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Anyone heard the new ATH-ES10?

post #1 of 7
11/19/09 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
So i have been out for a pair of portable headphones lately and convenient enough Audio Technica recently released their new portable headphone ES10

What makes or breakes a portable headphone for me is, except audio quality which always will be first priority, is looks and isolation. I want to be able to walk around in town with headphones on me and not look like a jerk and as i hate when other people use phones which leaks or just disrespects everybody by playing through their cellphones speakers, isolations is also important.
I plan to use em with my Iphone and upcoming Zune HD mostly, though i have an Ibasso D10 which i take with me from time to time it's important it still sounds good without an amp.

These ATH-ES10 looks great in my opinion sleek, attractive but doesn't stand out to much. The matt titanium finish really works great.
But then i haven't read anything about how the sound, i have read alot of praise for ESW9 and ESW10 and as they are ES10 precursor i have big hopes for ES10.

ESW9 and 10 are also the alternatives i'm considering or foremost ESW9 because the limited ESW10 seems to be very hard to get without paying alot more. I like the wood finish on these two alot as well but of caurse ESW10 are two steps above ESW9.

So have anyone heard ES10 and maybe compared it to ESW9 and 10?
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post #2 of 7
11/19/09 at 8:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trisk3lion View Post
I want to be able to walk around in town with headphones on me and not look like a jerk and as i hate when other people use phones which leaks or just disrespects everybody by playing through their cellphones speakers
Saw someone on the bus the other day who had his cell phone blasting in his shirt pocket, and I thought, "How cyclic, and at the same time regressive, popular culture is..."

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post #3 of 7
11/20/09 at 11:23am
Thread Starter 
It seems ES10 is a little new, not many seems to have them.
I'm very close to buy myself a pair from bluetin. The thing nags me is that ESW9 is alot cheaper and I would be disappointed if ES10 showed itself to be inferior.

Will probably wait a day or two before i make the final call.
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post #4 of 7
11/29/09 at 1:28am
I had a chance to listen to the ES10 and ESW10JPN and compare them in a noisy environment in Akihabara.

The 10's have a much better build quality and AT has learned from the weak point of the 9's and JPN's - the swivel joints. These joints have been redesigned on the new 10's to be sleaker profile and the surrounding gimbal more integrated around the Ti cups. The pads on the 10's are slightly larger and more comfortable than the JPN's/9's (which are the same). From an aesthetic view point, my vote goes to the JPN's, I like the look of the woodies as compared to the Ti cups.

Ok now how do they sound: if you want bass go for the 10's, they were strong and articulate, the midrange was forward sounding but not as much as a Grado and treble was clear and non sibilant. I really don't think they isolate well because they did not drown out the loud music environment I was in. As for the JPN's, they felt like my old 9's that I use to own but sound wise they are the most neutral of the three. The bass had impact but didn't have that eq'd bass increase like the 10's had, the mid-range was again slightly forward but pure seamless in the spectrum. The JPN's treble to my ears had more sparkle than the 10's but again it was heard to discern between the two because both were good to my ears.

If I were choose between the the three:
1. ESW10JPN
2. ES10
3. ESW9
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post #5 of 7
3/5/10 at 12:21am
According to USPS.com I will have my ES-10's tomorrow or Monday. I am brimming with excitement. Anybody else got these yet? I will post my review asap.
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post #6 of 7
4/25/10 at 5:54pm
I have had the ES10's now for about a month. I have only used them with the output of my DAC707-usb, fed from one of three iRiver iMP-550's optical output, through a van dem Hul TOSLINK cable. I have either used one of John Seaber's cMoys, and/or a modified Sennheiser HZR62 to attenuate the signal. I listen mostly to classical -- opera, chamber, instrumental.

After burn-in, I must say I am impressed with them overall . I had not been expecting such formidable bass; not that it is prominent, but a wide open abyss when called for, like live music in a good venue. The midrange is smooth and musical, the treble clean and alive. Soundstage was believable but not huge. I can listen to the ES10's for several hours without aural fatigue; they further constantly reveal new nuances to recordings that I had thought I already knew.

Sound isolation is fair; I wouldn't want to use them in an chronically nosy environment. On the other hand, my wife, who is quite critical about noise leaking from my 'phones, has not complained at all! The ES10's are comfortable on my head and external ears, and seem well-built.

I bought my pair from Bluetin, and found that transaction a pleasure.
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post #7 of 7
4/26/10 at 10:04am
thanks for sharing your impressions!!
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