Member Reviews: Etymotic Research HF5 Portable In-Ear Earphones (Cobalt)

Etymotic Research HF5 Review   The hf5 didn't fit well with my ears.  I believe this is due to the long armature shafts and ear tip combo.  Essentially, the sound port needed to be pointing at precisely the direct path of my ears to get a good sound, but this didn't happen with the normal fit position.  This seems to be rare for most, but just something to note.  However, in the "normal" position I would call these comfortable.  I had to push them deeper than normal and angle them awkwardly to get the full sound.  I could tell when they were "just right", and this review is based off of that position, which is most likely what most people hear in...

...got everything else wrong. Take this mini-review with a grain of salt because YMMV with these IEMs. You may even get a great fit with comfort, but I didn't. Tried all the tips. The gliders don't stay. The foams are itchy. The grey flanges are itchy and too big. The only one that works are the stock small flanges. They fit well and isolate well, BUT they are uncomfortable as HELL. I am considering upgrading to the custom tips or even buying some other tips, however I've seen users whose HF5's broke due to using other tips, so be careful. The sound is great. When doing an A/B comparison to the EX600, I found that the HF5 has a higher resolution sound and weaker bass. The BA driver is...

These are a great pair of earphones for the price! Highs are detailed, airy, with no sibilance. Mids are superb, detailed. Overall they sound very neutral, but lacks in bass. It took me some time to get used to the triple flange tips, but after they were very comfortable. The quality is good, I am using it around 1-2 hours a day for almost 3 months, and I haven't had any problems with them. If bass is not important for you, these earphones are one of the best you can get.