Westone Audio MACH 60

Some history regarding my purchase decision
(and how ConX IPX saved the day.)

Ever since Westone launched their Mach line-up, I’ve been on the fence regarding whether or not to pick up one of their several Mach products. Since I’m mainly into portable equipment and have spent a lot of time, effort and resources to have my chains support 4.4mm BAL cables, any IEM with a non-standard connector (anything other than 0.78mm 2pin or MMCX) is usually a no go for me. Hence for a long time, I kept ignoring the urge to pickup a Mach IEM.

However, things changed when Drop offered the Go pods with the Mach 60 IEMs for 599 USD. While doing my research this time around, I learnt that the T2 and IPX connectors are inter-compatible. Since I had a bunch of ConX cables in my collection, all I had to do was to get a ConX IPX connector and use one of my cables with the Mach 60. Once the cable conundrum was all figured out, I went ahead and purchased the Go pods and Mach 60 bundle from Drop.
Leaving the drop.com product link here for reference (non-affiliated, just encouraging an impulse buy )
https://drop.com/buy/ifi-audio-gopod-dac-headphone-amp-mach-60-iem-bundle


Setup for this Review (Not the standard cable and tips)

Setup summary:
•Ear tips: Azla SednaEarfit Crystal 2 (with nozzle inserts)
•Cable: Flash Acoustics Thanos 4.4mm BAL cable (with ConX IPX)
•DAP / DAC: FiiO M23, Xduoo XD05-Pro (AKM DAC card)
•Amp: Aroma A100TB with the following op-amps:
o2x Burson V5i-D
o2x Sparkos SS3602



(Feel free to skip to the next section)

Since the drop bundle comes without any IEM cable, I chose to go with the Flash Acoustics Thanos cable (which comes with the full set of ConX connectors including IPX, which is compatible with Mach 60).
Again, leaving a link of the cable for reference: (non-affiliated)

https://heady-buy.com/products/thanos

While I did try a few more cables (Vortex Lavinia, EA Fusion 1, Dunu Hulk, Dunu Blanche, FiiO LC-RE Pro and Dita Oslo), I felt like the Thanos cable paired best with the Mach 60.

For ear tips, I tried the stock silicon and foam eartips that came bundled with the IEM, but after a considerable amount of tip rolling (Westone Silicon, Westone Foam, Shure Olives, Shure Yellow foam, Etymotic 2 flange, Azla SednaEarfit Max, Azla SednaEarfit Max ASMR, Azla SednaEarfit Light, Azla SednaEarfit Vivid, Azla SednaEarfit Origin, Azla SednaEarfit Xelastec 2, SpinFit Omni, SpinFit CP220 M1 and M2, SpinFit CP240, SpinFit CP800, JVC Spiral Dots ++, JVC Spiral Dots Pro, FiiO HS18, Folio HS20, Dekoni Gemini, Flare Audiophile, Flare Everyday, Divinus Velvet, Divinus Velvet Wide Bore and finally Azla SednaEarfit Crystal 2) I settled for Azla SednaEarfit Crystal 2 Eartips (with the black Nozzle adapters from Azla). While I’d love to share the perceived differences with each of the tips I tried, I’m afraid that would result in an article of its own.

Although I tried the IEM with a bunch of sources, (FiiO BTR17, Xduoo XD05-Pro, Khadas Tone 2 Pro, FiiO M23, iFi Go Pods) my review is based on my experience with the FiiO M23 with and without the Aroma A100TB used as a balanced amp in between the M23 and the Mach 60. (Op-amps on the Aroma A100TB are 2x Burson V5i-D and 2x Sparkos SS3602)

Introduction:

Although I’ve read about Westone Audio IEMs since I was a kid, this is the first time I’m actually trying one. I must say, I was expecting a lot less than what the Mach 60 actually delivers. Hence, I’m mighty impressed.

