[darknessproz]

GTL, since you are from Singapore, there is another factor to consider. The JH custom prices from jaben is just exorbitant. The price of the ES5 from ThinkingGroup is much more reasonable. Of course, you can deal direct with JHA, but shipping and refits would be a hassle.
 
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Interesting that so many seem to think ES5s are better than the JH13s. Apart from Headphoneaddict, anyone else has both the custom version of the ES5s and the JH13s?

 

[Joe-Siow]

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*curses* Those two are the two customs I am interested in as well as the UERM but they have issues with the silicone so not looking at them seriously until those are resolved. That makes me want to get both

 
Haha.. Like I say, both will probably not disappoint you. But I plumped for ES5 cause of the comfy vinvyl tips.
 

 

[darknessproz]

Yeah, the westone vinyl tips are really tempting. However i decided on going down the mage route. Best bang for buck custom, and that $400 saved could buy me a LOT of albums.
 
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Quote:

*curses* Those two are the two customs I am interested in as well as the UERM but they have issues with the silicone so not looking at them seriously until those are resolved. That makes me want to get both

 
Haha.. Like I say, both will probably not disappoint you. But I plumped for ES5 cause of the comfy vinvyl tips.
 

 

[RockaRolla]

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Yeah, the westone vinyl tips are really tempting. However i decided on going down the mage route. Best bang for buck custom, and that $400 saved could buy me a LOT of albums.
 

 
Mage is also a good buy, one of the customs i was thinking about too before i pulled the trigger on es5
 
regardless of what you go for in the end, enjoying the music is still what matters most

 

 

[dragonfyra]

Received my ES-5's for about a week now, at first I didn't really notice the greatness of them, but it was until I went back to my W3 and I felt like all the details were gone from songs.  The bass of W3 is nice (I used to consider them great), but now in comparison with the es-5... the W3's bass felt like it was only going half way, a big gob of bass being pushed down your throat, but the ES-5's bass felt like it was a surging rush of bass being shoved all the way down to my lungs, really satisfying lol.
 
The difference in details and clarity is so far apart it's not even funny, at first I scoffed at how I read a Westone rep said that it would make the W3's sound like an entry iem, now I understand....
 
The texture of instruments and vocals is just much clearer, it's as if it's close enough that I could touch them.  The subtle sounds of a plucking violin became so much more lifelike, it immediately conjured up images of musicians doing so.  
 
Sense of air and space is also a huge improvement for me from W3's, although I did not feel a great improvement in depth or width. (I think the size of my ES-5's had an effect on that, I realised I have really tiny ears...).
 
Was listening to Dvorak's 9th, and when the trumpets come in, ti was like a hot searing white light flashing in my brains, it was a big bright (sonically), but not the shrill feeling of W3, but it was just so clear that I could not do anything but pause and listen to the sound, momentarily stunned.  
 
Problem is, the fit is so good (and the isolation is insane... I'm a bit nervous about wearing them on the street now), it hurts a bit, my right ear canal is a bit swollen up (has been but just couldn't NOT put them on...), and am wondering if I need a refit. Initially my ear canals hurt after wearing them for the first 10 minutes, then it settled, then the pain came back again.  I get a throbing pain after I take them off.  Yesterday, it got a bit bad and the area around my ears was a bit sore... laid off them for a day to see if my right ear gets a bit better... 
 
Trying to resist sending them back to refit but deep down I think I really should, question is I'm not sure whether it is that tight because my canals are slightly swollen (happens when it's a bit irritated like when I try to put in triple flanges dry), or it's just too large for my ear canals... ahh... 
 
 
 

 

[Wildcard30]

You might want to go see the audiologist that made your impressions odds are you will need to stop wearing them for a week or 2 to let the swelling go down before you can get new impressions taken.

 

[cooperpwc]

Dragonfyra, I didn't have problems anywhere near as severe as yours. However my right ear was initially sore at the deepest inside point each time I inserted. (This was on my last and final refitting.) It went away. I might give it some time - at least a week - since your fit is perfect for SQ and isolation. Take a day off and try again. Your ears may adjust.

