Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones
Starting at: $334.45
CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on:
The good: The Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones offer exceptional sound quality, useful accessories, and a durable design.
The bad: The Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones are expensive, and the earpieces are large and may not fit securely.
The bottom line: The Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones feature top-of-the-line sound to go with their top-of-the-line price tag; they should be a top choice for audiophiles who desire ultraportable headphones.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That has to be one of our favorite expressions here at CNET, and the hearing professionals who head up Westone clearly abide by it. In 2006, we got our hands on the company's only two pairs of consumer earphones--the UM1 and the UM2--both of which received high marks for their good looks, comfortable fit, and excellent sound quality. Rather than toy with two winning products, the company has added a third headphone to the lineup, the ultrahigh-end Westone 3 True Fit Earphones ($399). ... Expand full review
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That has to be one of our favorite expressions here at CNET, and the hearing professionals who head up Westone clearly abide by it. In 2006, we got our hands on the company's only two pairs of consumer earphones--the UM1 and the UM2--both of which received high marks for their good looks, comfortable fit, and excellent sound quality. Rather than toy with two winning products, the company has added a third headphone to the lineup, the ultrahigh-end Westone 3 True Fit Earphones ($399). These super sweet sounding headphones are pricey and a bit chunky for our liking, but their stellar audio performance more than makes up for any misgivings.
The design of the Westone 3 True-Fit Earphones is a bit unconventional, namely because of the cable. Each wire is individually coated in black rubber and then braided to form the overall cord. Westone asserts that this winding characteristic contributes to both the comfort and durability of the cord. The cable, which measures 50 inches, terminates in a gold-plated L-plug and features a slider at the Y for preventing tangles. Westone includes an optional inline volume control attachment that increases the overall length by 10 inches. There's also a quarter-inch adapter, a cleaning tool, and a soft-sided zipper pouch, along with perhaps the largest selection of eartips we've ever seen. There are four sets of stiff and tapered rubber eartips in three sizes, three sizes of soft silicone sleeves, three sets of foam fittings in various lengths, and one triple-flanged set.
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Compare selectedSince 2003, Jasmine France has worked at CNET covering everything from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices to MP3 players. She currently cohosts the Crave podcast and spends the majority of her time testing headphones, music software, and mobile apps.
User Reviews
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Most Helpful User Review
stars 3 of 3 users found this review helpful
"Custom eartips, lossless improved overall sound." By stevenamkoong
Pros Clear midrange, tight lows, decent highs. Guitars, snares, vocals, horns are primary beneficiaries. Rock, Pop, Jazz, ElectroTech sound best; Classical sounds good, if also lossless encoded.
Cons Braided wiring comes unbraided. Solved the problem by spraying liquid rubber electrical insulation over the whole thing (available at any hardware store). Gotta have bigger than average ears to fit these babies in.
Summary Lossless encoding (in my case, Apple Lossless) is a must if you're going to shell out big time dough for these IEM's. I went with the optional custom eartips (add $120), and they really helped improve the overall sound. Custom and lossless is a little like listening to ... Expand full review
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Specifications
See full specsQuick Specs
- Headphones Type: Headphones - Binaural
- Product type: Headphones
- Design: In-ear ear-bud
