[hakushondaimao]

Just completed a review of the new, hybrid ESS (Electro-Static Sound) RLM-713. Thought I'd start a thread for discussion and impressions. 
 
The ESS RLM-713 is a dynamic driver headphone designed to sound like it has a Heil AMT (Air Motion Transformer). Features include: ebony wood casing, 180-degree rotatable speaker cups with high protein ear pads, lightweight headband, detachable 3.5mm cord with 3.5mm gold-plated jack and passive noise cancellation.
 

 

[hakushondaimao]

For anyone interested in how the RLM-713 sounds, here's a summary from the review: "If I were asked to sum up the sound of the RLM-713 in 10 words or less, I would have to say, 'Prominent, quick bass with balanced, detailed, natural mids and highs.' Whew! 10 words exactly… If I could add an 11[size=10.8333330154419px]th[/size], it would be 'lush.'"

 

[hakushondaimao]

Went looking for other reviews today and found impressions from CES back in January by Chris Martens on theabsolutesound.com. He seemed pretty impressed.
 
Thanks also to @nick n for this Wikipedia link with info on the AMT (Air Motion Transformer) technology used in the RLM-713.

 

[xanlamin]

Can you describe the bass again with regards to other headphones? Does it hit hard and low?

 

[hakushondaimao]

  Can you describe the bass again with regards to other headphones? Does it hit hard and low?

The bass is solid, both sub and mid. With regards to other headphones, I did some comparisons to some of the others I own in my review (link below in my signature). The MSR7 and HM5 (comparison headphones) are not overly bassy, and the RLM-713 had significantly more bass than either of them. Unfortunately I don't have other closed phones to compare to. They also had more prominent bass than the R70x (open) cans.
 
I concluded my review saying, "I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to spend time with the RLM-713. They are fun headphones with a lush, dynamic sound. I was impressed with the combination of lively bass and detailed, natural mids and highs, and happily surprised how the two complemented each other (rather than one cancelling the other out). While bass is prominent, I don’t consider these bass cannons; that said, users who prefer a bass-light sound signature may not enjoy the 713."
 
Hope that helps.

 

[Compassionator]

The MSR7 is a good hp to compare the 713 against as it is in about the same price range, relatively prevalent and closed on ear.  The MSR7 is voiced towards refinement/finesse', is clean sounding with a pleasing mid bass hump which gives the music a nice, if not metronomic, foundation.  However, the overall presentation has the effect of "sweetening" the music.  This may be good or bad depending on the ancillary equipment and/or music.
 
Did you do any female vocals (Eva Cassidy, Cassandra Wilson..) and acoustic jazz (Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans..) type comparisons between the MSR7 and 713?

 

[hakushondaimao]

  Did you do any female vocals (Eva Cassidy, Cassandra Wilson..) and acoustic jazz (Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans..) type comparisons between the MSR7 and 713?

 
None that I took notes on. Have listened to both, and memory tells me sound differences were similar to those described in my review. Don't have the phones in my possession right now (lent to a friend), but can check this when they come back.

 

[Allanmarcus]

$250 on ebay!
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESS-Speaker-Labs-ESS-RLM-713-Real-Ebony-Wood-Premium-High-End-Headphones-Natural-/271867538757
 
I have no idea about this seller.
 
Edit: Oops, $250 is the MSRP (introductory) price.
 
http://esslabsusa.com/headphones/

 

[hakushondaimao]

  $250 on ebay!
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ESS-Speaker-Labs-ESS-RLM-713-Real-Ebony-Wood-Premium-High-End-Headphones-Natural-/271867538757
 
I have no idea about this seller.
 
Edit: Oops, $250 is the MSRP (introductory) price.
 
http://esslabsusa.com/headphones/

Grant Fidelity, who supplied the review unit to me, also has them on for the $249 introductory offer.

 

[Allanmarcus]

Wow, Malfunkt found two other no name brand headphones that look identical (see the links in the review's comments), and whose specs are similar or identical. I can't find anything on the ess site about an Amt inside the headphones, so I'm skeptical these are actually AMT headphone made by ESS.

 

[hakushondaimao]

Wow, Malfunkt found two other no name brand headphones that look identical (see the links in the review's comments), and whose specs are similar or identical. I can't find anything on the ess site about an Amt inside the headphones, so I'm skeptical these are actually AMT headphone made by ESS.

Have messaged ESS to get confirmation. Hopefully I get something back soon. 
 
Here's the text of the web page linked in Post-3 of this thread, with impressions in January from the CES event:
 
"The loudspeaker maker ESS (no relation to the DAC chip maker that uses the same initials) is known as the firm through which Dr. Oskar Heil first introduced to the world his legendary Heil Air Motion Transformer-type driver. In the modern era, ESS, now under new management, has been working to develop and release not only a new series of Heil driver-equipped loudspeakers but also a hybrid Heil/dynamic-driver-type headphone, called the ESS-RLM-713 ($299).
 
I head a rough prototype of this headphone at last year’s CES event, where it showed promise but plainly needed a lot more work in the area of driver integration. Ah, but what a difference a year can make. In the intervening year ESS has plainly burned barrels full of ‘midnight oil’ in refining and revising the headphone’s design, with the result that the ESS-RLM-713 now offers excellent driver integration, superb transient speeds and dynamic agility, and much more accurate overall tonal balance, all in a package that also reflects careful attention to user ergonomics and overall industrial design. Only time will tell, but I think this ESS headphone will likely come to be regarded as one of the strongest performers in its price class—and quite possibly will earn a reputation as an outright bargain, to boot."

 

[Allanmarcus]

Have messaged ESS to get confirmation. Hopefully I get something back soon. 

Here's the text of the web page linked in Post-3 of this thread, with impressions in January from the CES event:

"[COLOR=333333]The loudspeaker maker ESS (no relation to the DAC chip maker that uses the same initials) is known as the firm through which Dr. Oskar Heil first introduced to the world his legendary Heil Air Motion Transformer-type driver. In the modern era, ESS, now under new management, has been working to develop and release not only a new series of Heil driver-equipped loudspeakers but also a hybrid Heil/dynamic-driver-type headphone, called the ESS-RLM-713 ($299).[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]I head a rough prototype of this headphone at last year’s CES event, where it showed promise but plainly needed a lot more work in the area of driver integration. Ah, but what a difference a year can make. In the intervening year ESS has plainly burned barrels full of ‘midnight oil’ in refining and revising the headphone’s design, with the result that the ESS-RLM-713 now offers excellent driver integration, superb transient speeds and dynamic agility, and much more accurate overall tonal balance, all in a package that also reflects careful attention to user ergonomics and overall industrial design. Only time will tell, but I think this ESS headphone will likely come to be regarded as one of the strongest performers in its price class—and quite possibly will earn a reputation as an outright bargain, to boot."[/COLOR]

Any chance you can take the pads off to look at the drivers? When looking at the oBravo headphones, the AMT is obvious.

 

[nick n]

You'd think they would have hyped that up on the box at least.

 

[sphones19]

I'm a bit baffled by these phones. I looked up the headphones linked in the review (the ESsmooth headphones), and they have exactly the same technical specifications. The only difference is that ESS claim that they use hybrid AMT while the ES does not.
 
I guess I'm a little confused by the identical tech specs, which would suggest that they are at least very closely related headphones.

 

[Roderick]

Pics or it didn't happen. So far I consider these as 20$ esmooth oems with 10x price tag.