ES2a discussions \ reviews \ reasoning \ impressions

[Chefguru]

Initial impressions:

-Excellent build quality
-Lightweight and very comfortable, clamp is just right
-Great cable, soft feel and does not weigh down the headphone like Stax ribbons
-Insane resolution / detail
-At times piercing (hopefully this goes away)

ES2A VS X9000
-Instruments and vocals sound closer and more intense
-Significantly more bass, deeper and better impact
-Treble sounds more relaxed and natural
-Imaging and soundstage not quite on the X9000's level

I listen to mostly metal, classical, orchestral and soundtrack music. Without question, ES2A sounds better with metal as it has deeper bass, more of it and better impact. For orchestral, I prefer the X9000's grand soundstage. Will update if impressions change.

Are you using with or without the filters?

 

[Beyond The Blackwall]

With the filters, they came installed. I am not comfortable removing them and risking dust or hair getting inside.

 

[alota]

Initial impressions:

-Excellent build quality
-Lightweight and very comfortable, clamp is just right
-Great cable, soft feel and does not weigh down the headphone like Stax ribbons
-Insane resolution / detail
-At times piercing (hopefully this goes away)

ES2A VS X9000
-Instruments and vocals sound closer and more intense
-Significantly more bass, deeper and better impact
-Treble sounds more relaxed and natural
-Imaging and soundstage not quite on the X9000's level

I listen to mostly metal, classical, orchestral and soundtrack music. Without question, ES2A sounds better with metal as it has deeper bass, more of it and better impact. For orchestral, I prefer the X9000's grand soundstage. Will update if impressions change.

very helpful. tried both with same amplifier? thank you

 

[Beyond The Blackwall]

very helpful. tried both with same amplifier? thank you

Yes, same amp.

 

[genefruit]

Mine arrived today.

Initial take is they're certainly worth the price. I'm not going to declare/rank them at any level at this time. I need to run through the gauntlet and figure out what I don't like about them before reporting.

 

[haearn]

Looking at everyone’s color choice, I think I’m the only one who opted for “boring” black. I haven’t seen another black one yet. Love the brown.

Mine are also black with PC-triple-C cable. I've been using them for a couple of weeks and I'm truly impressed. Although I'm currently running them with an estat amp with too low bias voltage (Kingsound M10 with 520V bias according to the producer), they already sound terrific and wow what a bass for an estat (even tough Benson warned me that it will make them a bit bass light)!

I'm looking for a decent amp, but T2 clone or Carbon are above my budget. I wonder if anyone has already listened to ES-2a with a regular KGSSHV, KGST or something from that price range.

Initial take is they're certainly worth the price. I'm not going to declare/rank them at any level at this time. I need to run through the gauntlet and figure out what I don't like about them before reporting.

I'm curious on a direct comparison to Immanis (having in mind they are completely different type of headphones) - I listened to them some time ago, in a different system and it was way before I got my ES-2a.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Today was a big day. Finally having a chance to listen to the imposing Omega! Thank you very much to @jamiekp for allowing me to try them.

I had the 2a next to me for comparisons and I had a few thoughts below.

-Soundstage was a bit more spacious and wider on 2a.
-Bass was noticeably more impactful and deeper on 2a.
-Omega has the smoother and more realistic sounding treble compared to 2a that didn't have the cloth filters installed.
-Instrumental separation and detail through the midrange was better on 2a.
-Omega has the more natural and realistic timbre through the midrange.

After this, we tried installing the cloth filters that come with the 2a. Once the cloth filters were installed, the treble got a lot darker and the air somewhat dissipated. None of us liked the cloth filters that come with the 2a. It made the sound kind of dull and uninteresting, there was actually more treble on the Omega now.

We then had an idea to use the cloth filters from the MK1 pads for the 007 which fitted perfectly. After these cloth filters were installed, the sound got VERY alike to the Omega sound. The overall tonality and treble were now very similar but we still felt that the Omega had the more natural and realistic sounding midrange when side by side. I still find the sound most exciting without any cloth filters installed. It provides a much more exciting listen due to the amount of air and sparkle there is. I think if you want to get as close as possible to the original Omega sound then try to install the MK1 pad cloth filters from the 007 otherwise, keep them off and you will get the most exciting listen.

 

[Chefguru]

Today was a big day. Finally having a chance to listen to the imposing Omega! Thank you very much to @jamiekp for allowing me to try them.

I had the 2a next to me for comparisons and I had a few thoughts below.

