[gurus]

Quote:

I am looking to get a pair. Can somebody tell me the diameter of the earcups?
 

 
I am getting a pair and it will be shipping next week from Japan. Thanks dallan.
 
Anybody recommend a portable/small desktop amp for use with the ES10 that brings out the best in them.
 
And thanks for not providing an answer to a  very basic question about earcups I had asked a few days ago. SIC

 

[dallan]

I stand by the Headamp products for portable, but i haven't heard the National or many of the newer ones now.  Justin(Headamp) is coming out with a new more powerful version of the Pico, or has the normal version or has a slim version.  Best if you listen to all portable amps that you can but i feel RSA amps(House sound) are to warm for these headphones so you may want to stay away from those in this case.  

 

[OK-Guy]

cheers for that Dallan... what I'm looking for is a neutral sounding amp across the whole soundstage with no hiss.

 

[slawterjoe]

Is the low on this thing over power ? Is it good with jazz and classic ?

 

[dallan]

To me an amp cleans it up but line out is fine if that is the way you choose.  I don't listen to classical myself, some jazz though.  It works well for portable situations for me.

 

[gurus]

Anybody heard the ES10 with the Audio Technica AT HA26D DAC/amp?
 
http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/atj/show_model.php?modelId=1546
 

 

[roma101]

Currently awaiting a pair of my own. Can't wait to try these finally.

 

[kiteki]

Kiteki... having received the Philips Fidelio M1's today I now realise what you mean by saying I need a portable-amp for my WM-Z... when I was at my hi-fi dealer I did think that the DT1350's were underpowered compared to the Amperior (& Grado 225i) but never gave it much thought... I took the M1's out this afternoon for a few hours (the weekly shop etc) and they definitely needed more power to boost the soundstage.
 
I notice that you have built amps (I'm impressed) so could you have a look at the amp in the link below and let me know what you think (I intend to go with the better op-amps)... I'm new to this headphone malarkey so proper advice is needed... if I have to go for the ALO-RX3 for a good amp I will, the amp I'm after must be hiss-free and cope with a wide-soundstage.... I know I won't get a portable set-up to match my home system but I do want to try and get the best sound I can.
 
Lastly (back on topic), what is the headband like on the ES10?... I started out with both the ES55 & ES7 but the headband hurt like hell after about 30mins which killed any enjoyment of music.... thanking-you in advance for your help & advice.
 
Neco Soundlab V3 amp
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140777170164?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

 

 

---

 
Will answer your question later OK-Guy. =)

 
 
Hi OK-Guy,
 
I think you found a good headphone amplifier there very quickly.  The Neco V3 is pretty similar to my amplifier but I won't go into the fine details, for example people say different types of capacitors sound different and I don't have any comparison experience there.
 
The op-amp upgrade (to AD8610 x2) is good but it's only a high performance sounding chip, clinical with no soul, and on clinical levels I think the AD797 is actually better for example in fine differences in sound-stage or cinematic details, I think with AD797 you can hear the microphone while with other chips like OPA111 you're more connected to the singers voice, it could be due to fine differences in speed, like nanosecond time delivery intervals.
 
Then there is always synergy and taste, I haven't heard the Sony Z1070 yet but I'm going to visit a Sonystyle store around here and check (I just moved to a new country).
 
Some people say audiophiles fall for shiny expensive boxes but op-amps all look the same to me and some sound really good for 50 cents.  The catch is a lot need 18V (+-9V) or higher to sound good, which is why the Neco should be a good choice.
 
By the way I think these fine soundstage details are more apparent with IEM's, but the Audio Technica A2000X was very good with source transparency.

 

[gurus]

Just got mine in today along with the HA26D.
 
It's pretty decent for such a small closed can. The sound staging is good. There is  emphasis on the lower end along with the colored mids. Don't like the highs, they need to open up. Maybe more burn in or a silver cable mod might do it. The sound sig is just the opposite of most AT cans.
 
And there was all kinds of lines (scratches?) running horizontally on the Ti cups so I wet sanded the shiny finish  to a matte finish.

 

[dallan]

I never thought about silver cable, that is a pretty good idea if you could get some light enough to work portable.  It's funny i compare the es10 to my esw9(which i have loved dearly) and I hear the same exact mids and highs except the low end is so emphasized that it kind of drowns them out a little.  That and a fuller sound due to cup size is so much bigger.

 

[Rayzilla]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurus /img/forum/go_quote.gif

..;
 
And there was all kinds of lines (scratches?) running horizontally on the Ti cups so I wet sanded the shiny finish  to a matte finish.

Mine are like that too.  I thought that's how they are supposed to be?

 

[gurus]

Quote:

Mine are like that too.  I thought that's how they are supposed to be?

I just did not like the look of it so I just made it into a matte finish.
 
And the sound seems more balanced after 20+ hours of burn in. Definitely has opened up. I like it.

 

[kiteki]

You'll need to break in those leather pads too until they're like an old pair of shoes, then the ES10 really shows it's true colours. =]

 

[gurus]

Quote:

You'll need to break in those leather pads too until they're like an old pair of shoes, then the ES10 really shows it's true colours. =]

Any special procedure for doing that?

 

[kiteki]

No idea, I just compared my second-hand pair to a mint pair and at first I was worried the mint pair was a fake, it sounded dainty.  Then I noticed the leather pads were quite a bit stiffer on the mint pair, and if I squeezed them tighter and focused they sounded more mature like mine.