Does the ES100 require device drivers or some special configuration to use on a Windows machine 10 as a USB sound card? I don't see it in the Device Manager when I connect it.

@radsone - did you fix the Sudden Death Syndrome with the MkII? I have the original version with this issue and it can't even serve as a paper weight (too light for that).

Did you manage to find a replacement battery? I also can't find the SL572035 anywhere and would like to try to replace the battery in my ES100 (which suffers spontaneous death syndrome). Thanks!

Still hoping that one of the BL30 owners also owns a ruler...

Does anyone know what are internal dimensions of the pads?

I didn't see any mention that rtings.com released their review of the XM4 earlier this month. When comparing with the XM3 it seems that bass accuracy is even worse than it used to be. A step in the wrong direction, though probably something that can be mitigated to some degree with EQ. I still...

When comparing the K5 with the BTR5 - which one has longer battery life? which one has better BT range? As for EQ over LDAC, isn't this something that can be controlled on the phone (without an app)? At least on most Samsung phones there's a "Sound quality and effects" settings screen that...

Any word about headband build quality? As I'm sure most here are aware the three previous generations had issues with headbands cracking. I returned my 1st gen MDR-1000X after the headband started cracking, luckily the warranty hasn't expired yet and Amazon was willing to accept a return. I then...

Exact same behavior on my ES100, which is out of warranty. Is there any way to resolve this?

Is the volume level on this adapter better than the BTR3? I have the FiiO and its just too weak with anything other than in-ear headphones. I currently use the Avantree AS70 which is much better in this regard, but doesn't support LDAC.

This seems to be a transmitter, not a receiver. I already have a transmitter (Avantree Leaf) which support FastStream. Unfortunately none of the receivers I have (ES100, BTR3 and others) support this codec.

Update: I didn't find a BT receiver that supports FastStream, though Avantree's upcoming AS70 is supposed to. In the meanwhile I bought the Creative SB Jam open-back BT headphones which support FastStream and I'm glad to report that they work great for voice coupled with Avantree Leaf USB dongle.

Is there any other BT codec that's supposed to offer good support for voice (e.g. Skype)? If not, then I'll settle for a hack. Being tethered to my seat when making calls gets old after a while...

I have the ES100 and the BTR3 and I like the latter more. I was hoping for an improved ES100, but this doesn't really solve the issues I have with the 1st gen. I'm glad to see that the clip is slightly improved and that the buttons are less recessed and will likely have more a distinctive...

Thanks for replying. It turns out a separate microphone isn't the only thing needed for high quality calls over BT, but also support for FastStream codec. At least according to Avantree. Unfortunately it doesn't seem there's any BT receiver that supports this codec at the moment. Only some...

I just ordered a Philips SHP9500 headphone and am considering to get the V-MODA BoomPro microphone cable for them. Is there a BT receiver I could attach to this cable which would transmit my voice to a PC or phone? I own EarStudio ES100 and FiiO BTR3, but since they both include built-in (and...

A few questions before I buy: 1. Is there any downside to getting the version that includes a mic? 2. Do these stay in the ear when walking (not jogging)? 3. Is there any reason sellers on eBay offer these for about $5 less than sellers on AE? Thanks!

This review on youtube has an interesting comparison between the internals of the headband in the XM3 compared to previous generations (as well as other interesting comments on other aspects).

I just checked these settings on my Note 8 and was impressed at how rich they are. Are these not overridden if the Sony app is installed/used? BTW, I don't yet have the XM3 (I decided to wait a few months to see if there are reports of headband cracking), but it's encouraging to know there's a...

One possible solution is to buy a set of aptX LL receiver and transmitter and bypass the XM3 own BT connection. There are many such products and I personally have a good experience with those from Avantree.

For those who were considering the XM3 and are also on the look for a high end phone, this is a pretty compelling deal: https://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_xz3_preorders_in_the_netherlands_come_with_a_free_pair_of_wh1000xm3_headphones-news-33543.php It may be limited to the Netherlands (I'm...

You're lucky to be on that end of the bell curve.

lifeinabox, both Sony generations have many reports of broken headbands, while I couldn't find a single one for models from competing brands like Bose. Your own experience is a sample of one. My sample of one experience (with the first model) is that it breaks after a few months. I would dismiss...

These headphones look great, but there are two elephants in the room that everyone seems to ignore: - This is the third generation in a series, where the previous generations had serious durability issues (cracking headband in both). The new generation is even lighter, which isn't very...

The ANC of the M1 (MDR-1000X) was already great. Better than the QC25 (I haven't used the QC35). The problem is that both the M1 and the M2 had very weak headband that broke months into use, and it seems the M3 uses the same. (Source) To me that's all I need to know. If a year after...