Westone MACH 60 Review

Westone has unleashed the new MACH series IEMs, and we’re going to take a look at each one. The MACH 70 and 80 were both great ways to return to Westone’s in-house sonic character and now I’m excited to hear what they bring to the MACH 60. This is a six-driver IEM for $1099.

What You Get

• IN-EAR MONITORS MACH 60 Universal Fit In-Ear Monitors
• CABLE: Linum SuperBaX T2 Cable
• CABLE LENGTH: 50″ (127 cm)
• TIPS: 5 Pair Foam + 5 Pair Silicone
• ACCESSORIES:
  • Impact Resistant Pelican Case
  • Westone Audio Cloth Pouch
  • Cable Band
  • Cleaning Tool

Look & Feel

This new MACH series interestingly uses almost the same exact design with each model. It’s not the most striking design, and the MACH 60 specifically doesn’t add much to its appearance. You can expect the same grey faceplate and black casing for its shell. In terms of fit, I still don’t think I’m a huge fan of what the MACH series is bringing. It never feels as natural and ergonomic as other IEMs do, and has a bit of fatigue after a few hours of listening.

Design

This IEM uses six balanced armatures and a 3-way crossover. You have two drivers each for low, mids, and highs respectively. The MACH series SUPERBax cable returns here, which gives the output a very low resistance. Even though you can power the MACH 60 using anything, the amount of power you put through it will play more of a factor in its overall performance.

Soundstage

If you’re looking for width, the MACH 60 will provide that to your music in droves. Westone doesn’t stray from the confines of stereo, but the MACH 60 makes the most of its imaging. Most of the sound elements sit on a flat plain but show enough depth and dimension to display some appreciable height and breathable layering. The right tracks can really highlight a lot of empty space between instruments, as the separation ability is very strong on the MACH 60. Every sound that comes through the earphones is treated with its own distinct space, and it makes the imaging extremely precise. Localization is what the MACH 60 is going to do best, making for a solid reference IEM.

Low End

I never think of Westone as a brand that brings a lot of bass to their IEMs, but the MACH 60 definitely has something to show. The lows here are more defined and bodied than what I’m used to hearing from the manufacturer. You get the same level of accuracy and control but with a more invigorating rumble. The tone shows more scale to the bass frequencies, all while keeping them structured. Sub-bass textures are still minimal but the way that the MACH 60 dips into vibration when called for makes for a very dynamic response.

Mids

The mids are what you come to expect from Westone at this point. They have a clean timbre that appears mostly even across all frequency ranges. With the MACH 60, the low-mids provide an extra bit of warmth but remain consistently flat throughout. However, the MACH 60 doesn’t lack character. In fact, the response is very vivid, offering a lively representation of midrange detail. Notes don’t quite have that quick and striking finesse to them, but the level of fullness is what’s really going to captivate you. Instruments and vocals are highly transparent, fulfilling command and expression in their timbre. Vocals are especially authoritative, cutting through the instrumentals and hovering over them with balance.

Highs

In the highs, the MACH 60 exhibits just enough combined detail and smoothness so as to not take away the tail from the sound signature. Nothing seems to roll off the end, and it really makes the whole profile come together nicely. No part of the timbre really sticks out though, as the highs don’t elicit much texture or coloration. There’s no shine, but the frequency content is there. It’s just operating in a neutral, basic response, which makes everything easy to digest. Good height is expressed, but don’t expect much energy here.

Summary

This is another enjoyable return for Westone, as the MACH 60 offers another solid sound. The comfort and aesthetic of the earphones still don’t win me over, but when you start to hear that wide soundstage and detailed midrange it’s easier to look past. So far, the MACH 60 is the first IEM from this series to feature a more expressive bass, which I think will be one of the biggest deciding factors some will consider.

The Westone MACH 60 is available at Audio46.