Introduction

Westone is one of the oldest in-ear-monitor producing companies out there. They are mostly known for their range of custom in-ears geared towards musicians called the Elite Series which tend to be quite expensive. Besides the custom fit monitors also have a line of universal fit IEMs called the UM-series.

The monitor I will be putting through its paces today is Westone contribution to the budget IEM market dubbed the UM1. The UM1s utilize a single balanced full range armature, which means that one driver produces all of the tones.

One of the things that set Westone's universal fit series apart from that of the competitions is the fact that Westone's use the best foam tips on the market today. The tips are made by a small relatively unknown company called Comply. Not only does their foam tips last longer they are also more comfortable to wear.

That Westone has a very comfort minded design is easily noticeable right from the Comply foam tips to the design of the IEM's body. The UM1s are made to sit flush with your head much like its bigger brother the UM2. That the UM1 is closely related to the UM2 is pretty obvious.

Specifications

Westone UM1 Specifications:

• Sensitivity: 114dB/mW
• Frequency response: 40 Hz -16 kHz
• Impedance: 25 ohms
• Driver: Balanced armature
• Features: Soft padded pouch, replaceable Comply ™ foam tips, and wax loop for cleaning.
• Cable Length: 50"
• Available Colors: Clear

The specifications of the UM1s are pretty normal for a quality IEM. Compared to its bigger brother, the UM2, the frequency response a bit inferior. This is of course because the dual driver solution extends better. The accessories that accompany the UM1 kit are the same as that of the UM2. Westone does not leave you any choice of color with its smallest IEM, the UM1s are only available in "clear". As with the UM2s the UM1s have several opaque spots on the body.

The Package

The UM1s arrived in the same stylish box as the UM2s. The box front pops open and lets you inspect the earphones before opening the box. This can be nice if you like me live in a country with a postal service that manhandles a lot of the smaller packages. On the box you find all of the usual stuff like specifications and a lot of warnings. Like most IEMs the UM1s are a very sensitive piece of kit which means that even with the output on your audio device set to low it will produce a high sound pressure.


The bundle that ships with the Westone UM1s is quite good. With the monitors you get two sets of short Comply tips and two sets of long. In order to keep the monitors in tip top shape you get a small ear wax removal tool.


Comply foam tips ensure that the fit between ear canal and monitor is perfect. These foam tips are way more durable than normal foamies and do not cause as much irritation as the kind other companies use.


The cleaning tool is just a scraper that you can use to get ear wax out of the earphones tunnel.