- Joined
- Jan 24, 2012
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Introduction:
I have heard rumors about these for a long while, but never found them for sale at a reasonable price point. So when they showed up for $70 on eBay, I though... "no brainer!" and placed the order.
Comparison:
I would love to do a comparison between these and the ATH-ES7, but my genuine pair died (the left driver gave out), and the only pair of ES7 I have left is a counterfeit. Hm, so not the best one to compare to.
In my possession currently are an Audio Technica ATH-FC700A, and an Audio Technica ATH-M50S. I'll be doing the majority of comparisons to those two. Also, I'll throw in the Monster Beats By Dr. Dre Solo (the non glossy version), Apple In-Ear Headphones (ADDIEM) just for kicks, but for the most part, it'll be an Audio Technica to Audio Technica comparison.
Test Method:
I'll be playing the following songs on loop:
Monday (Glitch Mob Remix) - Nalepa (sibilance + treble fatigue + bass impact test)
Matsuri - Kitaro (soundstage, bass impact and treble extension test)
Pompeii - E.S. Posthumus (soundstage test)
The Pretender - Foo Fighters (frequency separation)
To The Sky - Owl City (midrange warmth + transparency test)
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton (midrange warmth + positioning test)
Except for To The Sky, Monday, and Matsuri, which are in AAC format as they were purchased from iTunes, the others are in FLAC formats ripped from CDs.
The source I'll be using is my MacBook Pro -> Fiio E10 DAC -> Fiio E11 amp through E10's line out -> splitter to two headphones at the same time.
Sound Quality:
Bass:
The ES55 has no bass impact to speak of. I can "hear" bass, but there is no impact. During passages with supposedly very low bass extension, I can "hear" bass again, but still no impact. This may come off as a con for some, but to me, this is excellent. I have experience with bass impact while on public transport before, and it really wears me out. As portable headphones, I think these are excellent. Make no mistake, though, bass still has very good body and texture. I am 100% sure you can identify different types of drums with these headphones. I wouldn't call them bass-shy by any means. They just won't vibrate your ears, if you are into that.
Compared to the ATH-FC700A, surprisingly, these have a lot more bass texture and body, and the whole presentation is just cleaner and more precise to my ears. ES55 is the clear winner here.
Compared to the ATH-M50, well, the M50 wins hands-down. The M50 has more bass extension, and bass impact is obviously more. In Tears in Heaven, the kick thump is too slight for the ES55 to pick up; I can hear something, but I can't make out what it is. The M50 picks the kick thump up nicely, and not only that, it separated the kick thump from the rest of the other instruments effortlessly.
Compared to the Beats By Dr. Dre Solo, the ES55 has cleaner bass, but the Beats Solo has that nicer impact and somewhat resilient low vibration that makes the whole song warmer.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, huh... there is no comparison. The Apple In-Ear sounds like something is popping in the song, but I can't make out what. The ES55 obviously gives a much clearer bass representation.
Midrange:
Here comes one of the two things I care most about a pair of cans: midrange and high frequency. So how is midrange in the ES55? I can only describe this as lush, full, sufficiently warm, clean, transparent, and best of all, not sibilant! What can I say? The midrange really pops out in these headphones. It's forward, with a very good presentation. Vocals sound very dreamy with these on. Guitars sounds pretty realistic, too. I can vaguely recall that my ES7 was actually more sibilant than this. This midrange is simply excellent!
Compared to the ATH-FC700A, the ES55 has more forward midrange, and it's cleaner but less sibilant than the FC700A (how is that even possible?). ES55 effortlessly beat the FC700A again.
Compared to the ATH-M50, surprisingly, the ES55 is just slightly more recessed, but the overall presentation is very similar to the M50. Considering the smaller drivers, it's quite an impressive feat. What is of more note is that the ES55 actually seems to sound slightly fuller than the M50 to me.
Compared to the Beats Solo, the ES55 has significantly more forward mid (it's that noticeable), and so... where the Beats Solo sounds too tiny is where the ES55 screams. But the ES55 "screams" in a more musical way, and is overall a lot more pleasing. The Beats Solo is warmer, but the warmth clouds mid texture away significantly, so the ES55 is clearly superior here.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, the ES55 is somewhat similar, but sounds warmer, lusher, and less sibilant. The ADDIEM sounds slightly cleaner but colder, and somewhat harsher, especially with To The Sky. I prefer ES55 here, but I have no doubt some may prefer the ADDIEM. I'd call it a draw in any case.
