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[Poor Man Reviews] Etymotic Research ER-4PT
Nov 13, 2014 at 4:26 AM Post #31 of 46
thatbeatsguy said:
  Earbuds, from my experience, never sound better than any IEM I've ever tried. Ever. How, pray tell, can you possibly say earbuds sound better than IEMs?
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Never ever eh? he he.
 
Not my experience at all, sorry.  For years I've been trying different IEMs, including the ER4P. But I've never been happier than with my current earbuds - the Sennheiser OMX-980.
 
In my opinion, they make music sound more natural than through ear-canal insertion IEMs - probably because they are effectively mini headphones. 
 
If you ask me, IEMs are really only in existence as a response to people needing isolation and less leakage of sound, not for improved sound quality reasons. 
 
Nov 13, 2014 at 7:31 AM Post #32 of 46
mrguzmanwhite said:
 
I don't disagree with you that the ER-4PT is a revealing headphone, but as opposed to many analytical HP the ER-4PT can handle poor recordings quite well. Other analytical IEMs or HPs can be very harsh with poor recordings, not the ER-4PT. My point was most about the use of specific wording like "ear piercing" that has a very negative connotation that I don't think the ER-4PT deserves. Besides that I agree with your global description of the ER-4PT so I am not questioning your views at all, just the contrary I am highlighting that this is a highly recommended IEM as you suggest as well. 
 
Thank you again for sharing your nice review with everyone. I liked it and I fully agree and appreciate your last statement, you nailed it! 
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... it’s safe to say that the earphones still offer a truly impressive sound signature.  It's one of those earphones that simply can't be missed in one's audio journey, and I would gladly recommend these to users who enjoy an analytical, bright, and extremely clear sound.
 
this IEM is a must for audiophiles ...
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I've re-read your comments, and it has occurred to me that we weren't debating the clarity...but perhaps the word choice (a misunderstanding on my part).  I think I'll change it to "crystal clear".  
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Nov 19, 2014 at 11:37 PM Post #34 of 46
Thanks for the review. I have owned my ER4S's for a number of years now and agree with mr White, these are not bright IEM's, revealing yes and faithful to the source but I would never describe them as bright. I actually think they are on the warmer side of neutral myself. Very involving and natural. On poor recordings yes one can hear the lack of quality but not to the point of being unlistenable or lacking musicality.

Otherwise I agree with your other comments. They are often described as lacking bass but I think that is more about other IEM's over emphasizing bass and misrepresenting what bass should be about.
 
Nov 20, 2014 at 4:28 AM Post #35 of 46
ianmedium said:
Thanks for the review. I have owned my ER4S's for a number of years now and agree with mr White, these are not bright IEM's, revealing yes and faithful to the source but I would never describe them as bright. I actually think they are on the warmer side of neutral myself. Very involving and natural. On poor recordings yes one can hear the lack of quality but not to the point of being unlistenable or lacking musicality.

Otherwise I agree with your other comments. They are often described as lacking bass but I think that is more about other IEM's over emphasizing bass and misrepresenting what bass should be about.
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agreed. 
They are faithful to mastering, but they don't make bad tracks terrible. This is no mean feat, considering iems like the ck100pro, which will rape your ears when not given the best recordings + rig.
I also wouldn't say that they are excessively bright in the treble as well. Bass shy if you will, but still able to produce a certain punch if called upon by the recording itself.
 
I won't be giving this one any time soon.
 
How long have you owned them for if i may ask?
 
Nov 20, 2014 at 7:49 PM Post #36 of 46
You know, I just realized how time flies I think I have had my pair 6 years now. I have other IEM's and headphones for out and about but these get 95% of my out of home listening time. Now that I have the glove powering my AK120 I think that's going to be 100% of the time as the glove has oodles of power to drive these beautifully. And of course there is the amazing way they close out the outside world so I can listen at lower volumes to save my hearing but now with the glove lose none of the detail.

I have had a couple of multi driver IEM's as well and tried a few others but have yet to find a pair that do not smear compared to these. I just find them less authentic to the recording due to that multi driver issue or perhaps that's just me and I have odd hearing as everyone else never seems to have this problem with multi driver IEM's!
 
Nov 20, 2014 at 7:54 PM Post #37 of 46
ianmedium said:
You know, I just realized how time flies I think I have had my pair 6 years now. I have other IEM's and headphones for out and about but these get 95% of my out of home listening time. Now that I have the glove powering my AK120 I think that's going to be 100% of the time as the glove has oodles of power to drive these beautifully. And of course there is the amazing way they close out the outside world so I can listen at lower volumes to save my hearing but now with the glove lose none of the detail.

I have had a couple of multi driver IEM's as well and tried a few others but have yet to find a pair that do not smear compared to these. I just find them less authentic to the recording due to that multi driver issue or perhaps that's just me and I have odd hearing as everyone else never seems to have this problem with multi driver IEM's!
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Well put.
 
