[niemamnazwy]

I have another lame question. I used to connect my Koss KSC75 and Koss Porta Pro to my old Honor 9 through a 3.5 mm jack. Now I’m using a simple pair of headphones attached to my new Huawei P30 Pro via its USB-C. In both cases I’ve been quite disappointed with the maximum loudness these sets could produce.

Do you think my Koss headphones with ES100 paired to Huawei P30 Pro will guarantee enough power margin?

 

[peter123]

I have another lame question. I used to connect my Koss KSC75 and Koss Porta Pro to my old Honor 9 through a 3.5 mm jack. Now I’m using a simple pair of headphones attached to my new Huawei P30 Pro via its USB-C. In both cases I’ve been quite disappointed with the maximum loudness these sets could produce.

Do you think my Koss headphones with ES100 paired to Huawei P30 Pro will guarantee enough power margin?

Yes.

 

[davehutch]

So, after a long wait...I finally have obtained a Mk1 version. For anyone who hasn't followed my posts in other threads (ie. KZ thread); let me give you a brief history. Like many other members here on headfi, I kept seeing this device mentioned in many threads over the past year and recd highly. This past summer I decided to buy one on Amazon.ca. When I received it, there was a problem with the 2.5mm balanced output jack immediately, so I sent it back after only 1 day. There was no option for replacement, only refund. After I returned the device and got my refund, I needed the money for other expenses and my plan was to repurchase the ES100 the following month. When the following month came; the device was no longer available on Amazon.ca. I could still get it on Amazon.com, but at a higher price plus shipping (all in USD$) so I decided to bide my time and wait till it came up again on the Canadian Amazon site. I checked many sites including Ebay and Aliexpress but I couldn't find anything that was the same price as the original $129 CDN shipped as on Amazon.ca. So I waited until last week, when this device was finally again on sale on Amazon.ca for the Black Friday sale. Originally, my expected delivery date was Dec. 5th, but was changed to Dec 2nd, because of Prime membership and free 2 day shipping. On Dec. 2nd, I got notification from Amazon that my item was delivered at 10:05 AM. I received that notification at 10:27 AM. I was home at the time, so I opened the door to my apartment (I live in a house that has 2 apartments and a small business at the front of the place...all units have a separate door that goes straight out to the street...no hallways or anything), expecting to see the package at my door or on my porch. Nothing was there. I went to the front of my building where my mailbox is, thinking maybe the delivery person put it there. No package. Finally, I went to the business out front and the lady who owns it told me the guy tried to deliver it there, but she instructed him to go down towards the back (my apartment is classified as "rear apartment") and indicated the 4 steps that go to my place. He never came and worst of all, he scanned my package as being delivered when it was not. After much communication with both Amazon.ca and Canada Post, I finally received my ES100 today. After much screwing around trying to get the firmware updated and connecting to my S8+...it's finally working! And man, does it ever sound great! Only used it for 20 minutes with KZ ZS10 PRO in balanced mode, but wow! It's bluetooth and it's every bit as good as my Fiio Q1MK2 dac/amp stacked via USB. I will definitely need to have more time with it (and use different iems with it) before I can give further impressions...but so far, I can tell that this thing is really good sounding and worth the hype.

New paragraph

 

[MonoJon]

I have another lame question. I used to connect my Koss KSC75 and Koss Porta Pro to my old Honor 9 through a 3.5 mm jack. Now I’m using a simple pair of headphones attached to my new Huawei P30 Pro via its USB-C. In both cases I’ve been quite disappointed with the maximum loudness these sets could produce.

Do you think my Koss headphones with ES100 paired to Huawei P30 Pro will guarantee enough power margin?

@niemamnazwy , welcome to Head Fi! To answer your question in more detail, the disappointing power output from your P30 is completely irrelevant. The P30 will only be sending a bluetooth signal to the ES100. The power driving your headphones comes completely from the ES100. I got the ES100 to solve the same problem you are having - the headphone power output from my Sony Xperia phone is really too low to even drive low-impedance IEMs. It's an embarrassment for a product from Sony, especially since they have actively advertised the audio capabilities of their smartphones and are such a big name in the audio world in general. The ES100 solves the problem of low power output from a smartphone completely, and on top of that, it provides a better DAC, wireless capability, balanced and unbalanced output, and an app with a sophisticated equalizer and all sorts of other audio tweaking options. I was fortunate to get mine during the $79 Black Friday sale, though it is now back to $99 in the USA, but as one reviewer put it, it's really worth twice it's asking price for all it gives you.

The ES100 is not without some minor drawbacks though, which I outlined in an earlier post HERE

 

[courierdriver]

New paragraph

Sorry...forgot my high school English class etiquette.

