AAW - Advanced AcousticWerkes W300U IEM Review - Expatinjapan

 Head Pie 

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http://www.acousticwerkes.com/​

 

Advanced AcousticWerkes W300U IEM review ​

- expatinjapan​

 
 

I was offered the pleasant opportunity to be sent a set of IEMs by Advanced Acousticwerkes, an IEM/CIEM company out of Singapore, the AAW W300U a universal model.
These recent years have seen the market saturated with new companies especially makers of IEMs that I had all but given up trying to keep up with the constant flow of new products until recently.

I was happy to see on their website many great examples of craftsmanship and good design, later I asked a few friends who gave me positive opinions about Advanced AcousticWerkes IEMs.
I got excited and looked forward to demoing and reviewing the AAW W300U.​

 
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Build
Simply exquisite was my first thought when I opened the supplied case to reveal the AAW W300U. 
I could immediately see the time that had been put into crafting these IEMs and the gorgeous looking Null Audio Vitesse braided cable.

The IEMs have a smooth finish, are very strong and durable and made of hard clear acrylic.
If one looks at the photos in this article I do believe the photos speak for themselves and illustrate well the quality of these IEMs.

I love being able to see the inner workings, detail and wiring. Also on the outside is the AAW logo and each IEM has W300U in red (right) and also in blue (left) which I thought was a nice touch.

The cable is the Null Audio Vitesse.

 

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Sound
First out of the box impressions of the AAW W300U using the Shozy Alien Gold DAP and the Centrance Hifi-Skyn using Flacplayer app were positive. I liked the sound and thought the IEMs performed well.
I then left them playing over a few nights to get a bit more air time on the drivers, as well as through usual everyday use.
They seem to have a unique sound which I suspect is a signature of the supplied Null Audio Vitesse cable.

 

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As per usual I settled on the generic round figure of 50 hours before commencing writing the sound section of the review. 
Sources used are the Centrance Hifi-Skyn, Centrance Mini-M8 and the Shozy Aegis DAP.
Generally I use 16/41 or 16/44 FLAC tracks.
 
I find the Advanced Acousticwerkes W300U to be a high performing IEM and one that I will be happy to have in my rotation of IEMs. 
 
The AAW W300U came with a Null Audio Vitesse copper cable.
 
Centrance Mini-M8.
Vocals are sweet and soaring, not too far forward of the music which suits my personal preferences.
I found it to have a definite quality of accuracy that was retained even when I changed cables that altered the sound signature slightly.
Clear with good instrument separation.
Enjoyable medium width and soundstage.
Good height and depth.
Fast response.
definitely have to make sure one achieves a perfect seal with tips or these can sound quite thin with the supplied Vitesse cable.
 
Centrance Hifi-Skyn.
Performance seems improved again with this latest edition of the Centrance line of products, It having a larger amp than the Mini-M8.
Everything is smoother, softer yet not at the expense of detail, highs are more present and sweet but not to the point of sibilance or peaky. Realistic would be the correct description.
The W300U has good musicality, it is in the realm of reference IEMs in that it does not favor a V shaped or musical signature, given that it is a three driver IEM one would general expect this kind of sonic balance.
Soundstage is improved and wider, though not to the TOTL level - this being an upper mid tier IEM. 
Instruments are reproduced more accurately.
Vocals are crisper and natural. female vocals are especially great.
Bass is present, satisfactory and slow moving,  it is not strong or overpowering. 
 
One wonders how the W300U would sound with a silver cable.
 
I found a few few aural and sonic differences when using the supplied Vitesse Cable (copper) and an aftermarket cable (silver plated)  I have by CCPH(Musical Harmony).
The CCPH cable bought out the lows/bass and mids more, vocals are sweet and slightly forward, a more fuller and dynamic sound, larger soundstage.
The Vitesse is lighter and more airy, not so full sounding as the CCPH.
Sometimes slightly grainy in places. More highs. Better detail, music and vocals appear to be balanced well, smaller soundstage.
 
In summary the Advanced AcousticWerkes W300U is high performing in ear that reproduces the music accurately and smoothly. It fits well within its price point. An added advantage is that one is able to swap out cables to suit ones sonic preferences.

Fit
I find that I need a longer nozzle to get a good fit and seal on my left ear, the nozzle lengths on the AAW W300U seem to be within accepted industry standard lengths and are just long enough for me to be able to get an acceptable seal.
They came with a supplied tip (Spinfit?), which I soon changed to my current to go tips the JVC Spiral Dots. This helped me get the grip, seal and isolation I required.
The IEMs main body looks to be a bit on the chunky side, but I managed to find a comfortable resting place within my ear without difficulty. Looks can be deceiving.
The Vitesse cable does not seem to have a memory cable within, so a bit of playing with the wire is needed to circle the ear to ones preference.
In all they are a comfortable IEM that nestles well within my inner ear without any noticeable rubbing or annoyance.

