness sounding that the W40s had and was much more lively compared to the GR07s. Bass sounded much more neutral, I don't experience the thumpyness that I hear with the GR07s and the W40 compared to this one.
 
Results
 
UM PRO 30 checked everything in what I wanted as an upgrade to my GR07, mission accomplished. I was out of the store over $400 poorer but sank deeper into audio nirvana.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
TL;DR
 
Summary
 
ABing took over an hour but well worth it in the end...not so good for my wallet though X.X
 
Results of ABing and eroded gold platings: UM PRO 30 > W40 > W20 > UM PRO 20
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Thanks for reading.

kamijoismyhero said:

Incoming impression of the full line of the "new" Westone BAs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Introduction

I was trying out the newer Westone BAs last week as a way to test how BAs sound and if they can provide the possibilities of being an upgrade to my GR07s MKII.

Test Equipment and Method

Source: iPod Classic

Test Tracks: Versailles-"Illusion" and Versailles-"Created Beauty" both in 320 kbps MP3

The IEM's were first given a solid 5-10 min of play to hear their overall presentation, then ABed against each other and my GR07. Somewhat level matched, volume was played up and down to compare with the previous IEM's volume level as I ABed the IEM. This was done to get rid of loudness bias as much as possible.

Impressions

In order of which I tried first, my impressions while I still remember and how it went down:

UM PRO 20: I hear no difference between this and the GR07s, well barely but not enough to warrant a $300 price tag. Just not impressive overall.

W20: Slightly V shaped sounding for my liking but treble was much more pleasing compared to the GR07s and the bass just as good. I can't really see it as an upgrade to the GR07s though but I really liked the seperation of the bass and the treble. As an upgrade, I wanted vocals to shine, these didn't cut it for me but still liked the presentation.

So since I wasn't all too impressed with the UM PRO 20 and the W20 fared better, I didn't really bother with the UM PRO 30 so I went straight to the W40 thinking it had to be the better IEM.

W40: Vocals are wide apart compared to the previous Westones and GR07s, pretty cool sounding presentation of the vocals. Treble sounded rounded (made guitars sound smoother, I am kind of in the fence whether I liked that or not) but more evenly impactful if that make sense. I liked the instrument separation, much better than previous Westones and GR07, and easier to focus on one of the instruments at a time. Not a basshead but I always test to see how the rhythm section of a band performs in a pair of headphones. Bass didn't really stand apart enough from the W20 so I was indifferent towards it.

Well, I was set on the W40 until the seller dropped the price to me -.-. $500 is too steep and doesn't really blow the GR07s at that price, I would've taken it for $400 at the most. Then I re-tried the W20 and contemplated with myself whether it is good enough as my first foray into BAs. I was hesitant to ask for the UM PRO 30 to try as I already had 3 IEMs in my testbench. I didn't want to come off an indecisive noob without a purchase after an hour of intense ABing. But alas, I did ask for the UM PRO 30 and I was glad I did.

UM PRO 30: Such clear vocals (much more intimate), my Kamijo just sounded amazing. Felt like a rediscovering of why loved his voice so much in the first place. The instrument separation was brilliantly presented (maybe its a BA thing, not sure but it was convincing enough to know this is a clear upgrade to my GR07), clearer separation than the W40s. Treble sounded just right to me, with guitars especially. Not too bright, not too smooth, just right. It didn't have the roundness sounding that the W40s had and was much more lively compared to the GR07s. Bass sounded much more neutral, I don't experience the thumpyness that I hear with the GR07s and the W40 compared to this one.

Results

UM PRO 30 checked everything in what I wanted as an upgrade to my GR07, mission accomplished. I was out of the store over $400 poorer but sank deeper into audio nirvana.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TL;DR

Summary

ABing took over an hour but well worth it in the end...not so good for my wallet though X.X

Results of ABing and eroded gold platings: UM PRO 30 > W40 > W20 > UM PRO 20

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for reading.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your impressions!

But the W40 soundstage is M A S S I V E L Y larger than the W30.    
That's surely worth mentioning.
 
 
(EDIT:   That would be the UM Pro 30 I am referring to....W30 DOES have a large soundstage as well.  Sorry for the confusion)

I didn't try the W30, it wasn't in the store at that time

spyro said:

  But the W40 soundstage is M A S S I V E L Y larger than the W30.    
That's surely worth mentioning.
 
 
(EDIT:   That would be the UM Pro 30 I am referring to....W30 DOES have a large soundstage as well.  Sorry for the confusion)

Click to expand...

much like the w4r
 
W40: Vocals are wide apart  this too is like the w4r the w4r vocals have a sense of space between the words. i dont think its bad i find it to give the sound a interesting presentation, i find alot of the times on female vocals the decay hangs and just drifts away, its uber nice for artist like sade.

spyro said:

  But the W40 soundstage is M A S S I V E L Y larger than the W30.    
That's surely worth mentioning.
 
 
(EDIT:   That would be the UM Pro 30 I am referring to....W30 DOES have a large soundstage as well.  Sorry for the confusion)

Click to expand...

 

mooses9 said:

  much like the w4r
 
W40: Vocals are wide apart  this too is like the w4r the w4r vocals have a sense of space between the words. i dont think its bad i find it to give the sound a interesting presentation, i find alot of the times on female vocals the decay hangs and just drifts away, its uber nice for artist like sade.

