[Kamurah]

B_Rich: I have one I use as a USB DAC (because honestly it sounds better than my RME Babyface Pro). However, I run mine off of a powered USB hub. Were you running yours off a hub or directly plugged into the PC?

Have only had this for a short while....hopefully the USB implementation is not a cause for concern.

On a separate note....I bought a 2.5mm TRRS cable for my HE4xx and am only getting sound out of the left ear when plugged into the ES100. I am thinking (hoping) this is a cable issue and not an issue with the unit. Unfortunately I don't have additional 2.5mm cables to test...nor additional amps that have that connector.

 

[rkw]

I've been using an ES100 for the past 6 months as a USB DAC into a MacBook Pro, and with Bluetooth on my phone. I go back and forth between the 3.5mm and 2.5mm output with different headphones. I haven't had any problems and I don't even do the output lock (too much trouble to open the app when I swap headphones). I make sure audio is paused or stopped when I plug or unplug headphones.

On a separate note....I bought a 2.5mm TRRS cable for my HE4xx and am only getting sound out of the left ear when plugged into the ES100. I am thinking (hoping) this is a cable issue and not an issue with the unit. Unfortunately I don't have additional 2.5mm cables to test...nor additional amps that have that connector.

One way to test your cable is with a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter. It might be useful to have this adapter anyway, so you can plug it into any 3.5mm output.
https://www.amazon.com/BL35-3-5mm-2-5mm-Female-Audio/dp/B07FC1RDDG

 

[Lurk650]

Getting a Little Bear B4-X tomorrow. Should be interesting to see how it pairs with the ES100.

 

[manukmanohar]

Anyone here using the ES100 with RHA CL2? If so, would like to know how much difference balanced made vs se out. Also, if using EQ, what was the EQ settings that worked for you?

 

[RodRevenge]

Check me on this: I think the 3.5 mm jack has a switch (or other means) that detects insertion.

Without locking, when there is no plug inserted in the 3.5 mm jack, the unit assumes that we're using the 2.5 mm jack, and inverts L+ and R+ to L- and R- on Ring 1 and Sleeve of the 2.5 mm jack.

The moment you insert a TRS in the 3.5 mm jack, L+ and L- are shorted, and R+ and R- are likewise shorted. Bridged mode, apparently, doesn't kick in before those connections are made.

Hopefully, the output at that moment before the 3.5 mm plug is detected is small, as the output impedance is relatively low. Locking is a bit inconvenient, if you're switching between those outputs often, but I prefer the present configuration over "paying" for extra relays (battery power, BOM cost, board space, and impedance). I really think that the locking should always kick in after leaving the Audio Output menu.

Hey Radsone listen to this man.

 

[Trapok]

Ok guys. I've been fairly active in this thread and could not say enough good things about the ES100.... up until now.

I've been very patient with this little device over the last 4 months. I absolutely freaking love this thing until the end of time. This is end game for me just as my IE80's have been end game for the last 6 years of me owning them.

BUT

I have gone through 3 replacement devices, and I'm now on my 4th one and it just died minutes ago. I'm using it as a USB DAC with my IE80's on my PC and I just went to plug my headphones in and it died on me. I get a loud popping and rustling noise through the headphones and it's clearly damaged. Over nothing. It was working GREAT 10 minutes ago as I was watching youtube. I went to go take my plate upstairs, came back down, put my headphones on and POP, it's dead. EarStudio and Amazon have worked with me up until this point (I even bought the SquareTrade warranty for this thing, I was happy to for such an awesome device) however they told me that if this one breaks then I should look elsewhere for a new product, which I'm very close to doing (but don't want to because I love this thing so much).

I've waited so long to post this on this thread because I don't want to talk bad about this product. I'm not doing ANYTHING that a normal consumer would do with it. I'm using it as a USB DAC just as it should be used, and I also use it a couple times a week while I'm at work.

I don't know what to do here. I absolutely LOVE this product, but I can't keep buying more of these at $100 a pop. This is my 4th one. I can't buy another one.

Has anyone else had problems like this? I want this to be the last thing I buy but I'm struggling hard here.

Maybe the issue is on the PC? (Kind of short circuit with the pc usb port)

 

[rkw]

I really think that the locking should always kick in after leaving the Audio Output menu.

I don't want it to lock unless I set it myself.

 

[B_Rich]

B_Rich: I have one I use as a USB DAC (because honestly it sounds better than my RME Babyface Pro). However, I run mine off of a powered USB hub. Were you running yours off a hub or directly plugged into the PC?

Have only had this for a short while....hopefully the USB implementation is not a cause for concern.

On a separate note....I bought a 2.5mm TRRS cable for my HE4xx and am only getting sound out of the left ear when plugged into the ES100. I am thinking (hoping) this is a cable issue and not an issue with the unit. Unfortunately I don't have additional 2.5mm cables to test...nor additional amps that have that connector.

I ran mine directly plugged into the PC. The PC is a pretty high end rig with a nice Seasonic power supply, so it's not like it's a cheap no-name. That's not to say the power supply or motherboard isn't the issue. They're just higher end components that shouldn't cause an issue like this.

Maybe the issue is on the PC? (Kind of short circuit with the pc usb port)

It's very possible.

 

[mhoopes]

I don't want it to lock unless I set it myself.

It could be an option. Every time I change between SE and balanced, I manually unlock, change the output, and then manually lock. It would be handy if it did It for me when I change modes.

 

[Lurk650]

I've turned off a bunch of times when playing music, pretty much always do. I switch between ports at times, not while music is playing, and have had no issues.

 

[rkw]

It could be an option. Every time I change between SE and balanced, I manually unlock, change the output, and then manually lock. It would be handy if it did It for me when I change modes.

I switch between SE and balanced, and I don't even use lock/unlock. I pause or stop the playback before I switch headphone. After the initial setup, I've hardly ever opened the app.

I feel that this is a design flaw. It should not be possible to accidentally damage a product while operating it in a way that most consumers would consider routine. The ES100 is able to automatically switch output, but in the context of the overall product it is an imperfect implementation. Sometimes it really has to be perfectly foolproof or you have to go with something else. I think it would have been better to have a physical switch for the user to manually select the output.

 

[zolom]

Radsone, Please add an app selectable feature to automatically turn-off the ES100, after a short while where no input audio is detected.

I did purchase two ES100s and enjoy them very much.

Thanks

 

[mhoopes]

I've turned off a bunch of times when playing music, pretty much always do. I switch between ports at times, not while music is playing, and have had no issues.

I too have done that, quite a bit, pausing in between. Doing it while powered down is another option. Unfortunately, the turn-on delay was reverted back to a 5-second press. So, it’s quicker to pause, but perhaps just a matter of time before I screw up and accidentally un-pause while changing over, with some particularly loud material.

As for this being a “design flaw”, it was done for a reason. No free lunch here. What should be sacrificed to add the requisite relays: Impedance? Cost? Size? Battery charge life? All of the above would have been the answer.

 

[Broquen]

Have noticed that if I pause the music and disconnect too quick the jack, sometimes the warning message appears too. Maybe using ES100 connected to PC there's a different behavior (cannot test now) and the message does not show or it is not apparent... Just guessing.

 

[RojoNinja]

Been rocking this setup at work. Massdrop Plus IEMs and a custom 16" cable from @alpha421 at tritonaudiocables.