Westone

Westone UM2

Specs.
Two balanced armature drivers with a passive crossover.
Frequency range: 20Hz 18KHz
Impedance: 27Ohm
Sensitivity: 119dB/mW
Colour: Black or Transparent
RRP: $279 ($299 for model with detachable cable)

Build quality and accessories.
Great build quality and attention to detail. The housing itself is made of plastic, a very high quality plastic I may add. The cable is 130cm, with a 90 degree jack. The cable is braided, very light with a plasticky feeling, it is one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM. Excellent work Westone!
The included accessories are, different sized comply foam sleeves, a cleaning tool and a semi-hard zippered case. Not too generous, but still everything one will need for normal use.

Comfort and fit.
The UM2s are quite large but still light and very comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good, the cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
The UM2s are dual balanced armature IEMs, and do not really need time to burn in.
They have a very good sound, lets get that said straight away. The sound signature is warmish, with good detail and they are very musical. The low end is tight and controlled, mids are smooth and a little forward, highs are natural and detailed, soundstage is about average with a very good instrument separation.
As said, the UM2s are very musical and really make the music come alive, my test tracks instantly had the wow! factor when I listened to them. The UM2s have a presense and presentation that is only outdone by their bigger brother, the UM-3X.

To sum up.
The good: very good and musical sound, thumbs up for build quality and design, the cable not only looks gorgeous but is also one of the best on the market, comfort is very good as well.
The bad: price, few accessories.

Verdict: One of the absolutely best IEMs I have ever heard. Highly recommended!!



UM-3X top, UM2 bottom.

Westone UM-3X

Specs.
Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover.
Frequency range: 20Hz 18KHz
Impedance: 56Ohm
Sensitivity: 124dB/mW
Colour: Black/Transparent
RRP: $379 ($399 for model with detachable cable)

Build quality and accessories.
Great build quality and attention to detail. The housing itself is made of plastic, a very high quality plastic I may add. The cable is 130cm, with a 90 degree jack. The cable is braided, very light with a plasticky feeling, it is one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM. Excellent work Westone!
The included accessories are, different sized comply foam sleeves and a semi-hard zippered case. Quite sparsely equipped, but still all you will need to use them.

Comfort and fit.
The UM-3Xs are quite large but still light and very comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good, the cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
The UM-3Xs are triple balanced armature IEMs, and do not really need time to burn in, we can go straight to the heart of the matter, the sound.
You know the feeling you have when you for the very first time drive a premium sports car? The real sensation and feeling of occasion as you pull away and listen to the mechanical music of the engine and lose yourself in the sheer pleasure of being one with the machine. The UM-3Xs provide that very same feeling as you insert them into your ears, plug them to your player and press play.
The UM-3Xs reproduce every pluck of the guitar, every breath of the the singer and every reverb of the drums, the detail is superb across the entire frequency range.
The low end is very tight and controlled and plentiful, mids are like honey, detailed, slightly forward and very accurate, highs are natural and detailed without ever being shrill or sibilant, soundstage is about average, or maybe a little less than average in size, but compensates with brilliant instrument separation and excellent imaging.
Thanks to the very balanced sound and high level of detail across the entire frequency range, I could hear details in the low end that I had never noticed before. Being so balanced and detailed they could come across as cold or boring, but not so, my test tracks, and any other music I tried them with sounds lush and very atmospheric, with a very musical and warm tone.
These are the best IEMs I have ever heard!

To sum up.
The good: detailed, natural and absolutely fabulous sound, great build quality and design, the cable is not only gorgeous looking but also one of the best there is, comfort is very good as well.
The bad: price, few accessories.

Verdict: Absolutely! My personal favourite and the best IEM I have ever heard.


UM-3X top, UM2 bottom.

Westone UM Pro 50

Specs.
Five balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover.
Frequency range: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 45 Ohm
Sensitivity: 115 dB/mW
Colour: Black/Transparent
RRP: $649.99



Build quality and accessories.
As usual with Westone, the build quality and attention to detail is excellent. The housing itself is made of transparent plastic, so all the innards are on display for the tech geeks like myself. The detachable cable is 130cm, with a 90 degree jack. The cable is the usual Westone braided one, or the so called Epic cable, one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM.
The included accessories are, nine pairs of different sized foam and silicone sleeves, a cleaning tool and a hard case. Everything you will need to use them, and the case, or monitor vault as Westone calls it, is a really nice touch.

