Westone UM Pro 10 or Klipsch X10? (or Westone 2's for $50 more)
Jan 11, 2014 at 7:11 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12

KLJTech

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I've been using a pair of Klipsch X10's for about 2 years now with my Sansa Clip Zip (40GB & FLAC files only) along with my FiiO E11 while I'm out and about and last weekend the X10's were destroyed by our new puppy. I have a pair of Westone 4R's, Klipsch X5's and S2's but I was planning on replacing the X10's since they're so small and comfortable and seem to do fine when using them to listen to jazz, pop, rock and acoustic music...plus lately I've been using my Clip to listen to more audiobooks than anything else (mainly the "George R.R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire" 5 book series).  
 
Anyway, I was just now about to buy the Klipsch X10's on Amazon, and I noticed that the Westone UM Pro 10 (single armature driver) IEM's are priced the exactly the same as the Klipsch X10's. I've never heard the Westone UM Pro 10's nor the Westone 2's ($50 more) and wondered if the Klipsch X10's are in the same ballpark as either of these two others with regards to sound quality. I've never had any trouble with my Klipsch X10's strain relief, and the oval silicone tips fit my ears very comfortably yet I don't know if either the Westone UM Pro 10's or the more expensive Westone 2's are considered to be clearly better sounding IEM's then the Klipsch X10's.  
 
Any insight into the comparison between these IEM's would be greatly appreciated. I've tried the search function but really haven't found the comparison I'm looking for.
Thanks so much in advance for any help you may be able to provide! 
 
Jan 11, 2014 at 7:34 PM Post #2 of 12
I haven't heard the UM pro 10s but I did audition the X10 alongside the Westone 2's.
 
I'd say sound quality is similar, and it comes down to their respective sound signatures The biggest difference is in sound signature--especially if you're coming from the X10-- would be bass quantity. Next to the X10, the Westone's will probably feel lean. This is actually why I ended up with the Westone 2's, because to my ears the airier sound signature was more suited towards classical music, which is what I listen to most.
 
In short, neither is clearly better, you're comparing apples to oranges.
 
There's also a huge amount of alternatives. Check out |joker|'s iem review thread, for detailed descriptions, including the Westone 2 and Klipsch X10.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/multi-iem-review-308-iems-compared-rbh-ep1-added-01-01-14-p-836
 
Also keep in mind Westone just released the W20, which is the successor to the Westone 2's. From what I hear, same drivers, new housing, + removable cable
 
Jan 11, 2014 at 7:45 PM Post #3 of 12
I definitely find the bass of the Klipsch X10's to be dialed up and for me, this makes them sound fuller at lower volumes. The Klipsch X5's to me sound flatter/more accurate then the X10's yet they're also larger and not as comfortable as the X10's. I did see that Westone now has the W20, and I'm interested in those as well but primarily I just didn't want to buy the X10's again especially "IF" the Westone Pro 10's (at the same price) are considered to be the better IEM.  
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 12:27 AM Post #4 of 12
I would seriously consider the Etymotic HF5 if I were you. Even after using CIEMs and high-end universals for quite some time, coming back to the HF5 always manages to surprise me. Most people don't realize how clean the HF5 and ER-4S sound until you seriously compare them.
 
The reason why I'm commenting this is because I'm listening to the HF5 right now after listening to the UM3X, SA7, and C5. I don't want to bore you with the differences I hear, but when I say that the HF5 is a seriously damn good IEM, you should at least consider them.
 
Also, they are similarly shaped to the Klipsch.
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 2:19 PM Post #5 of 12
  I would seriously consider the Etymotic HF5 if I were you. Even after using CIEMs and high-end universals for quite some time, coming back to the HF5 always manages to surprise me. Most people don't realize how clean the HF5 and ER-4S sound until you seriously compare them.
 
The reason why I'm commenting this is because I'm listening to the HF5 right now after listening to the UM3X, SA7, and C5. I don't want to bore you with the differences I hear, but when I say that the HF5 is a seriously damn good IEM, you should at least consider them.
 
Also, they are similarly shaped to the Klipsch.

Thanks for the advice, I hadn't thought of the Etymotic Research HF5, and they're priced lower than the Klipsch X10's at the moment...I'll certainly look into those as well. I appreciate it. Do you know if they stick farther out of the ear than the X10's? I like the full sound of the Klipsch X10's as an everyday IEM while also being so small.  
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 7:30 PM Post #6 of 12
I'm reading that many say the Etymotics HF5's sound a bit lacking in the bass yet at HeadRoom they appear to measure nearly flat from about 20Hz to past the midrange region. If you're able to get a good seal with the HF5's do they sound a tad light in the bass or only light when compared to other's like the Klipsch X10's that are elevated about 8db from about 20Hz to well within the midrange region? I don't mind the boost in bass that the Klipsch have because as I've said for me that allows them to sound fuller at lower volumes.
 
How I'm seeing the HF5's described kind of reminds me of how I find the Klipsch X5's to sound (to me), cleaner/more accurate in the midrange and high's than the X10's, but with a flatter/toned down bass region. I must say that the Etymotic HF5's certainly do measure very well when compared to other IEM's in that price range that I've looked up. If they're as comfortable as the Klipsch X10's they may well be worth a try...I read somewhere that they will accept the Klipsch oval silicone tips...if that's true then I may have to pull the trigger on those.  
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 7:33 PM Post #7 of 12
  I would seriously consider the Etymotic HF5 if I were you. Even after using CIEMs and high-end universals for quite some time, coming back to the HF5 always manages to surprise me. Most people don't realize how clean the HF5 and ER-4S sound until you seriously compare them.
 
