[monsieurfromag3]

Thanks for the info! I agree with your assessment of the BL03, which is why I've been wondering if I really need to spend the extra $ on them, when I already own and like my KPE. As for the ES100, I don't know. I wish it worked right OOTB, and I didn't have to send it back. I don't like to have to try to forcefully make stuff connect...especially with a device like this, which to me feels fragile because it's made mostly of plastic. I guess that's what it all comes down to in the end, for me. I really love the robust build of my Fiio Q1MK2 dac/amp. The SQ is crazy good...so much so that I can't justify spending more than a half months income on a DAP with a high quality balanced output...to achieve the same or MARGINALLY better SQ. Only problem I have with it, is it's a cumbersome stack when connected to my smartphone, especially for portable use; because I need to use a short OTG cable to connect it to my phone, and I need to attach the Fiio to the back of my smartphone case with 3M Dual Lock to make the screen usable. Every 3 months, I need to replace the 3M Dual Lock with new strips on both units, to keep them secured to each other because of dirt and grime getting into the locking grooves. This becomes cumbersome and expensive, with a roll of Dual Lock running me $30+ for a 10 foot order. The other problem is that, while I have this stack connected, I can't use the rear camera on my smartphone because the dac/amp covers it up. So, to sum it all up...what I desperately want and need...is a high powered, low noise, Bluetooth dac/amp with 2.5 balanced output, that I don't need to physically attach to my phone so that I can still have all the functionality of my phone, camera included. The ES100 seems to be that, from all I have read.

I so feel you, man.
The stack thing - went there, it was a nightmare. Just not functional in any sense - connection was unreliable, my phone became an unwieldy monster, and with the Q1MkII form factor it’s even worse since it obscures the lens... plus what you write about the 3M expenses, I mean, seriously, stop doing that to yourself
You have plenty of gear already, so I don’t think your Ali basket will bring as meaningful an upgrade to your listening experience as the ES100 will. It’s seriously transformative! A much better solution than a dedicated DAP with all the shortcomings those have. I have a V30, which is like a great midrange DAP and a fully functional phone rolled into one, and even that elegant solution is often less desirable than using the ES100.

 

[jsmiller58]

I so feel you, man.
The stack thing - went there, it was a nightmare. Just not functional in any sense - connection was unreliable, my phone became an unwieldy monster, and with the Q1MkII form factor it’s even worse since it obscures the lens... plus what you write about the 3M expenses, I mean, seriously, stop doing that to yourself
You have plenty of gear already, so I don’t think your Ali basket will bring as meaningful an upgrade to your listening experience as the ES100 will. It’s seriously transformative! A much better solution than a dedicated DAP with all the shortcomings those have. I have a V30, which is like a great midrange DAP and a fully functional phone rolled into one, and even that elegant solution is often less desirable than using the ES100.

I completely agree... I also have a v30 and the ES100... When I am on the go the ES100 use model is much better for me, as I have use of my phone without a cable hanging off it, and when I just want to change tracks, stop/start, or adjust volume I don’t need to reach for a much larger phone. When I am moderately stationary (like around the house but not at my desk, I use my HiBy R6 Pro DAP... At my desk Ali have my stationary rig(s)... My poor LG v30, even with the very much desired audio jack and good built in DAC/amp, gets no attention... it’s... a phone.

 

[paul.tonnenberg]

There are other reasons why the es100 is a not so good product in my personal opinion:

- The device is made of cheap(est) plastic, which I personally do not care much about. However, I bother the fact that all buttons wobble, also the key-press feedback is rather bad. The device does not gain a flowerpot from the manufacturing quality. In comparison, my good old hidizs ap60 dap is simply made of higher and more precise manufacturing quality. Nevertheless, the ap60 does not cost more money.

- The headphone-jacks are placed unfavorably and therefore the control buttons difficult to reach.

- The increase or decrease in the volume is not always accurate: If you only briefly press the volume rocker, the volume is reduced or increased by 0,5 db ... but if you hang just a little bit longer on the button, then it increases the db number already around 2,5 db to more db. That's not so much precise as I have thought. Adjusting the volume within the app is annoying in long term use.

- Although the app has many features... however, the manufacturer has simply forgotten an very important feature in my personal opinion: an option to determine how many db per volume-rocker click the volume increases/decreases.

- The clip makes the device thicker than it could have been. The optional loop feature is maybe anyway the smarter choice.

 

[jasonb]

There are other reasons why the es100 is a not so good product in my personal opinion:

- The device is made of cheap(est) plastic, which I personally do not care much about. However, I bother the fact that all buttons wobble, also the key-press feedback is rather bad. The device does not gain a flowerpot from the manufacturing quality. In comparison, my good old hidizs ap60 dap is simply made of higher and more precise manufacturing quality. Nevertheless, the ap60 does not cost more money.

- The headphone-jacks are placed unfavorably and therefore the control buttons difficult to reach.

- The increase or decrease in the volume is not always accurate: If you only briefly press the volume rocker, the volume is reduced or increased by 0,5 db ... but if you hang just a little bit longer on the button, then it increases the db number already around 2,5 db to more db. That's not so much precise as I have thought. Adjusting the volume within the app is annoying in long term use.

