[Mouseman]

At this stage it seems fairly obvious that the anticipated improvements to the ES100 (e.g. PEQ) and fixes to the bugs left Radsone in the form of the folks who started Qudelix. With the $109 5K, $70 FiiO BTR3K (which supports LDHC) and $115 BTR5 (including a spec comparison to the ES100) and maybe other units, the ES100 is in an odd position of being an awesome but imperfect product which is stuck in time with a fading battery life which you can still buy for less than most the competition ($80 on Drop) feature-for-feature.

It's too bad, but I'd agree with you 100%. Radsone seems pretty dead in the water for a few years now. The ear buds were a miss for me, and that and the amp are the last innovations. On the other hand, Q is constantly improving and taking feedback.

 

[totalturquoise]

Has anyone gotten USB input to work in 44.1 kHz mode on Android?

I've tried UAPP, Onkyo HF Player, and Neutron, using each app's "USB direct output / bit perfect / etc" mode. UAPP refuses to play anything at 44.1 when bit perfect mode is on, saying that it is not supported by the DAC. Onkyo HF Player shows when connecting to the ES100 over USB that it supports 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz, but when playing anything at 44.1 kHz nothing happens. Ditto for Neutron; no sound is coming from the ES100 when the app plays anything at 44.1 kHz.

I made sure my ES100's USB mode was set to 44.1/48 kHz mode rather than 48 kHz only mode.

 

[PopZeus]

How long have you had your ES100 before it started acting weird or falling apart? I’ve had mine for about 1.5 years and I think it might be time to replace it,

 

[redrol]

Why not replace the battery in the es100?! Seems simple.

 

[Lurk650]

How long have you had your ES100 before it started acting weird or falling apart? I’ve had mine for about 1.5 years and I think it might be time to replace it,

I'd go with the Qudelix 5K at this point

 

[MisterMudd]

How long have you had your ES100 before it started acting weird or falling apart? I’ve had mine for about 1.5 years and I think it might be time to replace it,

Three years next month without a problem one. Still want a Qudelix though.

 

[Mouseman]

Three years next month without a problem one. Still want a Qudelix though.

Go for it...you won't regret it!

 

[courierdriver]

Go for it...you won't regret it!

Totally agree! At the same time though, I still love my ES100. Yeah, battery life is getting worse, but there's still something about the sound of those dual AK4452 dac chips in the ES100 that seems to work better with some iems. While I do think that the Qudelix is a better device all around (better bluetooth range, more versatile EQ options, etc.), the ES100 is still a sweet little device. It would be cool if the battery was more easily replaceable, if for nothing else than saving a device using AK dac chips. So sad that the AK factory burned down a few months ago. The AK dac chips are highly regarded and have been used for many years in some of the best dacs/dac/amps and DAP's. It's too bad that so many companies have done away with easily replaceable batteries.

 

[plakat]

I own two ES100, one 1. gen Thats going for about 2 years, one 2. gen that is about 1 year old but was mostly unused until 3 months ago. The 1. gen looks a bit battered, the clip needs regular maintenance (the axis shifts about), the box itself squeaks, the buttons became a bit over-sensitive but it still works just fine.

I also bought a Qudelix, which looks nicer, doesn't squeak and overall works fine. Somehow I still like the ES100 better, its simpler to use (OK, both have too many settings available, but those of the Qudelix are even more complicated). Of course the firmware update is much simpler on the Qudelix (done through the app), but the last firmware update on the ES100 was ages ago anyway

 

[Moulderine]

Echoing recent comments, the ES100 was an excellent device.
But Radstone product roadmap is pretty ridiculous. Its 2021 and still no v3 / new update including some of the critical software and hardware asks.

 

[rkw]

Echoing recent comments, the ES100 was an excellent device.
But Radstone product roadmap is pretty ridiculous. Its 2021 and still no v3 / new update including some of the critical software and hardware asks.

ES100 is at a dead end because the engineers left to start Qudelix. Even v2 was only an update to exterior plastics.

 

[BenF]

ES100 is at a dead end because the engineers left to start Qudelix. Even v2 was only an update to exterior plastics.

It may be a dead end, but I still prefer its sound to Qudelix.
Too bad it has horrible buttons, even in v2.

 

[MisterMudd]

It may be a dead end, but I still prefer its sound to Qudelix.
Too bad it has horrible buttons, even in v2.

I like my ES100 enough for 2+ years now that I feel no need to acquire the Qudelix. Maybe when the ES100 finally takes its last breath.

 

[Moulderine]

ES100 is at a dead end because the engineers left to start Qudelix. Even v2 was only an update to exterior plastics.

Didnt realise, thanks for that info i finally bought today.

I was holding out because for me the app, sound and features of ES100 was superb. I could have settled if they had made just the modern hardware revisions. But not buying a replacement version with current hardware specs and my ES completely crapped out for good this week.

 

[BenF]

Didnt realise, thanks for that info i finally bought today.

I was holding out because for me the app, sound and features of ES100 was superb. I could have settled if they had made just the modern hardware revisions. But not buying a replacement version with current hardware specs and my ES completely crapped out for good this week.

5K is very feature-rich, but I don't like its sound as much as ES100.
FIIO BTR3K sounds very close to ES100 (if not better), and is far more reliable (I had two ES100 die on me).
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000849710696.html
You can get it for 66$ using a 4$ coupon in the first post of the Takstar Pro 82 thread.