Comfort and fit.
Considering what's inside the UM Pro 50s, they are bound to be are quite big, but thanks to being quite light and most of all thanks to the rounded shape they are very comfortable to use even for long listening sessions. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. which means there is no microphonic noise from the cable, and the isolation from ambient noise is as impressive as ever when it comes to Westone IEMs.



Sound quality.
The UM Pro 50s have a natural and warm, yet detailed sound signature, with a rather small and intimate sound stage. The bass is quite strong and very well defined without ever becoming boomy, the mids are warm and lush and the highs are crisp without ever becoming sibilant or piercing.
The way they portray the music is as it is all “in your head”, as you would want to hear it when you are on stage, but having said this, the instrument separation and imaging of the sound is top drawer stuff.

The UM Pro 50s are what I call a “grower” meaning that they do not necessarily blow you away on the first listen, but once you have adjusted to their sound, they are class leading when it comes to musicality and portrayal of the music.

They make any music stand out and can deliver a musical experience like very few IEMs can, but to really make them sparkle, try some acoustic or folk music, Seasick Steve has never sounded better than this.



To sum up.
The good: the overall sound is impeccable, great build quality and design, the cable is not only gorgeous looking but also one of the best there is, comfort is very good as well.
The bad: the sound stage could be bigger, but then again it has been made small for a purpose



Verdict: The UM Pro 50 is extremely capable, If you are a professional in audio or like a pro sound, this is the IEM to get.
Highly recommended!

Westone 2

Specs.
Two balanced armature drivers with a passive crossover.
Frequency range: 20Hz 18KHz
Impedance: 33Ohm
Sensitivity: 117dB/mW
Colour: Black
RRP: $249


Build quality and accessories.
The build quality is very good. The housing itself is made of high quality plastic. The cable is the usual Westone cable, i.e. 130cm long with a 90 degree jack. The cable is braided and very light with a slight plasticky feeling, it is one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM. Again, excellent work Westone!
The included accessories are, ten pairs of different size sleeves (foam and silicone), a semi-hard zippered case, a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter and a inline volume control. Everything you could possibly need, except for a cleaning tool.

Comfort and fit.
The UM2s are about average size and very light, the comfort is top notch too. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is good, the cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
Being dual balanced armature IEMs, the 2s do not really need time to burn in to sound their best.
The sound signature is powerful and warm, with good detail and great musicality. The low end is tight and controlled (quality over quantity), mids are smooth and a little in the background, highs are natural and detailed, soundstage is huge with very good instrument separation.
The 2s sound like the UM2s, only with more power and a larger soundstage, as they are tuned for a more consumer oriented fun sound. Their powerful and detail is really nice, and it makes my test tracks sound very airy, with a great punch and lovely musicality. The Westone 2s are among the best IEMs I have heard.



To sum up.
The good: very good and powerfully musical sound, build quality and design, the cable, comfort.
The bad: price.

Verdict: One of the absolutely best IEMs I have heard. Highly recommended!


W2 in blue and W3 in red.

Westone 3

Specs.
Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover.
Frequency range: 20Hz 18KHz
Impedance: 30Ohm
Sensitivity: 107dB/mW
Colour: Black
RRP: $399


Build quality and accessories.
The build quality is very good. The housing itself is made of high quality plastic. The cable is the usual Westone cable, i.e. 130cm long with a 90 degree jack. The cable is braided and very light with a slight plasticky feeling, it is one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM. Again, excellent work Westone!
The included accessories are, ten pairs of different size sleeves (foam and silicone), a semi-hard zippered case, a cleaning tool, a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter and a inline volume control. Everything needed and some more.

