[Pricklyears101]

It does not power the HE560, T50RP or HD800S particularly well imo. The HE560 and HD800S are listenable but far from their best, the T50RP doesn't get enough power from it to even reach normal listening levels. The HD58X and HD700 does sound great with it though but the Sennheisers are so different in sound and power needs (as are planars) so I don't really understand how your statement should be understood. Do you think all planars and all Sennheisers sound the same and need the same amount of power?

Aite my bad should have specified exactly which sennheisers and planars but i was just reading off previous posts so it's someone else's words not mine.

I'm not trying to say that this little thing can power anything on earth, and i know planars generally require more power due to their design and of course they need dedicated amps to sound their best.

Bottom line, it's supposed to be paired with iems for portability and will never beat a dedicated desktop setup but it's balanced out is surprisingly powerful for something so small so im curious about it's limits and that's where user experiences in the community comes in but i guess you cleared that up for everyone so thanks

 

[serwei]

It does not power the HE560, T50RP or HD800S particularly well imo. The HE560 and HD800S are listenable but far from their best, the T50RP doesn't get enough power from it to even reach normal listening levels. The HD58X and HD700 does sound great with it though but the Sennheisers are so different in sound and power needs (as are planars) so I don't really understand how your statement should be understood. Do you think all planars and all Sennheisers sound the same and need the same amount of power?

Hi, this is in non-balanced mode?

Still good to know, thanks, was planning to pair ES100 balanced with Aeon Flow Closed...

 

[peter123]

Hi, this is in non-balanced mode?

Still good to know, thanks, was planning to pair ES100 balanced with Aeon Flow Closed...

All are balanced except for the T50RP.

 

[abm0]

I don't know why people imagine "balanced" amps can pull extra power out of some parallel universe. For the same price a "balanced" or SE amp can offer about the same power, depending mostly on the design goals. Just look at the FiiO Q1 mk1 (SE) and mk2 (Bal): they have the same max. power output. "Balanced" headphone amps are not about higher power (like the marketing sometimes suggests), they're about removing the common GND between L and R, and getting better stereo separation (though some of them don't even measure better on crosstalk at the Bal output vs. the SE, at which point you have to wonder what benefit is even left for Bal to be worth it).

 

[docentore]

I don't know why people imagine "balanced" amps can pull extra power out of some parallel universe. For the same price a "balanced" or SE amp can offer about the same power, depending mostly on the design goals. Just look at the FiiO Q1 mk1 (SE) and mk2 (Bal): they have the same max. power output. "Balanced" headphone amps are not about higher power (like the marketing sometimes suggests), they're about removing the common GND between L and R, and getting better stereo separation (though some of them don't even measure better on crosstalk at the Bal output vs. the SE, at which point you have to wonder what benefit is even left for Bal to be worth it).

I can tell you why. For 2 reasons:
1. Because each channel has its own amp
2. Tech specs sheet from the manufacturer says so. There is no reason for Radsone, or any other manufacturer in this market, lie on such thing But seriously, why would they?

 

[abm0]

1. Because each channel has its own amp

Irrelevant. For the same price you can make a "bigger" SE amp instead of two "smaller" ones, and have the same power. You can't get extra power out of magic incantations, it comes from extra hardware that costs more.

2. Tech specs sheet from the manufacturer says so.

No it doesn't. Tech specs don't tell you how much power you're getting per dollar. But the marketing sometimes says you're getting more power "because it's balanced". That's mostly false. If you're getting more power it's usually because more expensive components were used, whether it's "balanced" or not. And the ES100 confirms this rule: it's more expensive than competing products that offer less power.

 

[docentore]

Irrelevant. For the same price you can make a "bigger" SE amp instead of two "smaller" ones, and have the same power. You can't get extra power out of magic incantations, it comes from extra hardware that costs more.


No it doesn't. Tech specs don't tell you how much power you're getting per dollar. But the marketing sometimes says you're getting more power "because it's balanced". That's mostly false. If you're getting more power it's usually because more expensive components were used, whether it's "balanced" or not. And the ES100 confirms this rule: it's more expensive than competing products that offer less power.

Please explain what do you understand as "Output RMS power".
You can quote wikipedia if you want



EDIT: let me put it this way. It doesn't matter whatever the rule re se/bal power channel.
ES100 outputs twist as much power in balanced mode than in single ended.

 

[abm0]

Please explain what do you understand as "Output RMS power".

It's funny you should ask that and post that exact picture. What does physics say - is power measured in volts or in watts?

It doesn't matter whatever the rule re se/bal power channel.
ES100 outputs twist as much power in balanced mode than in single ended.

It does matter, when people misunderstand that and go around expecting a balanced amp the size of a USB stick to power T50RPs. That's when it becomes necessary to remind everyone that power correlates with amp price far more than it does with balanced vs. SE architecture.

 

[gefellmics]

One Question about the ES100 App: is there any chance to use one of the many fixed EQ-Settings for another Pre-Set? There are only 4 Presets for Custom-EQ, but I have few more headphones which I would like to use....I don't need all this factory settings.
Any ideas how I can overwrite the factory settings??

 

[docentore]

It's funny you should ask that and post that exact picture. What does physics say - is power measured in volts or in watts?

Watts, but to remind you -
P=V^/R
you have R in load (headphones)

It does matter, when people misunderstand that and go around expecting a balanced amp the size of a USB stick to power T50RPs. That's when it becomes necessary to remind everyone that power correlates with amp price far more than it does with balanced vs. SE architecture.

well, no one shoould expect proper power going to T50RP from small dongle, agreed.

 

[peter123]

It's funny you should ask that and post that exact picture. What does physics say - is power measured in volts or in watts?

It does matter, when people misunderstand that and go around expecting a balanced amp the size of a USB stick to power T50RPs. That's when it becomes necessary to remind everyone that power correlates with amp price far more than it does with balanced vs. SE architecture.

What's your point again, that a single ended amp may output more power than a balanced one? In that case congratulations for bringing us these breaking news.....

 

[Broquen]

That's when it becomes necessary to remind everyone that power correlates with amp price far more than it does with balanced vs. SE architecture.

This is not always true. Nowadays less than ever before. ES100 provides more juice than quite others more expensive.

 

[abm0]

This is not always true. Nowadays less than ever before. ES100 provides more juice than quite others more expensive.

Of course tech evolves over time, and of course there are exceptions even in the same generation, because the primary influence are the design goals. One could make a DAC/amp for the price of the ES100 with ridiculously low power but with diamond glass covering or whatever, and most of the price would be in the diamond glass. But the point is in general you shouldn't expect a balanced amp to offer OMG-amazeballs output power compared to everything else in its price class because it just won't. Power stays well correlated to price class, even for balanced amps.

But you have made me curious though: what more expensive devices have less power than the ES100?

 

[ClieOS]

But you have made me curious though: what more expensive devices have less power than the ES100?

Plenty of examples can be found on many A&K or Sony's high end DAPs. Under 32ohm load and THD<= 1% condition, AK380 is 66mW (unbalanced) and 8mW (balanced), SP1000 is 28mW (unbalanced) and 42mW (balanced), WM1A/WM1Z is 34mW, and ZX100 is 9mW. In comparison, most higher end (but often cheaper) Chinese DAP can pump out well over 100mW, if not over 200mW under the same condition.

 

[keoki]

Noob question...

Is it possible to save the EQ settings on the es100? Everytime turn off/on the es100, the EQ is at flat and I have to set it again.