The Mach 60 is part of Westone’s Reference sub series in the Mach line-up (20, 40,60 and 80), while the others (10, 30, 50 and 70) are part of their bass sub series. Mach 60 features 6 Balanced Armature (BA) drivers on each side with a 3 way passive crossover. Of the 6 BAs, 2 handle lows, 2 are dedicated to the mids and 2 for highs. The IEM has an impedance of 35 ohms and sensitivity of 100dB. The IEMs were easily driven by the Go Pods, hence they don’t seem to be power hungry per se.

The earpieces are super comfortable and lightweight. While the body is made up of plastic the faceplate is metallic with the Westone Audio logo printed on the right side and the model number (Mach 60) printed on the left side faceplate.

The IPX / T2 connectors have blue and red rings around them making it super easy to identify left and right on the cable side, the earpieces have the Westone Audio logo printed in red (on the right side) and blue (on the left side) near the nozzle, instead of the regular L and R letters. Honestly speaking, although I usually complain when IEMs don’t have the L and R markers on their earpieces, I liked the way Westone Audio handled this. In fact, it is only while writing this down, did I notice that the earpieces don’t have L and R written on them anywhere. But it doesn’t matter because Westone’s solution is so cool.

This version (Drop combo with Go pods) doesn’t come with any IEM cable. It comes with T2 connectors for the go pods which are user-swappable. In terms of ear tips, this version comes with a pair each of the 5 sizes of Westone’s foam and silicon ear tips. Apart from the ear tips, we also get a cleaning tool.

Sound Quality:

The bass response of the Mach 60 is surprisingly good. There is good speed and attack. The bass is punchy and has very good heft for an all BA IEM. The 2 BA drivers handling the lows provide good punch. The rumble, while decent, could have been better IMO. The bass is fast, clean and punchy.

Mids are perhaps where the Mach 60 shine the best. Everything from timbre to note weight is just right. The emotion and nuances in vocals, both male and female, is conveyed beautifully by the IEM. The balanced tonality makes the mids feel placed just right, not too forward, nor too far behind. Instruments sound natural and lifelike for the most part.

In terms of highs, I feel Westone has nailed it. There is a fair amount of sparkle and air, without any peaks or spikes. The treble is clean, crisp and has just the right amount of splash (for the lack of a better term in my vocabulary). The Mach 60 is tuned as a reference IEM, and can be worn for long listening sessions without any fatigue, and the treble has been tuned accordingly. Instruments sound open and natural as I have mentioned earlier.



Technically, the Mach 60 is very capable and can handle complex and layered compositions with panache. Separation is excellent and the imaging is as precise as it can be. Resolution is very good and is actually what one would expect from a reference monitor.

What surprised me the most was the soundstage. My past experience with reference monitors like SE846, and ER4XR for example, made me believe that such monitors have great stereo separation, but nothing in terms of holographic presentation. I was surprised by the Mach 60 because it delivered a surprisingly wide and deep soundstage with a touch of holography. And this makes a huge difference IMO. While it may not be as immersive as say the IER-Z1R, it definitely sounds a lot more immersive than the SE846.

Conclusion:
The Mach 60 is a great reference IEM with surprisingly good bass response and a tinge of holography in terms of presentation. The IEM is balanced in terms of tonality and is lightweight and comfortable, making it suitable for long listening sessions.

At 599 USD, the Drop combo of Go pods + Mach 60 is a great option, especially if you have any ConX cables that can be used with the Mach 60. Else, you may have to spend some more to get a T2 cable from Westone.

Lastly, at the time of writing this review, Westone had a sale on the Mach series IEMs, with a 40% discount on the Mach 60, making it an excellent deal at 659.99 USD. (No go pods, but a 3.5mm SE SuperBaX cable and Pelican case for 60 USD more). Either way, at these prices, the Mach 60 is a no-brainer if you are in the market for a reference grade IEM that is easy to drive and comfortable to wear.

I was contacted by John Creigan from Jackrabbit Media and invited to review the Westone MACH 60 IEM.

Westone is a brand best known for its IEMs designed for stage musicians. Currently its inventory includes the AM Pro X, Pro X and MACH ranges.