 

[niemamnazwy]

Does ES100 have an option of enabling a phone microphone instead of the one embedded in the receiver?

@radsone Can we expect the upgraded version (MK2) in Amazon.de before Christmas?

 

[MonoJon]

Does ES100 have an option of enabling a phone microphone instead of the one embedded in the receiver?

@radsone Can we expect the upgraded version (MK2) in Amazon.de before Christmas?

My understanding is that it does not, but it includes it's own built in microphone which has been said is very good quality.

You can get info for all the current mobile Bluetooth DAC/amp devices here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...es-bluetooth-headphone-adapter-thread.906655/

That the first few posts on that thread are actively updated and should have all the current info you need.

 

[niemamnazwy]

My understanding is that it does not, but it includes it's own built in microphone which has been said is very good quality.

I have no doubt about the quality of a built-in microphone. I am gonna use the receiver as a portable device though and I can imagine a situation when it is easier for me to get the smartphone out of pocket than the receiver that is clipped to my shirt or belt underneath a winter jacket.

Do you think i.e. this app can give me control over that?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nordskog.LesserAudioSwitch

 

[Broquen]

I have no doubt about the quality of a built-in microphone. I am gonna use the receiver as a portable device though and I can imagine a situation when it is easier for me to get the smartphone out of pocket than the receiver that is clipped to my shirt or belt underneath a winter jacket.

Do you think i.e. this app can give me control over that?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nordskog.LesserAudioSwitch

This kind of apps use to have system compatibility problems but when they work, they use to be valid too (BTW description looks ok).

EDIT: Last app update was on Dec. 3rd. Maybe it deserves a try in your case.

And on more general terms, speaking of the ES100, I'd like to say that I'm every day more convinced that using LDAC makes sound quality so close to wired (always to my ears), that it is not longer an excuse (until you go with really expensive stuff at least).

I mean, nowadays I much like would buy an ES100 with its dual DAC implementation and Bluetooth comfort, vs most low-mid wired solutions (curious that assuming that, makes me feel a bit like when I bought my first Kindle and my book collection turned into a romantic caprice that always accompanies me, but barely use).

In any case, it's just an opinion. But hope this is not a standalone one.

 

[jasonb]

And on more general terms, speaking of the ES100, I'd like to say that I'm every day more convinced that using LDAC makes sound quality so close to wired (always to my ears), that it is not longer an excuse (until you go with really expensive stuff at least).

Completely agree. I'm only using Google Play Music, but I've used FLAC at 16bit 44.1khz and with LDAC I don't feel that I'm missing anything.

 

[posnera]

The general consensus to use this on an iPhone is to put the source volume (the iPhone) to maximum, yes?

That's the official recommendation. In my opinion, keeping the iPhone around 80% and then using the phone to fine-tune the volume is worth a small potential decrease in fidelity. I don't like the buttons on the device at all and avoid using them whenever possible.

 

[courierdriver]

That's the official recommendation. In my opinion, keeping the iPhone around 80% and then using the phone to fine-tune the volume is worth a small potential decrease in fidelity. I don't like the buttons on the device at all and avoid using them whenever possible.

While I don't have an iPhone (I'm an Android guy and I use Samsung Galaxy S8+), I have been following the ES100 manufacturers directions. In the app, I have set my Source volume at 100%, and use the Analog volume slider control in the app to control the output volume. It's much easier to control the Analog volume output in the app, compared to using the teeny tiny buttons on the device itself. For me at least, anyway. Whether I listen to Spotify or my own FLAC files from my SD card in my phone (using Hiby player), I always keep both the player and the Earsonics app open on my phone so I can easily switch between the both. I spent 3 hours listening to music last night using my smartphone and the ES100...not once did I ever touch the device itself to control volume. Everything you need to control the device, is available through the app on your phone.

 

[bbnn]

do you guys use the es100 wired or through BT? I noticed that with wired, it seems to be capped at 16bit/44k? or am i just reading it wrong?if so doesnt that mean BT is able to output at better quality? which sounds silly? not sure.
also has anyone used the es100 mainly for your car through aux? if so do you leave it in car 24/7 or take it out?

 

[kukkurovaca]

do you guys use the es100 wired or through BT? I noticed that with wired, it seems to be capped at 16bit/44k? or am i just reading it wrong?if so doesnt that mean BT is able to output at better quality? which sounds silly? not sure.
also has anyone used the es100 mainly for your car through aux? if so do you leave it in car 24/7 or take it out?

Wired connection is limited by the chipset. But either wired or BT sounds fine for me.

 

[bbnn]

Wired connection is limited by the chipset. But either wired or BT sounds fine for me.

phone side? if so: i see