Earsonics ES3

Introduction

Earsonics is a French company that specialises in making iems. They have been very active in producing iems with the recent release of their flagship in Earsonics EM10. In this review, I will be reviewing the ES3 from the Music series. I would like to thank David and Earsonics for the arrangement of this review unit. The Earsonics ES3 is a triple balanced armature drivers iem that features 1 driver for low frequency, 1 driver for middle frequency and 1 driver for the high frequency. The iem design and manufacturing/packaging are made in France at their Lab. At the moment, you can purchase the Earsonics ES3 at http://www.earsonics.com/store/produit/es3/ .

Specifications

• Sensibility: 116 dB/mW
• Frequency response: 10 Hz -20 kHz
• DCR: 31 ohms
• Driver: 3 drivers, 3 way crossover with impedance corrector

Unboxing & Accessories

The Earsonics ES3 comes in a black package that has a matte silver protective cover. On the cover, there is the model name and brand name, “ES3 In-ear earphones Earsonics”.  At the bottom of the cover, it shows that it is made in France. After removing the cover, you can see the iem, soft carrying case, cleaning tool and eartips at the front. Inside the case, there is a plastic pack that contains eartips. The brand name is printed on the carrying case. It is quite nice case to store the ES3. Beneath the soft foam, there is an instruction manual. Overall, the accessories are rather sufficient and it is presented nicely.

IEM Build & Design

The ES3 shell is made of acrylic and there is a smooth glossy black surface. On the left faceplate, there is the number “3” printed on it while on the right faceplate, there is the initials “ES” printed on it. The dotted design gives a cool look to the ES3. The print is white in colour. On the inside of each iem side, it has a rather flat surface. The nozzle is slightly angled and has no mesh. Down the nozzle, there are 2 bores. The ES3’s housing is light weight and I am able to fit it in my ears comfortably. The iem is constructed with a solid build quality. The overall design of the iem is quite good and it is aesthetically pleasing.

Cable Build & Design

The cable is a detachable 4 core cable with 2 pin 0.78mm connectors. On the connectors, there are blue and red dot on the left and right side respectively so users can differentiate. The connectors has a matte black housing. The cable has a memory wire section that is enclosed in a transparent heat shrink tube. It is not very flexible due to the metal inside that helps to form the shape. The memory wire section is rather short.  The chin slider is made up of a transparent tube and the y splitter is made of a soft rubber material with strain relief. The jack is 3.5mm gold plated right angled with strain relief. It is a simple stock cable.

 Sound Analysis

Lows

The ES3 extends its sub-bass greatly with a natural rumble. The decay is quick and there is impact brought by the sub-bass. The sub-bass has a good amount of quantity and it presents itself musically without compromising on the speed. The mid-bass on the ES3 has body to it and each slam is being expressed with a moderate impact. This allows the mid-bass to be more enjoyable. The dynamics is great. Bass texture on the ES3 is quite smooth and this is heavily contributed with the body. Each bass note has a full bodied presentation and the decay is slightly affected with less speed. The bass operates in a very smooth approach and it provides a high level of details retrieval. There is a natural feeling to the bass presentation and the full-bodied style of expression improves the texture. To sum it up, there is strong combination of technicality and musicality.

Mids

The midrange is being expressed in a warm and smooth style. It has a good amount of body and the delivery is rather velvety. There is a thick and lush feeling to it. The lower mids has a moderate quantity to it and male vocals are being portrayed naturally. There is no nasal feeling. The upper mids has a moderate quantity to it and it is not very forward. Female vocals are presented with finesse and mastery. There is a good naturalness and it provides a creamy impact. Vocals have a high level of definition. The smoothness does not sacrifice the resolution and the midrange is thick and lush. There is an excellent execution of vocals and emotions are being conveyed intimately.

Highs

The treble is rather balanced. There is no sibilance and harshness. It is extended moderately and packs details. The depth is existent with good level of finesse. The smooth nature of the treble helps to accentuate a full-bodied style. There is a good amount of air rendered and it helps to balance out the presentation. The overall sound will not be very dense sounding. The treble articulation is precise and resolution is good. With a soothing treble, there is fatigue-free listening. Overall, the treble has a blend of smoothness and excellent details retrieval.

Soundstage

The ES3 has a great expansion in its stage width and the sound is not congested at all. The width aids in the overall presentation. The depth has a good space and the amount of space rendered is excellent. Positioning of vocals and instruments are precise with a high standard of imaging. Layering and separation is great. Resolution is top-notch.

