The Westone W40 are well-designed and durable in-ear headphones. They're stable enough for sports use, and they're portable, so they're easy to carry on you at all times. They also block a lot of ambient noise and barely leak, which makes them versatile for loud and quiet environments. Unfortunately, their sound quality is a bit disappointing, especially, for more critical listeners.
Our Verdict
The W40 are decent mixed usage headphones. They have a sturdy, durable design and a stable, comfortable in-ear fit. They also isolate quite well in loud environments and barely leak even at high volumes. This makes them above-average headphones for sports and office use and thanks to their high passive isolation they do well as commuting headphones too. Unfortunately, they have a subpar sound that may disappoint serious listeners.
- Good noise isolation and low leakage.
- Stable and portable design.
- Durable build quality.
- Below-average sound quality.
Mediocre-at-best for neutral listening. The Westone W40 sound a bit too boomy and lack a surprising amount of detail, while still being sibilant on some tracks. There's enough bass, but it doesn't kick like some of the other in-ears. Instead, the big bump in the High-Bass/Low-Mid makes them sound boomy and muddy. That and the small Soundstage due to their in-ear design and high isolation means they won't be the ideal headphones for more neutral listeners. However, the rest of their sound quality is decent enough so that they should be satisfactory as a pair of casual listening headphones.
Above-average for commuting and traveling. They block a lot of ambient noise, they're comfortable and they're easy to carry on you at all times.
Good for sports. They have a stable, comfortable design and an easy-to-use controls scheme. They're also portable so that you can fit them in your pocket but the audio cable may get tangled or hooked on something when exercising.
Above-average for office use. They prevent a lot of noise from seeping into your audio and also barely leak so that you won't distract your colleagues even at higher volumes. Unfortunately, they have a subpar sound that may disappoint serious listeners.
As these are wired headphones, they aren't suitable for wireless gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
See our recommendations for the best earbuds, the best closed-back headphones, and the best earbuds with a mic.
The 1More Triple Driver are slightly better headphones overall than the Westone W40. The Westone have a more durable, premium design with replaceable cables, a better carrying case, and a more comfortable in-ear fit with a lot of tip options. The Westone also have better noise isolation, which makes them a bit more suitable to use in noisy conditions. On the other hand, the 1More sound better balanced than the Westones. The 1More also offer a better value for your money and many tip options to help you find the right fit.
If you want a wireless in-ear, then go for the Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless, but if you don't want to deal with battery life and wireless reliability issues, go for the Westone W40 instead. The Westone have a more durable and premium design, which comes with two cables in the box. They also have a lot more accessories, and tip sizes so you can easily find a fit that works for you. On the other hand, the Jabra are truly wireless headphones that are a bit more compact to carry around on your person. They also have an EQ so you can better customize their sound profile to your liking. They're a decent option for sports since they have no cable to hinder your movements, but their fit won't be as comfortable as the Westone.
The Westone W40 are slightly better-wired in-ears than the Etymotic ER4XR. The Westone come with an additional cable in the box. The extra cable also has a mic and in-line controls, which makes the Westone bit more versatile than the Etymotics. The Westone are also a bit more comfortable since they do not enter the ear canal as deeply as the Etymotic with their in-ear tips. On the upside, the Etymotics have better isolation thanks to their unique in-ear tips, which makes them a lot more suitable to listen to in noisy conditions. They also have a slightly better sound than the Westone with a bit more balanced mid-range and a slightly better treble.
The Westone W40 are better wired in-ears than the Shure SE215 if you want a mic and controls. Unlike the Shure, the Westone have a mic and in-line controls, making them a bit more versatile. The Westone also come with a better case and more accessories than the Shure. Their sound is very midrange-focused with a steep bass roll-off. On the upside, the Shure have a more balanced sound profile, although the treble is somewhat recessed. They also have a slightly better noise isolation performance, but it's dependent on the tip and fit in your ears. Both headphones have a similar performance for isolation and leakage.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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