The MACH range itself has two categories, Premium Reference, which includes the MACH 20, 40, 60 and 80 and Premium Bass, comprising the MACH 10, 30, 50 and 70. The Premium Reference series tuning is designed to be neutral whereas the Premium Bass line has a warmer tonality.

The MACH 60 featured here is the second highest model in the Premium Reference series, equipped with six balanced armature drivers per channel, two each for the bass, midrange and treble. A three-way passive crossover divides the signal amongst the six drivers. A frequency response of 8Hz-20kHz is specified along with an impedance of 35Ω and a sensitivity of 100dB @ 1kHz. The MACH 60 retails for £1099.

The Packaging
The MACH 60 comes in a large rectangular box with a full-colour sleeve featuring a montage including an image of the IEMs and the model name MACH 60 displayed in a modern sans serif font. The rear of the box shows the specifications and a list of the contents. Removing the sleeve reveals a black box bearing the Westone Audio logo and the legend “Inspired by Lucid Hearing”. Within you will find a large black pelican case inside which you will find:

● Westone MACH 60 IEMs
● Estron Linum SuperBaX T2 cable
● 5 pairs of foam tips
● 5 pairs of silicone tips
● Carabiner
● Soft protective bag
● Velcro cable tie
● Cleaning tool
● Card with QR link to manual

Design and Build
The MACH 60 IEMs have a shell made from a durable plastic material in black and grey. The faceplate is metal with the right side featuring the Westone logo and the left bearing the model name MACH 60. The gold-plated T2 cable socket has a pronounced forward rake and the earpieces are lightweight and comfortable.

The Linum SuperBaX cable has a 4-core construction with 168 strands of silver-plated copper and has a braided black covering. The T2 termination and right-angled 3.5mm plug are gold-plated and the two-part Y-split detaches to provide a chin slider. The cable is approximately 1.2m in length and is very light with a weight of 9g and has a low impedance of 0.75 ohms. Bearing in mind the price level of these IEMs, I was disappointed that a modular cable was not included, which would have facilitated balanced operation.

Fit and Isolation
Once the MACH 60 was placed perfectly horizontally, it fitted snugly inside my ear. The long nozzles and extended eartips produced a deep insertion which was very comfortable and after a short time it was easy to forget that the IEMs were there. I experimented with the supplied tips and obtained the best result with the largest silicone type with an orange bore. Thus fitted, a healthy bass response was obtained with superb isolation. Westone’s long thin nozzles did not allow me to try standard IEM tips so “tip rolling” was not possible.

The MACH 60 was tested with a variety of sources: three different DAPs, a digital radio and a smartphone via a USB-C dongle DAC. A “burn-in” of 100 hours was performed to run in the components and the sound continued to improve throughout the burn-in period. Sensitivity was a little low, with a higher volume level necessary compared to the MACH 70. After a lengthy evaluation, I settled on the Xduoo X20, which provided more power and gave the most pleasing results, as the primary source.

Sound Impressions
Tonality
The MACH 60 immediately impressed with a well-balanced and neutral profile and good extension at both ends of the spectrum. Detail was copious with an attractive delicacy in the high frequencies and the soundstage was expansive with impressive stereo imaging. There was a solid impactful bass, open and expressive midrange and an airy smooth treble. The tonality throughout was very good with no evidence of "BA timbre". In fact the MACH 60 shared the same Westone house sound with a similar character to that of the MACH 70, AM Pro x10 and AM Pro X30. The overall impression was of accuracy and refinement, commensurate with a high quality in-ear monitor.

Bass
The MACH 60's bass was clean, detailed and fast, as expected from a balanced armature driver, whilst displaying a very natural timbre and accurate reproduction of decay and texture. The bass profile was largely neutral or "reference" style with good extension, but more or less on the same level as the midrange. Compared to the popular Harman curve, sub bass was somewhat rolled off but mid bass displayed good energy and impact and it did not bleed into the lower midrange. Orchestral basses and cellos displayed a natural warmth and accurate timbre with rich harmonic expression.