 

Comparisons

Earsonics ES3 vs Dunu DK-3001

The ES3 has more sub-bass quantity than the DK-3001 and the extension on both is very similar. The sub-bass presentation on the ES3 has a smoother approach than the DK-3001. However, the DK-3001 expresses it in a more authoritative approach. Decay on the DK-3001 is slightly quicker. The rumble on the ES3 is moderate and it sounds more natural. Bass note on the ES3 has more weight than the DK-3001 and the musicality is enhanced. The mid-bass on the DK-3001 has more slam and the ES3 approaches it differently with more control. Mid-bass slam on the ES3 has strong mastery and it is portrayed gently with a smooth texture. Bass texture on the ES3 is smoother. The lower mids on the ES3 has more quantity than the DK-3001 and with the extra body, male vocals sound full and there is a better expression. There are no signs of hollowness. The upper mids on the DK-3001 is slightly more forward and there is slightly more crisp. The ES3 exerts a close control on the midrange and it is able to deliver a vocals masterclass. Coupled with the full-bodied style, the midrange is very emotional and intimate. There is a good speed with a high standard of details retrieval. Next, in the treble section, both are extended well with good definition. Treble articulation is accurate. Clarity is maintained for both. There is no sibilance and harshness. DK-3001 edges slightly with more air being rendered. Lastly, for the stage width, the ES3 has a more natural expansion while for stage depth, DK-3001 excels with more space. Resolution on both is very similar.

Earsonics ES3 vs InEar StageDiver 3

The sub-bass on the ES3 has less quantity than the SD3 and the extension on the ES3 is better as it is being stretched out more. The depth gives the ES3 more impact in this area. ES3 tackles it in the clinical style and there is an added cleanliness. The sub-bass reproduction is effortless and the technical performance ensures every note is hit with impact. Decay on the ES3 is quicker and there is more punch. Bass texture on the ES3 is smoother. The mid-bass slam on both is very similar. There is good dynamics with the ES3 having a faster mid-bass presentation and it is able to deal with busier tracks. The overall bass on the ES3 has more finesse than the SD3. The lower mids on the SD3 is thicker and it has more body. However, I find male vocals are better portrayed on the ES3 as it has a more appropriate amount. The upper mids on the ES3 is more forward and the SD3 sounds veiled in comparison. There is better execution of vocals on the ES3. ES3 is able to provide a controlled yet energetic type of sound. The midrange on the ES3 is superior to SD3 as it is competent to tackle both male and female vocals. Next, in the treble section, there is no sibilance and harshness on both. The ES3 is brighter with more extension. There is just more definition on the ES3. The air on the ES3 has more quantity and this gives more space to the overall presentation. It helps to prevent congestion in the tracks. Lastly, the soundstage tackles both the width and depth. Vocals and instruments positioning is more accurate on the ES3. The ES3 operates at a higher resolution than the SD3.

Earsonics ES3 vs Noble Trident

The ES3 has more sub-bass quantity and extension than the Trident. The reproduction is smoother with more mastery. Trident seems slightly lacking in comparison. Decay on the ES3 is slightly quicker with more rumble. The pace of the ES3 is presented with more agility. The mid-bass slam on both is very similar. Bass texture on the ES3 is smoother and it is more soothing to listen to. Each bass note on the ES3 is being expressed with confidence. The lower mids on the ES3 has more body and it is able to tackle male vocals. The Trident sounds slightly dry in this area. In terms of upper mids, ES3 has similar forwardness as the Trident but it just packs more details and emotions. Female vocals are presented with intimacy and does not sound too close. In the treble section, I find the extension to be very similar. There is slight harshness on the Trident but on the ES3, it is just smooth. There is a good amount of air rendered on the ES3. Lastly, for the soundstage, ES3 has a more natural expansion in width and the depth is not as close in as the Trident. There is just more space on the ES3. The spacious presentation aids in the overall sound. Resolution on the ES3 is better.

Conclusion

The ES3 has incredible finesse in handling vocals and the midrange takes on a full bodied approach which results in a vocals masterclass. Coupled with the emotional rendering of the midrange, the energy at the top end contributes to a complete performance. The sound is excellent as it is able to combine both musicality and technicality. The build quality of the ES3 is great and the unboxing is nice. The Earsonics ES3 is a delightful triple balanced armature iem with a full bodied sound.