-Soundstage was a bit more spacious and wider on 2a.
-Bass was noticeably more impactful and deeper on 2a.
-Omega has the smoother and more realistic sounding treble compared to 2a that didn't have the cloth filters installed.
-Instrumental separation and detail through the midrange was better on 2a.
-Omega has the more natural and realistic timbre through the midrange.

After this, we tried installing the cloth filters that come with the 2a. Once the cloth filters were installed, the treble got a lot darker and the air somewhat dissipated. None of us liked the cloth filters that come with the 2a. It made the sound kind of dull and uninteresting, there was actually more treble on the Omega now.

We then had an idea to use the cloth filters from the MK1 pads for the 007 which fitted perfectly. After these cloth filters were installed, the sound got VERY alike to the Omega sound. The overall tonality and treble were now very similar but we still felt that the Omega had the more natural and realistic sounding midrange when side by side. I still find the sound most exciting without any cloth filters installed. It provides a much more exciting listen due to the amount of air and sparkle there is. I think if you want to get as close as possible to the original Omega sound then try to install the MK1 pad cloth filters from the 007 otherwise, keep them off and you will get the most exciting listen.

Do you know if this was an early or late serial omega?

How exactly did you remove the 007 dust guards? Pad removal or did you pull it directly out

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Do you know if this was an early or late serial omega?

How exactly did you remove the 007 dust guards? Pad removal or did you pull it directly out

Serial number on Omega was 284 if I can recall.

It was a pad removal to get the dust guards and then fit them in 2a.

 

[Dingding123]

Definitely an interesting finding with the 007 filters. Hopefully ES Labs can release a pair of such filters so that we don’t have to cannibalise other headphones just for the filters

We then had an idea to use the cloth filters from the MK1 pads for the 007 which fitted perfectly. After these cloth filters were installed, the sound got VERY alike to the Omega sound. The overall tonality and treble were now very similar but we still felt that the Omega had the more natural and realistic sounding midrange when side by side. I still find the sound most exciting without any cloth filters installed. It provides a much more exciting listen due to the amount of air and sparkle there is. I think if you want to get as close as possible to the original Omega sound then try to install the MK1 pad cloth filters from the 007 otherwise, keep them off and you will get the most exciting listen.

 

[icnaiwhimor1975]

Today was a big day. Finally having a chance to listen to the imposing Omega! Thank you very much to @jamiekp for allowing me to try them.

I had the 2a next to me for comparisons and I had a few thoughts below.

-Soundstage was a bit more spacious and wider on 2a.
-Bass was noticeably more impactful and deeper on 2a.
-Omega has the smoother and more realistic sounding treble compared to 2a that didn't have the cloth filters installed.
-Instrumental separation and detail through the midrange was better on 2a.
-Omega has the more natural and realistic timbre through the midrange.

After this, we tried installing the cloth filters that come with the 2a. Once the cloth filters were installed, the treble got a lot darker and the air somewhat dissipated. None of us liked the cloth filters that come with the 2a. It made the sound kind of dull and uninteresting, there was actually more treble on the Omega now.

We then had an idea to use the cloth filters from the MK1 pads for the 007 which fitted perfectly. After these cloth filters were installed, the sound got VERY alike to the Omega sound. The overall tonality and treble were now very similar but we still felt that the Omega had the more natural and realistic sounding midrange when side by side. I still find the sound most exciting without any cloth filters installed. It provides a much more exciting listen due to the amount of air and sparkle there is. I think if you want to get as close as possible to the original Omega sound then try to install the MK1 pad cloth filters from the 007 otherwise, keep them off and you will get the most exciting listen.

I don't understand at all where all the hype around Omega comes from

there have been headphones much better than them for 30+ years now

 

[oneguy]

I don't understand at all where all the hype around Omega comes from

there have been headphones much better than them for 30+ years now

That sounds like a subjective opinion.

 

[HappyMachine]

This is probably the best blind purchase I've made since my rme-adi2 purchase 6 years ago. I wish I could get the SR-X9000 to compare but the prices in the US are crazy. I could book a roundtrip flight to Japan, buy it there and still save $2000.

 

[draytonklammer]

I just keep getting more tempted to grab one...

 

[ChJL]

@TheAbyss2022 (also using HEKSE, right?) and others who can relate:

most here did comparisons to other e-stats. I've never tried one, got interested in them due to impressions of CRBN2 2 which brought me here...
but having SolP, D8Kpro and HEKSE, I wonder how especially those of you also using TOTL planars compare them to ESa2? Is it just a matter of different driver types = different flavour?
With my intension to diversify the set up I can't convince myself of getting another planar like Caldera or else and I've had an Immanis for home demo but price is pretty steep... although not having an e-stat amp + HP will almost cost as much as Immanis and about the same as Magna.