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Radsone Earstudio ES100 MK2 DAC/Amp

Radsone Earstudio ES100 MK2 DAC/Amp

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Product Description
Pocket-sized and engineered for performance, the second-generation Radsone Earstudio ES100 MK2 Bluetooth DAC/amp delivers impressive digital-to-audio conversion for Bluetooth devices. It's built with two high-quality AK4375a DACs and has both a 3.5-millimeter unbalanced output and a 2.5-millimeter balanced output Read More

Customer Reviews

4.4
(49 reviews)
5star
(32)
4star
(12)
3star
(0)
2star
(1)
1star
(4)
93% would recommend to a friend
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bhalejos
49
Jul 7, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
A wonderful small piece of audiophile technology
Just one word of advise to realise the maximum potential of this jewel: download all the documentation and apps from EarStudio's (Radsone seems to be phasing out their parent brand) website: https://earstudio.store/products/es100. This recommendation should be clearly displayed in the package but, perhaps appealing to the cleanliness and simplicity of its packaging, it is nowhere to be found. Also, remember this is the "MK2" version of the ES100 because the MK1 is, basically, discontinued and barely included on that website. What I loved the most about this DAC is it not only includes very advanced features, but they care to EXPLAIN the purpose of all those nitty-gritty details! They even have a very well developed music playing app which, in my taste, runs circles around the latest Apple's "Music" one.
Recommends this product? Yes
PACoug
187
Jun 12, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Very good for the price.
Been hearing about the Earstudio for some tim and I’ve wanted to give it a shot with my many Mobile IEMs with 3.5mm plugs ever since phones lost their headphone jacks. I’ve tried the TWS dongles with both 2-pin and mmcx earphones and honestly for a $50 product they are brilliant even with flaws. However, this little tiny thing sounds so much better than a phone’s output or the TRN dongles that it’s easily worth the extra money and the aggravation of corded earphones. If you prioritize good sound this is about as good a portable Bluetooth headphone amp as you’re going to find until you get into multiples of the price. I have an SMSL DAC/amp with a separate power supply that sounds better with these mobile IEMs but you’re stuck in place listening to that. The Earstudio just does a great job in a tiny and ultralight form factor. Sound is better than expected with a smooth character that is rare in this price range. Good solid decoding of lossy Bluetooth audio right up to the highest quality AptX streams. Bass has authority and speed and rarely feels wireless. Midrange has plenty of smooth, listenable presence without honking or fatigue (with decent source material) and highs are well beyond the capacity of many good IEMs to reproduce. In the audible range the highs are just Goldilocks. Enough sparkle without the harshness or sibilance artifacts may experience with products in this category. Ok I’m heaping praise on this thing. My main quibble is that it has not built in functionality for the inline remote, mic and volume controls of many headsets. I’d like to see that in the future. You have to use the controls and mic on the unit itself. if you like good sound on the go without carrying around a mobile hi fi rig with a giant rubber band like so many hi fi addicts do, try this. It won’t give you the performance of a nice DAP and a good portable DAC/amp but you don’t need it to for this money. You can take this thing all over where you wouldn’t think of taking that fancy expensive gear. It’s got enough oomph to drive many over ear headphones sweetly, especially the lower impedance Beyerdynamics for example. It won’t rock your socks off with your HD650s but it will make chamber music or acoustic jazz sound great on them at reasonable volume levels. The Radsone Earstudio is my ideal balance of performance and portability. Once it gets more involved than this I just leave it at home but this tiny box has brought many great earphones back out of storage. if you don’t like wires and are happy with the sound of some of today’s TWS options the Earstudio may seem like a weird product to you. If you like better sound and have some nice wired earphones laying around not getting any love, it makes perfect sense. If you’re planning on using the Earstudio with the 2-pin or MMCX in-ears it was designed for, spend a little money for a solid balanced cable with a 2.5mm balanced plug. Even a cheap one sounds better than the SE cable that came with your IEM. I bought a $12 MMCX balanced cable and a $13 2-pin version from AliExpress and both of these cheap cables easily outperform even pricey single ended cables with the same phones on the Earstudio. Better channel separation, transient response, air, noise floor, bass response, overall coherence and slam. every earphone I’ve used in balanced mode has been much more engaging, musical and powerful than in SE mode. This product makes Bluetooth a viable option