joshuamercer
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If so, what are your impressions?
Anybody got the Westone AC2's yet?
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joshuamercer
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Gotta be kidding me. 12 views and no comments. Humbug.
scompton
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That answers you question. Probably no one has heard them. Or at least no one who's been on in the last 6 hours.
Jazzun
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I get my AC2s in one week. I'll post an amateur review, since I have never done one before. The reviews I've seen here at HeadFi make my head swim, they are so technical and detailed. So I'll just talk about how my music (jazz, world, rock, reggae, classical) sounds.
What I've been researching while waiting is whether I'll benefit from getting a headphone amp? I plan on listening to the line out of my iPods, and I'm reading wildly different opinions of whether to bother with an amp or not. After spending $400+ for a set of headphones I want the best SQ I can get, without having to buy new players like the Cowon J3.
What I've been researching while waiting is whether I'll benefit from getting a headphone amp? I plan on listening to the line out of my iPods, and I'm reading wildly different opinions of whether to bother with an amp or not. After spending $400+ for a set of headphones I want the best SQ I can get, without having to buy new players like the Cowon J3.
joshuamercer
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From Project86 (if you don't want to be quoted then let me know and i'll edit the post):
project86
Apr 28, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Hi,
Yes I've had the AC2 for about a month, still working on getting a review posted.
I like them a lot but they are probably not for everyone. In a nutshell, I think I recommend them above all similar priced customs but ONLY if:
You can tolerate some harshness/sibilance in the highs at times (similar to Westone 3)
You like your bass very weighty and full (also similar to W3)
You like your mids fairly dry and straightforward - no added lushness here
You listen at low or medium volumes with so-so recordings (loud on great recordings is fine)
The AC2 has a fairly unique (among low priced customs) presentation. It is very spacious, and set back further from the performance, like sitting in the back row of the venue. Vocals, snare drums, and other stuff is very lifelike but not immediate in the mix. Some people will love this, others not so much. At first I found myself turning up the volume to compensate for this, only to encounter harshness in the highs too often. Now that I've learned to accept the mids as they are, I've started to really enjoy the AC2.
As a drummer I think I could absolutely use these for stage monitors, although I admit they can't render cymbals as lifelike as some of the competition.... But the trade-off is that they handle bass drums and large tomtoms probably better than any other entry level custom. As for regular listening use: Love them for jazz, starting to love them for classical too, also classic rock like Hendrix. Don't use them at all though for certain types of newer rock, like anything "screamo".
Similarities exist between AC2 and Beyerdynamic in general.... sort of a DT990 bass and mids mixed with a DT880 highs, but that analogy is not perfect. Also shades of the Denon D2000 when it comes to presentation. Obviously some will love this and others should pass. I find them fairly different from the UM3X, although my UM3X are out on loan to a friend for a long time so I'm going by memory.
Hope that helps
John
project86
Apr 28, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Oh, forgot to mention: despite having the same exact specs as the ES2, Westone tells me that the AC2 is actually closest related to the UM2. I haven't heard a UM2 in ages so I'm not sure how different they sound, but it should be in the same realm.
Hope this helps anyone out there still wondering about the AC2's. I'm wildly interested but my UM3X sound freaking incredible on stage with the headphone amp for our talkback system.
project86
Apr 28, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Hi,
Yes I've had the AC2 for about a month, still working on getting a review posted.
I like them a lot but they are probably not for everyone. In a nutshell, I think I recommend them above all similar priced customs but ONLY if:
You can tolerate some harshness/sibilance in the highs at times (similar to Westone 3)
You like your bass very weighty and full (also similar to W3)
You like your mids fairly dry and straightforward - no added lushness here
You listen at low or medium volumes with so-so recordings (loud on great recordings is fine)
The AC2 has a fairly unique (among low priced customs) presentation. It is very spacious, and set back further from the performance, like sitting in the back row of the venue. Vocals, snare drums, and other stuff is very lifelike but not immediate in the mix. Some people will love this, others not so much. At first I found myself turning up the volume to compensate for this, only to encounter harshness in the highs too often. Now that I've learned to accept the mids as they are, I've started to really enjoy the AC2.
As a drummer I think I could absolutely use these for stage monitors, although I admit they can't render cymbals as lifelike as some of the competition.... But the trade-off is that they handle bass drums and large tomtoms probably better than any other entry level custom. As for regular listening use: Love them for jazz, starting to love them for classical too, also classic rock like Hendrix. Don't use them at all though for certain types of newer rock, like anything "screamo".
Similarities exist between AC2 and Beyerdynamic in general.... sort of a DT990 bass and mids mixed with a DT880 highs, but that analogy is not perfect. Also shades of the Denon D2000 when it comes to presentation. Obviously some will love this and others should pass. I find them fairly different from the UM3X, although my UM3X are out on loan to a friend for a long time so I'm going by memory.
Hope that helps
John
project86
Apr 28, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Oh, forgot to mention: despite having the same exact specs as the ES2, Westone tells me that the AC2 is actually closest related to the UM2. I haven't heard a UM2 in ages so I'm not sure how different they sound, but it should be in the same realm.
Hope this helps anyone out there still wondering about the AC2's. I'm wildly interested but my UM3X sound freaking incredible on stage with the headphone amp for our talkback system.
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