[Deviltooth]

Here's the press release: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Westone-Announces-The-Newest-AC-Series--The-Custom-Fit-In-Ear-Monitor-For-The-Music-Professional-And-Audio-Lovers.html?soid=1102655398472&aid=FucfzGPytrI
 
I'm not entirely clear what the differences are between this and their ES series.  Surprisingly the AC10 is a single BA driver.

 

[Spyro]

Maybe they are trying to get the universal pricing up near $1,000 and the customs down to the $200-400 range?  
 
Actually, I think Westone's current single and dual driver custom's are 10-15 years old.  Might just be a mild update with newer more cost effective drivers.  

 

[Deviltooth]

  Maybe they are trying to get the universal pricing up near $1,000 and the customs down to the $200-400 range?  
 
Actually, I think Westone's current single and dual driver custom's are 10-15 years old.  Might just be a mild update with newer more cost effective drivers.  

BA driver technology has been advancing in recent years, they're no longer just re-purposed from hearing aids.
 
It's still curious to me because they have the original ES line available.  If this series was aimed at either audiophiles or musicians it makes sense but they appear to be aimed at everyone the same as the original customs.

 

[Mooses9]

nice

 

[rawrster]

  Maybe they are trying to get the universal pricing up near $1,000 and the customs down to the $200-400 range?  
 
Actually, I think Westone's current single and dual driver custom's are 10-15 years old.  Might just be a mild update with newer more cost effective drivers.  

 
Actually Westone came out with the AC2 a few years ago. It was a dual driver priced at $400 I believe (to compete with the JH5 and UE4 I assume) and was limited to just the clear color option. It just never gained much popularity as of the three my guess is JH5 was the most popular dual driver ciem.

 

[RiKToR]

Hello,
 
I have looking around the the Head-Fi forums for a couple weeks now and I thought I would chime in a bit on the AC20s as I have recently had a few emails back and forth with Westone Customer Service.  A few weeks ago my church offered to purchase AC2s for members in our team as a way of saying thanks to the guys who play in the band every week.  We have been using inexpensive universals from phillips, with myself using fairly inexpensive UEs universals.  I think some of us were using iPod head phones... so clearly they were not audiophiles.  
 
I was pretty excited about the possibility of CIEMs; as the cost has always been a deterrent.  Some are more then my entire guitar rig in cost.  Last week made the appointment with my audiologist and I was checking Westone's website. They had replaced the AC2s with the AC20s, I am assuming due to CES.  So I sent an email to see the differences and which one I would end up getting.  Essentially, the AC20s are the same as the AC2s.  The core differences are the color options, which we not available before, and the new cables that are like the Shure/UE cables.  As a point of fact, I was informed by Westone today that the dual bore reference to the AC20 in the press release was indeed a typo. So that's the jist.  Just a upgrade for the cables and the colored acrylic.  No dual bores, no re-tuning.  There is a significant improvement to the ES series over the AC series.  They are designed for budget CIEM for musicians, the AC10 are for vocalist.
 
I will give a review when I receive my pair.  Some time next week I guess.

 

[Deviltooth]

  Hello,
 
I have looking around the the Head-Fi forums for a couple weeks now and I thought I would chime in a bit on the AC20s as I have recently had a few emails back and forth with Westone Customer Service.  A few weeks ago my church offered to purchase AC2s for members in our team as a way of saying thanks to the guys who play in the band every week.  We have been using inexpensive universals from phillips, with myself using fairly inexpensive UEs universals.  I think some of us were using iPod head phones... so clearly they were not audiophiles.  
 
I was pretty excited about the possibility of CIEMs; as the cost has always been a deterrent.  Some are more then my entire guitar rig in cost.  Last week made the appointment with my audiologist and I was checking Westone's website. They had replaced the AC2s with the AC20s, I am assuming due to CES.  So I sent an email to see the differences and which one I would end up getting.  Essentially, the AC20s are the same as the AC2s.  The core differences are the color options, which we not available before, and the new cables that are like the Shure/UE cables.  As a point of fact, I was informed by Westone today that the dual bore reference to the AC20 in the press release was indeed a typo. So that's the jist.  Just a upgrade for the cables and the colored acrylic.  No dual bores, no re-tuning.  There is a significant improvement to the ES series over the AC series.  They are designed for budget CIEM for musicians, the AC10 are for vocalist.
 
I will give a review when I receive my pair.  Some time next week I guess.

Many thanks for the heads up.  I guess these models aren't new after all.

 

[RiKToR]

  Many thanks for the heads up.  I guess these models aren't new after all.

Yep, I wanted it to be true but alas it's not likely.  I will confirm when I get them though.  

 

[RiKToR]

Here is my review of the AC20 headphones. http://www.head-fi.org/t/702334/review-westone-ac20-impressions-and-thoughts-from-a-musicians-perspective