[Riku540]

I’m highly considering giving this headphone as a gift for the holidays (and maybe another one to add to my own personal collection ^_^). I’ve heard lots of interesting things about this headphone but I can’t seem to get an accurate idea of where in terms of sound quality this phone stands on the high-end ladder due to my lack of exposure. Are these truly high-end phones or are they just pretty? What phones would be considered to be in the same league as these? So far my experience is limited to UE and Grado, so would these be somewhere in the SR-125/225 league or do they fall somewhere else? I know Grados are completely different phones but I’m just trying to get an idea of the value of these phones. Thanks for anyone who can help dumb this down for me.

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riku540 I’m highly considering giving this headphone as a gift for the holidays (and maybe another one to add to my own personal collection ^_^). I’ve heard lots of interesting things about this headphone but I can’t seem to get an accurate idea of where in terms of sound quality this phone stands on the high-end ladder due to my lack of exposure. Are these truly high-end phones or are they just pretty? What phones would be considered to be in the same league as these? So far my experience is limited to UE and Grado, so would these be somewhere in the SR-125/225 league or do they fall somewhere else? I know Grados are completely different phones but I’m just trying to get an idea of the value of these phones. Thanks for anyone who can help dumb this down for me.

ES-7 thread (see DR.SADE's summary near bottom of thread)

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ghlight=710sl:

Sound quality wise, for classical music/acoustic jazz (it seems) the ES-7 is above the PX200, above the HD25-1/HD25SP, but below the HD580.
Don't know how it compares to the SONY 710SL yet. The ES-7 is definitely
not a headphone for ROCK/HIP-HOP etc..

SONY 710SL:

http://www.ecat.sony.co.jp/headphone...6&KM=MDR-710SL

 

[Veniogenesis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZOKROX ES-7 thread (see DR.SADE's summary near bottom of thread) http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ghlight=710sl:

Unfortunately, that doesn't answer the question of how it compares with more well-known high-end cans.

zChan's thread provides much better info on the ES-7:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=143065

It, unfortunately, does not clearly answer Riku's question either.

Best of luck,
Venio

 

[Riku540]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veniogenesis zChan's thread provides much better info on the ES-7: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=143065 It, unfortunately, does not clearly answer Riku's question either.

lol I've seen both of those threads before and was still confused so that’s why I started this thread. It also might be that the ES7 is still relatively new so a lot of people probably don't have it yet in order to do a direct comparison. If anyone HAS done a comparison and can help me get an idea of where this can stands, please by all means let me know.

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riku540 lol I've seen both of those threads before and was still confused so that’s why I started this thread. It also might be that the ES7 is still relatively new so a lot of people probably don't have it yet in order to do a direct comparison. If anyone HAS done a comparison and can help me get an idea of where this can stands, please by all means let me know.

CLOSED: R10 (?) W5000 (?) L3000 > A500 = ES-7 > 7506 > DT231PRO (?) 710SL (?) > 25-1/ 25SP > PX200 >= XD400

OPEN: ORPHEUS HE90 > OMEGA2 = QUALIA 010 > SA5000 = AD200 (?) K701
(?) K601 > HD580 > AD500 = ES-7 > PX100 > = PORTAPRO

The ES-7 is in the same league as the Audio-Technica A500:

http://www.headphones.com.au/prod_on...ductID=142#top

http://www.audiocubes.com/category/H...eadphones.html

 

[overlunge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riku540 I’m highly considering giving this headphone as a gift for the holidays (and maybe another one to add to my own personal collection ^_^). I’ve heard lots of interesting things about this headphone but I can’t seem to get an accurate idea of where in terms of sound quality this phone stands on the high-end ladder due to my lack of exposure. Are these truly high-end phones or are they just pretty? What phones would be considered to be in the same league as these? So far my experience is limited to UE and Grado, so would these be somewhere in the SR-125/225 league or do they fall somewhere else? I know Grados are completely different phones but I’m just trying to get an idea of the value of these phones. Thanks for anyone who can help dumb this down for me.

While ZOKROX's lists of comparison is very comprehensive, I don't feel it's fair to compare the ES7's with full size headphone given they are designed for portable use.


Overlunge

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlunge While ZOKROX's lists of comparison is very comprehensive, I don't feel it's fair to compare the ES7's with full size headphone given they are designed for portable use. Overlunge

I also compared the ES-7 to all the other CLOSED portable headphones and
indicated that it was above them (better) with the exception of the SONY 710SL which isn't available yet. So far the ES-7 is in a league of its own (the best CLOSED portable for classical/acousticjazz/voice ). Tell me what to do and I'll do it!

If you want a CLOSED portable headphone for rock etc. look for something
else: iCANS, HD25-1...etc..

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZOKROX I also compared the ES-7 to all the other closed portable headphones and indicated that it was above them (better) with the exception of the SONY 710SL which isn't available yet. So far the ES-7 is in a league of its own (the best for classical/acousticjazz/voice ). Tell me what to do and I'll do it!

I'm sorry, it's not entirely clear to me - have you heard the ES-7?

