Limited, wooden portable ATH-ESW10JPN arrives! (with pics) - Page 110

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayaTlab 

I actually checked carefully and when I made the comment above I was around 40 hours actually. I'm now at 50 something and the coloration is starting to diminish by a tiny amount (I'm reducing the EQ). 

 

And I don't think it's a case of brain burn in, as I regularly compared it to my other phones (SM3). Most likely a temporary burn in variation. Bass quantity is still increasing and starts to fill in the upper bass / lower midrange (good thing).

 

They're technically getting impressive (at last) and now clearly surpass any other portable phones I've tried (SRH840, HD-25, P5). The bass is very nice as It isn't too dry and yet maintains good speed. I've heard quite good amounts of details in Massive Attack's Angel in the bass line I did not notice before, and with no distortion so far (or at least I don't hear it as I don't really know how to spot it unless it's glaringly obvious :)). Soundstage is rather closed in, except when I balance their frequency response with EQ. It then becomes really really good.

 

Otherwise the build quality really is rubbish for headphones that expensive. I've seen better in cheaper ones. Plastic parts are smelling troubles from kilometers away :).

thats some good impressions

but i hope the t50p will beat it

cause i just ordered one

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2rooi123 

thats some good impressions

but i hope the t50p will beat it

cause i just ordered one

That's the other reason why I bought the ESW10 instead of the ES10 : since I intend to buy the T50p, I thought there wouldn't be a significant enough difference in terms of sound signature (not technical capabilities) between them and the ES10 to justify buying both. They're both described as having a slightly V-shaped frequency response, while the ESW10 seems rather different ( a flatter Frequency response, with some peaks here and there).

I do have a problem with midbass punchiness sometimes on the 10JPN, on normal tracks it's a lot of fun but on some electronica tracks where I suspect the punch freqs (wherever they are) are already bumped up it gets to be too much.

Are you talking about midbass punchiness or quantity ? Because I'm a bit disapointed right now about their quantity, but indeed they seem quite punchy. I would actually say that the ESW10 in general is a punchy pair of headphones from the bottom end to the upper mids.

The only issue I have so far with the ESW10 and electronic music would be the bump around 2500 hz - makes midrange pitched electronic noises a bit too forward.

Another complain about build quality : who the hell decided at Audio Technica that the left cable should be 1 cm longer than the right one ? Ridiculous.

Finally, I'm pretty sure I'll sell my S9 for an Hifiman HM-601 as it the synergy does not work that well and it struggles when I have to crank up the volume up to 34 or so with certain very quiet classical music recordings. I feel soundstage, instrument separation and fullness of sound can be improved.

Punchiness. Quantity is fine with me. Maybe it is forwwardness that's driving me crazy on electronica tracks, I'll listen to it some more. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayaTlab 

Are you talking about midbass punchiness or quantity ? Because I'm a bit disapointed right now about their quantity, but indeed they seem quite punchy. I would actually say that the ESW10 in general is a punchy pair of headphones from the bottom end to the upper mids.

 

The only issue I have so far with the ESW10 and electronic music would be the bump around 2500 hz - makes midrange pitched electronic noises a bit too forward.

 

Another complain about build quality : who the hell decided at Audio Technica that the left cable should be 1 cm longer than the right one ? Ridiculous.

 

Finally, I'm pretty sure I'll sell my S9 for an Hifiman HM-601 as it the synergy does not work that well and it struggles when I have to crank up the volume up to 34 or so with certain very quiet classical music recordings. I feel soundstage, instrument separation and fullness of sound can be improved.

When I compared the ESW10JPN to my Cardas cabled AD2000, the AD2000 were even more boosted in that area, which lead me to sell them and keep the ESW10.

Well I've got around a hundered hours right now with them and I don't expect them to change much afterwards.

