Selected Comparisons:
CW-L71 PSTS vs Noble Audio Katana C:
Katana provides a little more powerful and prominent sub-bass presentation, but it hits from a closer point. CW recreates more texture and a less colored presentation. In fact, Katana seems to be a more ‘’fun type’’ earphone in accordance with the color difference. Lastly, both have a good depth in the sub-bass area.
Katana has a bit more prominent mid-bass, but both don’t tighten the stage. On the other hand, CW provides a more airy presentation with a better control in accordance with the mid-bass structure. Katana seems to sound slightly muffled in the mid-bass section, but its treble is tuned relatively bright to create a balance and eliminate that muffle problem.
CW maintains slightly weightier notes and a bigger picture in comparison. Due to that bigger picture, CW seems to locate the midrange more forward. CW betters Katana in terms of the sub-section body of instruments and lower harmonics, and CW sounds slightly more transparent and resolving. Katana releases notes in a less effortless way, but the detail feeling is similar.
Katana’s vocals are a little more distant, while CW creates weightier vocals. In addition, CW provides more resolved, realistic, and natural vocal notes. Katana has a brighter upper midrange and tends to sibilance more.
Katana produces slightly more prominent treble notes, but they are leaner and brighter in comparison. On the other hand, CW sounds smoother and more effortless in the treble section. Katana may reduce the resolution level when it comes to problematic recordings, while CW performs better in terms of the speed and resolution in fast metal tracks. In addition, Katana may miss the tone difference in some cymbal notes.
CW provides a wider stage, while Katana slightly maintains more depth. CW offers more three-dimensional instruments as well as a better coherence and imaging. CW puts a clearer space around instruments, but Katana also doesn’t sound congested like Spiral Ear SE5 Ref.
Both monitors have backgrounds that are enough black and clear. The separation level is close, but it should be taken into consideration that CW betters Katana in terms of the treble separation in fast metal tracks.
CW-L71 PSTS vs Unique Melody Maestro V2:
CW uses a larger diameter and power in the sub-bass region with a better texture. Both don’t have a significant coloration difference and they are quite good in terms of the speed. UM sounds weightier and creates a little more prominent mid-bass notes, but CW also provides enough body by taking the advantage of the balanced mid-bass presentation. On the other hand, UM has a fuller lower-midrange due to the slight difference in the mid-bass.
CW provides a more intimate and forward midrange by a small margin, but UM sounds weightier in comparison. UM maintains a darker approach in general sound, while CW sounds more transparent. Both are natural, but UM provides slightly smoother and a less stressed note releasing. On the other hand, CW is a bit more resolved and it betters UM when it comes to lower harmonics. In addition, CW creates a more realistic aggressiveness in the note reproduction, but UM seems to have a more controlled tone.
UM provides more full-bodied vocals, but both are realistic, relatively effortless, and natural. The vocal resolution is similar; both don’t tend to sibilance and they have well controlled upper midranges.
CW maintains slightly more prominent treble notes. Both monitors have a quite natural treble tone, but CW sounds with a more open tonality by a small margin. The resolution and speed levels are similar; both perform very well in fast metal tracks.
Although UM provides a larger stage area, CW makes feel a more airy presentation due to the general note creation difference and its mid-bass structure. CW doesn’t sound lean, but at the same time it is spacious. On the other hand, UM provides a better layering and a slightly better separation, while CW’s presentation is easier to follow.
CW-L71 PSTS vs Spiral Ear SE5 Ref:
CW provides more full-bodied sub-bass and hits with a larger diameter. SE5 has a less colored sub-bass presentation and hits come from a more distant area. Both have a good depth in the bass department, but SE5 maintains slightly better texture.
CW has a more prominent mid-bass presentation and it fills the space around instruments with warm air more than SE5 does. SE5 offers a more controlled mid-bass, but CW sounds fuller and it recreates a weightier lower midrange.
SE5 locates the midrange slightly more forward, while CW sounds fuller and provides a bigger picture. Hence, the feeling of the midrange position is similar. Both sound natural, but SE5 is more effortless in the note releasing. CW maintains longer distances between instruments, while SE5 has a truer and less colored tonality. In addition, SE5 is more transparent and resolved by a small margin, while CW sounds more dynamic with a more breathable and spacious presentation.
Both are quite smooth in the upper-midrange and don’t tend to sibilance. SE5 provides less colored vocals, but it puts them in a congested area in comparison. On the other hand, CW has a clearer and cleaner space around vocals.
CW has a more prominent treble presentation. Accordingly, CW articulates details more and provides a more open tonality. On the other hand, SE5 recreates edgy notes, while CW slightly betters SE5 in terms of the treble resolution and the general high frequency tonality. In addition, both have quite a fast treble presentation as well as natural attack/decay ability.
CW has a wider and slightly deeper stage pursuant to the background cleanliness. As mentioned above, CW uses a larger area and puts clearer distances between instruments. The coherence and focusing levels are similar, but CW offers a better instrument separation by a small margin in accordance with its background’s precision and the larger area that is used for instrument placement.
Final Words:
Canal Works CW-L71 PSTS provides a weighty and realistic sound with an excellent coherence. In addition, the space around vocals and instruments is truly remarkable. As an advantage, the monitor allows us to change the sound signature, frequency quantities and dominances by using the resistors. The MSRP of L71 is around $1660.
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One Response
CWL-71 rank high in my top ten iems list, but it’s obvious to me that the Witch Girl 12 drivers sound better than CWL-71. (I said sound better, because I found they have similar sound signature, when I auditioned them side by side weeks ago) BTW the witch girl 12 cost a lot more, it depends really on the budget, both iems sound excellent to my ear,