The Westone Mach 50 and the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II are both multi-driver balanced armature IEMs. The Mach 50 uses five BA drivers per side, while the Orchestra II uses ten.
The driver count is not the only major difference between them. They are also very different in size. While the Mach 50 is exceptionally compact for a modern IEM, the Orchestra II sits at the other end of the spectrum and is unusually large. That said, I find both to be very comfortable once properly seated in the ear.
The Orchestra II launched in late 2025 and is one of my favorite earphones in the 300 to 500 USD price range, with exquisite technicalities and a wonderful tuning. It has become my primary benchmark and retails at 349 USD. You’ll find my Orchestra II related reviews here.
The Mach 50 launched alongside the complete Mach series in 2022 and has been around considerably longer. It carries a list price of over 800 USD but can sometimes be found for half that, which makes it somewhat difficult to judge the value. For current price and availability, you might want to check Amazon: Mach 50 – it’s 399 USD at the time of writing.
WESTONE MACH 50 SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: compact in-ear monitor
- Drivers: 8 balanced armature drivers with 3-way crossover
- Driver configuration: 1 bass, 2 mids, 2 highs
- Impedance: 32 Ohms @1kHz
- Sensitivity: 110dB @1kHz
- Freq Response: 8Hz – 20kHz
- Cable length 127cm / 50 inches
- Cable name: Linum® Estron SUPERBaX™
- Cable connectors: T2 type
- Cable termination: 3.5mm jack
- Nozzles: 3 mm (Shure compatible)
- Tips: 5 Pair Foam + 5 Pair Silicone
- Accessories: Pelican Case, Cloth pouch, Cable band, Cleaning tool
Current price and availability:
- Amazon: MACH 50
KIWI EARS ORCHESTRA II SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Configuration: 10 Custom Balanced Armatures
- 4 x Way Crossover
- Sensitivity: 109dB SPL/mW
- Impedance: 19 Ohms
- Frequency Range
- 20Hz-20KHz
- Cable Connectors: 0.78mm 2 pin
- Cable Length: 122 cm
- Cable Material: single crystal copper, silver-plated (SP-OCC)
- Cable termination: 3.5mm / 4.4mm jacks, interchangeable system
- Tips: 3 x 3 pairs
- Accessories: Carry/storage case
Current price and availability:
- Linsoul: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
- Amazon: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
LISTENING COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
- Tips Orchestra II: SpinFit CP145
- Tips Mach 50: Azla Crystal
Teardrop by Massive Attack
The Mach 50 is very good, slightly laid-back and smooth. The Orchestra II is not too different, but punchier and more articulate, especially noticeable with percussion.
The Hidden Camera by Photek
The two share quite similar tonality, which is a very positive thing. Both are tuned to my preferences, and both are excellent, but the Orchestra II again feels technically better, with snappier transients and a blacker background.
Eye of the Day by Marta del Grandi
This beautiful female vocal performance sounds wonderful on both. They are, however, a bit more different here than with the previous tracks. The Orchestra II is again technically superior, the timbre of the vocals is even sweeter through the Mach 50.
Caravan by Jesca Hoop
Again, the Mach 50 has great timbre on the vocals and is excellent all round. The Orchestra II sounds brighter here, with vocals that are not as sweet and lush, coming across thinner and sharper. The Orchestra II is still great, but the Mach 50 has some extra magic going on in the mids.
Sandermosen by Maridalen
Both are great and not too different from each other. The Mach 50 is a bit smoother and lusher, while the Orchestra II is a bit tighter and brighter.
Impedans by Erlend Apneseth
Very pleasant from the Mach 50, snappy yet smooth. The Orchestra II is snappier, crisper, and clearer, while still remaining smooth. The Mach 50 is more laid-back, the Orchestra II more forward, though neither is aggressive or sharp-sounding by any means.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
The Orchestra II has excellent string timbre, smooth yet nicely crisp, upfront and natural. The Mach 50 is darker and more laid-back.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
Both render this very well. Somewhat surprisingly, the Mach 50 doesn’t sound much darker than the Orchestra II here, with the two being quite similar. The Orchestra II may be a tad crisper, but not by much.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
I really like this track for testing, as it offers a strong contrast between the gentle vocals and the massive, brutal bassline. Both render the vocals wonderfully, with the Mach 50 being a bit darker and lusher while the Orchestra II is slightly crisper but still smooth enough. When it comes to the bass, the Orchestra II has more quantity but also better quality, handling the challenging bassline with more authority and control than the somewhat average performance of the Mach 50.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The sound signature between the two is relatively similar, with both being quite neutral with a bass lift. The Orchestra II does however have more bass quantity, a brighter midrange, and crisper highs. The Mach 50 is more laid-back and smooth.
Treble
Neither has excessively sharp treble, but the Orchestra II is generally brighter in comparison, with more treble presence. The Mach 50 is quite laid-back and smooth in a very pleasing way.
Midrange
Both have a nicely balanced midrange, with vocals given the attention they deserve. When compared directly, the Orchestra II has a generally brighter midrange presence, while the Mach 50 is smoother and lusher.
I am a big fan of the Orchestra II’s midrange, but must admit there is some extra magic sauce in the Mach 50 mids. In fact, I think this is its main selling point: buttery, honey-like mids that still feel relatively neutral.
Bass
The Mach 50 has a very nicely balanced bass presence and the quantity is totally adequate. However, the Orchestra II has objectively better bass quality, with more authority, more control, and better detail. It is also quantitatively more present, for better or worse. I would not consider the Orchestra II to be particularly bassy, but it is not totally neutral either – the Mach 50 is the more neutral.
Soundstage and Imaging
Soundstage size is relatively similar between the two, but imaging is better with the Orchestra II, mainly due to its superior instrument separation and greater overall articulation.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
When it comes to raw detail retrieval, the Orchestra II is superior across the whole frequency range. Dynamics are also better with the Orchestra II. It is simply the more technically impressive of the two.
However, the difference is not huge, and if you prefer the tuning of the Mach 50, the gap in technical capability is not a very big deal.
Timbre, however, is more subjective. Personally, I adore both earphones. I find the bass quantity to be better with the Mach 50, but the bass timbre and quality to be better with the Orchestra II.
The all-important midrange is beautifully rendered by the Mach 50, sweet and lush, delicate and nuanced, and slightly warm, all without straying too far from neutral. There is nothing wrong with the Orchestra II’s midrange, which is among my favorites as well, but I am a sucker for the Mach 50 here.
When it comes to treble timbre, the Orchestra II is probably more correct and true to life, while the Mach 50 is more laid-back and smooth. I personally appreciate that quality, though I am no treble-head.
CONCLUSION
The Kiwi Ears Orchestra II and Westone Mach 50 are both very capable IEMs with many similarities in terms of sound, but also some distinct differences, especially on the practical side.
The most obvious difference is size. The Mach 50 is very small and light, while the Orchestra II is rather large. When it comes to accessories, the Mach 50 comes with a professional package including a Pelican case, cloth bag, and cleaning tool, while the Orchestra II comes only with a storage case aimed more at non-professionals.
As mentioned, the two are relatively close in overall sound signature and performance. However, the Orchestra II is technically superior, while the Mach 50 holds its main advantage in a wonderfully rendered midrange timbre and a more neutral bass quantity.
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- Amazon: Kiwi Ears Orchestra II
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