Some have said that they're neutral, or at least balanced across the frequency spectrum, while others have said that they're coloured. I actually think that they're both. In fact, although I think they're macroscopically balanced (if taken as single entity, bass, mids and trebles seem equally balanced), I also think that microscopically speaking (ie within each area of the frequency spectrum), they're coloured. Example : I find that the mids are recessed around 600 hz, but bumped around 2500 hz. But if the entire mid area is averaged, it won't be louder than the bass and trebles for example.

They've also clearly revealed the limitations of my portable source (Cowon S9). The synergy is rather poor (as the S9 is already quite light in the lower mids) and the bass lacks authority. Conclusion : the S9 is going away and will be replaced by something better.

Still, they technically surpass all the other headphones I've tried so far, with a nice balance between being detailed, analytical, and fun and engaging. In fact I think they take the accuracy, precision, monitoresque rigour of the SRH840, the euphonic and lush sound of the P5 and the dynamism of the HD-25 (the others I tried), all at the same time.

Their build quality though is total rubbish IMHO and a joke in that price bracket. The cable is one of the worsts I've seen. The swivel joints are feeling like their short term integrity is of a very hypothetical level. The lackered cups are very nice, but as I said putting them exposed under a somewhat free floating plastic cover was the surest way to scratch them. Only the leather headband looks OK to me. Even the leather pads aren't carefully sewed. Oh, and the straight plug is an abnormality as far as pocketablity goes.

I'll probably send them back because of their slightly coloured sound (sorry, but it's already too much for my tastes, and I find the bump around 2500 hz tiring) and their build quality.

Still, I think it's a great effort from Audio Technica and technically the best audio stuff that I owned so far. I might go down the T50p road, but I feel I'll be disapointed as well :).

I agree the ESW10JPN sound great for the price, but are built like a phone costing half as much.  I try to sparingly use mine because I don't want them to get damaged, and I recently tried to pick up a used ESW9 really cheap just so I could save the ESW10 some "wear and tear".  

But, the ESW10JPN are on my "do not sell" list, along with HD800, LA7000, HE-5 and HE-5 LE, HF-2, HD600, O2 Mk1, HE60, Jade and SR-Lambda.  If my HF-2 weren't the rare #24 with the proper spelling on the engraving they might not be on the list.  The HP-1000 should have been on that list along with my modded O2 Mk2, SR-404LE and re-cabled RS-1; but I'm not missing the K1000, ATH-W11R or AD2000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayaTlab 

Well I've got around a hundered hours right now with them and I don't expect them to change much afterwards.

 

Some have said that they're neutral, or at least balanced across the frequency spectrum, while others have said that they're coloured. I actually think that they're both. In fact, although I think they're macroscopically balanced (if taken as single entity, bass, mids and trebles seem equally balanced), I also think that microscopically speaking (ie within each area of the frequency spectrum), they're coloured. Example : I find that the mids are recessed around 600 hz, but bumped around 2500 hz. But if the entire mid area is averaged, it won't be louder than the bass and trebles for example.

 

They've also clearly revealed the limitations of my portable source (Cowon S9). The synergy is rather poor (as the S9 is already quite light in the lower mids) and the bass lacks authority. Conclusion : the S9 is going away and will be replaced by something better.

 

Still, they technically surpass all the other headphones I've tried so far, with a nice balance between being detailed, analytical, and fun and engaging. In fact I think they take the accuracy, precision, monitoresque rigour of the SRH840, the euphonic and lush sound of the P5 and the dynamism of the HD-25 (the others I tried), all at the same time.

 

Their build quality though is total rubbish IMHO and a joke in that price bracket. The cable is one of the worsts I've seen. The swivel joints are feeling like their short term integrity is of a very hypothetical level. The lackered cups are very nice, but as I said putting them exposed under a somewhat free floating plastic cover was the surest way to scratch them. Only the leather headband looks OK to me. Even the leather pads aren't carefully sewed. Oh, and the straight plug is an abnormality as far as pocketablity goes.

 

I'll probably send them back because of their slightly coloured sound (sorry, but it's already too much for my tastes, and I find the bump around 2500 hz tiring) and their build quality.

