[googleli]

Frankly I wouldn't mind wearing the LCD2/3 in the MTR but it is open design... so.... I have ordered the Thunderpants though and once I got it I will take a ride at the MTR just to show it off

 

[lootbag]

Riding the MTR during rush hour with the ES5s was awesome this past summer for me.
Full isolation and awesome sound everywhere I go.
I would never wear big cans on the subway though, just don't like wearing cans in public for some reason; I think I am too self-conscious.
 
edit:
Wow I just listened to my ES5s for the first time in 3 weeks.
Mind blown again, I forgot how good these sound...

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

All right- I'd like another opinion of TTVJ Slim vs. Pico Slim...do you still have your Pico Slim or Stepdance better with ES5?

I won't be able to A-B the Pico Slim and TTVJ Slim since I swapped Slims with another Head-Fier. The Pico Slim is a fine little amp with the best volume control that you could hope to have for the sensitive ES5. Detail was excellent and the soundstage large. However, it's a bit bright to my tastes. That's very much a personal thing. Some love the sound signature - it is super clean - but my (middle aged) ears found it fatiguing.
 
Quote:

I keep reading about the hiss problem on TTVJ. Hopefully there won't be any with the hyper sensitive ES5

I briefly triied the TTVJ Slim with the ES5 running off an iMod. I did not notice the hiss then but it was....brief. We will see.
 
Quote:

 

Unfortunately all the slims I've heard keep falling short of the bricks. 

Well that's the big question.
 
The Stepdance with the ES5 gives a fuller sound than the Pico Slim or the Classic/iPhone 3GS HP outs. (All of these reflections are IMHO YMMV as always.) I was impressed though by my brief experience with the TTVJ Slim, which has large battery and high power output in its own right. (It's fairly thin but it has a large footprint.) It wasn't as fast as the Stepdance but it had a sweet sound signature. The CLAS is more aggressive than the darker iMod so the synergy may be good.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by uelover /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I am already guessing that they will be an awesome match!

 
Yep, I am hoping that the CLAS + TTVJ + ES5 will hit a sweet spot for size, weight, low volume control and overall SQ. I also plan to spend some quality time just driving the TTVJ Slim from the Classic line out as I have with both the Stepdance and Pico Slim.
 
I will report back on all of this after the TTVJ arrives. Snail mail to China takes time...

 

[googleli]

I just found out one thing which may be useful for people who find that the CLAS->Stepdance is too loud for the ES5. I tried using the Fostex HP-P1 and connect its line out to the Stepdance (15V regulated), then through a Twag v2 cable to ES5. The volume is just right for me and I even had to turn up a bit from the lowest volume to match my normal listening level. The sound? Sublime. I therefore suggest the Fostex HP-P1 as a good front end iPhone DAC for those who find their Stepdance too loud (even at low gain and lowest volume) and don't bother to do the -6 dB mod. It is pretty amazing what these bricks can do - but still, I just go iPhone 4S -> ES5 when I am on the go.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

I just found out one thing which may be useful for people who find that the CLAS->Stepdance is too loud for the ES5. I tried using the Fostex HP-P1 and connect its line out to the Stepdance (15V regulated), then through a Twag v2 cable to ES5. The volume is just right for me and I even had to turn up a bit from the lowest volume to match my normal listening level. The sound? Sublime. I therefore suggest the Fostex HP-P1 as a good front end iPhone DAC for those who find their Stepdance too loud (even at low gain and lowest volume) and don't bother to do the -6 dB mod. It is pretty amazing what these bricks can do - but still, I just go iPhone 4S -> ES5 when I am on the go.

In fact, googleli, even with the -6db low gain mod, the CLAS>Stepdance is louder with the ES5 than I would sometimes like. Most albums are okay but it doesn't qualify as quiet listening. The ABWH (Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe) album is actually unlistenable.
 
The output of the Fostex is 16db lower than the output of the CLAS. (Fostex outputs -10dBV. CLAS outputs 2 VRMS = +6dBV.) Even with my low gain mod, you are still 10db quieter. It will make low volume control much better.

 

[uelover]

anyone got any idea if es5 works well with hifiman players?

 

[googleli]

I just tried my ES5 on my HM801. The UE18 Pro with the Hifiman 801 is a nightmare. The ES5 is better with the Hifiman but still a big nono. The HIfiman 801 is really only suitable for something like the ER4P or UERM if you ask me. I prefer the HP-P1 headphone out or the HP-P1/CLAS -> SR71A/Stepdance combo for the ES5 any day.
 
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Since we are talking about the real challenges of low volume control with the ES5, here is a mod that I sometimes use when I want to listen to the CLAS+Stepdance with greater low volume control. The M-Audio 10db PAD is designed to reduce input microphone volume to the MicroTrack 24/96 digital recorder. While it is never ideal to add something to a line in, this actually does a great job of reducing the CLAS volume into the Stepdance - and it sounds great. (If there is any deterioration - there may be - it is not obvious to my ears.)
 

 
It is a fun but clumsy solution to listen to my ES5 very quietly. My hope is that the TTVJ Slim will render all of this moot as it should, by my calculation, have a further 10db low volume advantage over my modded Stepdance. We will see.

 

[googleli]

Has anyone tried the fully balanced combo on the ES5? Would the SR71B be too loud on low gain with balanced in / out (CLAS->DB2)? have already got a balanced cable from ALO for the LCD2/3.  I am deciding whether I should get a balanced cable for the IEMs.

 

[uelover]

Quote:

I just tried my ES5 on my HM801. The UE18 Pro with the Hifiman 801 is a nightmare. The ES5 is better with the Hifiman but still a big nono. The HIfiman 801 is really only suitable for something like the ER4P or UERM if you ask me. I prefer the HP-P1 headphone out or the HP-P1/CLAS -> SR71A/Stepdance combo for the ES5 any day.

Ahh okies lucky I never pull the trigger on HM602. HP-P1 is too bulky for me. If it can act as a laptop DAC as well then maybe it is worth my consideration but nope, it doesn't.
 
Will stick with my mobile phone then =)

 

[CEE TEE]

Set designers for the next Mission Impossible movie would like to rent your rig!  What's the day rate?  I might want to get on the list too...
Quote:

 

 

[googleli]

It seems that he has left out the Energizer XP8000, otherwise the rig wouldn't be this small.

 

[cooperpwc]

  I would certainly take the M-Audio PAD off before taking this through airport security. It really does look dangerous...
 
Honestly guys, I haven't used that mod all that much. I was just travelling for eight weeks and I had the above rig without the PAD (which I bough en route near the end). It was a bit loud but it sounded wonderful. Now I am in transition mode waiting on the TTVJ Slim so i am taking the opportunity to give the Classic line out some extended listening time.
 

 
That' not too big...     
 
(I haven't sprung for the Energizer....yet anyway.)

 

[Girls Generation]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some info on what certain amps do to the ES5's sound.
 
CLAS +:
 
Pico Slim
TTVJ Slim
ALO RX MK2
Stepdance
 
 
I'm looking to get more clarity/detail at the same time, maintaining the original sound. The mids are a bit too veiled for me at the moment, and I have around 90 hours on it.

 

[googleli]

What do you mean by veil? I always think the ES5's mids are too "full" and the imaging is a bit unfocused.  HP-P1 (Filter 2) with Stepdance, together with the Twag v2 cable correct that to a certain extent, and work best for me.