TOPPING EHA5 on Apos Audio: Unlock the True Potential of Your Electrostatic Headphones🎧

[Svperstar]

@Svperstar I haven't heard or experienced any problems with Ifi iESL. Fully transparent too. It gets expensive also because you need a good stereo amp. My system cost about the same as Phantom. But you get Balanced IN>OUT and can use dynamic headphones.

If I could just find used EHA5 somewhere for a reasonable price.

I got mine for $319, came in the original box with all the stuff. I thought that was reasonable.

According to the amp builders the Stax 717 is the best amp Stax ever made, so I got one on eBay

 

[Ricey20]

I did, out of the EHA5 the Koss loses abit of its "ghostly" characteristic and has a more full bodied sound, removing that 200hz filter probably has a lot to do with that. It responds well to EQ tho not as well as some of my planars and dynamics or the CRBN.

The Koss sounds better out of the EHA5, but even better out of the two Stax amps I have. I thought the T1S was an especially good pairing even tho technically it is inferior to the 717 my other Stax amp. Just good synergy.

How would you rate the EHA5 vs the T1S and 717 with something like your SR-007mk2?

 

[Svperstar]

How would you rate the EHA5 vs the T1S and 717 with something like your SR-007mk2?

It doesn't get as loud as the 717, sounds cleaner then the T1S, I have the L500 mk2 btw

 

[FanaticSankey]

Has anyone tried the EHA5 with the L300? I have the SRS-3100 system and I think the SRM-252S holds it back. Also, the distortion in the low frequency at high volumes on the 252S is very irritating.

 

[Miiksu]

Has anyone tried the EHA5 with the L300? I have the SRS-3100 system and I think the SRM-252S holds it back. Also, the distortion in the low frequency at high volumes on the 252S is very irritating.

I think so. But EHA5 can't do that much either. Around 200Vrm at 20 Hz.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-eha5.42149/page-5

 

[trellus]

Has anyone tried the EHA5 with the L300? I have the SRS-3100 system and I think the SRM-252S holds it back. Also, the distortion in the low frequency at high volumes on the 252S is very irritating.

I use my L300 with both of those amps but I’ve never noticed audible distortion on either. How loud are you listening and if you have a particular track I can use to test, I am curious to test it, although I am out of town for a week.

 

[Svperstar]

Has anyone tried the EHA5 with the L300? I have the SRS-3100 system and I think the SRM-252S holds it back. Also, the distortion in the low frequency at high volumes on the 252S is very irritating.

I've used it on my L500 mk2. Aren't they the same driver but different pads? It works perfectly fine.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

I'm getting Cyberpunk 2049 vibes from the colouring inside!

 

[Reputator]

I wonder how this would pair with the Shangri-La Mini.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

I wonder how this would pair with the Shangri-La Mini.

I can say that it runs the CRBN absolutely fine on high gain.

I did also buy the iFi Phantom which is coming tomorrow so I can do some impressions between the two.

 

[Reputator]

I can say that it runs the CRBN absolutely fine on high gain.

I did also buy the iFi Phantom which is coming tomorrow so I can do some impressions between the two.

That's a bit of a price disparity there.

Still, $1100 for Shangri-La Mini + $400 for EHA5 seems like a compelling "budget" option for those wanting to dip their toes into e-stats.

 

[aokman]

I can say that it runs the CRBN absolutely fine on high gain.

I did also buy the iFi Phantom which is coming tomorrow so I can do some impressions between the two.

Keep in mind the phantom is still transformer based also (small transformers) same as iESL not a direct drive amp. They should be very clear about this as its a lot of money for its capabilities on the estat transformer side of things.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

That's a bit of a price disparity there.

Still, $1100 for Shangri-La Mini + $400 for EHA5 seems like a compelling "budget" option for those wanting to dip their toes into e-stats.

Keep in mind the phantom is still transformer based also (small transformers) same as iESL not a direct drive amp. They should be very clear about this as its a lot of money for its capabilities on the estat transformer side of things.

Yeah I just bought my first estat being the CRBN so I bought the Topping (used) and the iFi Phantom (used) so I didn't pay full price for either.

Having the Phantom will give me the opportunity of getting into more estats and I will finally have a top tier amplifier to drive something like a Susvara if I decide to get one down the line. I think having that Xspace and Xbass on the Phantom will give me a lot of options to mess around especially on estats.

People always compare the iCan and iESL to the Phantom which is fair enough however, every single component has been upgraded inside and every review I've read has given it high praise.

 

[aokman]

Yeah I just bought my first estat being the CRBN so I bought the Topping (used) and the iFi Phantom (used) so I didn't pay full price for either.

Having the Phantom will give me the opportunity of getting into more estats and I will finally have a top tier amplifier to drive something like a Susvara if I decide to get one down the line. I think having that Xspace and Xbass on the Phantom will give me a lot of options to mess around especially on estats.

People always compare the iCan and iESL to the Phantom which is fair enough however, every single component has been upgraded inside and every review I've read has given it high praise.

The transformers are carried across between the iESL and phantom, that is the weak link as they cannot drive low frequencies very high. Need much bigger transformers for that.

 

[Miiksu]

Keep in mind the phantom is still transformer based also (small transformers) same as iESL not a direct drive amp. They should be very clear about this as its a lot of money for its capabilities on the estat transformer side of things.

iESL sounds very good to my ears. Plenty headroom for bass songs and EQ. Phantom is a bit pricey but not that bad because a good tube amp costs 1700-2500€. iESL was around 1700€ in my country when it was available. I think they discontinued on purpose. Because they now have the Phantom that uses the same transformers.