[Trisk3lion]

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?

 

[TopPop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trisk3lion /img/forum/go_quote.gif 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..."

 

[Trisk3lion]

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.

 

[cheemo]

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

 

[raelamb]

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.

 

[lcats]

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.

 

[sinus1982]

thanks for sharing your impressions!!

 

[realq86]

I'm very much a n00b in headphone reviews and trying to describe what I hear so bare with me.
 
Tonight at Audio Technica's Taiwan flagship store I demoed the famous M50, ESW9, and the topic ATH-ES10.  All powered via my own iPhone 4S.
 
I list mostly to Rock (L'arc~en~ciel) and demoed the M50 first and found it to live up to its reputation, much better than my Sony MDR-V6 straight out of the iPhone.
However the M50 is a headphone for large heads.  I'm not talking about full-size vs super-aural, I'm talking about at the smallest setting there is still large gap between the top of my head to the headband.  The ear cups are also too large to have a good seal on my ears, I definitely can feel sound quality was compromised due to the fitting.  Thank god I had a chance to try it out, as it was on my shopping list.
 
I than demoed the ESW9 and ES10 back to back.  The biggest difference was the price as it was marked right infront of my face, the ES10 goes for twice as the ESW9.  Design are very similar, beside the obvious Ti vs Wood, the ES10 cup is a little bigger and covers all of my ear perfectly while the ESW9 rest a bit on my ear.
 
The sound difference was really huge, it doesn't take a veteran head-fier to tell the difference.  Everything just sounds bigger and tighter on the ES10.  There was more bass, and for forward mids and clear hi-highs.  While being more exciting I didn't feel it was messing up anything, everything was detailed and clear on the ES10.  On the other side the ESW9 sounded soft, and as the store clerk puts it "warm."  If you listen to Rock or Pop its very obvious I'd go with the ES10!  In fact I'm not sure what kind of music sounds better on the ESW9, unless you just really like the reserved and laid back sound.
 
fyi all 3 headphones are still higher grade "Made in Japan" models from Audio-Technica.

 

[dosley01]

Quote:

In fact I'm not sure what kind of music sounds better on the ESW9, unless you just really like the reserved and laid back sound.

Female vocals, especially jazz like Diana Krall or Norah jones.