If anyone is looking for a pair. I am selling mine #61
It look stunning and is pretty closely assembling the R10. I never heard the R10, so I can’t tell how it fair against it.
My impressions is as followings
1/ Fit issues: I am used to the 800s with the adjustable headband , once adjusted, it stay fixed and I can walk, bike, sit or lay down with no issues.
ES-R10, I have problems keeping it on my head when walking around the house, because the middle straps will allow the motions to pull the cups down. It keeps sagging and drooping.
The Pads: I love how 800s and other phones feel like, they completely cover my whole ears
. Where as the ES feels like it is On the ears instead, as it doesn’t cover ny entire ears.
2/ Sound stages: This one is a closed back, and so I have always doubted that it would competes against opened back. Now I have got that confirmed. The soundstage is very impressive for a closed back. Almost feel like not a closed back at all. However, to call that it is comparable to HD800S is an exaggeration. It is still inferior to HD800S. Yet, perhaps what others think they like it here more than the 800s is due to the vocal being a little more forward, together with the ability to portraying that depth of staging. This is especially understandable when some people would call 800s to have artificial soundstage. I am in the opposite camp. IMO, the HD800S staging is huge, vast, and it is only second to the Stax SR009 (not the S) , and out of the T2 amplifier. But what nets the 800s to stay with me over my older Stax is the “dynamic and punchiness”.
Dynamic prowess: Yes, even at the best of the Stax ability, the 800S still exhibits the superior punchiness and dynamic delivery but perhaps at a lower transients responses which allow Stax to have a finer, more extending highs, and airiness, but that would be at the most of 5%. While with Stax, I have to use the energizer, staying tethered to a desk. With 800s, I can plug into my DAP and carry on. Ofcourse it doesn’t sing up 99% of it ability, but it can be very well performer. Like a lot better than any other phones and in ears , out of them choices. Then when I need it to do it utmost, I have my desktop ready.
The only dynamic headphones that surpasses the 800S in dynamic prowess IMO by far has been the one and the only, Focal Utopia. Before you asked, no, I have not listened to any of the Abyss yet. I don’t feel like I want to, I don’t like how it look or fit…..whenever I compare others to 800s, I always smile and huge, kissing my 800s in appreciation. Here is another instance. Why did I let go of Utopia ? Because I crave the staging of 800S.
I will be honest, my dream phones is to have 800S staging, and Utopia dynamic. Then I will move on to it. For now, the 800s still wins my heart
Textures fidelity, nuances details: So, here is what I am hearing. That depth of cues and stagings is actually the result of the illusions created by veiling up the nuances details, smoothing out the textures sharpness and fidelity. For example, a quick snare really sounds too smooth. In modern pop genres and EDM is where it mostly will be observed. The 800s have it all covered nicely.
Bass performances: not only that it lacks the dynamic prowess, but in order for it to be remaining it neutrality, it had to trade off. Together with the closed back in nature, it actually has some lower sub bass boost that could overwhelm the lower mid bass, which renders the transitioning between deep sub bass to lower mid bass a little out of coherency. I did like this the most as I listen to various genres, I want to listen to the bass the way that I can tell which is going where, and this is a mess IMO. The other phones that does better bass than 800S is Stax 009/S with different flavor but both amazing and out performing 800S!!!
Imagings: this is where it gets some credits, with the potent drivers, the imaging seem great, it is able to render the spaciousness of the instruments, the placements, and the holography of the presentations. Yes, with the mid a bit more forward than 800s, the imagings and it presentations is more intimidating than 800s. This is exactly where some people who doesn’t like the 800s would feel right at home with this one. Given that it is also a closed back, yes, it is an amazing phones. But to someone who is in the camp of 800S….I gotta say that it doesn’t float too well with me.
Now, giving that it is only 34 ohms impedance, it does appreciate and love my SETA. It also scaled a lot with a powerful amplifier hooking up to it, but the evidences that it doesn’t slam quiet as hard or the overall balances/cohesiveness as my 800s out of my portable stuff, I will let it go. Because in the end, the one thing I love 800s for is the ability to be Up and Go, great fit , and great performances, that can yet scale up with powerful amplifier.
I have not taking any pictures yet. I will tomorrow by sometimes. But at this moment, I am selling it. Anyone within the states can just PM me and I will ship it out as soon as I can
. Thank you. **the Jack is now 4.4mm furutech**
. I'm looking into getting a Silver Cable to see if any more detail and sparkle comes out as others have mentioned earlier in the thread as well.
