[bce22]

Good Day Head-Fiers:

I recently purchased the Audio Technica ES7's for my fiance based on what she told me what her needs were. Go figure she doesn't like them.

The place I bought them will allow me to return them for merchandise credit only. Now I like these phones for myself however I was wondering if exchanging them for the ESW9's (plus any additional cash) is worth it?

Are the sound signatures similiar? How much better or those little woodies?

If it was up to you would you keep the ES7's or pay the difference to jump up to the "9"s?

Thanks.

Brad

PS. Oh, by the way, she ended up liking a pair of like $0.50 headphones that I grabbed from work. Really, I don't get it!!!

 

[nc8000]

I have never heard the ES7 but seem to remember that blackmore has both and that his conclussion was that yes the ESW9 are better but also different to such an extent that he was going to keep both.

 

[bce22]

Thanks for the reply. I wonder if anyone else as an opinion on both models.

 

[pravinuss]

The ESW9 is far more superior is aesthetics and build quality. Also, the sound wise ES7 has deeper bass than the ESW9 but the ESW9 has better highs, soundstage, vocals and clarity. It will really shine using a amp. Graham slee voyager might be good.

 

[bce22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pravinuss /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ESW9 is far more superior is aesthetics and build quality. Also, the sound wise ES7 has deeper bass than the ESW9 but the ESW9 has better highs, soundstage, vocals and clarity. It will really shine using a amp. Graham slee voyager might be good.

Cool thanks for the info. I don't have a home amp. But I do have my iphone 3G to ALO Cryo LOD to my iqube. Sounds awesome for a portable setup.

I've got a pair of Grado RS-1s and can use a closed set of headphones. I have the triple.fi's which are awesome but I have found I'm not a huge fan of IEMs.

Maybe having the ESW9's as my closed pair of phones will make me very happy.

Thanks again for the info.

Brad

 

[nc8000]

They dont isolate all that fantastic given that they are superaural phones but used in less noisy environments they are really great and I love them in my hotel room rig.

 

[bce22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nc8000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif They dont isolate all that fantastic given that they are superaural phones but used in less noisy environments they are really great and I love them in my hotel room rig.

Yeah, isolation isn't as important to me as noise leakage. The es7's isolate "okay" but don't leak much at all.

I am assuming the esw9's would be about the same. I don't know maybe I'm wrong about that.

 

[Skylab]

I found the ESW9 to be far better, yes, but they do indeed sound very different from the ES7. The ES7 are almost painfully bright in the treble, whereas the ESW9 are smooth as butter. The ESW9 have the smoother, lusher mids as well. They are also more refined sounding in general.

 

[bce22]

Skylab: I've read a bunch of your posts and respect your opinion greatly. Thanks for replying on this thread. I will look into going with the esw9's. By the way, anyone have an idea of the snyergy between the esw9's and the iqube? Final Question, I promise

Brad

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bce22 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab: I've read a bunch of your posts and respect your opinion greatly. Thanks for replying on this thread. I will look into going with the esw9's. By the way, anyone have an idea of the snyergy between the esw9's and the iqube? Final Question, I promise Brad

FWIW, my own personal portable rig is the ESW9 and the iQube, so I think highly of the combination

 

[gideonMorrison]

That set-up looks delicious, Skylab.

 

[bce22]

That's an awesome setup Skylab. What do you use for an LOD from your iQube to iMod or do you use your Imod "advanced" headphones jack?

 

[Skylab]

For that rig I use an iPod classic, with an ALO "Cotton" LOD cable.

 

[Blackmore]

They do share more than people are talking about, imo. Yes, ESW9 are more refind, while ES7 are having kind of mix between mids and bass, upper midbass or something. Also ESW9 are bit distant with better clarity and detail. ES7 are more focused, but not having sense of to be much compressed and ESW9 are having more depth. Both of them produce enough 3D imagination to get sense of to be suround, however ES7 more kind of keeping you in the middle of it, while ESW9 gives you better structure of instruments placing.
I need a better portable amp to get more correct impressions, but thats something for the future...

 

[bce22]

THanks for the reply. I think i'm going to return my ES7s and upgrade the the ESW9s.

Plus the woodies look awesome and then I'll have a portable setup almost identical to skylab with the exception of an iphone 3G instead of the classic.