Comfort and fit.
The 3s are quite large but still light and very comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is very good, and the cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
As triple balanced armature IEMs the 3s dont really need any time to burn in to sound their best.
To remind you all of what I had to say about the UM-3Xs when I reviewed them a few months ago:
You know the feeling you have when you for the very first time drive a premium sports car? The real sensation and feeling of occasion as you pull away and listen to the mechanical music of the engine and lose yourself in the sheer pleasure of being one with the machine. The UM-3Xs provide that very same feeling as you insert them into your ears, plug them to your player and press play.
This description is as accurate for the 3s as it is for the UM-3X.

The 3s are as detailed and refined as the UM-3Xs, but where the latter were tuned for a neutral sound, the 3s are tuned for a more fun sound (a slight emphasis on bass and treble, loudness). The bass is more prominent and really kicks hard when needed, the mids are slightly in the background but very smooth and detailed, while the highs are slightly more forward and very clear and expansive. The soundstage is huge (second largest out of the IEMs I have heard) and very nicely layered with ecxellent instrument separation.
The 3s offer the same superb detail as the UM-3Xs throughout most of the frequency range, bass being more prominent on the 3s it is also slightly overpowering some detail.
To say that my test tracks sound very good is a huge understatement, the powerful and detailed sound is very addictive and pleasing to the ears. The large soundstage also helps to get surrounded by the music and drawn into it completely. These are great!



To sum up.
The good: detailed, powerful and superb sound, great build quality and design, the excellent Westone cable, comfort and isolation.
The bad: price.


W2 in blue and W3 in red.


Verdict: Most definitely! A shared first place in my top three list.

Westone 4R

Specs.
Four balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover.
Frequency range: 10Hz 18KHz
Impedance: 31Ohm
Sensitivity: 118dB/mW
Colour: Black
RRP: 445


Build quality and accessories.
The build quality is very good. The housing is made of high quality plastic. The cable is the usual Westone cable, i.e. braided, 130cm long with a 90 degree jack, and it is user replaceable. It is one of the absolutely best cables I have seen on an IEM.
The included accessories are, nine pairs of different size sleeves (three foam sleeves and six silicone sleeves, in long and short versions as well as a triple flanged silicone sleeve), a very nice hard case, a cleaning tool, a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter and an inline volume control. A special mention for the long silicone sleeves, they are the best ones I have used both for comfort and isolation.



Comfort and fit.
The 4s are large but still light and very comfortable. They are to be worn with the cable running over the ear. Isolation from ambient noise is very good, and the cable does not suffer from any microphonic noise.



Sound quality.
The Westone 4 was the first universal IEM to have a quad BA setup, in a three way configuration. There are two armatures for the low frequencies and one each for mids and highs, pretty impressive on paper.

The 4s are very detailed and refined, and very neutral sounding, yet they offer a full sound with great timbre and expansive highs.
The bass is very fast and high quality and really rumbles when needed, it is also exceptionally detailed, the mids are very smooth and detailed, and the highs are slightly forward with great clarity and impressive detail. The soundstage is huge and very nicely layered with excellent instrument separation. This is probably the strongest point of the 4s, the incredible soundstage and the imaging, every instrument can be pinpointed when listening, impressive!

A few words of warning though, the highs can become sibilant or piercing on poorly recorded/converted music, so if your music collection is in low quality the W4s may not be your best choice.

My test tracks sound excellent, the powerful and detailed sound and as already said, the impressive imaging and soundstage makes the music come alive and really surround you. Very addictive and really awarding to your ears.
The Westone 4 do not only sound good on paper, with their four BA and three way configuration, they sound very good with music too!



To sum up.
The good: the excellent sound with its power and grace combination, great build quality and design, the excellent detachable cable, comfort and isolation, excellent sleeves.
The bad: not cheap, may be sibilant.



Verdict: Absolutely! One of the very best universal IEMs on the market.

