The Westone Pro X50 is a low profile in-ear monitor featuring five proprietary balanced-armature drivers. It uses a 3-way passive crossover with 1 large bass driver, 2 drivers for the midrange, and 2 for the treble. Like the rest of the Westone IEMs, it has a very small housing and uses Estron T2 cable connectors. List price is around 649 USD.
THE WESTONE LINEUP
Westone offers 3 series of IEMs. All look very similar with a very similar, compact shape and use the same thin 3 mm nozzle (outside diameter) and Estron T2 connectors. They’re very comparable to Shure IEMs in size and use the same nozzle diameter, but Shure IEMs typically use the larger MMCX cable connector.
The tiny Westone and Shure 3 mm nozzle diameter is important to note, however, because they both need special ear tips or dedicated adaptors. Most tips you’ll find these days are too large to fit. Shure and Westone can use the same tips, however.
Anyway, when it comes to very small, low profile IEMs, Shure and Westone are the dominant names. All other IEMs I typically review are significantly larger.
Westone only uses balanced-armature drivers, and the number in each Westone model name indicates how many drivers are used. For instance, the AM Pro X20 has 2 drivers, the Pro X50 has 5 drivers, and the MACH 80 has 8 drivers.
WESTONE LINEUP:
MACH SERIES: Neutral reference tuning. Slightly larger housing.
PRO X SERIES: Tuned with richer bass and a fuller sound than the MACH series.
AM PRO X SERIES: Like the Pro X series but with Westone’s Ambient filter, which allows sound to pass from the surroundings in a balanced way.
WESTONE PRO X50 SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Low profile IEM
- Drivers: 5 balanced armature drivers
- 1 bass driver
- 2 midrange drivers
- 2 treble drivers
- Crossover: 3-way
- Sensitivity: 115 dB/mW
- Impedance: 45 Ohms
- Channel balance: +/- 2 dB
- Cable connector: estron T2
- Cable termination: 3.5mm angled
- Cable type: 1.3 m Twisted Linum Bax T2 Detachable Cable in clear-white colour
- Nozzle diameter: 3 mm (outside)
- Professional grade “mini pelican” storage case and cloth pouch included
- Silicon and foam tips in 3 sizes each
Current price and availability:
- Amazon: Westone Pro X50
DESIGN, BUILD, AND COMFORT
The Westone Pro X50 is, as mentioned, a very compact, low profile IEM. The shell is almost identical in shape to the other Pro X series, AM Pro X series, and MACH series IEMs. They almost disappear in your ear. Because of the small size, they can be a bit more fiddly to handle than larger IEMs, but once in place they are, of course, more discreet.
The cable uses the estron T2 connector like the rest of the Westone IEMs. This is smaller and supposedly more durable than the alternatives on the market. It rotates freely, which is a nice thing for fit but can make it a bit more fiddly to get in place. The cable itself is a twisted clear/white cable that is very thin and terminates in a 3.5 mm angled jack.
There is an unusually robust carry case included, and there is also a carry pouch if you want a simpler solution.
EAR TIPS
There are three sizes of foam tips and three sizes of silicone tips included that, of course, fit the narrow 3 mm nozzles. For my personal listening, however, I always use my personal tips, which I know fit me well and have a sense of how they might affect the sound. However, the most important thing with ear tips is definitely to secure a good fit, both for sound and comfort.
For Westone IEMs, I like to use the Azla Crystal 2 tips, which come with an adapter for the thinner nozzle.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
- Tips: Azla Crystal with nozzle adapters
TRACK BY TRACK
In The Mountains by Espen Eriksen
The double bass and bass drum play together and sound quite full and rich, but not especially tight for an IEM at this price. The piano is smooth and rich, the percussion is punchy.
The Saint by Berke Özcan
The solo saxophone is very warm and rich in presence. When the band enters, everything sounds slightly laid back and warm, but there is good instrument separation. Although the holographic imaging capabilities are not top notch, it is easy to follow each individual instrument.
Re-Melt by Tord Gustavsen Trio
Again, it is generally warm and smooth, with rich but not excessive low end. Even though the imaging isn’t especially impressive, it is again easy to follow each and every instrument.
Teardrop by Massive Attack
There’s snappy percussion and rich but not excessive bass. The vocals are beautiful, with warmth and nuance.
The Hidden Camera by Photek
Very nice bass, rich yet balanced. It’s detailed but not super tight. The percussion is snappy but not dry, as it can be with some other earphones. Good instrument separation.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
The vocals are warmer and lusher than with many other earphones, but in a very nice way. The massive bass isn’t too impressive in quality at this price point, not ultra clean, but it sounds okay.