 

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Details and specs
*From the AAW website.

W300
Configuration: W100 Reference Proprietary 9mm Dynamic Driver + 2 x Balanced Armature Drivers

1. TruXross Electronic 3 Way Passive Crossover
2. Triple Sound Bore Design 
3. Frequency Range 18Hz-23000Hz
4. Sensitivity 100dB SPL @ 1 mW
5. Impedance: 16.8 ohm @ 1kHz
6. THD <= 0.2% @ 1kHz
7. Filter-less Design
8. 26db+/- Ambient Noise Attenuation
9. 46" Null Audio Vitesse Cable(4 Braid Detachable)
10. AAW Shock&Waterproof Carrying Case 
11. Cleaning Brush & Cloth

 

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Value
The W300U retails at $899 (Singapore dollars) which roughly exchanges to US$655 (United States of America dollars).
I would say that the Advanced AcousticWerkes W300U fits into this upper mid level price point due to its well built, quality crafted IEM. The W300U is a well constructed piece of gear, beautiful to look at and reproduces music wonderfully. The supplied Null Audio Vitesse (Copper) cable is thin, finely crafted and looks and sounds splendid.
Also the ability to swap out cables is something I prefer with my IEMs to get the sonic response and synergy with my gear to suit my personal preferences.
 

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Overall
The W300U is a wonderful little IEM.
At first I was worried about the fit aspect, but when I found the right tips for me everything fitted into place comfortably.
The sound is quite gorgeous, the IEM itself is well built and responds positively to amplification.
Of course If you don`t have a decent DAP or DAC/Amp then it is pointless buying this level of in ear IEM in my opinion.
The price puts it at just about upper mid level, of course the price spectrum extends quite far these days, my upper mid level point would be US$450-US$700 approximately. perhaps an article on my mental processes about price points would be timely.
The supplied Null Audio cable provides a decent unique aural experience.
As written at the end of the Sound section `the Advanced AcousticWerkes W300U is high performing in ear that reproduces the music accurately and smoothly. It fits well within its price point. An added advantage is that one is able to swap out cables to suit ones sonic preferences`.

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Thank you again to Advanced AcousticWerkes for sending Head Pie these beautiful IEMs for review.

-expatinjapan.​

My pics ended up corrupted. I'll be snapping some tomorrow and uploading them again. SORRY! :x
 
About Me
I stumbled into the head-fi world when my itchy fingers picked up a Shure SE846 back in January’14. Since then, it has been a long journey, and I’m only just starting. Exploring the various IEMs and portable set-ups available, I’ve slowly learnt to appreciate good sounding gears at various price points, culminating in my decision to start writing reviews in order to contribute in my tiny way back to this community. I’m still looking to slowly develop a more consistent writing style as well. I’ll appreciate any feedback anyone has on any areas I could improve on!
 
I have varying music taste, so I can listen to/ appreciate most genres of music too, from classicals to pop/rock and almost anything in between, and choose my listening genre at a particular time based on mood, although I’m still building up my music collection.
 
Personally, I like my bass. It doesn’t have to be in huge, overwhelming quantities, but it has to be good, clean and deep base. I don’t like recessed mids, while I’m generally tolerant towards treble, and can appreciate both bright and rolled-off trebles.
 
As with all reviews, this review is purely subjective, based on my own experience, gear and preference, so YMMV!
 
Disclaimer
The W300 being reviewed here is my own personal unit bought used, and re-shelled with AAW via Null Audio.
 
About the W300AR
AAW, otherwise known as Advanced AcousticWerkes, is a custom in-ear monitor (CIEM) company based in Singapore. They are primarily distributed by Null-Audio, and several other local retailers.
 
AAW has an extensive line-up of CIEMs, from pure BA driver IEMs, Dynamic Driver IEMs to their Hybrid IEMs which have garnered the most attention. Their products are mainly split along 2 major lines, namely the Musiker Line, consisting of the M10, M20, A1D, A2H & A3H, and the Meister Line, consisting of the W350, W100, W300 and their flagship W500.
 
The W300 that I will be reviewing is a hybrid CIEM made up of a single 9mm Dynamic Driver + 2 BA Drivers, which is priced at $899 SGD.
 
 
Ok, just so you guys won't get too bored........lets start off with the most important aspect of any review...the sound!!!!
 
Source
I used the W300 with my LG V10, Fiio X3ii, and with my Chord Hugo via my PC (foobar).
 
Tracks Used
Some of the tracks used for this review are:
 
                 
The W300 is a very clear sounding IEM, with an airy but slightly dry presentation. Despite that, it didn’t sound very analytical either due to a small touch of smoothness giving a feel of musicality. This gives an un-fatiguing sound. Still, it is the most analytical sounding IEM in my collection.
 