- Although the app has many features... however, the manufacturer has simply forgotten an very important feature in my personal opinion: an option to determine how many db per volume-rocker click the volume increases/decreases.

- The clip makes the device thicker than it could have been. The optional loop feature is maybe anyway the smarter choice.

I don't share any of these complaints. I have zero issues or complaints with the ES100. It's made of plastic because if it was made of metal the Bluetooth signal wouldn't be able to penetrate a metal case. Metal would also make it heavier. In my usage, the way I'm using it, I have no issues with the headphone jack placement, and have no issues with how the buttons feel. I also am fine with the .5db volume steps, they are small, but if you want to increase the volume by 2db, then you just press it 4 times.

This is really an awesome little device that I wish I bought a while ago. I'm using with a Q701, and having a wireless Q701 is sweet.

 

[kukkurovaca]

but if you hang just a little bit longer on the button, then it increases the db number already around 2,5 db to more db.

I also am fine with the .5db volume steps, they are small, but if you want to increase the volume by 2db, then you just press it 4 times.

Yeah, the way the volume control works is my single least favorite thing about the ES100. The issue isn't that the steps are small, but that when you press it down, it's not linear/intuitive. The volume change accelerates in a way that makes it hard to get the actual volume you want. (I almost always control the volume from the app rather than the device for this reason -- although also I mostly use the ES100 in conjunction with an amp that has a volume knob, so I don't need to adjust the ES100 volume that often.)

 

[Slater]

I set my phone volume on about 85%, and then set the ES100 where I want the volume at my listening level. Then, if I want to change the volume, I use the phone buttons, which give me a range of about 2 clicks louder and 2 clicks softer.

Much easier than setting the phone at 100% and adjusting the volume at the ES100.

 

[niron]

There are other reasons why the es100 is a not so good product in my personal opinion:

And yet you decided to stay in the thread - Which rather speaks for itself.

I don't share any of your complaints as well. I just love my ES100 and am using it quite a lot.
I think it's the best you'd get under $100 (features / SQ) at least at this point.

YMMV

 

[jasonb]

I set my phone volume on about 85%, and then set the ES100 where I want the volume at my listening level. Then, if I want to change the volume, I use the phone buttons, which give me a range of about 2 clicks louder and 2 clicks softer.

Much easier than setting the phone at 100% and adjusting the volume at the ES100.

It's supposedly better for SQ to have your phones volume at 100% and adjust at the ES100. Not sure how much of an SQ difference there really is.

 

[Slater]

It's supposedly better for SQ to have your phones volume at 100% and adjust at the ES100. Not sure how much of an SQ difference there really is.

Yeah, I know, but the difference is literally only a few bits. I’ll take the major increase in usability by having easy volume control, over the (theoretical) trivial increase in a few bits of sound any day.

I can’t tell a difference anyways.

 

[Broquen]

I love my ES100 and don't think plastic is a problem (at least for me), but it is true that the cq is not the best in the city.
Regarding clip, I thought a lot of times about remove it because I usually carry it in my pocket and always can use some M3 if need to fix it somewhere.
And I totally agree regarding buttons and volume. The problem with the buttons, as stated many times before, is that the feedback is borderline and they're not enough protruding.
And all of this is what makes ES100 not perfect. But at the end, I honestly think it's a well rounded product with very high value, and that near everybody would be happy to own one. Audiophile or not.

 

[kukkurovaca]

The ES100 usually sheds its clip naturally after a season or so

 

[jasonb]

Yeah, I know, but the difference is literally only a few bits. I’ll take the major increase in usability by having easy volume control, over the (theoretical) trivial increase in a few bits of sound any day.

I can’t tell a difference anyways.

Yea. When I use my Galaxy Buds or my M50x with the FiiO BTA10 Bluetooth adapter I have the volume on the Buds and the BTA10 at Max and adjust the volume using my phone and it sounds fine.

 

[waynes world]

Yeah, I know, but the difference is literally only a few bits. I’ll take the major increase in usability by having easy volume control, over the (theoretical) trivial increase in a few bits of sound any day.

I can’t tell a difference anyways.

You must have lead ears!

Just kidding. I do the same thing.

 

[jasonb]

So I'm searching the internet and coming up empty. I want to buy a 2.5mm balanced plug to wire my HD650 balanced to try it on the ES100. I have an extra HD650 cable and want to cut it up and wire up a balanced 2.5mm plug on the end. Where do I buy a plug that I can solder or whatever to my wire?

NVM. I guess I'm just looking for 2.5 trrs.

 

[Mouseman]

So I'm searching the internet and coming up empty. I want to buy a 2.5mm balanced plug to wire my HD650 balanced to try it on the ES100. I have an extra HD650 cable and want to cut it up and wire up a balanced 2.5mm plug on the end. Where do I buy a plug that I can solder or whatever to my wire?

NVM. I guess I'm just looking for 2.5 trrs.

You can find relatively inexpensive replacement Senn cables online, that would save you from doing any soldering. I got one for about $25.