[syeung]

bohemos, black ones are available from beachcamera for $75 w/free shipping:

Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 Portable Stainless Steel Headphones (Black) |BeachCamera.com

 

[ThisIsEddLi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanafuda /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anybody can post a picture of their ES7 with the Senn HD25 velour pads installed? Are any modifications to the Senn pads necessary to do this, or do they just fit?

I DOOOO

if u buy the HD-25 velour pads, u will find they will fit PERFECT...almost too perfect which is why u need to snip about 1mm somewhere of the rubbery bit that wraps around the frame, just so it stretches that tiny bit more so it goes on.
They are very comfy, had them for a month or so now. The sound also changes a little bit, warmer and a tiny bit better soundstage for some reason, its less IN YOUR FACE sound now, feels a bit more spacious.
Also u will find that u can't used the foam supplied by the HD-25 pads, cos it just wont fit if u added that foam (you'll see in the photos)
They also become more 'on-ear' and less 'around-ear' which the original pads are like. Also i have 2 wires placed below the pads that I put in after I put the pads on, so that the pads are bulkier, more comfy I feel. Someone recommended it in the mod thread and its great.

Also attached the photos of the version of the bluetack mod that EVERYONE should do! it realllly improves the sound. I'll see if I can find that thread again...

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Greetings,

I would like to get a portable full over the ear (not covering) headphones. I have Westone's and they are awesome. But I want more fullness and bass.

I had the Grado SR-225 and they were not as great as everyone claimed. I even had the Blue Dragon cable on them and they just weren't impressive even after some burn in time. They even distorted at times. I even ran them out of my Ray-Sammuel P-51 and they were ok but for the cost not worth it. They just sounded fake and there was not much bass or mid-bass. They just didn't have that "fullness" sound. I can say they had clarity and detail, but that it worthless if sounds tinny and empty with no lows to reinforce the whole sound spectrum of the music.

I'm interested in the Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 from reading this thread. Can anyone who has had the Grado SR225's say they prefer the Audio-Technica ATH-ES7 in sound quality overall? I was interested in the Sennheiser HD 238 but after reading many threads, users report they can distort. But i like the style of them.

I listen to all types of music at 320 bit rate so I know it's not the music quality. The source is a Itouch 2G with LOD and Ray-Sammuel P-51.
Any suggestions?

Thank you.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

So I guess everyone's silence says that the ATH are not better than the Grado's.

 

[Squirsier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-Fi'er /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I guess everyone's silence says that the ATH are not better than the Grado's.

They don't sound the same at all..

 

[jonnymk]

Recently got some ES7's and they certainly beat the grado SR-225s I had for portability...about same weight but the thinner and shorter cable makes life easy and they don't fall off your head so much.

Sound quality wise, even from a computers line level they're completely different. The grados will give a more natural and believable sound presentation which has to be used for main listening but the ES7 just has a nice sound presentation overall to make them as little fatiguing and fun (yet still detailed enough) while on the move.

They both fold down to put in a laptop bag easily, but realistically the ES7’s small price allows them to be thrown about more and they take up hardly any room due of their small size, unlike the grados with the big bowls.
The grado line have similar characterises to a portable headphone but I never got on with them for portable/transportable use.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slenpree /img/forum/go_quote.gif Recently got some ES7's and they certainly beat the grado SR-225s I had for portability...about same weight but the thinner and shorter cable makes life easy and they don't fall off your head so much. Sound quality wise, even from a computers line level they're completely different. The grados will give a more natural and believable sound presentation which has to be used for main listening but the ES7 just has a nice sound presentation overall to make them as little fatiguing and fun (yet still detailed enough) while on the move. They both fold down to put in a laptop bag easily, but realistically the ES7’s small price allows them to be thrown about more and they take up hardly any room due of their small size, unlike the grados with the big bowls. The grado line have similar characterises to a portable headphone but I never got on with them for portable/transportable use.

That is the reply I was looking for! Thank you. I just didn't like the Grado sound, they just sounded fake, empty and tinny (no I don't like Bose either). I'm hoping that the AT will be a better choice of taste with the same accuracy of the Grado's. Plus it's already obvious the AT are a better build quality.

