[BTD1]

Surely, this is a prototype. It is literally two different pieces of equipment stuck together. One of the features of the old IESL is that it is so compact for all it does. I don't get it.

 

[elwappo99]

Thanks for the info!

Weird Ux with those “cartridges”. The current knob makes so much more sense. I don’t get it.

Is this unit not able to connect to power amp?

if so, at this price, I guess $4-5k, makes this a miss - I used the iESL for only two reasons: (1) easy change of bias, (2) driven by power amp. If this is self powered, I’m happy with my current iESL/power amp and Carbon amp as independent unit.

I hope this will be at CanJam Chicago to try out

The video @h1f1add1cted posted has a guy saying there's a DAC, but looking at the back I just see XLR and RCA in/out. Seems like speaker taps are gone.

 

[goldwerger]

The video @h1f1add1cted posted has a guy saying there's a DAC, but looking at the back I just see XLR and RCA in/out. Seems like speaker taps are gone.

I think you are right

This is then not really a successor to the iESL, it’s just a different product that is a hybrid estat/dynamic dedicated headphone amp

If so likely a pass for me. But of course reserve judgment for demo. But little disappointed by this path

 

[h1f1add1cted]

Is this unit not able to connect to power amp?

if so, at this price, I guess $4-5k, makes this a miss - I used the iESL for only two reasons: (1) easy change of bias, (2) driven by power amp. If this is self powered, I’m happy with my current iESL/power amp and Carbon amp as independent unit.

I hope this will be at CanJam Chicago to try out

The iCAN Phanton is not a energizer as the original iESL, this is the reason why you can't feed it with a power amp. Only XLR or RCA inputs from a regular DAC as source will work.

The iCAN Phantom is a "real" amp for estat and regular headphone and a mix of iCAN and iESL with some other flavors.

I'm also happy owner if original iESL with a beefy power amp. But sure just for interest I would like to compare with this new device one day for sure.

 

[goldwerger]

I'm also happy owner if original iESL with a beefy power amp. But sure just for interest I would like to compare with this new device one day for sure.

Yes agree nothing like demoing youself

I do have dedicated estate and regular amps, so likely less relevant for me, but these combo units are good space savers for some

Ray Samuels is also coming out with a new dedicated estat/dynamic combo amp, called B-21 Raider, which will be available to demo this CanJam Chicago. Looks like there is a market segment here some vendors have identified is worth going after

 

[aokman]

I think you are right

This is then not really a successor to the iESL, it’s just a different product that is a hybrid estat/dynamic dedicated headphone amp

If so likely a pass for me. But of course reserve judgment for demo. But little disappointed by this path

Interesting design… Looks like no transformers and using tube direct outputs possibly cannot say I’m interested at this price as its getting up there approaching the Z10e and Blue Hawaii. Looks like anyone who wants an iESL would need to just get someone to build them a Lundahl transformer setup…

 

[eskamobob1]

For anyone looking, I just listed my iESL for sale. Based in the US but I will ship international as well if desired

 

[VandyMan]

Surely, this is a prototype. It is literally two different pieces of equipment stuck together. One of the features of the old IESL is that it is so compact for all it does. I don't get it.

I hope so. I don't usually worry too much about aesthetics, but this thing is beyond ugly. The two boxes clash. The large chunky silver dials look awful. I would not have this in my living room.

 

[eskamobob1]

I hope so. I don't usually worry too much about aesthetics, but this thing is beyond ugly. The two boxes clash. The large chunky silver dials look awful. I would not have this in my living room.

The casework looks like it's compete too. Lkle at least with the new xiaudio amp it's pretty clear it's in proto phase. This looks like it could be the end product...

 

[DougD]

Surely, this is a prototype. It is literally two different pieces of equipment stuck together. One of the features of the old IESL is that it is so compact for all it does. I don't get it.

Yeah, not what I was expecting either.

The original iESL hit a void in the current market, a high-quality energizer that could be an affordable entry-point for e-stats. (For anyone with a decent-to-great 2-channel amp, which I assumed a lot of the higher-spending h/p fans will already have.)

The use-case for this seems narrower to me. Now its potential market is people who have a simultaneous need/want for an e-stat amp AND a regular h/p amp, possibly in a compact footprint, and the price point puts it in competition with some pretty good gear.

In terms of its appearance, it instantly reminded me of the proverbial ninja-programmer who comes to work at the office in pajamas & slippers. Because he can.

Well, all new e-stat offerings are very inherently interesting to some of us, and it will be interesting to learn more about the innerds & performance of this thing too.

 

[goldwerger]

In terms of its appearance, it instantly reminded me of the proverbial ninja-programmer who comes to work at the office in pajamas & slippers. Because he can.

well said...

 

[eskamobob1]

In terms of its appearance, it instantly reminded me of the proverbial ninja-programmer who comes to work at the office in pajamas & slippers. Because he can.

Ah yes. The classic "fire me and the entire company will fold" attitude but when they are right. Honestly, some of my favorite people

 

[elwappo99]

Yeah, not what I was expecting either.

The original iESL hit a void in the current market, a high-quality energizer that could be an affordable entry-point for e-stats. (For anyone with a decent-to-great 2-channel amp, which I assumed a lot of the higher-spending h/p fans will already have.)

The use-case for this seems narrower to me. Now its potential market is people who have a simultaneous need/want for an e-stat amp AND a regular h/p amp, possibly in a compact footprint, and the price point puts it in competition with some pretty good gear.

In terms of its appearance, it instantly reminded me of the proverbial ninja-programmer who comes to work at the office in pajamas & slippers. Because he can.

Well, all new e-stat offerings are very inherently interesting to some of us, and it will be interesting to learn more about the innerds & performance of this thing too.

If you've already got a solid 2 channel power amp the original SRD-7 is also still out there.

 

[eskamobob1]

If you've already got a solid 2 channel power amp the original SRD-7 is also still out there.

Frankly, the og srd-7 is pretty trash imo. Works OK for $500 cans but I'd skip.it past that. Woo wee (if you do the bias mod) is probabaly the best bet for less than iesl imo

 

[DougD]

If you've already got a solid 2 channel power amp the original SRD-7 is also still out there.

Very true. I'm the original owner of an SRD-7, it's sitting in the closet somewhere.

But Stax gave up selling them around what ... maybe 1979, and has never tried another (non-amp) energizer as a desk-top amp that I recall. Woo did one, then next from major brands was the novel design of the iESL. Maybe there were some oddball others, or DIY/hobbyist variants in between.

So the SRD-7s are inexpensive, and still pretty easy to find, but I'm not sure how well they perform for SQ. If you're paying to be in the upper tier of modern e-stats, you don't want to gimp your experience with a design that its owner gave up on in favor of amps purpose-designed for e-stat headphones, more than 40 years ago. (But, that said, product decisions aren't always about SQ.) I don't have a high-quality 2-channel amp, so I haven't bothered to do any listening tests recently.