[Dobrescu George]

Mm..that would be my next project: upgrade my Stax amp to the BHSE or the Stax T8000. My current Stax amp is listed in my profile.

iFi also created an Electrostatic Amplifier that I am really curious about!

I haven't heard it, but using their iDSD BL daily, I am curious about it.

This new amp should be named iFi iESL PRO - it was just announced - but seems very promising

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-iesl/

 

[Whitigir]

For a very good electrostatic amplifier, it seems like iFi created something that should be able to match up with the best of the best.I haven't heard it, but using their iDSD BL daily, I am curious about it. This new amp should be named iFi iESL PRO - it was just announced - but seems very promising

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-iesl/

What make you say that ? While it is great that Ifi is progressing, and I do love Ifi for their performances-value ratio, but to say they are getting up to the best of the best is a bit far stretched. Technically speaking, in order to build the best of the best amp standards similar to KG, the manufacturer will have to up the prices several folds....IFI is attempting to make an affordable Electro Stats amp unit, and not competing against these so called the best of the best

 

[Dobrescu George]

What make you say that ? While it is great that Ifi is progressing, and I do love Ifi for their performances-value ratio, but to say they are getting up to the best of the best is a bit far stretched

Basically, I preferred iDSD BL as a portable over many of the desktop amplifiers in Romania, for one reason or another. I didn't test iFi's absolute highest end products yet, but honestly, for my IEMs and headphones, iDSD BL has proven to be a real champ.

This is why I am curious how iESL sounds like - judging from the factors we know so far, it sounds like it could take on the best of the best electrostatic amps. I barely heard one electrostatic setup though - and that one was HE-1, but I am still curious about iESL since it might spice a Stax setup to come even closer to HE-1

 

[LaCuffia]

Isn't the iESL basically like a transformer though? You have to connect to a speaker amp to make any use out of it so not really a convenient or proper amp for e-stat headphones.

I am curious about the iDSD black though - anybody try it with the HD650? I will likely get the 800s down the road.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Isn't the iESL basically like a transformer though? You have to connect to a speaker amp to make any use out of it so not really a convenient or proper amp for e-stat headphones.

I am curious about the iDSD black though - anybody try it with the HD650? I will likely get the 800s down the road.

I have no idea about that question on iESL, it just got announced and I got excited about it (?)

iDSD BL drives both Hd600 and HD800S really well in my experience - best portable AMP I heard so far!

 

[LaCuffia]

I have no idea about that question on iESL, it just got announced and I got excited about it (?)

iDSD BL drives both Hd600 and HD800S really well in my experience - best portable AMP I heard so far!

I read your review about it....well done.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I read your review about it....well done.

Thank you very much!!

I hope that if you get one, it will bring you lots of happiness!

 

[VandyMan]

I have no idea about that question on iESL, it just got announced and I got excited about it (?)

It requires either a speaker amp or a headphone amp that outputs a minimum of 10V. The manual and specs are all posted on their website. It is nearly three times the cost of the Woo Wee. If you combine it with their Pro headphone amp (there is a special connector) it is over 3K. The tech sounds interesting, but at those prices, get a Carbon. I don't see any reason to think this thing will compete with the Carbon or BHSE. I hope this is not the low cost solution that Mr. Speaker has been saying is in the works by their partners.

 

[Dobrescu George]

It requires either a speaker amp or a headphone amp that outputs a minimum of 10V. The manual and specs are all posted on their website. It is nearly three times the cost of the Woo Wee. If you combine it with their Pro headphone amp (there is a special connector) it is over 3K. The tech sounds interesting, but at those prices, get a Carbon. I don't see any reason to think this thing will compete with the Carbon or BHSE. I hope this is not the low cost solution that Mr. Speaker has been saying is in the works by their partners.

Thank you!

I get a very vague idea of what is going on then...

What I gather from the presentation of iESL is that it is supposed to be a TOTL Electrostatic related AMP, not an entry-level one.

Well, if somebody gets it, please do post your impressions!

 

[paradoxper]

Doubtful. Highly so. Look at all the prior failings of WEE or RKV retardation.

An HV variant commissioned build is a no-brainer.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Doubtful. Highly so. Look at all the prior failings of WEE or RKV retardation.

An HV variant commissioned build is a no-brainer.

If you were answering to me, I don't understand any of the abbreviations used, I am new to electrostats....

 

[VandyMan]

What I gather from the presentation of iESL is that it is supposed to be a TOTL Electrostatic related AMP, not an entry-level one.

An easy way to think about it is to consider it a converter that allows you to connect your electrostatic headphones to a speaker amp or standard headphone amp. (That is an over simplification, of course.) In comparison, the KG amps, the BHSE, the Woo Ges/Wes, and the STAX amps all connect to a source. The iESL, the Woo Wee, and the STAX SRD-7 all connect to an amp.

For example:
CD Player --> Speaker Amp --> iESL --> Electrostatic Headphones
CD Player --> STAX amp --> Electrostatic Headphones

That said, the iESL does have some nice features and has some interesting technology that similar products do not.

[We should probably take this discussion to a different topic.]

 

[Dobrescu George]

An easy way to think about it is to consider it a converter that allows you to connect your electrostatic headphones to a speaker amp or standard headphone amp. (That is an over simplification, of course.) In comparison, the KG amps, the BHSE, the Woo Ges/Wes, and the STAX amps all connect to a source. The iESL, the Woo Wee, and the STAX SRD-7 all connect to an amp.

For example:
CD Player --> Speaker Amp --> iESL --> Electrostatic Headphones
CD Player --> STAX amp --> Electrostatic Headphones

That said, the iESL does have some nice features and has some interesting technology that similar products do not.

[We should probably take this discussion to a different topic.]

Thank you for explaining. Any of those would work with HE-1 as it is an electrostat?

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

If you were answering to me, I don't understand any of the abbreviations used, I am new to electrostats....

Woo Wee
Audiovalve RKV
KGSSHV
KGSSHV Carbon

It's fine to be new to electrostats, no one is born as an expert, but if you're new to electrostats and don't know almost anything, please, don't give advice on electrostatic amplifiers (post #2221)

 

[Dobrescu George]

Woo Wee
Audiovalve RKV
KGSSHV
KGSSHV Carbon

It's fine to be new to electrostats, no one is born as an expert, but if you're new to electrostats and don't know almost anything, please, don't give advice on electrostatic amplifiers (post #2221)

Thank you!

Edited it to better reflect my thoughts!

The point is that I have been using iDSD BL for a long while now and I am curious about iESL.