In HiFiMan they try themselves in different market segments, they constantly look for something and do not shy away from experiments. One of these "shots at random" was the release of headphones in the form factor inserts, which received the index ES100.
In-ear headphones have not in vain won a dominant position in the market of portable audio. Their advantages are obvious and undeniable: they better isolate the noise, they are more reliable in the ears, they are easier to achieve high-quality sound, because their emitters are working on a closed volume, and they are easier to tune. There is also a downside to the medal: not all of these headphones are comfortable, sometimes it's worth hearing what's going on around you (more often than many people think) and it's difficult to achieve a big imaginary scene in the IEM. A fairly successful compromise here is the "insert" model with their more open design.
In HiFiMan released a lot of successful models of "plugs" and now decided to try and make "inserts." Model ES100 received a large 15 mm dynamic radiator, a slightly unusual case and a fairly tangible price tag. Of course, this is not a top multi-driver with a price above $ 1000, can be for 3800 rubles (the price at the time of publication of the article). In addition, the headphones have a high impedance of 150Ω, which clearly gives their focus on specialized players.
Specifications
- Emitter: dynamic, 15 mm
- Frequency range: 15 Hz to 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 113 dB
- Impedance: 150Ω
- Plug: 3.5 mm TRS
Packing and delivery kit
With the box in HiFiMan decided to act in strict accordance with their traditions. The outer box is made of ordinary beige cardboard, it contains a typical round snake-case with accessories, the headphones themselves are packed in an oblong transparent plastic case, similar to the first versions of the Re-400. Looks inside the box is quite impressive, a durable thick plastic inspires confidence.
In addition to the headphones and the case, besides the headphones and the case, the white wire for the wire (also similar to the complete one from the Re400) and a pair of replaceable rubber rings, but without a ledge, in contrast to those worn on the headphones, were put in the package. So if you feel uncomfortable when wearing headphones, maybe they should be "dressed up". It is strange that the kit does not include foam nozzles, so if you want them you have to buy separately.
Design and comfortable wearing
In general, the design of headphones is clear from photos. The company did not begin to make a traditional "leg" at the exit point of the wire, but limited itself to a short section of rubber, which protects the cable from fractures. The headphones are made mostly of plastic (except the metal protective mesh on the inside), but thanks to the successful selection of colors and shapes look very interesting. HiFiMan managed to make a design, both original and interesting, but at the same convenient and not pretentious. The build quality is normal, there are small problems with the casting, but to see them, you need to look closely.
Despite the fairly large size, the ES100 sat well in my ears, the protrusion on the complete rubber nozzle promotes reliable fixation, they can be worn for a very long time without the least sign of discomfort. Naturally, the structure of the ears is different for everyone, so your impressions may differ. Sound insulation at the headphones is expected to be low, the foam nozzles may improve the situation, but still this form factor is not suitable for transport and noisy environments.
The wire is the most common, in black silicone insulation. In the cold a little hardens, but not critical, it is not inclined to get very confused, the microphone effect (noise from the friction of the cable on the clothes) is poorly expressed. The splitter and the plug are small, made of plastic, so a little care in handling the headphones will not hurt.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening.
- NuPrime DAC-10H and Resonessence Labs Concero HP as DAC and Amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Lotoo PAW Gold, Fiio X7 and Luxury & Precission L5Pro as portable players
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening to the headphones were warmed for 48 hours, the changes in sound are insignificant.
Traditionally, for models of this form factor, reviews about sound can vary very much due to the nature of the landing and the size of the listener's ears, so note that your sound impression may be quite different.
One of the not immediately obvious advantages of headphones of this form factor is the possibility of installing large radiators, and HiFiMan here used it to the fullest. The 15 mm driver used in this model is able to pump quite good volumes of air, which makes itself felt, especially in the field of LF. In the stock form, the headphones have a slightly light feed with an emphasis on the upper midrange.
The bass is not dominant, but pleasantly dense and fast, which is not typical for headphones of this form factor. There is a good division of parties, and normal (though not record) study of textures. Quantitatively, the LF is slightly less than average, which contrasts sharply with the majority of in-ear headphones that have an accent on bass, so bass lovers do not fit the model in the drain, but the situation can be adjusted (I'll write about it below).
Medium frequencies are reproduced a little detached, but clean and without superfluous protrusion. Emotions are transmitted at a moderate level, but lovers of tinted mid-range headphones will not work. The nature of the instruments and their dimensions are transmitted practically reliably. There is a noticeable emphasis on the joint of MF and HF, which leads to some accentuation of high vocals, but this can also be corrected (about this as below). The imaginary scene is very broad (typical for the form factor), the depth is average.
HF is rustic, they do not have enough development of after-sound and fading, but this is also typical for headphones of this price segment. If you take into account the price, HF normal - they are not oiled, not pushed deep into the background, light and almost do not crumble.
The situation is quite different, if you pull on the headphones foam nozzles. In addition to improving sound insulation, they muffle the peak on HH, and due to this, the bass acquires greater physicality and comes to the fore. In fact, the ES100 turns into "typical" inserts with an emphasis on LF and lower half of the MF. For this it is necessary to "pay off" by reducing the resolution and imaginary scene, but a warmer and more intimate presentation of the same baits, so you can say that with the ES100 you get a practically "two-in-one" model. The main thing - .
Compatibility
High impedance makes these headphones not quite a convenient load for mobile phones and tablets. Of course, with a sensitivity of 113 dB, they do not need huge power, but 150Ω of load make them "fidget" amplifiers of many mobile phones. In general, if you plan to listen to this model with a smartphone, before buying, you should listen to them to make sure of compatibility. With specialized players, headphones work without problems. They do not need anything extra-expensive, just a segment of "up to $ 200".
Genre headphones are almost universal if you like a light feed. Although I would first recommend them for the styles oriented to the volume: classic, orchestral jazz, chamber music. To the quality of the record, they are quite picky, scores of 8 on a 10-point scale.
conclusions
Despite the fact that the "liners" are not my form factor, I can not help but note that more and more interesting models have appeared in this niche lately. Almost all of them are not universal, but almost without exception are very interesting. The ES100 was no exception, HiFiMan made headphones worthy of interest.
The article is based on materials .
Comments
Post a Comment