Treble:
This is what I care most about headphones. If I were to grade headphones, this is where I am going to smack things down. If I had to sum my grades to a max of 10, bass would be 1, mid would be 3, and treble would be 6. And in that case, the ES55 scores a respectable 4 for treble. It's smooth, quite extending, and overly very clean. However, it is overshadowed by the midrange. The midrange on these cans is so prominent that sometimes it's quite hard to hear treble, like in To The Sky. In The Pretender, I can clearly hear some slight graininess during busier passages, too. But that's not to say it's bad, per se. It has very good treble for portable cans! For less than $100, I'd say this is excellent.
Compared to the FC700A, the ES55 sounds lusher on the top end, and less clogged. I mean "clogged" as in instrument separation seems better with the ES55. Again, ES55 beats FC700A here in my opinions.
Compared to the M50, the ES55 doesn't sound as extending or airy. The M50 also does a lot better with the cymbals and sound effects in To The Sky. But hey, again, smaller drivers. I think the ES55 is still pretty good for its size. Actually, since the M50 is more extending, it makes me pay attention to details a lot more, and I get easily fatigued from that. The ES55, on the other hand, doesn't try to reveal too much, so it's soothing, and less fatiguing. Personal preference here. I feel the M50 is technically better, while the ES55 is good enough from certain angles.
Compared to the Beats Solo, urg... I don't even need to compare here. Not to say Beats suck, but... this just isn't my sound signature. The ES55 is some light years ahead of the Beats in this regard.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, the ES55 has leaner, cleaner, and slightly more extending but less harsh treble. Flute in Matsuri sounds more like flute and less like someone blowing into the mic. Also instrument separation is much better.
Soundstage:
Soundstage is on a different category from sound quality because I believe soundstage is more an aspect of the physical design of the headphones rather than something to do with its drivers and so on...
That said, the ES55 does a pretty good job here. I'll be brief: it has some soundstage. It does better than the FC700A, Apple In-Ear and Dr. Dre Beats Solo. The M50 beats it hands-down in this category, but the M50 is much larger, and is an over-ear rather than on-ear. If my memory serves, my ES7 also did just about this good in soundstage.
That's not to say it's bad. I can definitely pinpoint where sounds are coming from in Matsuri and Monday, but with the M50, it's a more 3D experience. Ah well, again, it's smaller driver vs bigger driver + physical design. I have taken the M50 out on a bus, and sincerely, I have a hard time enjoying the soundstage while I'm on a bus. It's like my mind tells me I'm in a concert while my whole body tells me I'm on a moving object. In which case, I'd take no or very little soundstage any day, so as to not confuse my brain.
Design & Comfort:
I think I have mentioned this many times, but the ES55 is very very very small. If you have a pair of M50, the can of the ES55 is about the size of the logo on the can of the M50. If you have the Beats Solo, the ES55 cans are about as big, but the headband is a lot smaller. It seems tiny compared to everything else that I have. But that's not to say it feels flimsy. The FC700A feels a lot flimsier. The ES55 seems like it can withstand some serious abuse before breaking down. The brushed aluminum ear cups are pleasing to behold. My ES7 was a fingerprint magnet, but the ES55 looks very clean and pleasing.
In terms of comfort, I can feel its presence and some slight clamp, but it's so light that that is not an issue at all. Surprisingly, it fits nicely over my ears, while the Beats Solo is a bit larger than my ears, and the FC700A is significantly larger. I get a much better fit with the ES55 than with all other headphones, and it's very comfy to wear. I bet I can have it on all day.
Conclusion:
I think I have found the perfect pair of portable headphones that I've been looking for: good sound quality, more emphasis on size and portability, and best of all, less than $100. The smaller size than the ES7 is a big plus for me, because these are a lot more portable and comfortable for me to wear outside. Too bad it's so hard to find them at good price. I'm inclined to pick up a white pair if I can find one for the same $70.