 

[RockaRolla]

Quote:

Received my ES-5's for about a week now, at first I didn't really notice the greatness of them, but it was until I went back to my W3 and I felt like all the details were gone from songs.  The bass of W3 is nice (I used to consider them great), but now in comparison with the es-5... the W3's bass felt like it was only going half way, a big gob of bass being pushed down your throat, but the ES-5's bass felt like it was a surging rush of bass being shoved all the way down to my lungs, really satisfying lol.
 
The difference in details and clarity is so far apart it's not even funny, at first I scoffed at how I read a Westone rep said that it would make the W3's sound like an entry iem, now I understand....
 
The texture of instruments and vocals is just much clearer, it's as if it's close enough that I could touch them.  The subtle sounds of a plucking violin became so much more lifelike, it immediately conjured up images of musicians doing so.  
 
Sense of air and space is also a huge improvement for me from W3's, although I did not feel a great improvement in depth or width. (I think the size of my ES-5's had an effect on that, I realised I have really tiny ears...).
 
Was listening to Dvorak's 9th, and when the trumpets come in, ti was like a hot searing white light flashing in my brains, it was a big bright (sonically), but not the shrill feeling of W3, but it was just so clear that I could not do anything but pause and listen to the sound, momentarily stunned.  
 
Problem is, the fit is so good (and the isolation is insane... I'm a bit nervous about wearing them on the street now), it hurts a bit, my right ear canal is a bit swollen up (has been but just couldn't NOT put them on...), and am wondering if I need a refit. Initially my ear canals hurt after wearing them for the first 10 minutes, then it settled, then the pain came back again.  I get a throbing pain after I take them off.  Yesterday, it got a bit bad and the area around my ears was a bit sore... laid off them for a day to see if my right ear gets a bit better... 
 
Trying to resist sending them back to refit but deep down I think I really should, question is I'm not sure whether it is that tight because my canals are slightly swollen (happens when it's a bit irritated like when I try to put in triple flanges dry), or it's just too large for my ear canals... ahh... 
 
 
 

 
 
i had the same problem as you when i received my es5, i got the sore feeling for a week, and thought i needed a refit, ended up was I didnt fit them properly in my ear
i think the problem is trying to fit the part of the customs which has the model no. on it into the cymba of the concha...its basically like a key to lock setup, ensure tightness and grip, preventing the customs from falling out, if u didnt fit it right, it would be resting on the crus of the antihelix/helix and the pressure exerted upon them could be the reason why your feeling sore
 
not sure whether its the reason your ears are hurting, but thought i could help out abit since i have the same sore problem as you at the beginning

 

[Saintkeat]

Joe-Siow was very kind and generous last night! He met me at a cafe to give his es5 a spin.. I tried it with the stock cable instead of his twag, and what I heard was pretty incredible from a westone! Despite the seal not being present at all, the bass was very audible surprisingly! The sound was very balanced and the mids were very solid. I don't normally like westone products as there's usually a rather small amount of bass compared to what I'd normally prefer, but the es5s are definitely in my list of customs worth considering. The sound is a lot more laid back as compared to the jh13/16, which is what I really like about it.

I can only imagine how they sound if I had a proper seal, but from what I heard and not to mention the flexible canal that you can actually flex with your hands after use, make it a serious contender for my bank account!

 

[Joe-Siow]

Thanks for your cuppuccino!

 

[dragonfyra]

Quote:

 
i had the same problem as you when i received my es5, i got the sore feeling for a week, and thought i needed a refit, ended up was I didnt fit them properly in my ear
i think the problem is trying to fit the part of the customs which has the model no. on it into the cymba of the concha...its basically like a key to lock setup, ensure tightness and grip, preventing the customs from falling out, if u didnt fit it right, it would be resting on the crus of the antihelix/helix and the pressure exerted upon them could be the reason why your feeling sore
 
not sure whether its the reason your ears are hurting, but thought i could help out abit since i have the same sore problem as you at the beginning

Thanks for the advise guys, I understand what you're saying about an improper fit, there was one time when I put it in improperly and it hurt, maybe that was the occasion that left my ears in a bit of pain (maybe a bit scratched inside).  After a few times though, I'm quite confident that I've got it "locked in" so to speak.  I pull my ear back when I put them in, which helped greatly (as instructed in the manual).  It definitely hurts a LOT when you put it in improperly....
 