Best regards,

-Jason

 

[Riku540]

Well how about this; since they’re apparently difficult cans to compare with others right now, is it safe to say that they are at least a step up above entry level audiophile cans? Or are they entry level? How about a scale of 1-10 where 1 is stock ear buds that come with portable players, 10 being the extreme elite like the HE-90, 9 being the elites like PS-1, Qualia and L3000 , 8 being flagship models like the RS-1, HD650, UE-10, and 5-6 being about entry level. This is kind of a complicated scale and you don’t have to agree with it (I haven’t heard most of these; this is mainly where they mentally fall in my head based on my research here at Head-Fi); just as long as it can help answer my question.

 

[jjcha]

Hmm,

I think I've owned or borrowed every headphone you've listed, other than the UE 10 Pro (I went the Sensaphonics route). The ES-7 is a fine portable can, but I wouldn't call it audiophile level by any stretch of the imagination though it begins to hit what I consider "good high-quality consumer sound". It depends on preferences, but yes, as I've stated before, I do put it above PX200 and ES-5 level, generally around D66, HD25-1 level (though where you rank these depends on your preferences), but definitely below my W10VTG, which is about where I would put the HF-1. They're nice portable closed cans and I use mine quite a bit.

I definitely prefer them to my super.fi 5 Pro and find them equally enjoyable with my E4c, though I think the E4c may be the "better" headphone.

Best regards,

-Jason

 

[ZOKROX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riku540 Well how about this; since they’re apparently difficult cans to compare with others right now, is it safe to say that they are at least a step up above entry level audiophile cans? Or are they entry level? How about a scale of 1-10 where 1 is stock ear buds that come with portable players, 10 being the extreme elite like the HE-90, 9 being the elites like PS-1, Qualia and L3000 , 8 being flagship models like the RS-1, HD650, UE-10, and 5-6 being about entry level. This is kind of a complicated scale and you don’t have to agree with it (I haven’t heard most of these; this is mainly where they mentally fall in my head based on my research here at Head-Fi); just as long as it can help answer my question.

On a scale of 1-10 where would you put the Audio-Technica A500?
'Cause ES-7=A500. The ES-7 is a 6 or a 7.

 

[Riku540]

Wow that’s really interesting because if I understand what you’re saying you put it below the HF-1 and above the super.fi 5 Pros; in which both of these I own. Personally I prefer my super.fi 5 Pros over my HF-1’s by about .5 of a point, so that would put the super.fi’s at about 7.5 and the HF-1 at 7 on the messy scale I just listed. In your opinion whether you consider them audiophile or not, do you feel that the ES7’s are somewhere around the super.fi 5 Pro and HF-1 league?

 

[Riku540]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZOKROX On a scale of 1-10 where would you put the Audio-Technica AD500? 'Cause ES-7=AD500. The ES-7 is a 6 or a 7.

I’m not really sure because I’ve never had any experience with Audio-Technica before. If I go through with this the ES7’s will be my first experience of the Audio-Technica sound. Although according to Jason’s post it looks like your 6-7 rating is pretty accurate.

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riku540 Wow that’s really interesting because if I understand what you’re saying you put it below the HF-1 and above the super.fi 5 Pros; in which both of these I own. Personally I prefer my super.fi 5 Pros over my HF-1’s by about .5 of a point, so that would put the super.fi’s at about 7.5 and the HF-1 at 7 on the messy scale I just listed. In your opinion whether you consider them audiophile or not, do you feel that the ES7’s are somewhere around the super.fi 5 Pro and HF-1 league?

Yeah, this is totally normal - obviously opinions differ and everyone hears differently. I'm pretty known for not being a fan of the super.fi pro, because they lack transparency and speed, which are sonic characteristics I value a lot. I also really love the RS-1 despite them being, in my opinion, really coloured and lacking in transparency (ironically enough) and prefer them over my PS-1 in many respects. So I might rank the HF-1 higher than other people do because they remind me of what I liked about the RS-1. So opinions and preferences differ.

Anyway, to answer your question, I would put the ES7 somewhat behind the HF-1 or E4c league. Even though it doesn't keep up, the ES7 certainly isn't embarassed by the comparison, and depending on the person/musical mood you're in, you may very well prefer it. It really is a different use/sound and if you want that use/sound, then it's a great buy. Compared with all my other cans, I think it's worth the money I paid for it. [EDIT: Woops, I forgot that actually my ES7 were a gift from an old friend! But if I had paid $130 ~ $150 for them, I'd definitely think it was money well spent

]

Best regards,

-Jason

Postscript: Oh, since someone mentioned it, I actually think the ES7 is pretty darn good for rock. They're not Grado by ay any stretch of the imagination, but I prefer them for rock over pretty much all my other portable cans and IEM.

 

[Riku540]

Thanks Jason, your input has been very helpful to me. I'm interested to know what qualities, or rather, lack of qualities the ES7 has that makes you feel that they aren't quite up there with your HF-1/e4c. For a $130 can are these a bang for the buck or is there better for the price? It's a shame the ES7's don't rank nearly as high on the audio scale as they do on the sexiness scale. ^_^