I have heard rumors about these for a long while, but never found them for sale at a reasonable price point. So when they showed up for $70 on eBay, I though... "no brainer!" and placed the order.
Comparison:
I would love to do a comparison between these and the ATH-ES7, but my genuine pair died (the left driver gave out), and the only pair of ES7 I have left is a counterfeit. Hm, so not the best one to compare to.
In my possession currently are an Audio Technica ATH-FC700A, and an Audio Technica ATH-M50S. I'll be doing the majority of comparisons to those two. Also, I'll throw in the Monster Beats By Dr. Dre Solo (the non glossy version), Apple In-Ear Headphones (ADDIEM) just for kicks, but for the most part, it'll be an Audio Technica to Audio Technica comparison.
Test Method:
I'll be playing the following songs on loop:
Monday (Glitch Mob Remix) - Nalepa (sibilance + treble fatigue + bass impact test)
Matsuri - Kitaro (soundstage, bass impact and treble extension test)
Pompeii - E.S. Posthumus (soundstage test)
The Pretender - Foo Fighters (frequency separation)
To The Sky - Owl City (midrange warmth + transparency test)
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton (midrange warmth + positioning test)
Except for To The Sky, Monday, and Matsuri, which are in AAC format as they were purchased from iTunes, the others are in FLAC formats ripped from CDs.
The source I'll be using is my MacBook Pro -> Fiio E10 DAC -> Fiio E11 amp through E10's line out -> splitter to two headphones at the same time.
Sound Quality:
Bass:
The ES55 has no bass impact to speak of. I can "hear" bass, but there is no impact. During passages with supposedly very low bass extension, I can "hear" bass again, but still no impact. This may come off as a con for some, but to me, this is excellent. I have experience with bass impact while on public transport before, and it really wears me out. As portable headphones, I think these are excellent. Make no mistake, though, bass still has very good body and texture. I am 100% sure you can identify different types of drums with these headphones. I wouldn't call them bass-shy by any means. They just won't vibrate your ears, if you are into that.
Compared to the ATH-FC700A, surprisingly, these have a lot more bass texture and body, and the whole presentation is just cleaner and more precise to my ears. ES55 is the clear winner here.
Compared to the ATH-M50, well, the M50 wins hands-down. The M50 has more bass extension, and bass impact is obviously more. In Tears in Heaven, the kick thump is too slight for the ES55 to pick up; I can hear something, but I can't make out what it is. The M50 picks the kick thump up nicely, and not only that, it separated the kick thump from the rest of the other instruments effortlessly.
Compared to the Beats By Dr. Dre Solo, the ES55 has cleaner bass, but the Beats Solo has that nicer impact and somewhat resilient low vibration that makes the whole song warmer.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, huh... there is no comparison. The Apple In-Ear sounds like something is popping in the song, but I can't make out what. The ES55 obviously gives a much clearer bass representation.
Midrange:
Here comes one of the two things I care most about a pair of cans: midrange and high frequency. So how is midrange in the ES55? I can only describe this as lush, full, sufficiently warm, clean, transparent, and best of all, not sibilant! What can I say? The midrange really pops out in these headphones. It's forward, with a very good presentation. Vocals sound very dreamy with these on. Guitars sounds pretty realistic, too. I can vaguely recall that my ES7 was actually more sibilant than this. This midrange is simply excellent!
Compared to the ATH-FC700A, the ES55 has more forward midrange, and it's cleaner but less sibilant than the FC700A (how is that even possible?). ES55 effortlessly beat the FC700A again.
Compared to the ATH-M50, surprisingly, the ES55 is just slightly more recessed, but the overall presentation is very similar to the M50. Considering the smaller drivers, it's quite an impressive feat. What is of more note is that the ES55 actually seems to sound slightly fuller than the M50 to me.
Compared to the Beats Solo, the ES55 has significantly more forward mid (it's that noticeable), and so... where the Beats Solo sounds too tiny is where the ES55 screams. But the ES55 "screams" in a more musical way, and is overall a lot more pleasing. The Beats Solo is warmer, but the warmth clouds mid texture away significantly, so the ES55 is clearly superior here.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, the ES55 is somewhat similar, but sounds warmer, lusher, and less sibilant. The ADDIEM sounds slightly cleaner but colder, and somewhat harsher, especially with To The Sky. I prefer ES55 here, but I have no doubt some may prefer the ADDIEM. I'd call it a draw in any case.
