iFi Pro iESL Electrostatic Headphone Energizer Review

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Marvey, Jun 5, 2021.

  1. eskamobob1

    eskamobob1 Acquaintance

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    has anyone compared the iESL to the mjolnir SRD-7? Im looking at something in the ~1-2k range to use to get into estats (realy just to use so I can get HE-60)
     
  2. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    I'm not qualified to give a good answer for this (as I don't have sufficient experience for both) but if I were you I'd doubtlessly go for the iesl. Rationales below.
    • If I recall correctly Spritzer reuses transformer from Stax converters (which were manufactured decades ago) -- except for very rare LTD products he doesn't sell regularly. As the most important factor for this kind of device is the transformer quality I believe, I'm more favorable toward iFi.
    • iESL offers various features such as bias voltage control or ac termination adjustment. I'm not fully bought with the latter. But the former (bias) would play very significant roles in making sound right. HE60 is configured to operate at 540V and HE90 at 500V. Then can work with 580V stax bias.. but it's not how they were supposed to work with.
     
  3. eskamobob1

    eskamobob1 Acquaintance

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    Just FWIW the HE60 work fine with pro-bias and a simple adaptor. For HE90 you do need a smart adaptor though. In terms of transformers I was looking at getting one with upgraded transformers (lundahl amorphous core IIRC). I do like the general proposition of the iESL more but I wasnt sure if anyone here had had hands on with both to be able to compaire tbh. Maybe I should go bug the general stax thread as a more apropriate place to ask
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Those suck balls for the higher-end stat headphones. They make the SR009 sound worse than an el cheapo Sennheiser HD437. They are OK for the STAX Lambdas.
     
  5. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Thanks. Although iESL is now discontinued, it's still cool to see that it's getting some love. I'm not sure whether estats are getting more and more popular, but we're asked about iESL A LOT recently.
     
  6. deafenears

    deafenears Almost "Made"

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    Maybe a good time for the iESL to make a comeback (and in black)?
     
  7. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    It would be cool to make it and all black, that's for sure. But whether this will happen at some point? I have no idea :)
     
  8. Bowmoreman

    Bowmoreman Facebook Friend

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    Just do it! ;)
     
  9. elwappo99

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    I think the Phantom is intended to be the replacement for the iESL and a successor isn't going to happen.
     
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  10. Bowmoreman

    Bowmoreman Facebook Friend

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    The Phantom is HUGE coin; and overkill in multiple dimensions. Looks slick, sure. But approaching $4K is nuts (to me, YMMV, etc. yada yada).

    Alas
     
  11. elwappo99

    elwappo99 Friend

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    A lot of money and doesn't allow for exterior inputs in the electrostatic section. The iCan definitely does not have enough power for some stax.

    Overall, it looks like the Phantom hasn't really gotten any traction.
     
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  12. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    While I liked the convenience of the iCan + iESL combo, I did feel plugging in a bigger amp for the 007 sounded better. The 009 was fine.
     
  13. DrForBin

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    hello,

    this bit seems a bit disingenuous to me:

    iFi audio said:

    "Thanks. Although iESL is now discontinued, it's still cool to see that it's getting some love. I'm not sure whether estats are getting more and more popular, but we're asked about iESL A LOT recently."

    and so, a very positive review of this device appears on SBAF (https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ectrostatic-headphone-energizer-review.11076/). apparently it had been in production for awhile and in iFi mind was close to end of life. as previous awareness of this device was, as far as i can discern, pretty much non-existent iFi could/SHOULD have jumped on the opportunity to capitalize on the review and the (not renewed, but mayhaps newly discovered) interest in the product.

    then, iFi introduces The Phantom as a do-it-all, be-it-all amp. which has not seemed to get a lot of traction.

    however The Phantom has some kewl tricks up its sleeve in the estat implementation i.e. the bias voltage solution looks awesome!

    so, instead of marketing an esat energizer incorporating the new goodies, iFi chooses to offer up The Phantom and nothing else for the estat market.

    is it tooling? is it circuit board design? or, is it just hubris?

    there are some of us how would just like to build a stack of diverse gear to enjoy as much music as we can, for as long as we can. and not need to have multiple set-ups to use multiple headphones.

    ymmv

    cheers!
     
  14. Bowmoreman

    Bowmoreman Facebook Friend

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    TL;DR?

    iFi wanted MOAR
     
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  15. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    iFi already released signature versions of the iCan and iDSD Pro. I think they missed the ball and should have done a Signature iESL to match the whole friggin' stack. I recall I asked that in one of the other threads but they said there wasn't anywhere to "improve" it. Meh, slap on the matching gold trim, add the nicer power supply, some fancy name caps, and just a modest price bump (unlike the big bumps on the iCan and iDSD) and I'm sure it would have sold.
     
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