The reason why I'm commenting this is because I'm listening to the HF5 right now after listening to the UM3X, SA7, and C5. I don't want to bore you with the differences I hear, but when I say that the HF5 is a seriously damn good IEM, you should at least consider them.
 
Also, they are similarly shaped to the Klipsch.

Completely Agree
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 8:01 PM Post #8 of 12
If you're able to get a good seal with the HF5's do they sound a tad light in the bass or only light when compared to other's like the Klipsch X10's that are elevated about 8db from about 20Hz to well within the midrange region?
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 8:37 PM Post #9 of 12
  Thanks for the advice, I hadn't thought of the Etymotic Research HF5, and they're priced lower than the Klipsch X10's at the moment...I'll certainly look into those as well. I appreciate it. Do you know if they stick farther out of the ear than the X10's? I like the full sound of the Klipsch X10's as an everyday IEM while also being so small.  

 
I don't exactly remember, but when I insert my HF5 completely with the large tri-flange tips, it almost disappears.
 
  I'm reading that many say the Etymotics HF5's sound a bit lacking in the bass yet at HeadRoom they appear to measure nearly flat from about 20Hz to past the midrange region. If you're able to get a good seal with the HF5's do they sound a tad light in the bass or only light when compared to other's like the Klipsch X10's that are elevated about 8db from about 20Hz to well within the midrange region? I don't mind the boost in bass that the Klipsch have because as I've said for me that allows them to sound fuller at lower volumes.
 
How I'm seeing the HF5's described kind of reminds me of how I find the Klipsch X5's to sound (to me), cleaner/more accurate in the midrange and high's than the X10's, but with a flatter/toned down bass region. I must say that the Etymotic HF5's certainly do measure very well when compared to other IEM's in that price range that I've looked up. If they're as comfortable as the Klipsch X10's they may well be worth a try...I read somewhere that they will accept the Klipsch oval silicone tips...if that's true then I may have to pull the trigger on those.  

 
Similarly to what I said earlier, the HF5 may sound bass light to most at first, but this is only because the HF5 (and ER-4) measure so well. There is no bass bloat like with the X10 and there are minimal abnormalities within the frequency range. The way I try to think of Ety products is, try not to compare them to other IEMs as they are VERY different to them. To this day, I've yet to hear an IEM as uncoloured as the ER-4 and similarly the HF5. Neutral? No, I don't believe in the term neutral, but I do like to describe Ety products as a slap-in-the-face to IEM fanatics and other manufactures.
 
I don't mean to bash on the X10, but I absolutely hated it. The bass distortion was disgusting to a point where it seemed to have ruined my experience with them. In comparison to the HF5, there is no comparison. The X10 sounds sloppy, dirty, slow, and unrefined. But with that said, the HF5 and ER-4 are often called "sterile, cold, laser-precision, soul-less, and other terms used to describe a boring thing/person". I agree to a point, but there's more to them than that. In terms of midrange, the upper-mids are phenomenal on both the ER-4 and HF5 and the treble manages to deliver plenty of shimmer without the irritation. Bass extension is good, but the impact is definitely lacking when compared to other IEMs, such as the X10. IMO, the trade-off is worth it as you get a phenomenally priced "reference" IEM that's able to critique every other headphone and IEM without hesitation.
 
  If you're able to get a good seal with the HF5's do they sound a tad light in the bass or only light when compared to other's like the Klipsch X10's that are elevated about 8db from about 20Hz to well within the midrange region?

 
Like I said, they will sound bass light when compared to the X10. Again, try not to compare the HF5 to any other IEM you heard of because they are VERY clear and accurate. They will almost punish you for listening to poorly recorded music and try to be as honest as possible. However, I do thoroughly enjoy my HF5 with my Arrow 4G amp with lvl1 bass boost (IDK the dB boost) as I find the amp boosts the bass to more satisfying levels.
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 9:53 PM Post #10 of 12
Thanks for all the feedback, they sound very intriguing...IF I could use the silicone oval tips from the Klipsch (that fit me perfectly) then these sound like they'll be stellar for my purposes. Frankly, I've been using my Clip Zip for audiobooks more then music lately but its always nice to know that your IEM's will sound great with music whenever your in the mood to switch over to it. In my office I usually plug whatever IEM's I have on me into either the Benchmade DAC1 or my Parasound Zdac's amp, but I'm not sure that these will require or benefit much from using either (or maybe they will...) For a portable amp I've been using the FiiO E11 and it has a bass boost (I only use the lower setting for my X5's that are much flatter than the X10's) if I feel that these require it.
 
planx, thanks again for pointing these out to me, without your post I would not have thought of looking into the HF5's. Now I just need to figure out if the Klipsch tip will indeed work with the HF5's and if so I'll place the order ASAP. 
Thanks and take care!
 
-Kevin 
 
Jan 12, 2014 at 10:12 PM Post #11 of 12
Oh yeah, forgot about the tips. I'm 80% sure that they will work... Only because I haven't used them on the HF5, but I did have the oval tips until I lost my last pair. Unfortunately, I haven't tried the two together prior to losing the tips.
 
Np, I try to help to the best of my ability, even though I tend to come off as assertive at times due to my honest nature.
 
I'm pretty sure some places has return policies so you can't go wrong with them.
 
Good luck!
 

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