Eye of the Day by Marta del Grandi
The vocals are stunning. They’re smooth and warm and sound delicate and natural. Perfect amount of presence. The bass is rich but stays mostly in the background, and the guitar is nice and suitably lush.
Dancing in the Dark by Jørgen Dahl Moe
Excellent rendition of this classic song. The vocals often sound a bit too crisp and harsh, but the Pro X50 makes them sound wonderful. There’s some midrange coloration happening with this IEM, but it always seems to be for the better. This track has never sounded better, at least.
Sujet Tabou by Renaudin and Cahours
I dig this acoustic guitar and percussion duo. It sounds great on the X50. I have heard the dynamics even more explosive, but they are good enough, and the tonality is just wonderful – Nicely warm and lush but still quite neutral.
Impedans by Erlend Apneseth Trio
All the instruments sound very pleasant and natural. It’s less aggressive and not as tight as some competitors, but the Pro X50 delivers a very nice and musical performance.
Outlaws by Bill Frisell
Again, a warm and musical delivery rather than ultra tight and technical.
II. Allegro – De la Guerre – Destinées by Sophie de Bardonnèche
The strings are warm and lush. Even though detail and texture are a bit smooth, you can easily follow each instrument. Again, very musical.
Vicarious by Tool
This metal track sounds great with the X50. The generally slightly smooth and lush rendition works well. It’s a bit dark and thick rather than crisp and bright. The vocals are, however, very well separated.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The Westone Pro X50 is on the warmer, lusher side of neutral. It’s not overly bassy, but it’s clearly tuned to have elevated bass, rich mids, and smooth highs.
Treble
The treble is polite in quantity but with good detail.
Midrange
The midrange of the Pro X50 is the highlight for me. If you want recessed mids, these aren’t for you. The mids are pushed a bit forward, but in a very delicate manner.
Vocals sound especially lovely. They are not dead neutral, but they always sound great – natural, lush, and smooth yet well balanced in the mix.
Bass
The bass is a bit richer than neutral, which is very intentional. Compared to several less costly IEMs with bigger shells and larger bass drivers, the quality is not very impressive, but it is good enough.
Soundstage and Imaging
The soundstage isn’t especially large. It’s open enough, but the stage is rather intimate. Imaging isn’t spectacular in terms of holography, but I always find it easy to follow the different instruments.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
The detail level is good but not super impressive for the list price. However, that’s compared to significantly larger IEMs, and I guess it’s unfair. The ultra compact housing of the Westone IEMs comes with a trade off. Dynamics are also good but not fantastic for the price.
The timbre, on the other hand, is very nice. Especially the midrange timbre, which is second to none. The vocals are beautiful, with an added dose of warmth and lushness.
COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
- Tips: Azla Crystal
WESTONE MACH 50 vs Pro X50
The Westone MACH 50 is the Pro X50’s closest sibling. They both have five balanced-armature drivers. The MACH 50 is slightly larger and non-transparent, but they share the same basic housing design.
Even though they have many similarities, the difference in tuning is very apparent. The MACH 50 is quite neutral, with a smooth touch. The Pro X50 is generally warmer, with thicker bass and lusher mids. When it comes to technical performance, I suspect they use identical drivers, but the tuning makes the MACH 50 deliver more articulate detail, as it sounds a bit brighter and crisper.
I have written a dedicated comparison review of the two.
- Amazon: MACH 50
NOBLE AUDIO VAN GOGH vs Pro X50
The Noble Van Gogh is a hybrid IEM with an 8mm dynamic bass driver and 3 balanced armatures. It is fairly small and costs around 699 USD, which makes it a relevant comparison for the Pro X50.
Comparing the two, the Pro X50 is consistently thicker and lusher, with a much more forward and warm midrange that especially flatters vocals. The Van Gogh has significantly more and also better quality bass, cleaner but drier and recessed mids, and crisper and more pronounced highs. It has a very V-shaped sound profile, while the Pro X50 is lush and warm.
In terms of technical performance, the Van Gogh does offer higher resolution, but not to the extent that I actually expected. They both offer a lot of detail, and the tuning of the Pro X50 is much more natural, and even though it is warm, it is much closer to neutral.
You can read more about the Van Gogh here if interested:
CONCLUSION
The Westone Pro X50 is an impressive-sounding IEM packed into an exceptionally compact shell. Its warm, lush tuning gives music an engaging character, with vocals standing out as particularly smooth and natural.
While it doesn’t deliver the most holographic imaging in its price range, its instrument separation is good, making it easy to follow individual instruments in busy passages.
There are IEMs at this price that offer stronger technical performance, but they typically come with significantly larger housings.
Overall, the Westone Pro X50 is a musical, detailed, and highly enjoyable IEM whose remarkably small form factor combined with strong performance are its greatest strengths.
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- Amazon: Westone Pro X50
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