Closer Examination

The Westone MACH Series has eight IEMs in it and they in turn have a total of three different cables between them. All of these use right-angled 3.5 mm TRS single-ended connectors on a plastic housing with Westone branding on it, and then things change significantly. The MACH 10/20/30 ship with the same Linum gen 2 BaX cable, in black, that I have talked more about here. It's an Estron cable product that is extremely light and thin although strong enough to not merit any longevity concerns. It uses 84 strands of silver-plated copper conductor in two strands. The MACH 40/50/60 get the Linum G2 SuperBaX upgrade cable, also in black, which steps up to 168 strands in a quad-twist configuration. The SuperBaX cable costs $150 compared to the $75 of the BaX cable, and this itself is an excellent cable by all regards. But then Westone decided the flagship class MACH 70 and MACH 80 deserved even better and went with the $200 Linum UltraBaX in the clear color to help visually distinguish it from the SuperBaX given this is also a quad-twist cable. Where it differs is in the use of 224 individual strands to make for a thick cable that improves upon the previous two in having higher strength and an even lower resistance. The SuperBaX and UltraBaX cables are not microphonic at all although the regular BaX can be found slightly wanting. The cables are all longer than average at 50" (1.27 m vs. the regular 1.2 m) and have Westone-branded plastic hardware for the divider and cable cinch too, before we see pre-formed ear hooks on the SuperBaX/UltraBaX cables whereas the BaX has no memory wiring and a thin single strand for those who prefer a stealthier but potentially less user-friendly approach. On the other end are Estron T2 connector plugs which are quick-disconnect connectors that also come gold plated for oxidation resistance as does the 3.5 mm connector. These plugs are rated for 10,000 insertions minimum and unlike MMCX are designed to be easily inserted and removed. You get IP67 dust and spill resistance too, and there is no worry about potentially bending pins about the 2-pin connector housing either. The housing is more substantial here and comes with color-coordinated rings to indicate the left (black) and right (red) channels.


Now that the MACH 10 had arrived, I re-took some photos to show off the entire collection. I had realized by now that the Westone MACH Series follows the trend of other Westone IEMs in being designed for long and comfortable use, hence the plastic construction that is lightweight without feeling fragile. It also means those expecting to see fancier IEM shell designs and materials, be it metal or resin alike may be disappointed. The shells adopt a horizontal oval shape that should sit comfortably in the concha, and this is something Westone has perfected over the years along with other such pro-IEM brands such as Shure. Also, as suspected, the IEMs come with one set of the silicone ear tips pre-installed to make them ready to wear since they also had the cable attached out of the box. The other thing I observed is that there are subtle color differences between the shells, with the MACH 10/20/30 having a slightly lighter color to the MACH 40/50/60 that in turn are different from the MACH 70 and 80. It's only evident when you look at them alongside each other but this is yet another point of distinction between the eight IEMs sets.


A closer look at one such set shows how there are three separate pieces which are glued together to make up the shells, including the decorative insert that is the de-facto face plate here. One of the sides has the Westone logo whereas the other identifies the IEMs directly. The shells are also on the smaller side of average—something that does mean it's more suitable for smaller balanced armature drivers anyway—and has gentle curves all around which bodes well for ergonomics and comfort. Protruding out the side is a relatively long cable connector housing that has the female Estron T2 connector inside. The inner side has the Westone logo in blue or red colors to help identify the left and right channels, respectively. Removing the pre-installed ear tips reveals a relatively long and thin nozzle, which again does remind me of Etymotic to an extent, helping with the audio tubes reaching deeper in your ear canals without being uncomfortable in the case of IEMs with a thicker nozzle. Inside the nozzle and placed slightly inward is a pre-installed filter that should help with the overall sound signature as well as keep contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.


Fitting the different ear tips is simple enough given the nozzle is on the thinner side, and so you can slide the ear tip bore over the nozzle without much struggle. At the same time, these specific tips were chosen for the MACH Series to where they are not loose and give you a few different options when it comes to not only the flange size but also the flange length and ear tip material itself. Seen above are the pre-installed shorter length silicone tips in addition to the longer length silicone and foam tips, all in size M presumably, to give you a better idea of how they look on these IEMs. Keep in mind that both ear canals don't need to have the best seal with the same size or set, so try the different options provided since third-party tips may not work out as well for this more unusual design. Regardless of which tips you pick, the next step is to re-connect the cable by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the cable around your ears.


The Westone MACH Series of IEMs was provided for review with help from the brand's UK distributor, which also caters to another audio brand called Periodic Audio which focuses on portable audio too. They make and sell IEMs in addition to sources and other accessories, and I offered to check out the Periodic Audio Rhodium with the MACH Series of IEMs. This is a portable DAC/amp in a dongle form factor to be more pocket-friendly and intended to be an upgrade to the likes of the Apple/Samsung dongle while competing directly with the likes of the MOONDROP Dawn we saw before. Periodic Audio does not provide much information about the nature of the DAC inside although the product page does cover specifications informing us the Rhodium is ~12 cm long, ~0.7 cm thick, has a rated THD of <0.007% with an SNR of 108 dbA, and provides 31 mW per channel @32 Ω while taking up slightly more juice from your phone/laptop. It's not the most powerful or best measuring source necessarily but the form factor and cost helps as does the clean and uncolored sound it provides. You get a 3.5 mm TRS output off a USB Type-C or Type-A (w/adapter) input as seen above and I paired the Westone MACH Series with the Periodic Audio Rhodium for my listening and testing after verifying it was not holding anything back at all.