Hi all,
I've been doing a decent amount of comparison between the UM pro 50 and W60s, my preferred retailer is very kind and I've had probably 5 or 6 hours to a/b these along with a few other items. My previous IEM catalog from oldest to newest: Klipsch S4 > UE 400 > Westone 4 > UE 900 (/w Labkable Silver Shadow - 8 braid Pure Silver OCC, not sure of the gauge) Also I have a pair of ASG Rockets that haven't arrived.
My testing setup - Aiff 44.1 / 320kbps > iPhone 5s > Venturecraft Soundroid Typhoon (SDT) /w Muse 8920 (called "Red Shoulder" edition by Venturecraft because of black chassis with red torx screws)
Bass
I find that the UM Pro 50 has a warm of neutral bass presentation. The bass is smooth, extends deep and well controlled. But in comparison to the W60, I find that the W60 was even more smooth, tighter and better control and most noticeably a larger impact. This is only really apparent when you can a/b them together with a good source. The difference is less noticeable playing 320kbps straight out of my iPhone 5s, but there is still an audible tightness and extension that the W60 provides. Throw in a decent amp/dac + your lossless files and the difference only becomes more clear.
Mids
This is the hardest comparison for me. Both mids are presented intimately, vocals are lush and smooth. Both sound amazing in this regard and I would be very happy to own either. Where I find the difference is that depending on the track you listen to, the larger sound stage offered by the W60 will change the presentation of the vocals. An analogy would be that the UM pro 50 always places the vocalist in the same spot, whilst the W60 gives them a stage to move around on. I find the W60 is more dynamic in this regard, however we should consider that by design the UM pros are meant to be more monitor like in presentation and thus flatter.
Treble
I am not much of a treble person. SE846's sharp presentation will fatigue me very soon. Thus I prefer that the treble on the both Westones are more laid back in comparison to the Shures.
When comparing the Westones, again I find that the UM pro 50, by design and testing, have a flatter treble presentation. Because of this the overall flat mids and trebles added to a slightly warm mid bass leads to an overall warm presentation. The trebles itself are excellent in clarity, extension and detail. Not shrill or fatiguing which is great for my tastes. The W60s again in this regard is more dynamic in presentation, relatively more forward presentation.
Overall
I find that the slight mid bass hump along with the flatter mids and trebles on the UM pro 50 leads people to feel that the UM pro 50 may be bloated. If you ask me, I believe its just how we all perceive this in our heads. Yes the overall presentation is warmer, but if you can isolate the mids and highs on the UM pro 50 when you try them, you will realize they are articulate, smooth, and very well presented. They just appear to take a back seat compared to the bass which is more up front this time around.
In comparison to the W60, the W60 presentation is more balanced across the range, not in the sense of a flatter sound signature, but because they are all presented to you together equally, more organically. I can understand where some comments pointing to UM pro 50 being too warm in presentation is coming from.
My take on these 2 iems are. If I had to a/b them, I would much prefer the W60 sound myself. The extra bass extension, impact, and overall presentation is my reasoning.
However, we should take into account that the W60s are almost twice the price (at least where I come from).
Are you willing to pay that extra ~425 usd for the sound signature, extra cable with mic, and interchangeable faceplates (bleh)?
If you ask me the UM pro 50 is an excellent iem for that price point, and I would say if you don't a/b both constantly you would be very satisfied with the purchase. It can handle anything you throw at it. With the money you save it goes a long way towards that portable dac/amp you've always wanted , or perhaps custom cables that would make them sound even better