[demencia]

Well in my little experience, I've heard ESTs and beryllium DDs change with burn in (fd5/land). And land changes A LOT (from good, to bad, to horrible, to good, to perfect hopefuly). But yeah, I dont believe burn in changes something you completly hate to completly loving it. And Also theres brain burn in...

Thanks for your feedback ! There's also the fact that you get used to the sound, the price or the look of the IEMs makes you feel like they're going to be amazing, when you can't wait... It's hard to make up your own opinion

However, there may be other factors involved for the disappointment from @BobJS . It could just be a problem with bad eartips or bad audio source event if the EST50 has a average sensibility/impedance.

 

[BobJS]

Thanks for your feedback ! There's also the fact that you get used to the sound, the price or the look of the IEMs makes you feel like they're going to be amazing, when you can't wait... It's hard to make up your own opinion

However, there may be other factors involved for the disappointment from @BobJS . It could just be a problem with bad eartips or bad audio source event if the EST50 has a average sensibility/impedance.

Valid comments, though I don't think it's the source ... I've used several desktop good powered <<< 1 ohm impedance output dac/amp combinations as well as my DX228Ex which seem to satisfy the requirements of a wide variety of IEMs and headphones.

Tips, could very well be. I'm using the included silicon tips which give me a good seal, are comfortable, and worked well with the H40.

Anyway, I'm making an effort NOT to listen to these as they burn in so as to remove brain burn-in and other psycho-acoustic phenomena from my little experiment. However, I did sneak a listen this morning, and I found them to be - listenable - as opposed to unlistenable out of the box. I believe there's an improvement, though not night and day, and not anything that I could swear to knowing how fickle our hearing is.

If there's further improvement with burn-in (namely tightening up of the bass) I could definitely be a convert. Trying to be as objective as possible. A difficult task. Expectation bias creeping in.

 

[BobJS]

Hi, your EST50 skeptic back with you. Gave another listen this morning. They're better, but not where I want them to be. I tried some Spiral Dot++ tips which may have improved the sound slightly, but I didn't dwell as I didn't want to go down the tip rabbit hole just yet.

I did try some A/B 'g against the H40. To my ear the H40 was clearly superior at this point. H40 bass was more authoritative and wider ranging. EST50 bass sounded a bit like I was hearing it through a tunnel (by comparison). H40 imaging was superior. The H40 seemed to extend higher, though the highs quality may have been superior in the EST50.

I'm going to let it burn a full week and then tip roll and A/B against the H40 again. And then decide if they're keepers.

 

[nymz]

Hi, your EST50 skeptic back with you. Gave another listen this morning. They're better, but not where I want them to be. I tried some Spiral Dot++ tips which may have improved the sound slightly, but I didn't dwell as I didn't want to go down the tip rabbit hole just yet.

I did try some A/B 'g against the H40. To my ear the H40 was clearly superior at this point. H40 bass was more authoritative and wider ranging. EST50 bass sounded a bit like I was hearing it through a tunnel (by comparison). H40 imaging was superior. The H40 seemed to extend higher, though the highs quality may have been superior in the EST50.

I'm going to let it burn a full week and then tip roll and A/B against the H40 again. And then decide if they're keepers.

Do you have the means to graph it? Might be some QC issue. Sorry I cant help you more, dont own a pair

 

[BobJS]

Do you have the means to graph it? Might be some QC issue. Sorry I cant help you more, dont own a pair

The FR? No I don't. I'd be surprised if it's a QC problem because both L&R seem to be consistent with each other, but I guess it's possible. Could be it's just not for me or I haven't found the right tips.

 

[BKJarvis]

The FR? No I don't. I'd be surprised if it's a QC problem because both L&R seem to be consistent with each other, but I guess it's possible. Could be it's just not for me or I haven't found the right tips.

Wide bore silicone works best for me with these. But the green stock tips are pretty much just that.

 

[RikudouGoku]

The FR? No I don't. I'd be surprised if it's a QC problem because both L&R seem to be consistent with each other, but I guess it's possible. Could be it's just not for me or I haven't found the right tips.

Check so that it isnt out of phase:


If it is, try reversing one of the 2pin connectors on one of the L/R cable.

 

[BobJS]

Check so that it isnt out of phase:


If it is, try reversing one of the 2pin connectors on one of the L/R cable.

Good thought, but it passes OK.

 

[BobJS]

At this point I just might be hyper critical. I think I object to characterizing these as an upgrade to the H40. They're different from the H40, but not necessarily an upgrade.

 

[demencia]

At this point I just might be hyper critical. I think I object to characterizing these as an upgrade to the H40. They're different from the H40, but not necessarily an upgrade.

Keep us updated if you try them again. I should receive them soon (2 weeks waiting for the moment) and I could test them and give you my opinion. Which signature do you like ? Bass oriented ?

 

[Cyberthingy]

Sooooo, I've had my EST50 for about almost 2 weeks now. At first, my experience was as others have described in that the bass was dominant and a bit bloated. I let them break in for a couple days and tried listening for a bit. Not much change. I did have to try several tips because I was having some discomfort with the first few sets I tried but had some short wide bore tips that were pretty comfortable. I decided to let them play for a few more days on my break-in rig and began listening last night, but this time I used a different DAP which is the Fiio M11. Now things seemed more coherent. Bass was still strong but not bloated sounding like I had noticed before. I tinkered with more tips and found what I think is the best match. The Final Audio Type E tips are working very well for me. I actually forgot I had them so I'm glad I did give them a try. I have to say the EST50 has definitely grown on me and I don't know if it has more to do with source synergy or they actually changed after break-in but either way they have become very enjoyable. I'll have to do some back to back listening with a few other top tier sets to see if they really do compare but I like what I am hearing now. Hopefully others that are on the fence at first blush give them a little time by source/amp swapping and some extended time to break in.

 

[Dsnuts]

Source synergy is always a good thing for nicer IEMs. I use mostly my Fiio M15 with the EST50 which is more neutrally tuned with great dynamics for the presentation of the EST50s. Glad that worked out for you.

 

[sutosuto]

I have mine for about 2 weeks too. I do not have more expensive units than EST50 and I also tried my other units. I can say I "regret" buying the EST50 because all my other iems now sound worse than before I have EST50.

 

[Dsnuts]

Est treble is addictive. There is a reason why those Sonion EST drivers are so expensive comparative to the BA counterparts. Reason why your not seeing $200 EST tribrids in the market. Once you hear a properly tuned EST driver firing off in all directions. Lesser earphones just can't hang.

What is strange to me is some earphones with EST drivers seem to need longer burn in times. For example the Volts and the EST50s here. Not so much the TSMR- Sparks. Those earphones pretty much maintained the same sound and ability through out the burn in process.

Bass end does need a bit of a longer burn in to settle though on the EST50.

 

[sutosuto]

Est treble is addictive. There is a reason why those Sonion EST drivers are so expensive comparative to the BA counterparts

That's so true for me, not only the treble but also the bass. I never feel so addicted to music before.
I blame you HAHAHA