EarStudio New: HE100, High-Resolution Earphones, 3.5mm in-Ear Headphones, Distinctive Clear Sound, Single Powerful Hi-Res Dynamic Driver, Comfort Fit, in-line Microphone

This is an excellent Bluetooth DAC/amp. I use mine to connect via Bluetooth to my phone, I stream music from my phone to the device and I listen using whatever wired earphones I feel like using. A DAC converts the digital signal to analogue sound and the amplifier makes it louder. Devices like this effectively turn any wired headphone or IEM into a wireless one only you get to choose the headphones you want to use. Many people don't want to be restricted to those earbuds and headphones that manufacturers turn into Bluetooth models. Devices like this with decent earphones sound better than wireless buds and headphones. With a wireless headphone once the battery inevitably degrades or the electronics fail after a few years you have a useless headphone that the manufacturer won't service. A Bluetooth DAC/amp makes way more sense. Wear it on your upper body using the clip or a lanyard and you then have just a few inches of cable running to your headphone. Your hands are free, no wire running to your phone and you have great sound. I'm pretty enthusiastic about these gadgets and wonder why I don't see more people using them.Bluetooth is not what it used to be, this device can use LDAC which is a codec that can transfer data at 990kbps rather than the 330kbps that was once the norm. It is almost lossless. I doubt many people couid identify a track streamed over LDAC bluetooth from a track played using a wired dongle. It can be used as a USB dongle DAC but I don't use it like that.These devices are intended for use in your personal space, not for streaming over long distances. Range varies depending on structures but about 10 metres is about the most you should expect. As I have my phone on me as well as the device the range isn't important to me. Some people find that if they put these devices in a trouser pocket their body blocks the signal. I've never experienced this but I always wear mine on my upper body. This device has buttons that can be easily activated so it is best to keep it out of pockets that have other stuff in them.The ES100 is known for it's amazing app. You can get into tweaking the EQ and all kinds of settings, it is very comprehensive and some of it requires a little expertise. You don't have to get into that though. The app is set up by default to give you clear access to the core features for simple management. You can access the other stuff easily but most of what you need is in one very simple page. I particularly like the feature that estimates the sound volume in dB. Good to keep an eye on that. This has so many features that I can't get into describing them all.The ES100 sounds fantastic, I use other devices of it's type that cost more and it sounds just as great.The one thing that really impressed me is the battery life. I have two other devices like this with similar spec and features from another manufacturer, the ES100 runtime using LDAC is longer than the combined runtime of those devices at around 15 hours. It is such a tiny gadget too, I've seen it many times on video and in photos but when I got it it looked about half the size I expected.This gadget has been around a few years now and is still one of the best, so good I can overlook the micro usb port. All of these devices are around the same price and they all do pretty much the same thing. There are small differences, this one can't do 24/192, you would need the Fiio BTR5 for that, the BTR5 has much shorter runtime, a far more basic app but is still a great gadget and can power far more demanding headphones. If you're not bothered about 24 bit192khz and many people including audiophiles aren't, this device is a great choice.The ES100 has a lot of charm to it, it was designed by a small company and they put a lot of work into making something far better than you should reasonably expect.

I tried a few DACs, including the ifi Hipflask and FIIO Q5S - costing 3 times the ES100 Mk2, and yet the ES sounds so much better than the others.My headphones are Meze 99 Classics - another inredible buy.It comes in a tiny weeny little box, and my first impression was 'i've been conned, this is not a £100 product'Then when you take out the device, it is ridiculously light, so again - I thought 'this is cheap chinese rubbish'.It was very easy to set-up, but I didn't have an OTG cable for my iphones - which is hard to find anyway because it's a Micro USB port (I was tempted to drop 1 star for this because it's so frustrating to work with.Ok, so I guess it all sounds pretty negative so far?But then, the sound. This is where everything changed. All all the aforementioned niggles just dissapear, because the sound is simply stunning - too good for such a tiny product. Like watching watching the X-Factor when you judge someone on their looks only to be blown away by their sheer talent.It's powerful - easily drives by fll-size Meze 99s. It's clear, strong and yet smooth - but not too smooth to sound veiled - it's just not as 'digital' as I was expecting.Plus points:- Music is simply stunning (for the size and price)- Bluetooth Aptx sounds better than wired - on the above DACs that cost 3x the price- It's so light you will want to keep it clipped on you wherever you go- It's 100% reliable bluetooth connection- It comes with a great IOS app tooNegatives:- micro USB connection (I almost dropped a star for this) making it USBC would make all the difference- Feels so cheapOverall:Crazy value for money, comebined with wonderful sound and ultimately portability. One of my best buys on Amazon