The Grado were/are so cheaply made it's shameful. You can see the plastic bent and burn marks and scratches all over them. Even the new pair that I got right out of the box were warped. Sad for headphones costing so much that only the drivers are considered of any value. Even the cabling was cheaply made. I know they are all about the sound but give a little back on the construction.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

I've placed an order for them. Lets see if I will return them. I'll post my impression after some burn in time, stay tuned.

Thank you.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Greetings All,

I just received them today. I put 5 minutes of music on them no burn in at all and they sound wayy better than the Grado's. I'm pleased. They are deep sounding and actually have bass! I did an audio sweep and they don't resonate like the cheap plastic Grado's casings do either! Now I just need to give them time to sound even better.

These are keepers.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Greetings All,

For anyone that wishes to test their headphones for resonance issues, you may use these files. This is what I used to find that the Grado's had major resonance issues.

Audio Resonance Files

Steps: Click on the link above. Click on the file, then click on Download then Save, then load the file to your device, music library etc.

They are straight MP3 files to keep it compatible with everyone. This is what I use to check headphones and or speaker enclosures for any resonance issues. Basically when you test you should hear a clean sweeping sound. If you hear anything like a rattle or hum or buzz there is a problem somewhere with the driver itself, the driver enclosure, the driver mounting, or the driver casing or any combination of these. As with all resonance, they may be caused directly or indirectly.

Hope that helps.

 

[BASGTA]

Should be getting mine in few hours now. \o/

 

[nonsupremous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-Fi'er /img/forum/go_quote.gif Greetings All, I just received them today. I put 5 minutes of music on them no burn in at all and they sound wayy better than the Grado's. I'm pleased. They are deep sounding and actually have bass! I did an audio sweep and they don't resonate like the cheap plastic Grado's casings do either! Now I just need to give them time to sound even better. These are keepers.

glad you like yours like I do mine. I think they are in a whole different league from my SR60i.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonsupremous /img/forum/go_quote.gif glad you like yours like I do mine. I think they are in a whole different league from my SR60i.

Agreed, the SR-225's you would think are way way better than the SR60, but I had the SR-225's with Moon Audio Cable even and the ES7's out of the box sound better than they did even with burn in. I'm just stumped. This may be a good example where more money does not equate to better quality or it's just a taste. I know burn in has some effect but can't be that much.

What I also just didn't like was the plastic cans of the Grado or they way they fit. You can tell over time they will loosen to the point where they can be free and not stay against the ear. The ES7 shows they put time and effort into the quality and design with no resonance issues that I can find, unlike the Grado which rattled and hummed at certain frequencies.

 

[bohemos]

These look fine to me but, the price is a bit you know... Price is $59.99 USD
It has the recycle sign, with straight connectors. But he could of put up his real ones and sell fakes. There is a 30 day exchange policy, so I could just send them back. Also "Item location: default, default, Hong Kong". Hmm, any other ideas?

Or I could just buy it at beachcamera.com but I would have to wait about 1-2 weeks, because I would like the white one.

NEW Audio Technica ATH-ES7 2Color For MP5 MP3 IPOD MP4 - eBay (item 160407519754 end time Mar-05-10 05:12:07 PST)

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bohemos /img/forum/go_quote.gif These look fine to me but, the price is a bit you know... Price is $59.99 USD It has the recycle sign, with straight connectors. But he could of put up his real ones and sell fakes. There is a 30 day exchange policy, so I could just send them back. Also "Item location: default, default, Hong Kong". Hmm, any other ideas? Or I could just buy it at beachcamera.com but I would have to wait about 1-2 weeks, because I would like the white one. NEW Audio Technica ATH-ES7 2Color For MP5 MP3 IPOD MP4 - eBay (item 160407519754 end time Mar-05-10 05:12:07 PST)

I'd personally wait and purchase from an authorized dealer. Going with that ebay seller isn't worth the overall risk, IMO, given that (1) you'd have to ship any returns back to Hong Kong, and (2) the auction never states they actually give refunds, just exchanges...If they don't end up stocking the genuine article, what then? PayPal claim? Again, I say not worth it unless you can get assurances from the seller both that the ATH-ES7 is genuine and that -- if you do receive what appear to be fakes -- you will definitely get your money back.