Westone UMPro50 Stage Monitor

[Spyro]

Is there REALLY 2 treble drivers in this IEM?  Maybe they forgot one?   No, just kidding but I am just coming off the W50 to the Pro50 series stage monitor and both share the distinct feature of being quite warm.  Let me say up front that I enjoy the Pro50 quite a bit more.  While the bass is still big and full and deep... the Pro50 bass seems to have more control and finesse.  If you like your bass you will love it!  It is weighty and thick but never lethargic.  Exceptional decay and realistic sounding with drums.  As one could imagine "realism" is VERY important as a very high end stage monitor and I know Westone takes great pride in the UM-series stuff as that is where they got started with IEM's. Going waay back to the UM2, some even preferred it to SE530 which came out years later.   I always thought when UM3X came out in 2008 it was very far ahead of it's time on what it could do.  Finesse is the word that keeps coming to mind.  Just a real effortless way of portraying all of it's capabilities with exceptional smoothness.
 
Compared to W50, Pro50 is probably more similar than different but as said above, the bass is more in control.  In addition, the midrange is nudged a little more forward and is heavenly LUSH sounding.  My "test" recording for this is Diana Krall, Live in Paris "Case of You" song.  Even though Pro 50 is warm, every smidgen of detail still comes through and the overall heaviness makes it REALLY engaging.  With W50 the bass just seemed to dominate everything.  [W50 is a bad offering by Westone in my opinion and I expect it to get dropped.  I might actually take the old W3 over the W50 straight up.]
 
Much like the W50, the Pro50 doesn't seem to benefit at all from any amplification.  I tried it with 2 different amps and SPL and clarity and depth all seems the same.  For comparison purposes, I usually find about a 10% improvement through amping which is significant (to me) on very high end audio.  Is the treble rolled off?  I honestly couldn't tell you. I don't vow to have golden ears and my technical know-how isn't extensive enough.   There ARE 2 treble drivers in this IEM.  Many associate "great treble" with a brighter sounding presentation.  Although Pro50 is warm, I notice as I play various tracks, the resolution and detail still seems to all be there. It's just....warmer.   Those of you that have had W4 know what I mean.  This is similar in that regard.
 
Compared to UM3X/Pro30, yes I think it is an improvement.  It is NOT as claustrophobic.  This is probably the single biggest thing.  Then, as bassy as Pro30 was, the Pro50 doesn't add anymore punch but has a more underlying fullness and is much better at lower volume listening.  To me the Pro30 instrument separation sounded a tad "boxy"....everything sort of compartmentalized in it's own area from the overall soundstage.  With Pro50 the separation seems to flow more seamlessly which makes it sound more musical. 
 
The Pro50's come with medium star tips.  I plugged them right in....then tried various other tips (foam and silicone) and I ended right back with the supplied star tips.  Say what you want but those were a sensational patent discovery by Westone.  They even make their competition's IEM's sound better!
 
I will say the Westone Pro50 is closer sounding to the SE846 than the W60 is.  I will also say I prefer the sound of the Pro50 over SE846.  A tad less brighter but quite a bit smoother sounding.  The ergonomics of Pro50 set-up are off the charts.  It is THE best cable design in the industry.  The UM-series has a rubber sheathing that extends 2-3" from the housing of the IEM up over the ears.  It might be more comfortable than my custom JH5 which are more inclusive since the entice housing engulfs the entire ear cavity.  Anyway, Pro50 "fit" kills the SE846 "fit".  No question.
 
Previous to W50, I had the IE800 for about 4 weeks.  Absolutely loved it!  The clarity, the resolution and imaging, the sub bass.  Music sounded so crisp and alive.........but with Pro50, when I really crank up a song and "feel" that lushness of the lower midrange along with the exquisite vocals and 110% ZERO fatigue at ANY volume.....I realized what I was missing.  If I were going away for 3 weeks on a trip, the Pro50's would be in my bag first.  Pro50's are like that old favorite pair of blue jeans where you feel you can just never go wrong.
 
