ES Lab ES-2a

ES Lab are a small manufacturer based in Hong Kong, and after years of experience repairing electrostatic headphones, they decided to enter the market with a design of their own – the original ES-1a. 

Many of their models are a homage to older headphones, and the ES-2a are a tribute to the legendary Stax Omega.

The ES Lab Team developed its proprietary electrostatic transducer technology after years of rigorous testing and experiments. All headphones are built for superior sound quality and built to last.

ES Lab make things very well and with premium materials throughout. The housings are made of an aluminium magnesium alloy for stiffness and weight considerations, the cable is copper and sheathed in fabric for comfort, terminated in a Pro-Bias type 5-pin plug with great strain relief built in. 

The headband and earpads are made from high-quality PU leather, the yokes from metal, and the headband from some form of plastic. Combine all of this, and you have a comfortable headphone that is lightweight and extremely comfortable for long listening sessions. 

ES-2a features a 90 mm diameter electrostatic driver made of high-grade, ultra-thin Mylar film that is much thinner than a human hair.

The diaphragm is driver by a pair of OFC electrodes which is only 0.3 mm thick. The design provides powerful propulsion to the diaphragm, delivering exceptional soudstage and detail retrieval.

Each driver is assembled in a clean room environment with hours of inspection work and the strictest contamination control.

ES-2a are a complete-sounding headphone that does bass impact and body into the sound better than most other electrostatics I have heard so far. They have a fuller, slightly more organic sound that still has all the traits of a good electrostatic headphone (speed and resolution).

In my opinion, these are the ones that come closest to the Stax Omega, closest than any other electrostatics we can find.

These headphones are capable of deep bass, while giving you a good sense of bass presence and depth.

They do sound more articulate and fuller than some other electrostatic headphones I have had the chance to test.

They excel when it comes to separation, resolution, transient response, smooth yet well-extended treble.

ES-2a have a well-defined center image with good space between all elements within the music, and great overall balance with plenty of detail and that signature snappy transient response that electrostats do so well.

Specifications

Transducer Type :  Electrostatic

Operating Principle : Open Back

Frequency Response : 10 - 41000 Hz

Sensitivity : 99db / 100v r.m.s.

Housing : Aluminum magnesium alloy

Bias Voltage : DC 580V

Termination : 5-Pin Stax Type Pro Bias 

Cable Length : 2.3 m

Weight : 450g (w/o cable)

Temperature / Humidity Range of Use:  0-35 ºC  / 0-90%