[Artemio]

I had a chance to test them a few days ago, I had my Corda Move and the AKG 701 with me, which I had listened to mostly all day so that is the only fresh reference I had that day.

As described above, they felt airy and had a good soundstage (which I didn't expect having just listened to the K701). It is smaller than with the AKGs but big enough.

They do leak a lot, not quite like Grado but close. The isolation is there but only on mids, you can hear almost anything else. Of course if you are listening to 70 dbs this improves.

I found the mids a bit recessed, nothing extreme but they were lacking. I also noticed a very decent bass and nice highs.

This cans definitively get better with amplification. We tested them straight from an iPod 5.5th gen, an iPod Touch and the Corda Move and even my friend, who has always seen portable amps as unnecessary, noticed a huge difference. These headphones do need authority to control and extend their bass, without it the iPods could drive the but mids and bass became "murky".

Regarding closes cans I can only compare them to my Beyerdynamic DT250-250, and I must say that these sound better but isolate way less.

 

[AnGeLiCbOrIs]

I'm glad to hear so much nice stuff about these but I'm also very upset since I am so broke. Darn!

 

[bizkid]

I dont experience much leaking on mine. Its no IEM but it leaks much less than the D2000 or W5000. Not an issue on public transport for me.

I also dont experience recessed mids, if you mean something similar as the A900 or W5000 have. Actually i find it to be a little upfront in the mids, like the AD2000.

Besides all that It has really nice prat. Comfort is ok for a supra aural can. The pads are a little hard right now but i guess they'll soften with time.

 

[smarrad]

Thanks for your reports so far!

Any chance of some photos of the ESW9's being worn?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizkid /img/forum/go_quote.gif I also dont experience recessed mids, if you mean something similar as the A900 or W5000 have.

A900 mids are quite recessed, but call W5000 mids recessed? Ouch.

 

[bizkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif A900 mids are quite recessed, but call W5000 mids recessed? Ouch.

W5000 definately has recessed mids (between 300-400hz) much less than the A900 (it's more like between 150-600HZ), but it's there. Do you want to tell me the W5000 has a full midrange like the L3000/AD2000/HD650?

Maybe i had another can the whole time and didnt realise it...

It's my 2nd fav can but it definately needs getting used to it's soundssignature, i think no W5000 owner will disagree.

Anyway to get back to topic the ESW9 is nothing like the W5000 in soundsignature.

PS: On my head it looks exactly like the modded ES7 shown here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=230698

 

[fureshi]

Got to audition the ESW9 for a short period today while roaming around Yodobashi Camera. Unfortunately it's not the best environment to be comparing headphones. If you've ever been to Yodobashi, you'd know that the whole store is almost sensory overload. They had the ES7 and ESW9 side by side to compare and both were connected to an AT amp.

I tried both out of my 1g Zune and while it was difficult to discern a difference, the ESW9 was clearly less bass heavy. Mids and Highs were difficult to tell apart without more time. I don't think my Zune was able to power the ESW9 well enough as the volume level was clearly lower than the ES7. I ended up not purchasing them but based on what others here are saying, I'd guess that a strong amp would do them well. Maybe on my next trip to Japan I'll buy the ESW9 but for now, I think I'm happy with the ES7.

 

[Michael Jennings]

Ordered from Audiocubes (before I saw the posts re: cheaper prices at pricejapan)...will report!

Mike

 

[smarrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fureshi /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I don't think my Zune was able to power the ESW9 well enough as the volume level was clearly lower than the ES7. I ended up not purchasing them but based on what others here are saying, I'd guess that a strong amp would do them well. Maybe on my next trip to Japan I'll buy the ESW9 but for now, I think I'm happy with the ES7.

After this and a few other comments, I'm afraid I might have to give up on soundstage, admit defeat, and go for the HD-25-1's after all. I certainly won't be using an amp and I want some reasonable isolation.

 

[bizkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smarrad /img/forum/go_quote.gif After this and a few other comments, I'm afraid I might have to give up on soundstage, admit defeat, and go for the HD-25-1's after all. I certainly won't be using an amp and I want some reasonable isolation.

The HD25-1 with it's 70 Ohm also doesnt get very loud unamped. If you have a chance by all means go and listen to them first. HD25-1s should be widely avaible in DJ/audio/guitar stores.

 

[smarrad]

I've listened to the HD-25-1 although it was through an amp and I only had the choice of 2 songs (not anything I would listen to). It sounded ok but didnt blow me away. I have heared the ES7's through my ipod and they sounded ok too. These are the only two sets I have heared other than my crappy ipod earbuds. As I dont own any other decent headphones, I'm really going to have to rely on this forum to help me out.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizkid /img/forum/go_quote.gif W5000 definately has recessed mids (between 300-400hz) much less than the A900 (it's more like between 150-600HZ), but it's there. Do you want to tell me the W5000 has a full midrange like the L3000/AD2000/HD650? Maybe i had another can the whole time and didnt realise it...

It has rather bumped midrange, more inline with AKG-K271S, than neutral HD650's. May be I can't hear it, but recessed mids is the last thing that can possibly come to my mind describing W5000. Out of all my phones, current and gone (check the profile), it has the most pronounced one. Just curious if anyone has a frequency graph of W5000. Although, afraid I am derailing the topic. I'll start a new thread on that.

 

[fureshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smarrad /img/forum/go_quote.gif After this and a few other comments, I'm afraid I might have to give up on soundstage, admit defeat, and go for the HD-25-1's after all. I certainly won't be using an amp and I want some reasonable isolation.

Sorry to misrepresent the ESW9. I only had a short amount of time with them and wasn't able to try them amped and unamped in a quiet environment so I'd take some of my comments with a grain of salt.

 

[OakIris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnGeLiCbOrIs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Audiocubes is very expensive for the ESW9. The best price I found is about $305 shipped from Bluetin's JP website or $300 shipped via DHL or $282 via EMS from pricejapan.com.

Audiocubes must have come down in price since you checked the site - they are asking for $269 + shipping, which seems like a good price to me - $284 shipped to the USA. http://www.audiocubes.com/product_in...oducts_id=2315

pricejapan's price is actually $283, so it's a dollar cheaper, but I have had good luck with audiocubes in the past. Of course, I don't have $100 to spend, let alone almost $300, but I think I will be saving my pennies. I would love to add the ESW9 to my collection of AT woodies!

Holly

 

[Michael Jennings]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OakIris /img/forum/go_quote.gif Audiocubes must have come down in price since you checked the site - they are asking for $269 + shipping, which seems like a good price to me - $284 shipped to the USA.

Thanks for the update. i had ordered the phones from Audiocubes for the higher price; they haven't shipped; i'm assuming I'll pay the lower price!