Westone Audio AM Pro X30 Review

Today, we review the Westone AM Pro X30 In-Ear Monitors. It is selling for $479 USD.

 

Disclaimer: JackRabbit kindly provided the AM Pro X30 IEMs for the purposes of this review. As always, I am here to share my honest experience with the product.

Westone Audio

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 15 years, there’s no way you’re an audiophile who hasn’t heard of Westone. Westone Laboratories Inc. was founded in 1959 by Ron Morgan, Sr. in Colorado, USA. The company’s earpieces are used in hearing healthcare, recreational, industrial, and military applications. Its core business is specialty earpieces for hearing healthcare (i.e., used in conjunction with hearing aids), but it also serves the professional musician and audiophile markets. You can visit the Westone Audio website at this link.

I was introduced to Westone products shortly after I became interested in this hobby. I tried UM30, W40, and W60, which were way ahead of their time. Back then, options were quite limited; the industry was not nearly as big as it is today, so there were not many options other than some monitors from big companies like Shure and Phonak.

We recently reviewed Westone Audio’s co-flagships, the Mach 70 and Mach 80. Today, we’ll look at the AM Pro X30, which features three balanced armature drivers and ambient filters. If you’re curious about other Westone products, check out our Westone reviews here.

Westone AM Pro X30

As of now, Westone Audio’s product range consists of 3 series. The Pro X series, the AM Pro X series, and the Mach series. The Pro X and AM Pro X series are marketed as artist-oriented stage monitors, while the Mach series was developed with sound engineers and audiophiles in mind. As you may have noticed, the older UM and W series had more or less the same distinction.

The AM Pro X30 features the compact form of the Mach 30 & Pro X30, featuring a similar compact shell housing three balanced armature drivers on each side. The AM in the series’ name means the entire line-up is equipped with a StageSense ambient filter on each side, making them semi-open IEMs in a way, allowing some of the ambient noise inside. This has advantages as well as disadvantages.

Ambient filters allow some external sounds to pass through, enabling the user to remain aware of their surroundings. This is particularly useful for musicians who need to hear stage sounds and cues or communicate with bandmates without removing their IEMs.

While they allow ambient sounds, these filters still provide some level of attenuation, protecting the user’s ears from harmful noise levels. This is important in loud environments like concerts or live performances.

By allowing ambient sounds, these filters can help create a more natural listening experience. This is beneficial for users who find completely isolated IEMs too detached from their surroundings. For audiophiles like us, this could mean an airier, somewhat more relaxed soundscape, which I will talk about in the sound section. The AM Pro X30 is available on HifiHeadphones UK for 479 GBP. Check out the Westone Mach sale while you’re on there!

Specifications

Configuration: 3 BA + 3-Way Passive Crossover + Ambient Filter

Impedance: 56Ω

Frequency Response: 20Hz-18kHz

Sensitivity: 124dB @ 1mW

Cable: Proprietary T2 with 3.5mm Jack

Packaging & Accessories

The Westone AM Pro X30 arrives in a beautifully designed cardboard box. The outer cardboard sleeve introduces the AM Pro X30 and highlights key features, such as the triple BA drivers and Estron’s T2 connectors, with a detailed breakdown of all features on the back.

Once the sleeve is removed, we are greeted by a simple yet elegant white cardboard box with the Westone logo. Inside, the IEMs sit securely in a foam compartment. Just below that is Westone’s iconic orange waterproof and crushproof Pelican carrying case, a hallmark of their packaging that would be sorely missed if it weren’t there. (It was bundled with all the UM and W series) Beneath the foam compartment is a cardboard sub-compartment that holds the rest of the accessories.

Westone has included their signature STAR™ silicone tips and similarly form/factored foam tips, too. I am glad that they did not change these as I find them quite comfortable. Both silicone and foam tips come in five sizes to accommodate a wide range of ear anatomies. Apart from these, there’s a silicone cable tie and a soft carrying pouch, both featuring the new Westone logo on them.

Let’s talk a bit about the cable. Westone’s collaboration with Estron Linum is well known at this point, especially in their Mach series, as the majority of the line-up arrived bundled with Linum cables. While the AM Pro X30 is listed as using the Estron T2 connector, it is not explicitly stated whether the cable is from Estron Linum. Nevertheless, the thinness and shape of the cable suggest an Estron design, although the connectors have a different housing than those used in the Mach series.

Detective work aside, the cable’s build quality and feel are impressive. The outer jacket is soft to the touch, and the microphonic effect is minimal. In addition, the shrink-wrapped earguides are thin and comfortable to wear. Terminated with a gold-plated L-type jack, this cable and its sturdy T2 connectors should last many years without damage.

Design, Build Quality & Fit

In the new series, Westone has retained much of the acclaimed compact chassis design from the old UM and W series. The frosted and injection-molded plastic of the old UM series (which was the old equivalent to the Pro X and AM Pro X series) has been replaced with a higher-quality crystal-clear shell. While the exterior has been upgraded, the chassis form and factor, which have garnered thousands of positive reviews around the globe over the years, have been kept. A perfect example of the saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

In the past, the UM and W series used MMCX connectors, which, despite their rugged chassis and high-durability cables, often had the MMCX sockets on the earphone shell as the first point of failure. This issue, referred to in forums as “The MMCX Plague,” was not unique to Westone but affected many companies. In the new series, Westone employs the Estron T2 connector, which is considered one of the most durable connectors on the market. It retains the full rotational capability of the MMCX but features a smarter design that protects it from dirt, dust, and water. It does not suffer from loosening either. In my opinion, the T2 is an excellent connector, and more earphone companies should consider adopting it. More information on T2 can be found here.

The AM Pro X30 features three balanced armature drivers: one for the lows, one for the mids, and one for the highs. These drivers are easily visible through the transparent shell. Westone connects the drivers to the nozzle area with a green-colored transparent waveguide, which varies in color for each model, allowing for easy model identification. The AM Pro X30’s ambient filter is black and is connected to the drivers’ waveguide by a transparent path that can be easily seen.

The AM Pro X Series uses a lightweight and compact shell, providing excellent comfort for both stage use and everyday life. However, one area for improvement could be the consolidation of the Pro X and AM Pro X series into a single series with an interchangeable ambient filter system. This would provide a more practical and convenient solution for the target audience than maintaining two separate series.

 

The review continues on Page Two, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.

Page 1: Westone, AM Pro X30, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Build & Fit, 

Page 2: Sound Impressions, Low, Mid, High, Technical Capability, Comparison, Last Words