In conclusion, I am happy with Pro50 despite how warm it is.  Take the fact away that  it is warm and it will run circles around almost all IEM's under its pricepoint.  It has great FINESSE!.
 
W60 is still king.  I would love to have them both back to back.  From memory, W60 had less bass but was a bit more transparent and resolving. For a tradeoff, the  Pro50 is a bit more fun and SLAMMIN but still shares many of the great W60 traits, just to a lesser extent.

 

[twister6]

The next step, try replacement cables.  Eventually I'm going to get silver cable which supposed to brighten the sound (but have to verify with my own ears).  In a meantime, I got Linum BAX cable - and it takes Pro 50 to the whole new level.  Not brighter, but higher resolution with better retrieval of details.  As you mentioned, Pro 50 has great FINESSE.  Now imagine a faint layer of veil taken off that to take this finesse to the next level.  That's exactly what you are going to hear with Linum BAX.  And also a wider and more airy sound.
 

 

[Spyro]

I received a few PM's since this post and want to clarify a few things.
 

1. While it is still all about preference, I, too agree that W60 is still "king" of all universals....at least in the Westone line.  To repeat myself, W60 has a bit better treble and transparency....and the bass should be enough and adequate for most,  even moderate bass heads but the overall signature is a "bassy neutral" ......the Pro 50 has a more muscular bass that slams harder and is a more engaging and a  more emotional experience on YOUR FAVORITE TRACKS.   Other than that,  Pro50 doesn't offer anything better.
2. IMHO W60 DOES need an amp to get the 100% best out of it.  So if you own an amp, how do you NOT use it?  You'd be throwing money away.  If you choose to go ampless, I would argue Pro50 may be the better choice.
3. The fact that Pro50 does NOT need an amp REALLY makes thing much more simple and easy.  Remember...it's about portability and not having to use an amp without sacrificing ANYTHING in sound (at this high end of audio) is HUGE! I'm babbling but Pro50 NOT needing an amp is a significant advantage over W60.

 
 
It takes a good 30 min for ears to adjust to a different sound.  From Friday afternoon until Saturday night is a big difference in treble from my listening experience.  I now find the treble very pleasing and satisfying.   I knew those two (treble) drivers in there had to be doing something???  No driver or cable burn-in.....I more  attribute it to brain/ear burn in. 
 
Not ripping on Shure or trying to ruffle feathers but IMHO Pro50 is superior to SE846 for several reasons.  Serious buyers can PM me for me to explain my specific reasons so I don't clutter this thread. Thx

 

[Spyro]

Much like I remember with UM3X/Pro30,    Pro 50 has perhaps the best tonality and note decay among any  BA IEM I have used.  I simply cant describe it.  You just have to hear it.  I suppose "realism" is the best terminology.  Not even sure W60 does it as well.

 

[Spyro]

Spent a bunch more time with amps being dumbfounded by no real difference in sound.
 
With the Ibasso T3 analog, that feeling still remains.
 
The Topping NX1 reigns in the heavy and thickness a little bit.  I think the overall detail sounds a little more dialed in and transparent as well.  Not huge but there is a difference.  It makes the Pro 50 less muscular and brings it a bit closer to the W60 sound.  A pleasant catch.  I will continue to use it this way.  (Player is Ipod Classic)

 

[twister6]

  Spent a bunch more time with amps being dumbfounded by no real difference in sound.
 
With the Ibasso T3 analog, that feeling still remains.
 
The Topping NX1 reigns in the heavy and thickness a little bit.  I think the overall detail sounds a little more dialed in and transparent as well.  Not huge but there is a difference.  It makes the Pro 50 less muscular and brings it a bit closer to the W60 sound.  A pleasant catch.  I will continue to use it this way.  (Player is Ipod Classic)

 
For some reason I never tried Pro50 with any of the amps, always driving from N6 or X5.  Gotta try it with either FiiO E12A or Cayin C5.  Not a big fan of NX1, it has an awful ESD where anywhere in close proximity of smartphone it becomes very noisy.  But the battery life is insane.

 

[Spyro]

I could be done for a loooooooooong time.