Aaron Copland's popular "Fanfare for the Common Man" is a tour de force for brass and percussion. It has been recorded many times but the performance by the Minnesota Orchestra under Eiji Oue is perhaps one of the finest. This remarkable recording came to life in dramatic fashion on the MACH 60 with the initial strike and rebound of the bass drum's skin beautifully rendered. The timpani displayed superb speed and impact, forming a perfect backdrop for the sparkling brass melody.

"Desseins Eternels" is the third movement of "La Nativite" by Olivier Messaien. It is a gentle, meditative and slow-paced piece exploring chordal harmonies. It features a somewhat meandering theme underpinned by deep pedal progressions. In the version performed by Louis Thiry at the organ of Geneva Cathedral, there was good texture and resolution from the MACH 60 but the very lowest notes were more distant sounding than ideal, though possessing an accurate timbre. This neutral bass tuning resulted in just a slight lack of "body" softening the impact of the piece and lessening its "gravitas".

Kevin Kendle is a British electronic music artist with over 30 albums to his name. "Silent Trees" is a beautiful soundscape from his album "Winter". A gently descending melody underpinned by a solid bass line gradually becomes more prominent with a more complex accompaniment. Brian Abbott's guitar accents add interest and in the climax of the piece a deep sub bass foundation evokes a sense of foreboding. The MACH 60 handled this very well with a palpable sense of power and texture although a little more weight would have been welcome.

Midrange
With its reference-style tuning, the MACH 60's midrange was clean, transparent and detailed with good detail. There was no evidence of recession and the tonality was consistent throughout the range. There was no warming influence from the bass and pinna gain was gentle with no excessive brightness towards the treble boundary. Voices were nicely projected above the accompaniment with male vocals possessing good weight and female vocals open and clear. Woodwind and brass instruments came over crisp and airy in character while strings possessed a realistic bite and resonance.

"Winter Light" is the theme song from the film "The Secret Garden". Linda Ronstadt performs it wonderfully with an ethereal vocal delivery. The MACH 60 made the most of this with a detailed rendition marked by clarity and precision, full of atmosphere and emotion. Zbigniew Preisner's beautiful orchestration sounded lush and spacious, forming a perfect backdrop for Linda Ronstadt's beautiful vocal performance.

The Adagio fom Schubert's String Quintet is a classic piece with a notably concentrated quality. In the version by the Melos Quartet with Mstislav Rostropovich, the MACH 60 brought the piece to life in dramatic fashion with the various instruments sounding natural and vibrant, and the atmosphere of the recording venue a joy to hear. The contrast of bowed and plucked strings was realised authentically with a perfect balance between the players and a fine
reproduction of the ambience of the hall. Violins and violas displayed a natural tonality and the pizzicato notes of the cello were nicely portrayed in a spacious manner with a real sense of "being there". The balance of the various instruments was well judged.

The Piano Guys presented an enchanting version of "Bring him Home" from "Les Miserables". Performed on cello with piano accompaniment, the listener was drawn in by the atmosphere and simplicity of the presentation. The MACH 60 delivered a warm and emotional performance with a perfect balance between the two instruments. With a believable timbre, the cello and piano came over as natural and authentic and in the central section, the rich tonality of the lower notes of the piano was particularly enjoyable.

Treble
With a detailed and accurate delivery and deceptively fine extension, the MACH 60's treble was one of its best features. The speedy transient attack ensured that leading edges were reproduced with precision and verve producing a sound redolent of a live performance. The inherent smoothness ensured that there was no listening fatigue while still revealing abundant detail and air.

The MACH 60 produced a clean and crisp string timbre in Rossini’s “String Sonata No.1”. The natural harmonics defining the various instruments were accurately conveyed in the excellent recording by The Age of Enlightenment Orchestra. Each instrument displayed real character and the excellent transient attack with incisive and clean leading edges endowed the whole performance with a "live" quality. The details of bowing and pizzicato were authentic and micro-detail was also effective here with the subtle and delicate effects in the counterpoint easy to discern.

