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pkan said:

I just ordered a set of ES5s and I'm using a 2011 macbook pro>JDS labs amp currently. any suggestions on an amp to get the most out of them?

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Yup.  Leckerton UHA6S DAC/Amp using OPA209 opamps running optical or USB from your Macbook.

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anaxilus said:

Yup.  Leckerton UHA6S DAC/Amp using OPA209 opamps running optical or USB from your Macbook.

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I'm currently running the OPA227P in my JDS amp. Do you know what the differences would be between that and the OPA209?
 

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pkan said:

I'm currently running the OPA227P in my JDS amp. Do you know what the differences would be between that and the OPA209?

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Not familiar w/ the OPA227P.  You could shoot an email to Nick at Leckerton.
 

is there a way of "toning down" the bass on ES5 with the aid of an amp?
not used to it's tight & warm bass.
i still missed the bass on ES2.

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currypok said:

is there a way of "toning down" the bass on ES5 with the aid of an amp?
not used to it's tight & warm bass.
i still missed the bass on ES2.

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What's your source?
 

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jazzvinyl said:

You are center stage and everyone else is behind you and slightly below you.  Some musicians are very close behind you, others are futher away, but none are "way" behind your position.
 

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^This would make me go crazy. I mean, really crazy. Are you entirely sure it's not a product of the recording?
 

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There is some movement of the musicians laterally to your sides,  and there is an ocassional movement where a musician steps to the 10 and 2 o'clock position relative to your position.  When this hapens they can also rise a bit higher than the "they are behind and slightly below me" feeling.
 

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b0ck3n said:

 
^This would make me go crazy. I mean, really crazy. Are you entirely sure it's not a product of the recording?
 

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I was listening while at work, and I believe what I reported is a psycho-acoustic artifact.  I believe I am pushing the musicians back and below me while I am at work, so as not to fall completely out of touch with reality.
 
I listened to the same album last night at home, eyes closed, and reclined, and I did not have the sensation of "behind and below me".  In this situation, it is like we are all standing together, in the room where the recording is being made.
 
I am back at work now,  and I notice that in order to concentrate on work...I have to push the musicians back (and below) me a bit...this also seems to be propotional to how much micro detail is present in the album being listened to, the more micro detail, back and below they go.  Less micro detail, and they can stay up here, with me.
 
Does that make sense?
 
?
 
 
 
 

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jazzvinyl said:

Does that make sense?

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No.  Are you EQing or something?  How are you changing the soundstaging??
 

Makes perfect sense to me. He's changing it in his mind. He's making his work a higher priority than the music and thus his perception is altered.

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maxvla said:

 He's changing it in his mind.

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Probably not the best way to offer impressions for others who might be trying to understand a phones signature.  That was waaay off.
 

I do love my ES5's, and consider the sound quality to be superb.  Mids and highs are perfect and the bass is "just right" - I am glad it is not anymore bass heavy.  The presentation is very musical and true to life.
 
Comfort is great!  I really have never liked Universal IEM's - the only pair I could keep in very long were the Klipsh's with the oval tips, and they didn't always attain a good seal easily.  The ES5's are very comfortable, and I appreciate the softer tips that "adjust" with body heat after they have been in for a few minutes.  Isolation is excellent as well. 
 
I love the way they sound coming straight out of the iPod Classic headphone jack.  As someone who has carried around portable amps, I am delighted to be free of extra encumbrances. 
 
Yeah for Westone, Yeah for me to have had the fortune to attend the Factory Tour/Head-Fi meet here in the Springs, and come across these fine performing beauties!
 
 
Life is good!
 
,

Quote:

anaxilus said:

What's your source?
 

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HM-801 and iPhone 4.
even resorted to custom the EQ on 801.
and using the "bass reducer" on iP4.
 

Quote:

currypok said:

HM-801 and iPhone 4.
even resorted to custom the EQ on 801.
and using the "bass reducer" on iP4.

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If they are new, just run them in for a few more weeks and have another listen.  The drivers and crossovers do not always sound best straight out of the box as has been mentioned in the thread a few times.  Boomy, uncontrolled, resonances, weird stuff.  Means they aren't set yet.
 

Quote:

jazzvinyl said:

 
I was listening while at work, and I believe what I reported is a psycho-acoustic artifact.  I believe I am pushing the musicians back and below me while I am at work, so as not to fall completely out of touch with reality.
 
I listened to the same album last night at home, eyes closed, and reclined, and I did not have the sensation of "behind and below me".  In this situation, it is like we are all standing together, in the room where the recording is being made.
 
I am back at work now,  and I notice that in order to concentrate on work...I have to push the musicians back (and below) me a bit...this also seems to be propotional to how much micro detail is present in the album being listened to, the more micro detail, back and below they go.  Less micro detail, and they can stay up here, with me.
 
Does that make sense?
 
?

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In a way it kind of does - at least I have an analogy. With the Pico Slim (and CLAS), the soundstage from the ES5 goes way outside my head. But my perceptions are not consistent. With certain music, sometimes it extends and sometimes it doesn't, i.e. my preceptions of the soundstage for the same music can vary from listening session to listening session. Also the two sides can sometimes seem unbalanced (for example when there are separate guitars or vocals in each ear), and when I started to worry about that they seemed really unbalanced. In fact, they aren't unbalanced and with focus, I can bring the balance back.
 
So with that particular equipment combination and the ES5, the psychoacoustic qualities are so extreme as to be variable with my perceptions. It's an amazing soundstage for an IEM but it can be a bit confusing at times.
 
One of the things that I like about using the Stepdance is that the integration of the ES5 soundstage is more organic, and while it is not as wide as the Pico Slim, it is consistent. My mind does not get confused and there is no variation between listening sessions.

I have my Sony X1061 with me now for a week and I can say that its pairing with ES5 is really good! X1061 is a slightly warm sounding DAP. It does not play lossless audio file (except WAV) but its synergy with the ES5 is simply amazing. Makes me want to listen to my ES5 at every moment of my life.
 
Have had Whipmod and CLAS with Pico Slim before. With the same songs (ripped in AIFF on iPod and M4A on Sony),
 
In terms of SQ when paired with ES5:
CLAS >> Whipmod > X1061
 
Despite me ranking X1061 at the back in terms of SQ, it is very very close to that of Whipmod. It reproduces everything so well and just fall a little short of Whipmod. CLAS setup remains the one to beat in terms of portable SQ. I do not use EQ nor sound enhancement features.
 
In terms of musical engagement (my own personal experience):
Whipmod > X1061 > CLAS
 
Portability (size, battery life):
X1061 >> Whipmod > CLAS
 
I have read some opinions that the new Sony A860s series walkman is slightly warmer/fuller than their X-series and I would think that for those looking for a very portable DAP to pair with your ES5, you might want to consider Sony as one of your potential DAP =)