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IFI-Audio Pro iESL Electrostatic Headphone Driver

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AED4,999.00
Out of stock

Since electrostatic headphones needs to be charged or energized, iFi has came up with a product. The Pro iESL is an electrostatic headphone driver that has transparent characteristic and wide dynamic range that is totally natural. Since, traditional amplifiers do not deliver either EHT (extra-high tension) voltage or the required audio voltage that electrostatic headphones need, such amplifiers are needed. The Pro iESL makes use of the 3 core components, all developed using the best classic approaches combined with the latest technology to deliver a perfectly matched headphone experience.

The custom transformers use had-wound, multi section windings with both vertical and horizontal sectioning with a bandwidth of < 5Hz to > 60kHz (-3dB). The capacitive battery power supply are charged up to the required voltage and then the charger circuit is turned off completely, leaving the capacitor bank to float at the required bias voltage with no electronic noise at any frequency as the headphones are powered by the battery bank and not the mains. The iESL includes quality components like Wima Capacitors, Vishay MELF resistors and much more. The device can also be used to elevated the performance of flagship dynamic headphones resulting in a much higher level of smoothness and airiness.

  • Electrostatic Headphones Driver
  • Elevate Flagship Dynamic Headphones
  • Pinstripe Permalloy Core Transformer
  • Capacitive Battery Power Supply
  • Quality Components
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Technical Specification

  • Type: Electrostatic Headphones Driver
  • Maximum Output voltage: 640V RMS (16Ω/20V in), 320V RMS (64Ω/20V in)
  • Frequency Response: 5Hz – 50kHz (-3dB)
  • Input Voltage (Pro iESL): 5V – 9V/1A max
  • Input Voltage (iPower): AC 85 – 265V, 50/60Hz
  • Power Consumption: < 1W
  • Weight: 2.5kg
  • Warranty: 1 year

What Is In The Box

  • Pro iESL
  • HDMI Cable
  • iPower
  • User Guide

Videos

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Manufacture Description

Ultra-wide Bandwidth Hand-Wound Permalloy Core Transformer Capacitive Battery Power Supply Perfect Matching
Impedance, Bias and Termination
Orpheus, Koss
KS compatible

The Pro series iESL is the best way of driving electrostatic headphones. 

The iESL Pro driven by either the iCAN Pro or your existing amplifier can go toe-to-toe with the best amplifiers out there for electrostatic headphones. Its defining characteristic is a transparency and an ultra-wide dynamic range that is totally natural.

Imagine that your electrostatic headphones are like the top of the range Porsche. A Porsche engine requires a lot more power than your standard car. So do electrostatic headphones! They need to be ‘charged’ or more accurately, ‘energised’. 

Traditional amplifiers do not deliver the either the EHT (extra-high tension) voltage or the required audio voltage that electrostatic headphones need. A special ‘energiser’ is required to ‘energise’ the electrostatic plates in the headphones, typically a maximum output of 300V! 

The Pro iESL makes use of 3 core components, all developed using the very best classic approaches combined with the latest in cutting-edge technology, to deliver the ‘perfectly matched’ headphone experience. 



One-off Pinstripe Permalloy Core Transformer
Bias Voltage Generator
Capacitive Battery Power Supply

The Pinstripe Permalloy Core Transformer (PPCT) – Making a transformer with the wide bandwidth and low distortion needed in the iESL is very challenging. To attain this, the custom transformers use complicated hand-wound, multi-section windings with both vertical and horizontal sectioning. They exceed the standards set by Siemans (Germany) and Peerless (USA). With a bandwidth of < 5Hz to > 60kHz (-3dB), transformers in the iESL far exceed the requirements of even the JAS High-Res Logo.
 
The Capacitive Battery Power Supply. They are charged up to the required voltage and then the charger circuit is turned off completely, leaving the capacitor bank to ‘float’ at the required bias voltage. An essentially perfect bias voltage source with no electronic noise whatsoever at any frequency as the headphones are in essence, powered by the battery bank and not the mains! 
 
Wima Capacitors – Another quality component and perfectly suited for the capacitive power supply. These 1,000Volt rated capacitors are from Germany. The key is the very high insulation resistance and minimal current leakage, as any such leakage causes self-discharge. The whole capacitor pack has around 35,000,000 kiloOhm insulation resistance, which means that self-discharge time (to 30%) is around 100,000 seconds or 27 hours. So one is always listening on battery (not mains) power.
 
Vishay MELF resistors – MELFs offer superior SMD resistor performance in terms of accuracy, stability, reliability, and pulse load capability. The cylindrical construction of MELF devices provides the optimal power rating and pulse load capability need for the iESL. MELF are more complex to make and so cost more. When assembling PCBs, MELF resistors require special machines and treatment but at iFi we do not shy away from such complexities if it means higher component quality and ultimately ne plus ultra sonics. 
 
Elevate flagship dynamic headphones – The unique transformer properties gives the iESL an ear tingling transformer coupled-stage that is unsurpassed. So each and every flagship dynamic headphone when used through the iESL enjoys a whole new level of smoothness and airiness.
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