Westone ES5

[Wildcard30]

I bought Audio Wipes from Westone and use those to clean my ES5's as well as the wax removal tool.

 

[Anaxilus]

Here are some pics I promised.  I think everything turned out pretty well.  There is some grain but the art I provided was edited by a friend from a larger low rez 96dpi master to a smaller minimum 300dpi Westone required.  So I'm not sure my artwork maximized the potential of the printer Westone uses.

 

[Anaxilus]

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How do you guys/gals clean your ES5's?
 
I would imagine that overtime the earphones gets dirty with the oil from your skin and etc.
 
What do you use to clean them?  Damp cloth or?

 
What I've been doing is using a dab of the Oto Ease they included to wipe down my phones w/ microfiber.  I don't use the included cloth, seems a bit rough to me.  The Oto Ease has a bunch of stuff I think does well for cleaning and maintaining the tips.  
 

 

[daveDerek]

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TWag sounds nice. I should know. I'm using it with ES5.

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X2 I have been using the TWag since I got the ES5's.

what differences did you find with the twag? are you running se or balanced?
 
 

 

[dragonfyra]

Been considering Craig's Twag, have had good experience with the Twag dock for my ipod, which gives a clearer resolution, more sparkle, sense of space and air.  
 
I'm actually curious to see how the es-5's would do with some good occ cable, any suggestions other than the ALO stuff (expensive and a bit thick)?
 
And Joe, are you still waiting for the blue dragons?

 

[Joe-Siow]

Oh, jermng's the one waiting for the blue dragon, not me. But I wonder how those sound compared to twag. Mine sound pretty good, but they started to oxidize. Are pure silver cables suppose to oxidize?

 

[dragonfyra]

I've read they are supposed to be that way, but it doesn't affect the sound quality.
 
Oh yes, sorry about that, it was jermng >.<
 
Anyone tried es-5's with some occ cables?
 

 

[dj nellie]

My pair just came in!  The fit is definitely much tighter, more isolating, and probably more accurate than what I have on my JH16s.  The tips are a bit sharper and more intrusive than I expected, maybe because my audiologist asked for a "snug fit" to provide maximum isolation and prevent the tips from moving around when I walk, talk, etc.
 
I'm reserving judgment until I have more time to try different sources, cables, and amps, but my preliminary impression is that the ES5 is starkly different from the JH16.  Listening with my balanced TWag, HM-801, and SR71-b, the first difference I notice is that the ES5 sounds thinner than the JH16.  Although the ES5's treble doesn't seem quite as crisp or extended as the JH16's, and the bass doesn't have the presence that it does on my JH16, the ES5's vocals have more body and forwardness.  The soundstage also seems more intimate.
 
Again, these are very preliminary impressions, but suffice to say that these are a totally different animal than the JH16s.  Isolation is noticeably better than the JH16s, I can barely hear any of the subway track clattering or general ambient noise in New York.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

My pair just came in!  The fit is definitely much tighter, more isolating, and probably more accurate than what I have on my JH16s.  The tips are a bit sharper and more intrusive than I expected, maybe because my audiologist asked for a "snug fit" to provide maximum isolation and prevent the tips from moving around when I walk, talk, etc.
 
I'm reserving judgment until I have more time to try different sources, cables, and amps, but my preliminary impression is that the ES5 is starkly different from the JH16.  Listening with my balanced TWag, HM-801, and SR71-b, the first difference I notice is that the ES5 sounds thinner than the JH16.  Although the ES5's treble doesn't seem quite as crisp or extended as the JH16's, and the bass doesn't have the presence that it does on my JH16, the ES5's vocals have more body and forwardness.  The soundstage also seems more intimate.
 
Again, these are very preliminary impressions, but suffice to say that these are a totally different animal than the JH16s.  Isolation is noticeably better than the JH16s, I can barely hear any of the subway track clattering or general ambient noise in New York.

Nice!  Give it some time, mine changed for sure.  I had some initial tip intrusiveness on my right side but either my ears adapted or the vinyl tips began to reshape themselves.  At this point I don't feel a need for a refit which surprised me.  I think there might be more significance to the vinyl tips reforming than meets the eye.
 

 

[b0ck3n]

I got the exact same impressions the first time I heard the ES5 demo universal after having had two sessions with the JH16 demo universal. Once you've grown accustomed to the ES5 sound signature I think you'll find them difficult to put down. Most, if not all, the "weaknesses" you hear compared to the JH16 can be attributed to presence of bass, or that's what I attributed it to I should say.

What a lovely position you're in, being able to swap between the two.

My pair just came in!  The fit is definitely much tighter, more isolating, and probably more accurate than what I have on my JH16s.  The tips are a bit sharper and more intrusive than I expected, maybe because my audiologist asked for a "snug fit" to provide maximum isolation and prevent the tips from moving around when I walk, talk, etc.
 
I'm reserving judgment until I have more time to try different sources, cables, and amps, but my preliminary impression is that the ES5 is starkly different from the JH16.  Listening with my balanced TWag, HM-801, and SR71-b, the first difference I notice is that the ES5 sounds thinner than the JH16.  Although the ES5's treble doesn't seem quite as crisp or extended as the JH16's, and the bass doesn't have the presence that it does on my JH16, the ES5's vocals have more body and forwardness.  The soundstage also seems more intimate.
 
Again, these are very preliminary impressions, but suffice to say that these are a totally different animal than the JH16s.  Isolation is noticeably better than the JH16s, I can barely hear any of the subway track clattering or general ambient noise in New York.

 

[dogears]

@Anax, those look great man! I'm sending my impressions in! Thanks!

 

[Anaxilus]

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@Anax, those look great man! I'm sending my impressions in! Thanks!

Thanks!  Hope it all works out for ya.  Keep us posted.
 

 

[b0ck3n]

@Anaxilus: loved your design, always dug dichotomies. You mentioned that the prints are grainy - were the 1"x1" pictures you sent in grainy to begin with?

 

[Anaxilus]

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@Anaxilus: loved your design, always dug dichotomies. You mentioned that the prints are grainy - were the 1"x1" pictures you sent in grainy to begin with?

Thanks!  I hear the Es5 as a dichotomy between BAs and dynamics so I thought it would be appropriate.  Also works w/ my own personal background.
 
No, they weren't grainy on my screen.  I talked w/ my friend about the idea of bumping it to 500dpi assuming the printer could take it but I was just going to run out of material at that point I think to cover the faceplates.  The grain is exactly as you see it on the pics.  Nothing can hide from my friends Canon.  21 MP up close and personal.  You don't really notice the grain at normal viewing distance.  I would ask Westone what their max dpi is on their printer and perhaps consider providing more than 1"x1" in case your ear shape affects the size of faceplate.  Plus picking solid white or black might determine how well your art 'pops'.  I obviously went for the effect of transparent ice on the left and fire into smoke on the right and am quite pleased.   
 
 
 

 

[b0ck3n]

My ES5 might end up sporting a dichotomy aswell actually.
 
I'll most likely provide them with as much material as I can. When I asked them about it all he said was "have your artist send the files at a minimum of 300dpi at 2" x 2" respectively to allow for overprint on the faceplates". I would guess that my best option is to go for a black backplate and pick a vibrant translucent color for the body - I kinda like the 3-piece design of the ES5 so I might aswell show it off.