A couple years back I purchased UM56 tips for use with W4 and W3. The fit was perfect but for whatever reason they just did not sound better that the other tips I was using. They have been tucked away especially with star tips becoming so usable and popular. With Pro50, the UM56 provide more articulation, even tighter bass and improved clarity. Pretty shocking considerng i did not like how the UM56,sounded with W3 or W4. Anyway, This bass now rivals the JH16 i had. Its the best bass i have heard when you combine all aspects of thump, weight, decay, speed and fullness. It is soo big but soo polite. It knows it's role on every track. Lovin it.

 

[Spyro]

I could be done for a loooooooooong time.

A couple years back I purchased UM56 tips for use with W4 and W3. The fit was perfect but for whatever reason they just did not sound better that the other tips I was using. They have been tucked away especially with star tips becoming so usable and popular. With Pro50, the UM56 provide more articulation, even tighter bass and improved clarity. Pretty shocking considerng i did not like how the UM56,sounded with W3 or W4. Anyway, This bass now rivals the JH16 i had. Its the best bass i have heard when you combine all aspects of thump, weight, decay, speed and fullness. It is soo big but soo polite. It knows it's role on every track. Lovin it.

Not sure why but the UM56 still have a tendency to shrink the soundstage with my Pro50's.  It also pushes the midrange more forward.  {absolute hilarious wondering how UM56 would affect SE846 given the already overly forward midrange.}
 
In retrospect, the Westone "STAR" tips are the best audio invention in the last 5 years.  Glad to hear they patented the design.  It's the equivalent to a comply foam fit but without treble roll-off.   The Westone "STAR" tips  even make Westone's competitor's IEM's sound better.  Talk about confidence in a product.......

 

[Pepperminded]

 

 
(...)
 
It takes a good 30 min for ears to adjust to a different sound.  From Friday afternoon until Saturday night is a big difference in treble from my listening experience.  I now find the treble very pleasing and satisfying.   I knew those two (treble) drivers in there had to be doing something???  No driver or cable burn-in.....I more  attribute it to brain/ear burn in.

 
I've owned the UM Pro 50 for over a month and a half now (after having ploughed through countless reviews and opinions on the head-fi forums to defend my purchase) and would like to start by saying that I'm overly satisfied with my pair, but also mainly because I’m overly satisfied with the configuration of my EQ. My setups are probably as basic as they can get with Foobar2000 on my laptop and simply a S3 for portable usage. However, in both instances I do have my EQ configured resulting in a superb listening experience, whereby options are more limited on my S3 causing an almost unnoticeable difference when outdoors (when comparing the two in quiet environments I would prefer plugging into my laptop).
 
I have not tried to listen to my Pro50's with my EQ disabled for two reasons: 1) I didn't think I would be able to get used to the mid-range frequencies that are presented in such a forward manner it brings intimacy to a whole different level; 2) I was afraid I would be able to get used to the mid-range frequencies in which case I would not know anymore how the music I'm listening to was intended to sound like.
 
Because of this feature I can see the UM Pro 50's being a stage monitor where every detail can be picked up without sounding too analytical. But especially in a quiet setting I feel I have to resort to the EQ to make my music sound 'normal' again, or not to underrate these top-notch earphones, 'amazing' in the most fulfilling sense of the word!
 
Did you have a similar experience with the UM Pro 50 and why didn't you (or did you) decide to use the EQ? Are there any (other) settings you tweaked to alter the way the UM Pro 50 sounds out of the box?
 
And I'm aware that a DAC or other hardware upgrade, such as cable (although I do much like the comfort of the stock EPIC cable), can make a difference, yet would this difference be enough to negate the use of an EQ if one is used to having one enabled?
 
I prefer to spare my ears and brain a burn-in period, I'm quite satisfied the way they function already

 

[Spyro]

   
I've owned the UM Pro 50 for over a month and a half now (after having ploughed through countless reviews and opinions on the head-fi forums to defend my purchase) and would like to start by saying that I'm overly satisfied with my pair, but also mainly because I’m overly satisfied with the configuration of my EQ. My setups are probably as basic as they can get with Foobar2000 on my laptop and simply a S3 for portable usage. However, in both instances I do have my EQ configured resulting in a superb listening experience, whereby options are more limited on my S3 causing an almost unnoticeable difference when outdoors (when comparing the two in quiet environments I would prefer plugging into my laptop).
 
