digihead
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 30, 2004
- Posts
- 919
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- 10
If you are looking for an IEM to match the sound of the RS-1, it isn't going to happen. You can get close, but just do to the nature of the IEM, it will never be able to give you the sense of air that the RS-1 does. I am a big fan of the RS-1, I think it is really an incredible listen.
I have been searching for an IEM that would give me the RS-1 sound. I have been lost in IEM land for quite a while on my search....after all, who would be crazy enough to own the Sensas, the UE10pros, the Westone ES3s and the ES2s? Only a head-fi'er, right?
If you are looking for simplicity and portability - meaning unamped out of the ipod, get the ES2s. They retain the aggressive upfront kind of sound that I have come to know as the Westone sound. The guitars sound right and they have a much greater sense of balance across the spectrum. Specifically, the mids don't jump out at you or sound too loud relative to the rest of the mix. The bass is also much more present. A fun, punchy kind of bass that can groove when called for. They also seem to have an overall smoother presentation than the ES3s which can be edgy at times, particuarly unamped.
I spent a long time with the ES3s trying to get the right synergy going and finding the right sound with them. I was basically looking to darken up the sound a bit, tame the mids, add a bit of warmth and round out the bass quantity. The ES3s tend to benefit more from amplification in terms of filling out the overall sound. With the ES3s, I could clearly hear differences in mini to mini interconnects that I had not been able to hear previously. This is likely due to the midrange detail that can be heard so clearly due to the mid range hump.
After trying nearly every mini on the planet, I found two that really take the ES3 to the exceptional level. Using an ipod photo - pocket dock - black dragon mini - SR-71 you get a level of performance as close to that of the RS-1 as I have found. This is a special, magical combo.
Using the same combo as above only using a RnB Audio Diamond class mini you get an incredible level of instrument separation, blackness between notes and a crazy amount of detail. It is like a UE10 pro with a midrange hump that can do guitars right. Really a cool listen.
The ES3 sound takes quite a bit of getting used to. I could easily see a lot of people not liking it simply due to the midrange hump. It is definitley designed with guitarists and vocalists in mind as that is what you hear more prominently in the mix. After probably two months, I can say that I really love the ES3 sound. With the combo above it is a fun, aggressive listen. Its not meant to put you to sleep that's for sure. I've had many, many, moments of appreciating a guitarists' playing unlike anything i've heard before.
There are of course many moments where I just wish I could turn down the midrange of the ES3s just a bit and I would have a perfect IEM for me.
So if you think you could live with a really prominent midrange, you want to pick up an SR-71 (i think there are like 6 on the FS forum right now), a black dragon or RNB Audio Diamond mini, pocket dock and throw it all into a case logic neoprene CD player waist pack...I don't think you can get closer to the RS-1 sound than this. If you're looking for something close without that kind of dollar or physical size committment, get the ES2s and run them unamped. The ES2s do seem to benefit some from amplification, but not nearly to the degree that the ES3s do.
I have only had the ES2s for a few days and I am still burning them in and getting used to their sound and fit. I will post more impressions over the next few days/weeks as I have more to report. Overall you might read the comments above and think that the ES3s are the clear winner. I would definitely not say that is the case. If I had to pick up one to listen to unamped, it would definitely be the ES2s. If I had my portable amp set up, I'd likely grab the ES3s. All still too early to tell as I have really only had the ES2s for a few days.
I can say that Westone did an outstanding job of fitting both the ES3s and ES2s. Highly recommended. Great people to deal with.
I have been searching for an IEM that would give me the RS-1 sound. I have been lost in IEM land for quite a while on my search....after all, who would be crazy enough to own the Sensas, the UE10pros, the Westone ES3s and the ES2s? Only a head-fi'er, right?
If you are looking for simplicity and portability - meaning unamped out of the ipod, get the ES2s. They retain the aggressive upfront kind of sound that I have come to know as the Westone sound. The guitars sound right and they have a much greater sense of balance across the spectrum. Specifically, the mids don't jump out at you or sound too loud relative to the rest of the mix. The bass is also much more present. A fun, punchy kind of bass that can groove when called for. They also seem to have an overall smoother presentation than the ES3s which can be edgy at times, particuarly unamped.
I spent a long time with the ES3s trying to get the right synergy going and finding the right sound with them. I was basically looking to darken up the sound a bit, tame the mids, add a bit of warmth and round out the bass quantity. The ES3s tend to benefit more from amplification in terms of filling out the overall sound. With the ES3s, I could clearly hear differences in mini to mini interconnects that I had not been able to hear previously. This is likely due to the midrange detail that can be heard so clearly due to the mid range hump.
After trying nearly every mini on the planet, I found two that really take the ES3 to the exceptional level. Using an ipod photo - pocket dock - black dragon mini - SR-71 you get a level of performance as close to that of the RS-1 as I have found. This is a special, magical combo.
Using the same combo as above only using a RnB Audio Diamond class mini you get an incredible level of instrument separation, blackness between notes and a crazy amount of detail. It is like a UE10 pro with a midrange hump that can do guitars right. Really a cool listen.
The ES3 sound takes quite a bit of getting used to. I could easily see a lot of people not liking it simply due to the midrange hump. It is definitley designed with guitarists and vocalists in mind as that is what you hear more prominently in the mix. After probably two months, I can say that I really love the ES3 sound. With the combo above it is a fun, aggressive listen. Its not meant to put you to sleep that's for sure. I've had many, many, moments of appreciating a guitarists' playing unlike anything i've heard before.
There are of course many moments where I just wish I could turn down the midrange of the ES3s just a bit and I would have a perfect IEM for me.
So if you think you could live with a really prominent midrange, you want to pick up an SR-71 (i think there are like 6 on the FS forum right now), a black dragon or RNB Audio Diamond mini, pocket dock and throw it all into a case logic neoprene CD player waist pack...I don't think you can get closer to the RS-1 sound than this. If you're looking for something close without that kind of dollar or physical size committment, get the ES2s and run them unamped. The ES2s do seem to benefit some from amplification, but not nearly to the degree that the ES3s do.
I have only had the ES2s for a few days and I am still burning them in and getting used to their sound and fit. I will post more impressions over the next few days/weeks as I have more to report. Overall you might read the comments above and think that the ES3s are the clear winner. I would definitely not say that is the case. If I had to pick up one to listen to unamped, it would definitely be the ES2s. If I had my portable amp set up, I'd likely grab the ES3s. All still too early to tell as I have really only had the ES2s for a few days.
I can say that Westone did an outstanding job of fitting both the ES3s and ES2s. Highly recommended. Great people to deal with.
