[Barolo]

I really liked the vitality version quite warm but detailed compared to the other version which sounded a bid analytical to me so would recommend the vitality highly

 

[nmatheis]

Barolo: Interesting. I'd expect the Analog version to sound warmer...

mrinspire: Just auditioning or did you purchase the Esther Analog. I don't have a good home stereo setup, so I can't test that. I can only imagine it sounds great, though. Esther Analog has worked well with all the earphones & headphone I've used with it so far. I should be getting in a couple of CIEM lineups for testing in the next couple weeks. One just might be a certain powerful Greek god

I look forward to really putting Esther to the test with those!

 

[Barolo]

I listened to both versions at London can jam and there were considerable differences between both units

 

[mrinspire]

I am actually reviewing the Esther M1

 

[nmatheis]

Nice @mrinspire. I'll get around to that soon, too!

 

[fumoffuXx]

New found appreciation, using my 1964 V8 stock cables and a 50ohm jack. from the truth cable

 

[nmatheis]

New found appreciation, using my 1964 V8 stock cables and a 50ohm jack. from the truth cable

Now you're just showing off :wink_face:

But seriously, what are you liking about that setup in particular?

 

[fumoffuXx]

Now you're just showing off

But seriously, what are you liking about that setup in particular?

Seperation.

and of course my damn BASSS

 

[fumoffuXx]

Now you're just showing off

But seriously, what are you liking about that setup in particular?

Just to elaborate alittle, with the truth cable, everything is more tamed and controlled including the bass but i lost the highs from the esther. With stock cables alone there everything is brighter and loose more rooms to explore the sound. mids are in the middle while bass is alittle forward and more impactful. and i get my highs. With the 50ohm jack its generally the same but i need to pump up more volume (duh) and it emphasises in increased sound separation on mids and bass which i enjoy

 

[Currawong]

Mary from Soundaware sent me this guide for Esther users. I'm pasting it here for everyone.
 

How to hear the best Esther
 
Firstly, please must read the user manual firstly, to know the functions well.
 
Then, please read below explanation.
About Phone out/Line out/Coaxial out:

• For phone out, we suggest adjust the volume of M1 to be high, since our audio dispose architecture filter the high-distortion volume, which results in less volume under the same setting with other DAP. In present market, many DAP cannot keep low distortion, just only pursuing high volume. Under 100% volume, their distortion could reach to 1%, while Esther’s is only 0.1%. If of 97% volume, the value is lower, about 0.003%. So to hear the best sound, high-gain and middle-high volume is perfect.
• Line out: Based on our tested value, set the volume to be 90~95%, the distortion value is lowest, even could be lower than 0.001%.
• If you want to use M1’s Turntable mode(COAX OUT), please open it in setting. Under the mode, all analog output drive will be closed, only digital dispose of FPGA and play function kept. 
  So that more power dissipation is saved, which leads to the playing time expanded. When test only playing WAV CD format file connecting with a DAC, the time could be 30hours.
• When use turntable mode, about the 3.5mm RCA-coaxial cable, we suggest you could custom-made one to connect with a DAC. (The center part of the 3.5mm RCA plug should be connected with coaxial cable.)

Others

• Please be careful, when inserting the TF cards into the slots. Once the card are inserted into the seam, it’s very hard to clip it out.
• After you get the player, just for new product, please burn in it firstly. After playing for more than 2days, then the sound may be better.
• During listening, it's better not to operate any buttons, since any operation could affect its internal drive, affect the sound.
• If you don’t use it for several days, please select “Long Press Shut Down” under “Power Key Setting” in “PowerOff Option”. Otherwise, you could select “Long Press Sleep” when using frequently.
• When charging, please don’t wrap the player with any material, otherwise, the body heat will be high which may lead to stopping charging. Besides, charging speed is twice faster when power-off than power-on.
• Once some abnormal circumstance comes out, please push the reset hole beside the player’s body.
• For TF card which has large amount, please format to be NTFS, <=32GB, or FAT32. Exfatis also supported, but not recommended.
• The solution for wrong shown electric quantity.
  • After upgrade, please exhaust the electric completely, then charge to be full.
  • If wrong during using, please charge the battery to be full at one time, also press the power button to be shut down.
  • If it take long time from 99% to 100% electric, please don’t cut down the power. Wait until the number shown 100%.
• After long time of standby/sleep, suggest shut down the power. Same as the computer, the internal memory of the system need to be cleaned.
• When connect the player with PC, below elements may make it failed to copy music files into TF card:
  • Bad quality of USB cable
  • poor contact with the USB cable
  • TF card’s format
  • there are many fragmentation in TF card.

 
Usually, the copy speed is 5MB/s.

 

[nmatheis]

Nice Currawong!

I probably should've posted this.

BTW, I'm helping Mary edit an interesting article with a DAP showdown including Esther. I've tried several of them. Interesting read.

I'm also helping clean up the Esther's User Manual. I'll try to grab some screen pics soon and add some arrows & text with Skitch showing how I'd lay out the GUI and see what you guys think.

 

[jrazmar]

Nik, this DAP really has a lot of potential. Too bad I gave up on it as I cannot bear the long wait for official reviews. Good thing I landed onto something that is really worth it. Still, I'm curious how this DAP really sounds. Looking forward for further developments and impressions.

 

 

[WCDchee]

Nik, this DAP really has a lot of potential. Too bad I gave up on it as I cannot bear the long wait for official reviews. Good thing I landed onto something that is really worth it. Still, I'm curious how this DAP really sounds. Looking forward for further developments and impressions.  

Honestly, I prefer it to the ak380. To my ears, it is quite a bit more resolving with much better texturing (the 380 sounded smoothed out) better separation and staging, and significantly better dynamics. The spatial cues were much better presented too.

 

[nmatheis]

@jrazmar: I'm going to try and wrap up my evaluation soon.
 
@WCDchee: Analog or Vitality?

 

[WCDchee]

Vitality

The analog is richer, warmer, smoother and has a more intimate presentation.

The vitality is more neutral, slightly better texturing and fine resolution, more open and airy.

I won't say which is better, it's really personal and it's all a matter of pairing. But for me personally, I really enjoyed the vitality. It is seriously good. The only thing I don't quite like is the UI, but other than that, it is top class in the sound department.