I have not tried to listen to my Pro50's with my EQ disabled for two reasons: 1) I didn't think I would be able to get used to the mid-range frequencies that are presented in such a forward manner it brings intimacy to a whole different level; 2) I was afraid I would be able to get used to the mid-range frequencies in which case I would not know anymore how the music I'm listening to was intended to sound like.
 
Because of this feature I can see the UM Pro 50's being a stage monitor where every detail can be picked up without sounding too analytical. But especially in a quiet setting I feel I have to resort to the EQ to make my music sound 'normal' again, or not to underrate these top-notch earphones, 'amazing' in the most fulfilling sense of the word!
 
Did you have a similar experience with the UM Pro 50 and why didn't you (or did you) decide to use the EQ? Are there any (other) settings you tweaked to alter the way the UM Pro 50 sounds out of the box?
 
And I'm aware that a DAC or other hardware upgrade, such as cable (although I do much like the comfort of the stock EPIC cable), can make a difference, yet would this difference be enough to negate the use of an EQ if one is used to having one enabled?
 
I prefer to spare my ears and brain a burn-in period, I'm quite satisfied the way they function already

I've used EQ my whole life.  Every single one of my IEM's no matter how high end or the cost, I've used EQ.    Going back to my Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer and Scott receivers I have owned......they all had bass and treble knobs so I know we are suppose to adjust the bass and treble to our liking.  Can't see it any other way. Pro50 is a rockstar IEM (no pun intended).  I wish I could have W60 back and compare them side by side.  {with W60 I just slightly boosted treble and bass VERSUS just a larger treble boost with Pro50).    I am starting to think Pro50 (for my tastes) may be the better sounding IEM.

 

[vnmslsrbms]

It makes sense to EQ these phones.  A pro musician on stage requires a very different tuning compared to people listening in the office or walking around outside on the street.  

 

[Boringz]

What's the driver configuration on the UMPRO50? I know there are 2 high freq drivers.... 2 mids and 1 bass?

 

[chupacabra314]

I could be done for a loooooooooong time.

A couple years back I purchased UM56 tips for use with W4 and W3. The fit was perfect but for whatever reason they just did not sound better that the other tips I was using. They have been tucked away especially with star tips becoming so usable and popular. With Pro50, the UM56 provide more articulation, even tighter bass and improved clarity. Pretty shocking considerng i did not like how the UM56,sounded with W3 or W4. Anyway, This bass now rivals the JH16 i had. Its the best bass i have heard when you combine all aspects of thump, weight, decay, speed and fullness. It is soo big but soo polite. It knows it's role on every track. Lovin it.

Just ordered the UM50. Can't wait

Could you compare their sound with the JH16's?

 

[Spyro]

The JH16 has a larger soundstage and it more open sounding and the treble extends a little bit farther.
 
Other than that I have them pretty even is all other areas.  Both similar in that they have BIG, full sound but very smooth....never harsh.

 

[chupacabra314]

Spent today A/B-ing the UM50 and the W30 and...I don't know what to say...
 
Some of you might be reaching for your pitchforks right now but I found the sound of the W30 much more refined. The detail is there but I felt I was missing some parts of the spectrum.
I understand they are meant for different use scenarios but still I expected much more from an IEM that is more than twice the price of the W30.
 
It's true the UM50 have slightly more subbass but seems like way more midbass too. If I eq down the 125Hz on the UM50 it actually becomes pretty decent but again - nasty surprise for a $700 totl iem. Another aspect I really disliked was a serious dip in the 4-4.5kHz range. Moving up the highs in the UM50 are a bit more laid back but a bit less peaky than the W30 and extending slighly further.
 
Overall the sound sig reminded me a lot of the Fidue A83 which I didn't love at all so...yeah I'll stick to the W30 for now.