The soundstage is surprisingly good, if slightly laid back. While its width is at best slightly above average, its depth and height is excellent, due to its airiness. The W300 detail retrieval is also good, no doubt helped in no small part by the clear sounding signature.

The bass has excellent control, and I would feel it is very accurate, coming out only when called upon. Initially, when first using it, I was disappointed with the bass quantity that the 9mm dynamic driver put out. Then I listened to Lorde’s Royals, and I realised what the bass was all about.
 
The W300 doesn’t take the typical mid-bass heavy approach of most IEMs. Instead, similar to the SE846, it dishes out a good dose of sub-bass. Where it does better than the SE846, however, is that it has a better balance of sub-bass to mid-bass. I always felt that the SE846, which I love (emphasis!), is a sub-bass heavy monster whose mid-bass seems to pale in comparison.
 
Back to the W300 then; its bass is very punchy only a slight bump in the sub-bass. It is pretty light on its feet, being tight and fast for a dynamic, with no hint of bloatedness. Yeap it is noticeably slower than the SE846, but it’s no slouch by any means. Sub-bass is fantastic, the 9mm dynamic driver really pulling its weight here, giving it a good, satisfying rumble when needed.

Did I mention that the mids are airy? Yeah they really are. It’s a really unique presentation to me, being clear and slightly dry, but with a dash of smoothness and warmth. Detail retrieval is good, as is its imaging which doesn’t disappoint either. While I felt that the W300 was never a mid-centric IEM, its mid-range didn’t disappoint either Instruments, both male and females vocals, still sound pretty natural on them.  

I find the treble to sound lively and clear, although somewhat slow, perhaps due to the rather large dynamic driver. The treble is reasonably well extended, contributing no small part to the generally airy and smooth presentation of the W300. Also, I have never felt it to be fatiguing nor sibilant.

 
Design
Finish/Build Quality
The W300 has a rather nice build quality, although the shell felt to be somewhat thinner than that found on my Ei.xx and A12. I didn’t detect any bubbles, within the shell either, a sign of good handiwork. A small vent could be seen at the top of the IEM, near to the connectors, which would be mainly for the dynamic driver.

As AAW’s partner, the W300’s stock cable is not the usual stock SPC cables found with almost all other CIEMs, but is instead a 4-braid Null Audio’s Vitesse Cable, which is a 23awg 7N CGOCC copper cable. However, for this review I would be using the 8-braided version, which comes with a grand total of 148 strands of copper conductors!
 
Even without my upgrade to the 8-braid version, I feel that this cable is a huge leap forward in quality compared to the stock cables that comes default with almost all other CIEMs, and doubly so considering its price point.
 
Fit, Comfort and Isolation
As with all CIEMs, the W300 is designed to be worn over the ear. The W300 is somewhat large, especially in comparison to my Ei.xx and even the 12 driver 64Audio A12! It sits flush with my ears, but barely! There seems to be a lot of empty spaces inside the shell though, which looked like it should and could be smaller, but as a dynamic driver is inside, it could perhaps affect the sound quality in more ways than one. Hopefully AAW could look into this? 
 
I do need to state that the large shell doesn’t affect its comfort though, as I didn’t find it to be uncomfortable despite its size, as I’ve worn it for hours on end without any comfort issues. Isolation is great despite its vented design, being better than the A12.
 
Accessories
Nothing special here, as AAW includes the following (pretty standard) accessories with purchase of the W300:

1. A hard carrying-case,
2. A soft pouch,
3. Warranty Certificate card
4. An IEM cleaning tool

 
Specifications

1. Reference Propriety 9mm Dynamic Driver + 2 Balanced Armature Drivers
2. TruXross Electronic 3 Way Passive Crossover
3. Frequency Range: 18Hz – 23000Hz
4. Sensitivity: 100db SPL @ 1mW
5. Impedance: 16.8Ohm @ 1kHz
6. THD <=0.2% @ 1kHz
7. Filter-less Design
8. Triple Sound Bore Design

 
Sensitivity
The W300 sensitivity is pretty normal, and it is drivable on almost all my sources, from my LG V10 smartphone to my Hugo. It’s certainly one of my least sensitive IEM though (by a small margin), as while easily drivable, it did not expose the noise floor of my Hugo, even when listening in a quiet environment. In comparison, both my SE846 and A12 are sensitive enough to expose the Hugo’s noise floor,
 
Conclusion
While it was AAW’s flagship (usurped by the W500AHMorph), the W300, at SGD $899 (approx. USD $650), is an excellent mid-fi CIEM. For those looking for a reasonably well priced, mid-tier CIEM (price wise, <USD $800) that has a somewhat neutral and analytical signature but still retains some musicality and warmth, the W300 should be in your shortlist.