Vaughan Williams's "The Lark Ascending" is a much-recorded work. Sarah Chang's performance with the LPO conducted by Bernard Haitink is unusually vivid and dynamic and there was an attractive immediacy casting a different light on the work which is often portrayed in a more languid fashion. Once again, the MACH 60's ability to reproduce harmonics accurately came to the fore with Sarah Chang presenting the work in a very direct and emotional way and the MACH 60 made the most of it with a most believable rendition of the soaring solo instrument set against a perfectly balanced orchestral accompaniment. The final few notes as the violin portrayed the ascent of the bird into the sky were communicated in a most sensitive and delicate manner.

"Vapor Drawings" is an album by Mark Isham combining new age, electronic and jazz elements. The opening track, "Many Chinas" begins with intricate electronic effects in the extreme left and right of the stage. The MACH 60 reproduced these with precise detail. Following this, a trumpet theme is introduced, supported by punchy bass lines and keyboard embellishments. The whole piece came together really well with excellent clarity within an expansive and airy soundstage while the MACH 60's incisive transient response ensured that the rhythmic integrity of the piece was faithfully communicated.

Soundstage and Imaging
The MACH 60 produced a large stage with a good representation of width and height. Due to the forward nature of the midrange, I found there was a slight lack of depth which affected layering and the perception of the position of instruments within an orchestra. Recordings of smaller ensembles did not suffer from this effect but this was still only a minor issue. Separation was very well reproduced and movement within the stereo image convincingly handled.

"First Flight" by Alasdair Fraser appears on the Narada compilation album " A Childhood Remembered". It features solo violin supported by synthesisers supported by a whole range of acoustic instruments and percussion. On the MACH 60, the rhythmic lead melody stood out clearly against the colourful and complex accompaniment and deep synth bass with a palpable sense of space, producing a feeling of being wrapped in sound. Each of the disparate elements in the recording occupied their own space and were easy to locate within the overall picture.

In Anatoly Liadov's beautiful "The Enchanted Lake", bass trombones and tuba in the background created a menacing atmosphere overlaid by delicate strings and clear brass parts with the horns placed wide in the left of the stage and harp figurations adding to the drama. Later in the piece the woodwind arpeggios accompanied by brass chords produced a most pleasing effect. The dynamic shifts in the performance by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of London under Charles Gerhardt were very realistically portrayed by the MACH 60 with only a little more depth in the staging required to make it perfect.

"On Air" from 1996, is the second solo album after the Alan Parsons Project split up and is inspired by the history of airborne exploration. The Alan Parsons Project's series of progressive music albums feature a wide range of musical styles, all beautifully recorded and produced. "On Air" is in a similar vein. The opening track is a shortened version of the last track on the album. "Blue Blue Sky" begins with birdsong in the open air. The MACH 60 presented this very naturally with a real sense of space and a close miked vocal by Eric Stewart follows, with an exceptionally clear acoustic guitar accompaniment. After the final bars of the song, two jet aircraft speed across the image from right to left and the effect was very convincing and exciting with a realistic "airy" feel as the sound faded and reverberated in the air with a very natural decay.

Comparisons
Westone MACH 70
The MACH 70 is equipped with one BA for the bass, two BAs for the midrange and has four treble drivers. The packaging, contents and earpieces are identical to those of the MACH 60 apart from the cable which is the Linum Estron UltraBaX.
A frequency response of 5Hz-22kHz is specified with an impedance of 42Ω and a sensitivity of 110dB @ 1mW.

The MACH 70 sounds warmer than the '60, with a deeper sub bass, more prominent mid bass, a slightly recessed midrange and a smoother treble. The staging is very similar but it has more depth due to the moderate recession in the midrange referred to earlier. A major difference is in power requirements with the '70 needing far less power to sound at its best. Fit and comfort are identical to the '60, being the most comfortable IEMs I have tried and enabling the listener to enjoy music for long periods without fatigue. In a sense, the '60 and '70 are complementary with very different tunings, but both are very enjoyable with their different characteristics and applications. The neutrally-tuned '60 is more suitable for monitoring and has a better reproduction of detail whereas the '70 is aimed more towards musicality.