for me. As with all audio gear, your experience will differ from mine. You own different ears as well as different earphones. I recommend having the Earstudio on hand if you have a lot of pretty nice wired earphones laying about, especially ones with replaceable cables. It will bring those earphones back into your life. I have a beautiful sounding pair of Trinity Audio earphones I probably never would have used again. They are hard wired for single ended use only. They’re so good with my ears, I prefer listening to them over Shure 535s in balanced mode. Even though your experience will differ from mine, if you have any IEMs that were $200 or more, you will probably be delighted at the performance of this tiny, relatively inexpensive little box. I know other firms make things that do some of what the Earstudio does. But some are so expensive you don’t want to take them outdoors on the street or hiking or near water for fear of loss or damage. Radsone has packed good-enough sound and great functionality into a box you can take anywhere, and priced it for its mission. solid recommend.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
trueholygoat
18
Sep 16, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
This tiny, key-fob sized device isn't much of an amp, but it's a fantastic Bluetooth DAC, and the free app allows you to dial-in the sound to your liking. Convenience is the major selling point of the ES100 MK2, turning wired headphones and older car decks into BT sets, and improving the sound along the way. I'm considering getting a 2nd just to keep in the car. EDIT: Yeah, no. It died yesterday. Turned it on, hit play on my phone and heard a split second of audio, then *poof*! Nothing. Plugging it into the computer does nothing. It's just a $90 annoyance, because it's not heavy enough to be a paperweight. No, I would not recommend this to a friend. EDIT 2, Electric Boogaloo: Got in touch with Radsone, and after the factory reset failed, they agreed to replace the unit. I've added a star for the quick and excellent customer service. Hopefully, the new unit will last longer than the other one. EDIT 3: Added a fourth star, because their customer service was second to none, and I received the new unit quickly. So far, so good with the new one.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
RogueElement
15
Jan 27, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Honestly Impressed
As an audiophile without too much to spend, I’m very happy with this little DAC/AMP. I heard the difference immediately, from the first song. The sound is cleaner and more detailed. It’s also easier to distinguish all the different subtleties in the music. I haven’t even messed around with the app or EQ settings yet but I’ve tried this with my Bose earphones and Sennheiser HD58X Jubilees and both sound significantly better. This thing is really small by the way. Super portable, and much nicer than plugging directly into my smartphone because I can clip this DAC/AMP on my belt or inside my jacket so the cord doesn’t get in the way while using my phone. Better sound? Yes! More convenient? Absolutely! I recommend this Earstudio especially for people that use wired IEMs or headphones with their smartphone. It’s way cheaper than the AudioQuest DragonFly and basically does the same thing. I’m not sure how it will hold up over time but I’m happy so far :)
Recommends this product? Yes
luis_tapia
35
Nov 21, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
BEWARE. QUALITY ISSUES!!! One of my es100, not even 3 months old, and without any use at all except for the initial test, doesn´t turn on. To make this even worse, this was the unit i just send to my girlfriend as a gift. My other es100 is working. Will Drop help me about this? https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JIZbm2Ro41c2gDRMsptU4RNViSo4h4Ri/view?usp=sharing UPDATE DROP response, 16/12/20: "It looks like there is no inventory to send out as a replacement. That being said, we do have a couple other options for you to choose from: A.) You can keep your order as-is and we can issue a Drop credit for $25.00. B.) You can keep your order as-is and we can issue a partial refund for $20.00. C.) You can return your entire unit for a refund at no additional cost to you." My reply: "I am not satisfied with the options you give me. The unit has not been used, and failed within the first 3 months. The only option of the ones you mentioned, not available right now, would be the replacement. So, i could wait for that replacement if Drop is planning to buy some more es100. " This was not accepted... and now they are selling this again, not even a month later. this is unfair. original review: Big fan of this little product. I use it with my HD 6XX and with a lot of iems. Also used it with my oppo PM3. The earstudio es100 can power this headphones easily. A lot of power and, using LDAC, most of the times i cannot listen the difference between bluetooth and wired. Just buy it, i am already buying one more to keep...just in case.... EDIT: I am an international buyer. Sending that back will be very expensive from here. It will cost more than the price of the product...
