[Review] Clash of Kings: Etymotic ER4P vs Shure E500 (and d-JAYS appearance!) - Page 2 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

george_7777 · 06-20-2007, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by antonyfirst

Hi. Take the ER4P. The ER4S have too much impedance, and that will result in too little currents, that result in a compressed soundstage.

Thanks for your reply.

I was thinking that maybe ER4S's higher impedance is going to lower the reported little hiss you get from the kenwood when nothing's playing (not a big problem anyway). Did you find out a way to fix or minimize that hiss or maybe you've just learnt to live with it (sure I can

)

A bit OT: have you been using custom EQ of hd20ga7? What settings?

Raphael · 06-20-2007, 08:31 AM

To be honest, I'm going to have to say to go with the Shures. I'm a huge Ety fan, and after buying them, I haven't looked back. But they are phones that will not warm up to your ears. Believe me, I've been using them for over 2 years. I've used the er6i for a good year and a half, sold that and currently using the er4s. The etys are amazing headphones, and I'm yet to run across anything I like better. But if you're going with the Etymotics, you have to keep in mind that they are like very exquisite oysters. If you make them well, they are absolutely delicious. But if prepared wrong, they will make you very sick.

In simpler words, if you're going to buy Etymotics, you better have a damn good source and a damn good headphone amp in your arsenal. Otherwise, you may be very disappointed. Then you will start understanding what everyone means when they say the etys sound thin, cold and metallic. But with the proper setup, they will put you in audio bliss. Etymotic has made portable versions of their earphones, but they failed imho. Etys were not made for portable DAPs. Either have a very good source (i.e. iMod, DAP feeding digital to dedicated DAC etc.), or you will find more comfort from the Shures.

Claus-DK · 06-20-2007, 09:14 AM

I like your rewiew, but I do not agree that the shures don't need EQ, maybe it is the player I use (Ipod), I always use "Treble boost" for my e500 it helps a lot with the treble roll off, to me they sound to dark without EQ..

If you yet have to try amping the e500 you schould try it, it really brings them to life..I use a X1 and it makes the bass more "crisp" and also helps with the roll off...

Unfortunately I think that the e500 is kind of boring to listen to in the long run, they are very good phones, but a bit boring especially without an amp..

And now I really do NEED to try a pair of ety's...

Thanks

antonyfirst · 06-20-2007, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by Raphael

To be honest, I'm going to have to say to go with the Shures. I'm a huge Ety fan, and after buying them, I haven't looked back. But they are phones that will not warm up to your ears. Believe me, I've been using them for over 2 years. I've used the er6i for a good year and a half, sold that and currently using the er4s. The etys are amazing headphones, and I'm yet to run across anything I like better. But if you're going with the Etymotics, you have to keep in mind that they are like very exquisite oysters. If you make them well, they are absolutely delicious. But if prepared wrong, they will make you very sick.

In simpler words, if you're going to buy Etymotics, you better have a damn good source and a damn good headphone amp in your arsenal. Otherwise, you may be very disappointed. Then you will start understanding what everyone means when they say the etys sound thin, cold and metallic. But with the proper setup, they will put you in audio bliss. Etymotic has made portable versions of their earphones, but they failed imho. Etys were not made for portable DAPs. Either have a very good source (i.e. iMod, DAP feeding digital to dedicated DAC etc.), or you will find more comfort from the Shures.

I can't hep but agree. It's what I've said also in my review: the Etys have more potential than the Shure, but they can also sound bad, if paired with poor source. The Kenwood is a good one, iMod+amp is another good source.

The ER4P don't hiss much with Kenwood players, the slight hiss is absolutely tolearable, even in quite environments. The E500, instead, hiss noticeably in quiet environments.

George: Custom EQ on the HD20GA7 is very simple. I used to raise the bass to 180 Hz, +2. But you should try also the preset called Rock: I no longer have the HD20GA7, but "Rock" on the HD10GB7, well... rocks.