Click to expand...

I did say I liked the presentation, which is why I would've gotten in if I didn't try the the UM PRO 30. The in-you-face vocal just suits my taste better in how I want them to be presented. Is the spacing in the voice = soundstage or maybe plays an effect in how we perceive soundstage? I did not hear much difference in instrument separation, just in the placing of the vocals it were really obvious. I just noted it sounded clearer not wider.

I surely prefer vocals with W4R over SE535.   Not quite as forward but OH....so lush.

spyro said:

  I surely prefer vocals with W4R over SE535.   Not quite as forward but OH....so lush.

Click to expand...

but come on spy the se535 vocals presentation in its pure form is amazing if you like that up close feeling like the artist is right next to you whispering in your ear. but i do agree its a double edge sword being so forward can be overwhelming.
 
personally i went with a DHC cable copper for my se535 and it toned back some of that forwardness while giving it a slightly warmer presentation. this helped with that overly forward presentation.
 
BUT the W4r is so lush wish i could have the best of both worlds, super lush and very forward.

Not a big fan of the W4R but I am really really curious of the pro 30s. Can't wait to test them.

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Colorado Springs, CO and (CES) Las Vegas, NV – January 7, 2014 - Westone, LVCC South Hall 1, Booth #21148, the leader in high performance audio and in-ear monitoring technology, announces the launch of the new Signature W-Series. The new signature series feature the first ever W50 and W60 models and offer unmatched performance for music lovers and audiophiles. Combining a state-of-the-art design with elite performance drivers and crossovers for audio lovers, the new Signature W-Series is designed to continue the award winning success and acclaim of the Westone lineup while adding state of the art audio performance combined with superior design for improved comfort and fit.


The Signature W-Series features Westone's proprietary balanced armature drivers and advanced crossover designs. The W50 features our industry leading balanced armature drivers that deliver outstanding performance and output. The W50 features 5 individual drivers in each earphone with a state of the art 3 way crossover. The W60 features 6 balanced armature drivers and multistage crossover designs that yield sonic purity that is unrivaled in universal monitors at any price level. Both the 5 driver and 6 driver products are firsts for Westone in universal earphones.

The W-Series is supplied two replaceable cables, the EPIC cable for easy replacement or custom cable selection as well as an Apple MFi cable with 3-button controls and integrated microphone. An Android control cable is available as an accessory. The new connector is compatible with all the new Westone cables including the ADV reflective cable and the new UM Pro cable. The EPIC replaceable cable is constructed of high-flex, ultra-low resistance tensile wire, reinforced with a special aramid fiber, and braided for ultimate durability, acoustic transparency, and isolation from mechanical cable noise. The new audiophile connector makes this cable solution conveniently user-removable, upgradeable and replaceable.

The W-Series features interchangeable anodized aluminum faceplates (red, blue and charcoal included), straight EPIC replaceable cable, replaceable MFi cable and MIC, Executive Monitor Vault, weather resistant travel case, and five sizes of patented STAR™ and True-Fit™ Tips. With Westone True-Fit™ technology, Westone combines 50+ years experience with in-ear applications that has yielded a low-profile, lightweight, universal earpiece which delivers maximum comfort and in-ear coupling for dynamic music listening.

W-Series features:

- W50: 5-driver system with unmatched sound signature tuned by artists; the three-way crossover is matched to individual low, mid, and high frequency drivers to make the sound mix smooth and balanced across all frequencies.

- W60: The premier 6-driver system with 3-way crossover that yields the finest audio available today from any earphone. The W60 features dual driver for the tweeters, mid ranges and bass for a powerful yet balance sound that offers great detail and high energy output.

"It's a great time to be a Westone enthusiast, especially with all the new products we will be introducing throughout the year. The W-Series is the latest in high performance earphones, designed & engineered for music lovers and audiophiles," said John F. Lowrey, Vice President, Audio Group at Westone. "The W-Series represents superior sound performance, fit and features that showcase the detail and clarity of the music."

W50 will be available in Q1 2014 with a suggested retail price of $749.99. The W60 will be available Q1 2014 and will retail at $999.

Find Westone on:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WestoneAudio
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WestoneAudio
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/WestoneAudio
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/WestoneAudio
Google+: https://plus.google.com/113507830281952974478
About Westone
Founded in 1959 and celebrating 55 years of audio excellence in 2014, Westone is the world's premier manufacturer of high performance in-ear musician's monitors, earphones and innovative speaker technology. After five decades of in-ear and acoustic innovation, Westone has developed a sizable portfolio of exclusive technologies, which incorporate only the most premium materials and optimal processes into all its products. Westone continues to pioneer new innovation into the world of audio and hearing. Their in-ear earphone product lines are actively endorsed by musicians and have won acclaim in countless reviews among audiophiles and artist worldwide. Find out why Westone is Pure Music. For more information, please visit www.westoneaudio.com or call 800-525-5071.

###

Source: WESTONE, Inc.
Press Contact for Westone:
Jim Noyd
Noyd Communications Inc.
T: 310-374-8100
E: jim.noyd@noydcom.com
John Lowrey
Westone Laboratories, Inc.
T: 1-719-540-9333
E: johnl@westone.com

Please note: All eval requests should be sent to agency.

there's a separate thread for that already

kamijoismyhero said:

  there's a separate thread for that already

Click to expand...

Oops...my bad.  Just saw other thread.