[cooperpwc]

@Charlie: My assumption (I don't actually know) is that the small block near the tip is a double tweeter. (You can see what appears to be two distinct units). There is then a large block consisting of dual mids as well as a woofer, with the woofer approximately the same size as the combined dual mids. Westone`s claim, as quoted from a previous post in this thread, is that the single woofer is large - larger than each woofer in a multiple array - which allows for good bass quality. The bass is very well controlled IMHO.

 

[charlie0904]

@cooperpwc
thanks. so the single woofer was with the dual mids. big. think it's pretty good.
haha, my eyes don't really cut it. 

 

[rawrster]

My assumption is that the small driver near the tip is twfk since I can't think of any other driver that looks like that. I can't really see much else from those two pics.

 

[cooperpwc]

I spent most of today listening to these with the Headsix while I worked. It's really a nice combination. This evening I am back to listening straight from the iPhone 3GS headphone out. It is still most excellent. The lowest sub-100 hz notes are a bit less weighty and amping does enhance the soundstage but there is nothing to complain about here. I think that straight from the iPhone will often be my walking around rig while I will use the pending Stepdance at home (and of course at coffee shops kicking back with a cigar

). That is how I do most of my listening anyway and it is where I can best appreciate the extra juice.

 

[cooperpwc]

I continue to clock hours of pleasure with these. There doesn't seem to be anything modern that they cannot handle. (I haven't gotten around to trying Classical yet...)
 
High production value music like Zero 7's Simple Things and Eno/Byrne's My Life in the Bush of Ghost are breathtaking. Still the ES5s are just as happy rocking Buckcherry and Rush. I lost myself in Moving Pictures this morning and listened transfixed from beginning to end. I can't remember the last time that this album drew me in so completely. Bluegrass is wonderful. I listened to Ricky Skagg's Ancients Tones and his mandolin was plucky and crisp but still so smooth. Richard and Linda Thompson's I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, one of my favourite folk albums, renderes beautifully. Now I'm visiting pop. The Car's Candy-O is sounding quite fine. David Robinson's heavy downbeats are rendering with lots of clean thump and the high hats are crisp. 
 
I am listening with the Headsix as much as possible. It really is sweet with the ES5s. These IEMs are quite sensitive and so occassionally I am forced into the lower quality section of the Headsix pot or to listen a bit too loud. (I can't wait for my Stepdance to arrive.) Interestingly, hiss is no problem in spite of the sensitivity. I have to push the Headsix pot well past 1:00 in low gain mode to hear anything with the music turned off. Since I rarely get much past 9:00 before reaching excessive volumes, it is a complete non-issue. (On the Headsix, I don't think I ever dial in 10:00. I like my hearing too much.) Volume control is easier with the iPhone 3GS and again I have never heard any hiss.

 

[Kunlun]

 
Quote:

I continue to clock hours of pleasure with these. There doesn't seem to be anything modern that they cannot handle. (I haven't gotten around to trying Classical yet...)
 
High production value music like Zero 7's Simple Things and Eno/Byrne's My Life in the Bush of Ghost are breathtaking. Still the ES5s are just as happy rocking Buckcherry and Rush. I lost myself in Moving Pictures this morning and listened transfixed from beginning to end. I can't remember the last time that this album drew me in so completely. Bluegrass is wonderful. I listened to Ricky Skagg's Ancients Tones and his mandolin was plucky and crisp but still so smooth. Richard and Linda Thompson's I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, one of my favourite folk albums, renderes beautifully. Now I'm visiting pop. The Car's Candy-O is sounding quite fine. David Robinson's heavy downbeats are rendering with lots of clean thump and the high hats are crisp. 
 
I am listening with the Headsix as much as possible. It really is sweet with the ES5s. These IEMs are quite sensitive and so occassionally I am forced into the lower quality section of the Headsix pot or to listen a bit too loud. (I can't wait for my Stepdance to arrive.) Interestingly, hiss is no problem in spite of the sensitivity. I have to push the Headsix pot well past 1:00 in low gain mode to hear anything with the music turned off. Since I rarely get much past 9:00 before reaching excessive volumes, it is a complete non-issue. (On the Headsix, I don't think I ever dial in 10:00. I like my hearing too much.) Volume control is easier with the iPhone 3GS and again I have never heard any hiss.

Thanks for the update. It sounds like these are very transparent iems. Please report back when you hear some classical.
 

 

[nlhk]

Just received StepDance. I quickly went to buy a 9V battery and had a brief listen through ES5. The first impression was the volume is too large for me even at its mininum level. Fortunately when reading the manual, I discovered that the amp is set at high gain by default.
 
After setting it to low gain, the volume is acceptable. Since I listen music at very low volume, therefore I shall probably only use the first two volume levels for listening with ES5. I don't think others should have a problem about the volume level, since when I listen through ES5 with RSA shadow (a relatively low power portable amp), I also use the first two volume levels only.
 