(Edited)
munkew
59
Jan 9, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
works great and very convenient
Arrival and Setup: I bought the ES100 so that I could use my IEMs more easily with my iPad Pro. I've got USB-C DAC cables, but this seemed simpler and the price was good. It arrives in a small box with foam packing and a short charging cable (microUSB) which is perfect. I charged it before use and the light went from red to green in about 20 mins (figured that meant it was fully charged. I read the quick start guide - pretty useless. Doesn't even tell you how to pair so I had to search that out on the web. Basically once you turn it on, if it hasn't been paired previously, it will go into pairing mode (the green light is blinking). Straightforward pairing from my iPad on bluetooth. Listening: I inserted my IMR Rah with a 2.5mm jack; it took a bit of pressure but went in fine. The Rah is normally connected to balanced output from Cavalli tube hybrid playing variety of sources from HD music to Spotify. Mostly classical and vocal. The ES100 DAC isn't bad; I had no problems listening with it, just not as open or detailed as from the Cavalli. Not complaining; I was perfectly happy listening to music using the ES100 for an afternoon. Seems to be a bit of burn-in required, as the sound seems to improve, but that could just be me getting used to it :-) Problems: The quick start guide needs a link to the full manual online. Otherwise what the colours and blinking lights mean is a bit difficult to decipher. Clip is useful but isn't tight enough - moves as I use it. I think I ran out of power after a few hours (wasn't measuring) and plugged the ES100 into a powerbank. Bluetooth and music went intermittent after that. Lights would flash (no idea what they mean) and I would lose music, then it comes back on. Gave up and just let it charge. Overall: Different (not better; not worse) than using a variety of USB-C DAC cables and adaptors (I've got a bunch of those) to the same IEMs. Will likely try them with other IEMs and maybe even fullsize headphones later. But it does what it's supposed to do, and I like them.
Recommends this product? Yes
D702C
8
Apr 29, 2020
I'm a big fan of my mk1 and use it in the car as well. That said, I don't think the changes are substantive enough for me to upgrade to mk2. I think what I'd be really interested in is a less portable solution, with a better housing.
bhalejos
49
Jul 7, 2020
munkewTotally agree: unless you go to Earstudio website, you are not realising how good this little beauty is!
kaud
177
Apr 18, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Very powerful for such a little device.
Great sound and great power, especially for something so small. Rivals my standalone desktop headphone amp. Due to sufficient power, the bass really slams when hooked up to my HD 58X's and the soundstage expands, both signs of good amp and good power. I also got it with the ear buds they were upselling it with. Not overly impressed with the ear buds, but the dac/amp itself is excellent. UPDATE: Now that I've had this a little longer, just wanted to update my review. This thing is still freakin awesome. Sound is incredible, and a bit more "musical" than my desktop setup (laptop, SMSL DAC, Drop THX Amp) which also sounds incredible but has a bit more of an "analytical" sound. When I hook the ES100 directly to my phone (as opposed to LDAC Bluetooth), and use IEMs, it sounds just as good, if not somewhat better (due to more "musical" vs more "analytical") as my many times more expensive desktop setup. Just make sure you have the right music player software that outputs in true Hi-Res (I use the Sony Music Center app, but there are others). I know, technically, I'm not supposed to hear the difference between LDAC Bluetooth and direct connection, but I swear I do, although could just be in my head. But sounds great either way. Obviosly, it's not going to drive some hard to drive planars (I have my desktop setup for that), but it drives pretty much everything else I've thrown at it with ease. Highly recommend.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
pkiula
2
Jul 28, 2021
kaudIt reduces volume big time. Not sure what you experience, or if I've received a defective unit.