 

Still, I think it's a great effort from Audio Technica and technically the best audio stuff that I owned so far. I might go down the T50p road, but I feel I'll be disapointed as well :).

Or maybe you can sell them to me ;)

For the purpose of being portable, i would still prefer the ES10 as ATH has made the performance accessible and easy under the direct driven condition. Instead of adding a portable amp, I modified mine by recabling it. Here is my magnificence.

Cardas 4x24 with Oyaide P-3.5 SR

The sound signature was changed but no matter because the improvement is out there and I love it.

That's my sharing. Enjoy and cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vergex2 

Or maybe you can sell them to me ;)

Well the return period for a full refund clock is still ticking :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDC471 

For the purpose of portable, i would still prefer the ES10 as ATH has made the performance accessible and easy under the direct driven condition. Instead of adding a portable amp, I modified mine by recabling it. Here is my magnificence.

Cardas 4x24 with Oyaide P-3.5 SR

 

The sound signature was changed but no matter because the improvement is out there and I love it.

That's my sharing. Enjoy and cheers!

As the ESW10 are already quite coloured to me and the ES10 seem coloured as well, I'm not sure I'll enjoy these more than the ESW10. The only thing I could see if that some reports said they're not as tiring as the ESW10, so it could be that they have less emphasis in the 3000 hz region - good thing for me. I'd hesitate though abut their massive bass (might butcher classical music ?). On the other hand I know I'll greatly appreciate their better lisibility in the bass region. Also, I'm pretty sure the T50p aren't better than these two (and early reports are quite contradictory), but at the very least their ergonomics seem better.

I'm pretty sure as well that the ESW10 are as easy to drive as the ES10. It's just me who's not satisfied and might be hungry for the hypothetical 10% increase an amp or a better player (such as the future HM-601) could provide for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDC471 

For the purpose of portable, i would still prefer the ES10 as ATH has made the performance accessible and easy under the direct driven condition. Instead of adding a portable amp, I modified mine by recabling it. Here is my magnificence.

Cardas 4x24 with Oyaide P-3.5 SR

 

The sound signature was changed but no matter because the improvement is out there and I love it.

That's my sharing. Enjoy and cheers!

What did you find that was different about your ES10s after you recabled them? I got mine recabled too and I swear its different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayaTlab 

Well the return period for a full refund clock is still ticking :).

 

As the ESW10 are already quite coloured to me and the ES10 seem coloured as well, I'm not sure I'll enjoy these more than the ESW10. The only thing I could see if that some reports said they're not as tiring as the ESW10, so it could be that they have less emphasis in the 3000 hz region - good thing for me. I'd hesitate though abut their massive bass (might butcher classical music ?). On the other hand I know I'll greatly appreciate their better lisibility in the bass region. Also, I'm pretty sure the T50p aren't better than these two (and early reports are quite contradictory), but at the very least their ergonomics seem better.

 

I'm pretty sure as well that the ESW10 are as easy to drive as the ES10. It's just me who's not satisfied and might be hungry for the hypothetical 10% increase an amp or a better player (such as the future HM-601) could provide for.

Care to name the seller? :)

I personally don't think the bass in ES10s butcher classical - more like hurts some electronica actually due to the decreased impact of a mids/treble oriented HP. Classical music generally doesn't have a drum beat, which is what the ES10s will emphasize to the point of nearly being overbearing, but not quite. However, under the same inference, it may be said that a grand blast-beat drum line (such as a march) in classical may sound resplendent :)

I still don't know of the T50p is circumaural or supraaural - could anyone clarify that? I also have a Mamba coming in in a few weeks, I'll keep posted on the gains of having a decent portable amp.

Bad news.

I felt in love with these cans.

On first sight.

I cant stop thinking about them.

Please, more pics of these beauties!

Sasaki , please tell me where you bought the Audio-Technica ATH-ES10PN ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximuslt 

Sasaki , please tell me where you bought the Audio-Technica ATH-ES10PN ?

 

The ESW10JPN?

They're no longer being produced. You'll have to find a used pair if you want them.