Westone AM Pro X30
The AM Pro X30 is the highest model in the Pro X series, equipped with three balanced armature drivers per channel, one each for the bass, midrange and treble. A three-way passive crossover divides the signal amongst the three drivers. A frequency response of 20Hz-18kHz is specified along with an impedance of 56Ω and a sensitivity of 124dB @ 1mW.

The MACH 60 and X30 do sound very similar in their tuning, which is designed to be neutral, focusing on accuracy with excellent technicalities. The major difference derives from the "passive ambience" feature in the X30 which allows some external sounds to be heard. The '60's isolation is nigh-on perfect and this affects the staging. The X30's stage is more expansive than the MACH 60 and comes across with more depth. This I believe, can be imputed to the fact that the passive ambience feature acts like a vented earpiece simulating the staging of a full-sized headphone. In most other respects the two are equal in ability except for the bass which is more extended on the MACH 60. The X30 does give the impression of being truly neutral whereas there is a touch more warmth in the MACH 60's presentation.

Conclusion
Westone’s MACH series of balanced armature IEMs features eight models, all of which have individual tunings. The MACH 60's tonality is designed to be accurate and neutral/warm with an expressive midrange. It succeeds in this respect with a near flawless performance, only wanting that last octave of sub-bass and a little more depth in the staging to be perfect. It is supremely comfortable, does not induce any listening fatigue and, like its stablemate the MACH 70, has a very natural timbre.

Sitting near the top of the MACH range, the MACH 60 is a considered purchase. It is not for "bassheads" or those who enjoy a V-shaped or Harman-type profile. However, if you value accuracy and technical prowess without abandoning musical satisfaction, then it comes highly recommended.

Technical Specs:
3-way Passive Crossover
DRIVERS: Six Balanced-Armature Drivers
FREQ RESPONSE: 8Hz – 20kHz
SENSITIVITY: 100dB @1kHz
IMPEDANCE: 35 Ohms @1kHz



The Westone Mach 60 comes in a well decorated box with ample information, inside is the hard case, in the case is a great assortment of accessories, a carabiner, the Mach60 unit, SuperBaX stock cable, a large number of tips both silicone and foam, a velveted pouch, tool for cleaning, cable organizer, and warranty card with a sticker. The Mach60 itself is made of a high impact plastic. light and durable, I found them comfortable. Isolation is very good; this product is for performers, so it has to be. The case is a great touch. everything is well made; however, while the LINUM ESTRON SuperBaX cable "with a resistance rating as low as 0.75Ωs" is made of high-quality materials and performs well, it is rather thin and springy, it also doesn't offer a balanced connection. The foam in the case can be customized to your needs.

The sound impression:
Bass:
The low end presents with good energy and depth, while not overpowering it has medium speed, precise decay, and details. There is less of a boost compared to the MACH70 and more of a neutralish tone. Maybe due to one more Bass focused driver in the M60. The bass works well for speed metal and EDM music.

Mids: The Midrange presents itself balanced not over emphasizing instruments or vocals. Both are forward and evenly placed. Mids are lush and have good body but are medium in thickness in most recordings but can sound thinner at times. They do have great details allowing you to hear each instrument separately quite well.

Treble:
Highs are detailed and have good air to them but are overall smooth and natural. The energy is kept in control with a ample amount of separation and decent speed. I found them to be not harsh even under poor recordings. The tuning is more suited to monitoring or critical listening.

Soundstage:
The stage is shaped with a decent width and less depth it has a smaller room, perhaps a club or garage band like openness. It does have a well-done imaging and accurate overall presentation.

Conclusion:
The Westone Mach60 is part of the Reference line and is more geared towards professional use or the decerning critical listener. It has a nice lightweight feel and is a natural sounding IEM with a good neutral and detailed signature.