AmJosh
128
Jan 14, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Great little DAC-AMP
These are initial impressions, but I really like this device. For the price it is great Bluetooth option. The main DAC is average, amp is good, but what makes the package great is the app. So much customization options are typically not available in this price range. The EQ settings that can be transferred to the device itself is a pretty slick option. I have not yet tried the balanced output, but given that the DAC -AMP are at core single ended, it would not make a big difference. The volume range is HUGE. I mean really really long and that makes it suitable for all the headphones from easy drive to really hard to drive. OK, I have not tried the Senn6XX yet, but I believe it can even drive those to reasonable levels. Overall a very strong recommendation!!
Recommends this product? Yes
Cheetokhan
13
May 5, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Bring on the bass!
I just got this today and have only played with it a little bit, but it does solve my biggest problems with Bluetooth earphones so I'm a happy camper. I'm old. My hearing is not what it used to be. I need more volume. I need more treble. I like a lot of bass :) I own many Bluetooth earphones, but none of them can give me the frequency response I need along with the high volume I need. Some are too quiet. Some get loud, but distorted. Some have great bass, but no treble. Some just sound like crap. I purchased this ES100 MK2 Bluetooth amp along with the HE100 earphones in a package deal at Drop. I listened to the headphones connected directly to my tablet and they sounded OK. Not enough bass for me and a bit dull in the high end ( I blame that on my ears, not the earphones ). Then I listened to the HE100 headphones through the ES100 MK2 and boosted the low end and the high end around 4 dB using the app on my phone. I also depressed the 125 Hz - 250 Hz region slightly. What a huge improvement. Bass so deep it rumbles my brain. This solved my issue with frequency response. Then I started playing with the volume settings. This Bluetooth amp has independent volume control. You can change the volume on your source device ( phone, tablet, laptop, whatever ) and you can also change the volume in the ES100. The two are not locked together like some Bluetooth headphones. This allows the ES 100 to get far louder than I can tolerate. Also of note- with the bass boosted 4 dB and the volume as loud as I could take, the HE100 earphones never distorted or broke up. They handled the high power with no problems at all. There is just one thing I really don't like about this design. The volume buttons are on the side. The track forward and back buttons are on the other side. This thing is tiny and weights nothing, so you cannot just press a button without holding it in place somehow. The natural tendency is to place your finger on one side to support the unit and press the button on the other side with your thumb. If you do this there is a 50/50 chance you will change tracks when you wanted to change volume.
Recommends this product? Yes
MusicIsGreat
205
Jul 26, 2020
CheetokhanYou must be in science, you described it so well that nah not my type of controls, instant dislike. :)
ointment3d
16
Feb 18, 2021
checkVerified Buyer
Love my ES100
I use mine in the car. Would highly recommend anyone to replace their current bluetooth connection to their car system with this. The only callout, if you're someone that makes a lot of phone calls in the car and use your hands-free setup connecting your phone to your car system, continue doing so. Using the ES100 in your car will take away your ability to use the steering wheel controls since you're plugged into aux and also, the mic is pulling your voice from the unit itself and if the ES100 is inside the glove compartment or armrest, the other person on the line isn't going to be able to hear you. Otherwise, incredible bump in sound quality in the car over my Nissan "rocker fosgate 11 speaker sound system" that the salesman pushed so hard on me to upgrade to. He should have thrown the ES100 into the deal and really made me appreciate what I bought.
EkinnE
104
May 13, 2021
ointment3dExactly how I use mine. It is such an amazing little pre amp for that application.
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