I don't know if these presets sound the same on both players, though.

I know that the Kenwood HD10GB7 and HD30GB9 have been selling also with rebranded Etymotic ER6i, so some presets could really be dedicated to make the Etymotic iems shine.

antonyfirst · 06-20-2007, 09:47 AM

Claus: if you have a GOOD source, you should definetely try the ER4. Rember that you'll have to play with EQ/amp a bit in order to get the right sound signature.
Also, don't forget to use the Shure black foam tips, that cancel all the sibilance on the ER4.

Spyro · 06-20-2007, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Raphael

To be honest, I'm going to have to say to go with the Shures. I'm a huge Ety fan, and after buying them, I haven't looked back. But they are phones that will not warm up to your ears. Believe me, I've been using them for over 2 years. I've used the er6i for a good year and a half, sold that and currently using the er4s. The etys are amazing headphones, and I'm yet to run across anything I like better. But if you're going with the Etymotics, you have to keep in mind that they are like very exquisite oysters. If you make them well, they are absolutely delicious. But if prepared wrong, they will make you very sick.

In simpler words, if you're going to buy Etymotics, you better have a damn good source and a damn good headphone amp in your arsenal. Otherwise, you may be very disappointed. Then you will start understanding what everyone means when they say the etys sound thin, cold and metallic. But with the proper setup, they will put you in audio bliss. Etymotic has made portable versions of their earphones, but they failed imho. Etys were not made for portable DAPs. Either have a very good source (i.e. iMod, DAP feeding digital to dedicated DAC etc.), or you will find more comfort from the Shures.

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT POST!! Really sums it up regarding Etys.

Claus-DK · 06-20-2007, 01:30 PM

I've got an Ipod with an alo linout, that schould be a good source, I know people around here critize the Ipod, but I am for sure not one of them...

Looking for etys....

catscratch · 06-20-2007, 02:33 PM

Dang, you're making me wish I still had my ER4.

I have to disagree with one thing though - to my ears the ER4 does have shortened transients, and when you boost the bass, you're just masking it. Left to their own devices, the Etys show their faults quite clearly, if you listen.

Still, a very interesting IEM. The potential really is there. And the Kenwood/Ety combo is terrific.

boomana · 06-20-2007, 02:56 PM

I've had the ER4P/S for almost two years, and recently spent three weeks of practically living in the SE530s. With the Shures, I missed the crisp detail of my Etys, and when I had my Etys in for comparison, I really missed the full, rich sound of the 530s. I kept thinking that if I could merge the two, I'd have my iem.

I had to send the Shures back to Shure (they were a loaner pair for the Florida meet along with the rest of the line). The problem I'm having now is deciding whether or not to buy a pair and just be happy with the goodness they offer, or start looking for an iem that has the best of both (as in start saving for UE10 pros or maybe something else by the time I'll have the money. Guess I stick with my Etys until then.

antonyfirst · 06-20-2007, 03:52 PM

Cat,

What you call "shortened transitories" is only a matter of signal amplitude (="volume").

Take a look to this picture I've done:

Let's say the red line is our hearing threshold, or, better, the threshold we recognize transitories and sounds against the full spectrum. There are some signals that come out with better amplitude, and other, like the last wave of the first signal, that seem to have a cut transitory. It depends on the frequency response.
The two signals are identical, but the last wave in the latter has been "equalized" (I've enlarged it as 130% of the original wave). As you can see, the transitory seems to last more, but in both cases it's just a matter of volume, or frequency response of the Etys (that with flat EQ prefer the high frequency). This is what I mean when I say that they need to be amped or equalized, in order to exploit their full potential and get a realistic, sweet sound.
As you know, since every headphone has its own freq response, and a player has its own, we always lay two freq responses one upon the other. When we EQ things, we are just changing the source output response, in order to get a better sinergy with our gear. I wouldn't call it "masking the shortened transitories of the etys". =]