When it's "in" right now it's perfectly locked into the shape of my outer ear, with no room to budge.
 
I tried the left side on today (it's the right side that's swollen) and it was fine, a tiny bit sore when I had them on, but overall it's not like it was searing pain.
Granted, my ears are really easily irritated, few weeks ago, I was trying on the new Monster tips that I bought, my ears got so swollen I laid off using my iems for a week... 
 
Going to let the right ear rest for a few days before trying again, will definitely give it a bit more time before I go for a refit.  
 
I have to say it's reassuring that Westone offers 90 days refit period instead of 30 like the JH's. 
 
+1 for Westone.

 

[3X0]

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Joe-Siow was very kind and generous last night! He met me at a cafe to give his es5 a spin.. I tried it with the stock cable instead of his twag, and what I heard was pretty incredible from a westone! Despite the seal not being present at all, the bass was very audible surprisingly! The sound was very balanced and the mids were very solid. I don't normally like westone products as there's usually a rather small amount of bass compared to what I'd normally prefer, but the es5s are definitely in my list of customs worth considering. The sound is a lot more laid back as compared to the jh13/16, which is what I really like about it.

Laid back or forward!?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/495931/westone-es5/825#post_7160449

 

[Saintkeat]

i don't own the jh13 so i'm basing everything off sonic memory which isn't at all reliable but i did remember jh being more aggressive compared to what i heard from the es5.
 
don't take my word for it. just sharing what i heard.

 

[Joe-Siow]

Ok guys, an update from Westone for anyone who's interested why the right side of my ES5 failed.
 
Apparently the monitor stopped working due to a wire coming loose in the earpiece. It had since been re-soldered back and issue cleared.
 
I'm happy with their explanation and the case is now closed for me.

 

[project86]

 
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Anyway, back to the Miracle VS ES5 impressions. I picked up my HD600 earlier in the afternoon, and also took the opportunity to re-audition the Miracle again. This was my impressions.
 
 
The Miracle is able to hold its own against ES5. ES5 is slightly brighter while Miracle is slightly darker in SQ. Miracle also comes across to me as more relax sounding than ES5, with ES being largely neutral with a tinge of warmness.
 
Bass:
Miracle hit the low notes lower as compared to ES5. But please do not be mistaken that ES5 is a bass light customs. They are not; just that Miracle hits lower. Both has the quality and quantity with the bass. To my ears, ES5's bass transient seems to be quicker.
 
Mids:
Westone's signature mids nicks it for me. Smooth and magical. Miracle's mids are quite neutral and not coloured. ES5's mids are slightly warm, but only slightly. Vocals sound equally good for both, with ES5 sounding slightly more forward and intimate than Miracle. Miracle sounds more laid back and relaxed and quite rich, though less intimate than ES5. I guess this is ES5's magical Westone mids at work here. I prefer ES5's mids.
 
Highs:
Miracle's best performing department in my opinion. Like ES5, Miracle's highs are very very smooth and very transparent and clear. Both customs have lots of details and airiness. But ES5 shades it for me cause I feel my ES5 has a sparkle in its highs. But make no mistakes, Miracle really impressed me with its highs.
 
Miracle's soundstage was very slightly wider and detailed than ES5. ES5's instrument separation is on par with Miracle's though.
 
All in all, I prefer ES5 to Miracle. But I can see why Miracle has the potential to be a hit. It is cheaper than ES5 and JH13, yet it sound on par with the other big 2. Miracle's biggest strength is its highs and soundstage. ES5's strengths are its magical mids and clarity. JH13 is famed for its versatility for the many genres of music. So the general crowd will be happy with either 1 of the 3.

I know it has already been said, but thank you for this post. I've been actively trying to stay away from anything relating to the ES5, knowing that if I read up on them I'll probably end up buying them. But at the same time I've been wondering how they sound. Your post was extremely helpful. I'll go back to ignoring the ES5 for now, but later in the year I'll revisit this when the budget is there.
 
Thanks again!