Westone W-Series Earphones Preview

Westone announced the availability of the new W-Series. The W-Series 10, 20, 30 and 40 are the next generation of the W-Series that bring superior sound for music lovers and audiophiles. Combining a state-of-the-art design with performance for all levels of audio lovers, the new W-Series is designed to continue the award winning success and acclaim of the Westone lineup while adding improved audio performance and an enhanced design for improved comfort, fit and user customization with the inclusion of two cables and multiple faceplates for users choice of colors.

The W-Series features Westone's proprietary balanced armature drivers and advanced crossover designs. The W10 features their industry leading single armature driver that delivers outstanding performance and output. The W20/30/40 feature multiple balanced armature drivers and multistage crossover designs that yield sonic purity that is unrivaled in universal monitors at their respective price levels. The premier W40 offers a level of performance that is unequaled by competitors at any level.

The W-Series is supplied with their new replaceable EPIC cable for easy replacement or custom cable selection as well as an Apple MFi cable with 3-button controls and integrated microphone. The new connector is compatible with all the new Westone cables including the ADV active cable and the new UM Pro cable.

The EPIC replaceable cable is constructed of high-flex, ultra-low resistance tensile wire, reinforced with a special aramid fiber, and braided for ultimate durability, acoustic transparency, and isolation from mechanical cable noise. The new audiophile connector makes this cable solution conveniently user-removable, upgradeable and replaceable.

The W-Series features interchangeable faceplates (red, blue and black included), straight EPIC replaceable cable, replaceable MFi cable and MIC, Mini-Monitor Vault II weather resistant travel case, and our patented STAR and True-Fit Tips. With Westone True-Fit technology, Westone combines 50+ years experience with in-ear applications that has yielded a low-profile, lightweight, universal earpiece which delivers maximum comfort and in-ear coupling for dynamic music listening.

• W10: single balanced armature delivers extraordinary detail and clarity in a compact ergonomic package.
• W 20: a professional tool with a dual driver balanced armature design with passive crossover that has the range and performance for all music.
• W30: unmatched sound signature tuned by artists, the three-way crossover is matched to individual low, mid, and high frequency drivers to make the sound mix smooth and balanced across all frequencies.
• W40: The premier 4-driver system with 3-way crossover that yields the finest audio available today from any earphone.

W10 will be available October 15th, 2013 with a suggested MSRP of $199.99, W20 for $299.99, W30 for $399.99 and W40 for $499.99 through authorized dealers.

On Site Reactions

We took a close look at the Westone W-Series all-weather earphones on the show floor at CEDIA 2013. They looked be be very solidly built. The cable connection at the earphone was very small and proprietary but fit securely. The cable is completely shielded and sealed for maximum water resistance. These are very ruggedly constructed headphones and should be able to survive anything you throw at them. They utilize the traditional silicone and foam tips and have interchangeable faceplates. We particularly like how you can upgrade the number of drivers up to four. We weren't able to try them out (and we were one of the first ones at the booth) but we're hoping to get some in for review.

For more information, please visit www.westoneaudio.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.