Treble:
This is what I care most about headphones. If I were to grade headphones, this is where I am going to smack things down. If I had to sum my grades to a max of 10, bass would be 1, mid would be 3, and treble would be 6. And in that case, the ES55 scores a respectable 4 for treble. It's smooth, quite extending, and overly very clean. However, it is overshadowed by the midrange. The midrange on these cans is so prominent that sometimes it's quite hard to hear treble, like in To The Sky. In The Pretender, I can clearly hear some slight graininess during busier passages, too. But that's not to say it's bad, per se. It has very good treble for portable cans! For less than $100, I'd say this is excellent.
Compared to the FC700A, the ES55 sounds lusher on the top end, and less clogged. I mean "clogged" as in instrument separation seems better with the ES55. Again, ES55 beats FC700A here in my opinions.
Compared to the M50, the ES55 doesn't sound as extending or airy. The M50 also does a lot better with the cymbals and sound effects in To The Sky. But hey, again, smaller drivers. I think the ES55 is still pretty good for its size. Actually, since the M50 is more extending, it makes me pay attention to details a lot more, and I get easily fatigued from that. The ES55, on the other hand, doesn't try to reveal too much, so it's soothing, and less fatiguing. Personal preference here. I feel the M50 is technically better, while the ES55 is good enough from certain angles.
Compared to the Beats Solo, urg... I don't even need to compare here. Not to say Beats suck, but... this just isn't my sound signature. The ES55 is some light years ahead of the Beats in this regard.
Compared to the Apple In-Ear, the ES55 has leaner, cleaner, and slightly more extending but less harsh treble. Flute in Matsuri sounds more like flute and less like someone blowing into the mic. Also instrument separation is much better.
Soundstage:
Soundstage is on a different category from sound quality because I believe soundstage is more an aspect of the physical design of the headphones rather than something to do with its drivers and so on...
That said, the ES55 does a pretty good job here. I'll be brief: it has some soundstage. It does better than the FC700A, Apple In-Ear and Dr. Dre Beats Solo. The M50 beats it hands-down in this category, but the M50 is much larger, and is an over-ear rather than on-ear. If my memory serves, my ES7 also did just about this good in soundstage.
That's not to say it's bad. I can definitely pinpoint where sounds are coming from in Matsuri and Monday, but with the M50, it's a more 3D experience. Ah well, again, it's smaller driver vs bigger driver + physical design. I have taken the M50 out on a bus, and sincerely, I have a hard time enjoying the soundstage while I'm on a bus. It's like my mind tells me I'm in a concert while my whole body tells me I'm on a moving object. In which case, I'd take no or very little soundstage any day, so as to not confuse my brain.
Design & Comfort:
I think I have mentioned this many times, but the ES55 is very very very small. If you have a pair of M50, the can of the ES55 is about the size of the logo on the can of the M50. If you have the Beats Solo, the ES55 cans are about as big, but the headband is a lot smaller. It seems tiny compared to everything else that I have. But that's not to say it feels flimsy. The FC700A feels a lot flimsier. The ES55 seems like it can withstand some serious abuse before breaking down. The brushed aluminum ear cups are pleasing to behold. My ES7 was a fingerprint magnet, but the ES55 looks very clean and pleasing.
In terms of comfort, I can feel its presence and some slight clamp, but it's so light that that is not an issue at all. Surprisingly, it fits nicely over my ears, while the Beats Solo is a bit larger than my ears, and the FC700A is significantly larger. I get a much better fit with the ES55 than with all other headphones, and it's very comfy to wear. I bet I can have it on all day.
Conclusion:
I think I have found the perfect pair of portable headphones that I've been looking for: good sound quality, more emphasis on size and portability, and best of all, less than $100. The smaller size than the ES7 is a big plus for me, because these are a lot more portable and comfortable for me to wear outside. Too bad it's so hard to find them at good price. I'm inclined to pick up a white pair if I can find one for the same $70.