The sound is very good and very balance through listening with ES5. I think StepDance is a good match.with ES5.
 
The only problem is that when switching off the amp, there is a modestly lound noise heard through ES5. Although it is uncomforatble but it is not lound enough to make you feel that your ears being hurt.
 
 
 
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Lest anyone perusing this thread be about to pull the trigger on a custom IEM purchase, HPA will be sharing his opinion sometime in the not too far future. His review of the ES5s should be most interesting and worth the wait.
 
These are indeed killer cans. 

 

[nlhk]

@cooperpwc :  
For me, whether there is volume adjustment swing depends on the line out of the player. For HM-801 normal line out, I can only listen to a short time even at a minimum level since the volume is too loud for me.   For another player, I can have volume adjustment swing 9:00-11:00 (not 7:00 - 11:00 as you said in the StepDance post, since 7:00 is switch off and when you switch on, the volume knob is already at 9:00).
 
The relatively loud noise heard in ES5 when switching off the amp is quite annoying.

 

[Tidal]

Yeah, I want to know whether ES5 go well with classical (mostly concerto and symphony) or not.
I don't know what to buy between JH10, JH10x3, ES3X or these ES5.
 
Thank you

 

[violinvirtuoso]

Quote:

Yeah, I want to know whether ES5 go well with classical (mostly concerto and symphony) or not.
I don't know what to buy between JH10, JH10x3, ES3X or these ES5.
 
Thank you

From what has been written, it seems like the ES5 is the way to go. It seems to have fantastic treble and mids, and bass seems decent. Because bass isn't as important (in classical music) I would go with the ES5 if I had to decide now. But headphoneaddict is coming out with a review of the ES5 soon, so I would wait and read that. You could also PM him, because he has the ES5, ES3X, and the JH13.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

@Fred - I posted a couple of pics here. But I will try to post some more/better ones soon. Yes, they have the soft tips. I find them to be very comfortable.
 
@Project86 - There is at least one person out there that has both (as well as some other popular custom IEMs). I won't steal his fire so hopefully he will post soon. You know who you are.  

 
Frankly it is getting a bit lonely in this thread. I feel that I am being forced to be a one-man fan boy choir because people have no idea how good these are. Now that the fit is good and I am amping them, they might be my favorite cans. Might be. They are right up there. And I have discovered that with a good fit and lots of current, they are not at all shy on bass. The bass is low, tight and plenty full. In the high current mode on the Stepdance, it could be wild.
 
Anyway, I wish that others would jump in.

It seems to me that any amp (low or high end) with the ES5 gives them a little more bass impact than when listening with un-amped iPhone 3GS or 4, but even when un-amped I also don't find them bass shy at all.
 
Quote:

Yeah, I want to know whether ES5 go well with classical (mostly concerto and symphony) or not.
I don't know what to buy between JH10, JH10x3, ES3X or these ES5.
 
Thank you

The ES5 are wonderful with classical.  The transparency and sense of space and ambience is astonishing.
 
Quote:

From what has been written, it seems like the ES5 is the way to go. It seems to have fantastic treble and mids, and bass seems decent. Because bass isn't as important (in classical music) I would go with the ES5 if I had to decide now. But headphoneaddict is coming out with a review of the ES5 soon, so I would wait and read that. You could also PM him, because he has the ES5, ES3X, and the JH13.

My review in a nutshell, "After 4 weeks of listening to the ES5 and my other custom IEM, my conclusion is that I prefer the ES5 for my every day listening".  This way I just bought myself more time to spend typing up some more detailed impressions, and to compare them to my other customs with all my sources and amps, without having to answer dozens of PM in the interim asking me how I like them.  
 
I have tried them with several USB DAC/amps and a couple of portable amps, but have many more to try.  And, I have to swap between my ES5, ES3X, JH13Pro, and UE11Pro with each and every source and amp that I use, with a wide variety of music with each combination.  This takes a lot of time.  
 
I will add my review to the bottom and end of my Flagship Custom IEM review, and in the products section as well.  I'll try to post a link to it here.  I'm guessing it will be a couple of weeks.
 

 

[GreenLeo]

Wow, a new king has come!  Thank you Larry.  Now I'm more eager to read your review for the JH3A when it comes.
 
Quote:

My review in a nutshell, "After 4 weeks of listening to the ES5 and my other custom IEM, my conclusion is that I prefer the ES5 for my every day listening".  This way I just bought myself more time to spend typing up some more detailed impressions, and to compare them to my other customs with all my sources and amps, without having to answer dozens of PM in the interim asking me how I like them.  
 
...
 

 

[letloverule]

Just got mine. I would certainly not say they are Bass shy to those of you concerned about that. 

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

Just got mine. I would certainly not say they are Bass shy to those of you concerned about that. 

Could you tell us what other iems you've heard as a basis for comparison?
 
Have you heard any mid-to-high quality dynamic driver iems or are you comparing the bass to other balanced armature iems?