Zagg

Zagg Z.buds

Specs.
Earphone:
Single dynamic driver, 10 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz 20 KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 94 dB/mW
Mic:
Microphone with noise canceling condenser
Frequency range: 30 Hz 16 KHz
Impedance: 10 Ohm
Sensitivity: 42 dB/mW

Price: With mic $79.99, without mic $69.99
Colours: Black, red, yellow or pink cable, with black housing

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is on top. The housing is made of metal, the cable is cloth/nylon covered and measures 140cm/54in, and it has a 90 degree jack at the end. The cable splitter is located in the middle of the cable, leaving a very long split section with three adjustable sliders. The included accessories are, four pairs of different sized silicone sleeves (S, M, L and triple flanges), two pairs of different sized foam sleeves (S and M), and a pouch. A very generous amount of sleeves, excellent work Zagg.
The mic version is compatible with iPhone music and call control, this means that the jack has a three channel setup instead of two, which may confuse some players. Tip, if you intend to use the Z.buds with a non-phone player, then go for the non-mic version.

Comfort and fit.
The Z.buds are about average size but still very light, they are also very comfortable thanks to the many different sleeves provided. They can be worn both with the cable running over the ear as well as straight down, and in a new revolutionary and patent pending way called Hangin tight (see picture).

Isolation is good with silicone sleeves and even better with foam sleeves. There are microphonic noises from the cloth cable, but by hangin them tight the noise disappeares completely.

Sound quality.
Being a dynamic IEM the Z.buds require time to settle (burn in) to sound their best. Once settled they offer a very powerful and dynamic sound, one way of describing them would be as having two fullsize loudspeakers tied to your ears. The bass, this is what Z.buds are all about, is tight, punchy and deep, still it does not interfere with the rest of the soundspectrum. The mids and highs are slightly in the background yet fully audible and most of all they are smooth as honey, and the soundstage is pleasingly wide. The level of detail is good, but the Z.buds are more aimed at fun than critical listening. By applying a little EQ and DSP to boost the higher frequencies the Z.buds really make your music come alive. My favourite tracks, and any other music I have tried them with sound very involving, the sheer bass energy is hugely addictive, and the overall sound is extremely involving and fun. In my opinion they would fit like a glove to be used at the gym or while sporting.

To sum up.
The good: very powerful and overall good sound, build quality, design, mic version for headset use and iPhone control, very good sleeves selection grants excellent comfort and fit.
The bad: they may require EQing to really sound their best in the mid and upper soundspectrum, some players have problems with the three channel jack on the mic version.

Verdict: for the price they offer very good sound and a real energy kick for your music. Excellent comfort and fit, much thanks to the Hangin tight concept, which also makes sure they stay put.
I would highly recommend them as your activity IEMs, be it with or without mic, or just as a really good headset for your iPhone.

Zagg ZR-SIX

First of all a big thank you to Nate at Zagg for making this review possible.



Specs.
Dynamic driver, 11 mm
Frequency range: 20 Hz 20 KHz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
Price: $59.99

Build quality and accessories.
Build quality is very good. The housing is made of metal and the 120 cm long flat cable, with its 90 degree jack has a nice feeling to it. There is a microphone and call/music management button on the left hand side of the cable. The included accessories are; three pairs of silicone sleeves (s, m, l), and a very nice hard case.



Comfort and fit.
The SIXs are quite small and about average weight. Comfort is excellent thanks to the small size and the isolation is very good for a dynamic IEM. They can be worn with the cable up or down, and the flat cable is excellent at eliminating all microphonic noise.

Sound quality.
What separates the Zagg ZR-SIX from other IEMs is that they have something called acoustic reflection, the driver reflects sound from an acoustic panel, and magnifying the sound waves by doing so.



The SIXs dont really change with burn in they offer a very powerful but quite neutral sound. The bass is punchy and deep, the mids are smooth and warm, and the highs are crisp and detailed without being sibilant. The soundstage is big with very good imaging and instrument separation.
The strong low-end colours the mids, especially on poor source material, but keeping to lossless formats reduces the colouring and really brings out the strong basslines.

My test tracks sound marvellous, dynamic and with a great bass reproduction and overall lush sound. The Zagg ZR-SIXs are definitely one of the better headsets on the market, and at the asking price they are a real bargain.



To sum up.
The good: very nice sound, great build quality, great cable, microphone and call/music managing.
The bad: can be too bassy for some users, requires good source material.

Verdict: For the asking price and as far as headsets go, the ZR-SIXs are great. Highly recommended!