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Westone ES5
Jul 9, 2012 at 1:16 AM Post #4,816 of 5,554
Quote:
headphoneaddict said:
I haven't posted here is a while because I'm simply enjoying my ES5 instead of posting about them.
 
If I could only keep one IEM and one full size headphone, they would be the ES5 and Stax SR-009.  Fortunately I get to keep them all.  
very_evil_smiley.gif
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A comparison will be apples-to-oranges, but I've always been curious, how does the electrostatic driver of the sr-009 compare to balanced armatures of the es5s?  I've never had the pleasure of hearing an electrostatic setup but I've read that they reproduce greater accuracy and resolution than orthodynamic drivers but at the expense of tactile bass capability, and to me, that seems like the same could be said when comparing balanced armatures to dynamic drivers.
 
Are the two mechanisms (BAs and electrostatic) similar sounding in the way they present music?
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 2:50 AM Post #4,817 of 5,554
These two would be my choices too. They are completely different though. The more I listen to my Weiss DAC202 - SRM727ii - SR009 setup, the more I am sure the LCD2/3 are simply no match, at least IMO. And the SR009 does have better, deeper bass than these orthos which I have (driven with different headphone amps). I am confident that the arrival of my BHSE will only reinforce my opinion.
 
Anyway, back to the ES5. Frankly, I have not tried every custom on the market, but my experience with speaker systems and full-size headphones tells me that this sounds good. Not nearly as transparent as the SR009, nor does it have any soundstage when compared with my speakers rig (Esoteric K-01, McIntosh pre (C2300) and power (MC602) amplifiers, Dynaudio C4), but, it just sounds good, especially for its isolation (with a good fit) and what it has to offer when you are on the go. A must-have for portable audio.
 
Quote:
headphoneaddict said:
I haven't posted here is a while because I'm simply enjoying my ES5 instead of posting about them.
 
If I could only keep one IEM and one full size headphone, they would be the ES5 and Stax SR-009.  Fortunately I get to keep them all.  
very_evil_smiley.gif
Click to expand...

 
Jul 9, 2012 at 2:55 AM Post #4,818 of 5,554
Quote:
chrissc said:
 
A comparison will be apples-to-oranges, but I've always been curious, how does the electrostatic driver of the sr-009 compare to balanced armatures of the es5s?  I've never had the pleasure of hearing an electrostatic setup but I've read that they reproduce greater accuracy and resolution than orthodynamic drivers but at the expense of tactile bass capability, and to me, that seems like the same could be said when comparing balanced armatures to dynamic drivers.
 
Are the two mechanisms (BAs and electrostatic) similar sounding in the way they present music?
Click to expand...

 
It is hard to compare the two, but the timbre, tone and transparency of ES5 and SR-009 is very similar, with a slight speed advantage to the SR-009 as well as a bigger out of head soundstage (rivals the HE-60 and HD800).  
 
The ES5 bass has a little more impact, but when driving the SR-009 with a hot-rodded KGBH amp they have an unexpected impact to the bass.  Yeah, my LCD-2 headphones on the ZDT amp will more closely replicate being at the nightclub at high volumes than the Stax, with a surprising kick in the bass.  But the LCD-2 are more like listening to a very good recording rather than feeling like the singer is in the room with you like with the SR-009 or ES5.  I'll take the transparency and realism over a punch in the gut from the bass every time, and the ES5 still hit pretty hard as well.  
 
And at NO point am I saying the Stax are bass-lite, as they have more bass impact than any of my other stats except my SR-007 which are not as transparent.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 3:15 AM Post #4,819 of 5,554
I don't think the after-RMA-ed LCD3 has more "impact" than the 009 - at least for my pair of post-RMAed LCD3.  I was very happy with the bass of the LCD3 before the RMA - but no longer so after RMA. The upper mids got better, I think, but that was in sacrifice of the bass. 
 
The LCD2 Rev 1 does have more impact in the upper bass region, but overall, the bass is still quite shallow when compared with the 009.
 
I beg to differ on the ES5 and 009 being similar. While ES5 and 009 may have similar timbre in some passages of human voices, the rest of the presentation is totally different. Listening to the ES5 is like listening to a pair of Rogers or Harbeth speakers with some warmth yet sweet feeling to it.
Quote:
headphoneaddict said:
 
It is hard to compare the two, but the timbre, tone and transparency of ES5 and SR-009 is very similar, with a slight speed advantage to the SR-009 as well as a bigger out of head soundstage (rivals the HE-60 and HD800).  
 
The ES5 bass has a little more impact, but when driving the SR-009 with a hot-rodded KGBH amp they have an unexpected impact to the bass.  Yeah, my LCD-2 headphones on the ZDT amp will more closely replicate being at the nightclub at high volumes than the Stax, with a surprising kick in the bass.  But the LCD-2 are more like listening to a very good recording rather than feeling like the singer is in the room with you like with the SR-009 or ES5.  I'll take the transparency and realism over a punch in the gut from the bass every time, and the ES5 still hit pretty hard as well.  
 
And at NO point am I saying the Stax are bass-lite, as they have more bass impact than any of my other stats except my SR-007 which are not as transparent.
Click to expand...

 
Jul 9, 2012 at 3:32 AM Post #4,820 of 5,554
Quote:
googleli said:
I don't think the after-RMA-ed LCD3 has more "impact" than the 009 - at least for my pair of post-RMAed LCD3.  I was very happy with the bass of the LCD3 before the RMA - but no so after RMA. The upper mids got better but that was in sacrifice of the bass. 
 
The LCD2 Rev 1 does have more impact in the upper bass region, but overall, the bass is still quite shallow when compared with the 009.
 
I beg to differ on the ES5 and 009 being similar. While ES5 and 009 may have simlar timbre in some passages of human voices, the rest of the presentation is totally different. Listening to the ES5 is like listening to a pair of Rogers or Harbeth speakers with some warmth yet sweet feeling to it.
Click to expand...

 
1. My LCD-2 with my ZDT amp have tremendous bass impact, like having a pair of 10" or 12" subs in the car.  I didn't say anything about LCD-3.
 
2. I was pretty clear that it's hard to compare the two, and so I didn't try very hard to do that.  In my case my ES5 and SR-009 have a similar timbre and tone.  I didn't say identical, but the flavor is similar, in my case.
 
I do know that Westone has had my ES5 on their scope and my frequency response is spot on with what they expect from them (I have contacts at Westone here in town).  But the fit varies from person to person, and they can sound very different from one person to another because of the fit.
 
Jul 9, 2012 at 4:04 AM Post #4,822 of 5,554
Thing about the 009 is they sound more different than any other headphone I've tried based on what they are plugged into IME.  
 
Jul 10, 2012 at 4:51 PM Post #4,827 of 5,554
Quote:
iamdacow said:
yeah damn expensive and need amp, a good one
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I actually still really enjoy the SR-009 out of a cheap eXStatA amp or crappy HEV70 amp that came with HE-60 (using a stax adapter). A wide variety of amps can drive the SR-009 well, without being terribly picky about amp synergy. However, It's the SOURCE that makes a bigger difference with the SR-009, and they are ruthlessly revealing about a bad or wrong source, or poor program material.
 
The ES5 on the other hand are more forgiving about the source and amp that I use, although you'll always find better synergy with some gear than others.  That and the differences in fit and seal explain why there are such varying impressions about the sound of an IEM.
 
Jul 11, 2012 at 2:39 AM Post #4,829 of 5,554
Bit the bullet and ordered mine today! Should be here next week (paid extra for rush service)... Can't wait!
 
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