Westone
Westone is a manufacturer of hearing healthcare products and high-end earphones, otherwise known as in-ear monitors (IEMs), used by professional musicians and audiophiles.
Background
Westone Laboratories, Inc. was established in 1959 by Ron Morgan, Sr. in the family cabin outside of Divide, Colorado, USA. Westone gradually grew from a small family business to a market leader in the hearing healthcare industry under the leadership of Morgan's son, Randy. Westone Laboratories is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado with its current leadership headed by Lynn Kehler, President and CEO.
Westone pioneered many of the techniques and technologies that have become standard practice within the hearing healthcare field. Westone provides products for use by hearing healthcare professionals and their patients; from simple tubing and tools to advanced equipment that helps make life easier for the hearing impaired and their families.
Westone Music Products was the pioneer of the in-ear musicians’ monitor. Westone originally designed and manufactured the E1 and E5 for Shure, another maker of high-end audio equipment. Westone also co-developed and manufactured the early Ultimate Ears brand by Jerry Harvey, which custom-fit in-ear musicians’ monitors.
Products
Westone manufactures and sells custom earpieces for the hearing healthcare market, hearing protection products, custom communications earpieces, clinical and audiological supplies, musicians hearing protection and in-ear monitors for professional musicians and audiophiles.
In-Ear Monitors for Pro Musicians / High-end Earphones for Audiophiles Westone was one of the pioneers in the development of in-ear musicians' monitors for professional musicians and earphones for audiophiles.
Earphones and In-Ear Musicians’ Monitors
Westone Music manufactures both custom-fit and universal-fit products for personal listening for consumers, in-ear musicians’ monitors for professional musicians and audiophiles, as well as hearing protection for musicians and concert goers.
Westone Music currently has five different product families of in-ear musicians’ monitors and earphones: the Universal Series (UM1, UM2, UM2 RC, UM3X and UM3X RC) in-ear musicians’ monitors, the Westone Series (Westone 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4R) earphones for personal listening, the custom Elite Series (ES1, ES2, ES3, ES3X and ES5), the custom Consumer Recreational (CR1), custom Musician's monitors (AC1 and AC2) and custom earpieces (Style #7 and UM56) for adapting to universal-fit earbuds and earphones.
The single driver UM1, dual driver UM2, and triple driver UM3X are specifically designed to provide frequency efficiencies using a universal-fit for on-stage monitoring. While the Westone 1, 2, 3, and 4 also provide a universal-fit, they are specifically designed for the personal listener. The Westone 3 is the first true 3-way universal fit earphone within the industry. Both the UM and Westone Series product lines use the same level of professional grade components and carry equal quality, durability, and level of design. The sound of each product was carefully designed and tweaked to provide optimal sound targeted for the products’ specific job or target (See product chart below).
The Elite Series, namely the ES1, ES2, ES3, ES3X, and ES5 are custom fit earphones and in-ear musicians’ monitors. This versatile line was originally targeted to provide custom-fit in-ear musicians’ monitors for professional musicians for on-stage monitoring, with the ES3 remaining especially designed for vocalists and guitarists. The ES1, ES2, ES3X, and ES5 have been very popular as the custom-fit earphone for the personal listener.
Custom fit is an upgrade in personal listening and in-ear musicians’ monitors. Custom-fit designs fit the exact shape of the ear and ear canal. Headphones typically are noise cancellation products, providing background noise in addition to the music/sound the headphone drivers deliver. Custom-fit products isolate external noise and sound by utilizing a perfect seal, enhancing the sound quality delivered, while also providing a sound performance level that headphones and earbuds just cannot match. Other benefits of custom-fit earphones and in-ear musicians’ monitors are typically found by users to be the individualized comfort and secure fit.
The Westone W Series received an update that add replaceable cables to all of the W series earphones, with an addition of a 0 to the end of the names (e.g. Westone 1 to Westone 10) and deprecation of the Westone 3.
| W Series | Driver |
|---|---|
| Westone 10 | Balanced armature, full range, single driver, has a removable cable |
| Westone 20 | Dual balanced armatures, 1 low & 1 high frequency, has a removable cable |
| Westone 3 | Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover. No longer for sale. |
| Westone 40 | Four balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover (2 low, 1 mid, 1 high), has a removable cable |
| Universal In-Ear Musicians’ Monitors | Driver |
|---|---|
| UM1 | Balanced armature, full range, single driver |
| UM2 / UM2 RC | Dual balanced armatures with a passive crossover; UM2 RC also has a removable cable |
| UM3X / UM3X RC | Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover; UM3X RC also has a removable cable |
| Custom Monitors/Earphones | Driver |
|---|---|
| CR1 | Balanced armature, full range, single driver |
| AC1 | Balanced armature, full range, single driver |
| AC2 | Dual balanced armatures with a passive crossover |
| ES1 | Balanced armature, full range, single driver |
| ES2 | Dual balanced armatures with a passive crossover |
| ES3 | Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover |
| ES3X | Three balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover |
| ES5 | Five balanced armature drivers with a passive three-way crossover |
| Earpieces | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| Style 49 | Typically considered hearing protection, this product allows the wearer to hear accurately, but at a safer volume. Popular with concert goers, music teachers, DJ’s, flight attendants, bartenders, and waitresses. The design fits into the ear canal with the choice of a 9, 15, or 25 dB filter. |
| Style #7 | Also known as Westone iCustoms[TM]. This product is popular with iPod users who would prefer a custom-fit with their standard earbuds. The custom earpieces adapt to stock earbuds and stay securely in ears when jogging, riding, or traveling. The listener receives better sound by a more secure seal in the ear with the custom-fit. |
| UM 56 | This product allows UM product line users to upgrade their universal-fit to a custom-fit. These earpieces are canal-style similar to the size of a universal tip, but offering the comfort and seal benefits of a custom-fit. |
Affiliations
Westone is one of the world's largest manufacturers of custom fit earpieces. The Company's earpieces are used for hearing healthcare, recreation, industrial and military applications. Westone's core business is custom earpieces for hearing healthcare (i.e., used in conjunction with hearing aids), but it has significant market presence in the professional musician and audiophile market. Westone originally designed and manufactured the E1 and E5 for Shure, another maker of high-end audio equipment. Westone also co-developed and manufactured the early Ultimate Ears brand in-ear monitors.
External links
- Westone Main Web Site
- Westone Music Products
- Interview with Randy Morgan, former President of Westone Laboratories Inc.
- Westone ES2 Review
- Westone Music Blog
- Follow Westone on Twitter
- Westone Music Fan Page
References
- Westone main site , Westone's main site.
- Westone Pro-Audio , Westone's In-Ear Musicians' Monitors.
- Westone Personal Listening , Westone's earphones.
- Bill Palmer for iProng reviewing earphones industry , iProng / Beatweek Magazine.