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Westone ES5 Review (and brief comparisons to other custom IEMs) - Page 3

post #31 of 37
12/16/11 at 5:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Br777 View Post



I dont understand your question.

 



how can i get a discount? through audiologist ?

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post #32 of 37
12/16/11 at 6:02pm

I didnt get a discount, this is simply the price my audiologist decided to charge me.  The way westone prefers to do business with their customs is to have you order, pay, and receive via one of their "dealers" which are audiologists, which is what I am doing.

 

I am guessing when my audiologist contacted Westone, they asked them what their wholesale (maybe wholesale is not the correct term) price was, and simply went with that.    I was just overjoyed at their choice of price, so i decided not to ask any questions about how they chose it.

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post #33 of 37
1/4/12 at 9:39am

I'm almost certain that the ES5's will be my first custom IEM after this review - now I'll just have to wait 'till Westone replies to my e-mail.

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post #34 of 37
1/11/12 at 8:40pm

well here's a bit more food for thought -

 

Got my Westone Es5's yesterday -a few thoughts

 

first know that my benchmark is a pair of LCD-2 rev2's that are eq'd as close to true neutral as possible using this method - My EQ curves for LCD-2, HD650, M50, and 007mk2

They are the best sounding headphone's i've ever heard, and i've owned quite a few high end headphones, IEM's and even earbuds.

 

like most headphones i have owned, and because i am a true neutral listener,  I dont like how the ES5 sound without EQ - in this case the features at fault are pretty rolled off frequencies - nearly everything above 1400hz if you can believe it.

 

that said, when properly eq'd the ES5 are the best sounding headphones i've ever heard - I am ready to say i prefer them over my LCD-2's, and at very least they are equal to them which is saying a LOT especially for IEM's!

 

I owned the UM miracles for a few weeks so i will compare the two at times.

 

the miracles also sounded bad to me without EQ, but much worse.  Very muffled and mono-note bass, which no amount of eq could fix. the bass was really a mess from every angle. The rest of the frequency range was all over the place, and was also hopeless no matter how much eq i threw at it.  The mids were so so, and the highs were so so.  They got jumbled and muddy with fast music.   On top of that the left one fit fine but was still loose, and the right one did not fit.  So i sold them and bought the es5

 

the fit and overall design of the es5 is MILES ahead of the UM miracle.   The miracles would break seal if i so much as moved my face.   The ES5's absolutely never lose seal.  They are rock solid in my ears, yet just as comfortable as any custom can be, which means they basically dissapear in your ears.

 

The flex-fit ear tubes are great - really help with the seal and fit, albeit a bit harder to get in than solid acrylic, but they will get slicker over time from natural lubrication, and of course westone supplies oto-ease to help at first.

 

I'll quickly glide over bass mids and highs because they are all simply stupendous (with EQ)

amazingly the bass easily keeps up with the LCD-2

extension - Check!  snap - Check! attack, viseral impact, and every other word i can think of that means awesome bass - Check!  also the quantity is very reasonable.. if anything its slightly light, but again.. I eq, and...

 

most importantly the ES5 does very very well with eq across the spectrum.

 

mids are just Freakin fantastic-  ortho mids, so i thought, were in their own exclusive club and unbeatable, certainly not by IEM's   well i stand corrected.  what else do i need to say.

 

highs just seem right.. cymbals, snares, and all that is high sounds very lifelike and clear.  great distinction, great clarity.

 

the speed, articulation, attack, and overall musicality are all top notch as well.  nothing bogs, nothing gets lost in the mix and most importantly the music sounds like music.. fun, clear and real. 

 

I really cant say enough good about these IEM's  If it werent for practical reasons i could easily give up my LCD-2's and never look back.

 

to say these make the Miracles look like crap is not an understatement.  SOOO glad i switched.

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post #35 of 37
1/12/12 at 7:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Br777 View Post

well here's a bit more food for thought -

 

Got my Westone Es5's yesterday -a few thoughts

 

first know that my benchmark is a pair of LCD-2 rev2's that are eq'd as close to true neutral as possible using this method - My EQ curves for LCD-2, HD650, M50, and 007mk2

They are the best sounding headphone's i've ever heard, and i've owned quite a few high end headphones, IEM's and even earbuds.

 

like most headphones i have owned, and because i am a true neutral listener,  I dont like how the ES5 sound without EQ - in this case the features at fault are pretty rolled off frequencies - nearly everything above 1400hz if you can believe it.

 

that said, when properly eq'd the ES5 are the best sounding headphones i've ever heard - I am ready to say i prefer them over my LCD-2's, and at very least they are equal to them which is saying a LOT especially for IEM's!

 

I owned the UM miracles for a few weeks so i will compare the two at times.

 

the miracles also sounded bad to me without EQ, but much worse.  Very muffled and mono-note bass, which no amount of eq could fix. the bass was really a mess from every angle. The rest of the frequency range was all over the place, and was also hopeless no matter how much eq i threw at it.  The mids were so so, and the highs were so so.  They got jumbled and muddy with fast music.   On top of that the left one fit fine but was still loose, and the right one did not fit.  So i sold them and bought the es5

 

the fit and overall design of the es5 is MILES ahead of the UM miracle.   The miracles would break seal if i so much as moved my face.   The ES5's absolutely never lose seal.  They are rock solid in my ears, yet just as comfortable as any custom can be, which means they basically dissapear in your ears.

 

The flex-fit ear tubes are great - really help with the seal and fit, albeit a bit harder to get in than solid acrylic, but they will get slicker over time from natural lubrication, and of course westone supplies oto-ease to help at first.

 

I'll quickly glide over bass mids and highs because they are all simply stupendous (with EQ)

amazingly the bass easily keeps up with the LCD-2

extension - Check!  snap - Check! attack, viseral impact, and every other word i can think of that means awesome bass - Check!  also the quantity is very reasonable.. if anything its slightly light, but again.. I eq, and...

 

most importantly the ES5 does very very well with eq across the spectrum.

 

mids are just Freakin fantastic-  ortho mids, so i thought, were in their own exclusive club and unbeatable, certainly not by IEM's   well i stand corrected.  what else do i need to say.

 

highs just seem right.. cymbals, snares, and all that is high sounds very lifelike and clear.  great distinction, great clarity.

 

the speed, articulation, attack, and overall musicality are all top notch as well.  nothing bogs, nothing gets lost in the mix and most importantly the music sounds like music.. fun, clear and real. 

 

I really cant say enough good about these IEM's  If it werent for practical reasons i could easily give up my LCD-2's and never look back.

 

to say these make the Miracles look like crap is not an understatement.  SOOO glad i switched.


Nice write up!  So glad you enjoy them! The mids are really special!

 

I've been talking headphones with you for years. Now I can help you with your purchase:) Sales Specialist & Headphone Guru @ Headphones.com
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post #36 of 37
1/16/12 at 8:52am


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Br777 View Post

 

like most headphones i have owned, and because i am a true neutral listener,  I dont like how the ES5 sound without EQ - in this case the features at fault are pretty rolled off frequencies - nearly everything above 1400hz if you can believe it.

 

that said, when properly eq'd the ES5 are the best sounding headphones i've ever heard - I am ready to say i prefer them over my LCD-2's, and at very least they are equal to them which is saying a LOT especially for IEM's!

 



Hey Br777, glad you enjoyed your es :) Do share with us how you eq your es5!!

 

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post #37 of 37
1/17/12 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by raikoken View Post


 



Hey Br777, glad you enjoyed your es :) Do share with us how you eq your es5!!

 



 


es5.JPG

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