Westone Westone 3 Review | 93 Data compared

The TechPowerUp review hails the Westone 3 as a pioneering three-way crossover in-ear monitor, praising its exceptional, expansive soundstage and articulate, punchy audio performance. Key advantages include high-level comfort during extended use, a durable, tangle-free braided cable, and a comprehensive accessory kit, making them a benchmark in high-end portable audio. Conversely, the review notes potential sibilance in the upper midrange with certain eartips, and highlights that while foam tips reduce this, they can slightly muffle high frequencies. Additionally, the right-angled audio jack presents compatibility issues with some devices, and the braided cable may unravel over time.

about buying these or a newer model, tell me: What audio source or player will you use to drive them?What genres of music do you listen to the most?Do you prefer a flat, neutral sound or a bassy, energetic signature? I can help you find the best matching earphone for your taste. Copy

The Stereophile review of the $399 Westone 3, a three-way, universal-fit in-ear monitor (IEM), highlights an exceptional, spacious, and pristine soundstage that provides excellent, non-fatiguing, and detailed imaging, along with impressive passive noise isolation. Weighing only 15 grams, the 30-ohm IEMs offer a full-bodied, audiophile-grade, and efficient audio experience designed for portable use. However, the review cites a prominent, unfixable, and unwanted midbass hump, which causes a mild resonance and obscures fine, low-frequency details. Despite these excellent,, and isolating IEMs performing well in portable environments, the significant, and unavoidable,,,, low-end bloom prevents the Westone 3 from achieving the neutral,, and fully,, accurate sound of top-tier, full-sized headphones.

The Head-Fi thread reviews the Westone 3 as a top-tier, all-rounder universal IEM featuring a full-bodied sound, clear highs, wide soundstage, and comfortable, lightweight build with a durable, low-noise cable. Key advantages include excellent noise isolation and a fun, engaging sound signature. However, the review notes a significant mid-bass hump that can, at times, result in a bloated sound that bleeds into the midrange. Additionally, the sound performance is highly dependent on achieving the correct seal, requiring specific ear tips to avoid a muddy sound or overly rolled-off treble.

Westone 3 True-Fit Review Summary The Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones ($399) are an ultrahigh-end, portable audio solution designed specifically for audio connoisseurs and audiophiles. Built with an unconventional, ultra-durable braided 50-inch cable and backed by an exceptionally large selection of eartips (including rubber, silicone, foam, and triple-flanged sets), these lightweight earbuds prioritize premium craftsmanship. Their defining feature is the inclusion of three balanced armatures inside each earpiece, which delivers a stellar, $400-tier audio performance. Across various music genres, the sound quality is incredibly deep, well-balanced, and clear, producing rich mid-ranges, encompassing bass, and shimmering vocals that pair beautifully with high-bitrate audio files. However, the earphones come with a few notable drawbacks, primarily regarding their physical design and steep price tag. Because each earbud must house three armatures, the earpieces are quite chunky, measuring over three-quarters of an inch across with a short attachment arm. This large size presents a fitting challenge for individuals with smaller ears. During testing, reviewers even had to swap the left and right earpieces to wear the cable hanging down rather than looped over the ear...

In a Head-Fi review comparing the Westone 3 (W3) in-ear monitors to reference studio gear, the reviewer, Lunatique, found the earphones significantly deviate from a neutral, balanced frequency response. The analysis highlights that the W3 features a heavily colored sound signature requiring significant equalization to achieve a more accurate, transparent audio profile. Performance-wise, the review notes the cons of an overly boosted, muddy bass and a recessed, "veiled" high-frequency response, while the pros include a lack of sibilance or harshness in the upper registers. Through detailed experimentation, the author improved the sound by EQing the 3–4 dB hump around 100Hz and boosting the 12kHz–14kHz range to enhance detail. Head-Fi.org

The TechPowerUp review of the Westone 3 earphones highlights their exceptional sound quality, characterized by punchy, articulate, and wide-ranging audio performance. These in-ear monitors offer an ergonomic, comfortable design and feature a high-quality wound cable that effectively minimizes microphonic noise. However, the review notes potential sibilance in the upper midrange with specific tips, requiring careful selection to avoid harsh sound. Additionally, the $400 price point and a right-angled jack that may require adapters for certain devices are cited as drawbacks.

The Ethereality News & Weblog review highlights the Westone 3 noise-canceling in-ear headphones, emphasizing a heavily colored audio profile. A major drawback is that they sound overly warm, featuring a rolled-off treble and hyped-up bass that obscures crucial musical details. This coloring of the sound eliminates the articulate snap of double basses, the sharp sizzle of cymbals, the blast of brass instruments, and the high harmonics of string sections. Because of this, the reviewer finds them unsuited for genres requiring high clarity in the frequency extremes. On the positive side, the headphones can be successfully equalized to achieve a neutral sound profile, satisfying the reviewer's preference for uncolored audio reproduction. However, implementing this correction introduces a secondary con, as the equalization process drains the connected MP3 player's battery significantly faster. Financially, the headphones present a strong value proposition depending on the market; while they carry a standard retail price of $399 USD, the reviewer secured them for a discounted price of $291 USD through an authorized dealer located in China.

The Westone 3 in-ear earphones ($400 MSRP) feature a unique three-way driver design that dedicates separate drivers to low, midrange, and high frequencies. A major benefit of this setup is its highly generous accessory package, which includes 11 different ear tips (highlighted by excellent Comply foam tips), a cleaning tool, a volume attenuating cable, and various adapters. In terms of physical design, the earphones score points for being lightweight, comfortable, and flush-fitting, nestling smoothly into the outer ear to provide excellent passive noise isolation comparable to premium competitors like the Shure SE530. Furthermore, because they are priced $100 lower than Shure's flagship model, they deliver high-end audio performance without the top-tier price premium. However, the Westone 3 has several distinct drawbacks, most notably its bass-heavy and warm sound signature. The earphone heavily accentuates the bass and mid-bass frequencies, meaning listeners are drawn to the low end before they can focus on the mid and high details. While the triple-driver setup ensures that treble and midrange details are not completely washed out, it lacks the tight, crisp detail and superior treble...

Review Summary The Westone 3 In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) feature a three-driver, three-way crossover system that delivers exceptional clarity, precise instrument placement, and an impressive ability to capture acoustic reverb. Their highly flexible cable eliminates microphonics, making them incredibly convenient for commuting. While the soundstage is not vast compared to open earbuds, it is quite large and well-defined for an IEM. Furthermore, the included stock triflange tips and long Comply foam tips provide a great seal that smoothens the treble and prevents painful sibilance. However, the Westone 3 suffers from noticeable physical and acoustic quirks. The unusually short internal nozzle makes it highly tip-dependent, causing severe isolation loss, comfort issues, or vocal harshness with many third-party tips like Shure Olives. Tonal balance is another major flaw; the mid-upper bass is overly boosted and bloated, creating a persistent "layer of butter" resonance that can oversaturate certain tracks. This heavy bass emphasizes an upper-midrange recession, resulting in distant, laid-back vocals that lack the lifelike excitement sought after by vocal enthusiasts.