This is one of the biggest pluses of the ER4. When using them during travel/noisy places, one doesn't have the feeling that one is missing out on a lot.
+ no earplugs needed.
 
From my current perspective, the ER4 aren't necessarily better than other iems, but they just isolate so well that they make up for it.
 
Nov 24, 2014 at 5:31 PM Post #38 of 46

I strongly recommend you take advantage of their custom tip offer - they cover a good hunk of the cost of getting your ear molds and then having silicone custom tips made.  I used to like the Ety sound, but wished for more bass and midrange.  When I got my custom tips, they became exactly what I wanted to hear.  Not as exciting and rich to listen to as my Westone ES5 but actually better than one CIEM I'd bought, and way better than a couple of other universal IEMs I own.  I actually now go to them for certain types of music.
 
A few of my heavy traveling friends had used Etys for years (I can't even remember how long ago it was that I bought my first set) and when they got the custom tips, had the same reaction - from "good enough" to "really good."
 
Jun 3, 2015 at 8:56 AM Post #41 of 46
Hi! Sorry to revive a 6 month old thread; I just got my ER 4PT.
 
I was wondering how long they need for break in (if it helps)?
 
Today is my second day and I was really not too happy with my ER 4P as I found the sound stage to be very 2D and coming from T1, HD 600, etc, it really disturbed me. I just plugged in the P-> S converter and with the O2/ODAC it seems to have  a wider sound stage, finally!
 
I don't mind the bass though as these remind me of my DT 880 Pro.
 
Jun 3, 2015 at 9:13 AM Post #42 of 46
atoniolin said:
Hi! Sorry to revive a 6 month old thread; I just got my ER 4PT.

I was wondering how long they need for break in (if it helps)?

Today is my second day and I was really not too happy with my ER 4P as I found the sound stage to be very 2D and coming from T1, HD 600, etc, it really disturbed me. I just plugged in the P-> S converter and with the O2/ODAC it seems to have  a wider sound stage, finally!

I don't mind the bass though as these remind me of my DT 880 Pro.
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Very little if any break in, more so considering the balanced armature.

When I get a new IEM, I usually let them play for a few hours to settle, but don't really focus on the hocus pocus burn in sessions. Of all the IEM I've had I've detected very little audible differences. Except one occasion where a hybrid IEM showed a mysterious peak in the upper-mid range. I let them play very loud over night in which it disappeared. But this is all unproven it was actually burn in that cured it.
 
Jun 3, 2015 at 10:24 AM Post #43 of 46
h20fidelity said:
Very little if any break in, more so considering the balanced armature.

When I get a new IEM, I usually let them play for a few hours to settle, but don't really focus on the hocus pocus burn in sessions. Of all the IEM I've had I've detected very little audible differences. Except one occasion where a hybrid IEM showed a mysterious peak in the upper-mid range. I let them play very loud over night in which it disappeared. But this is all unproven it was actually burn in that cured it.
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Oh great! :) Would you recommend foam over tri-flange and vice versa? 
 
Currently I am using the foam ones but I don't think that was what I expected when Etymotic quoted 42dB noise reduction.
 
Honestly, though, if this was called neutrality (ER 4S), I don't know what the sound engineers had in mind when they record modern songs. All of them seem to have zero ~ little little bass and instruments are crammed (virtually vanished before I used the ER 4S) when I use Spotify Premium 320kbps.
 
Jun 3, 2015 at 10:31 AM Post #44 of 46
atoniolin said:
  Oh great! :) Would you recommend foam over tri-flange and vice versa? 
 
Currently I am using the foam ones but I don't think that was what I expected when Etymotic quoted 42dB noise reduction.
 
Honestly, though, if this was called neutrality (ER 4S), I don't know what the sound engineers had in mind when they record modern songs. All of them seem to have zero ~ little little bass and instruments are crammed (virtually vanished before I used the ER 4S) when I use Spotify Premium 320kbps.
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 On my ER4S I use foam tips as triple flange doesn't provide the right sound, detail levels or tonality (sounds too warm)
 
Be sure you're inserting them deeply/correctly. If you're simply sticking them in your ears like a regular IEM you've got the wrong idea.
 
Pop into the active Ety thread and ask the lads about inserting them if you think so.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/538615/if-you-still-love-etymotic-er4-this-is-the-thread-for-you
 
Jun 3, 2015 at 10:35 AM Post #45 of 46
h20fidelity said:
   
 On my ER4S I use foam tips as triple flange doesn't provide the right sound, detail levels or tonality (sounds too warm)
 
Be sure you're inserting them deeply/correctly. If you're simply sticking them in your ears like a regular IEM you've got the wrong idea.
 
Pop into the active Ety thread and ask the lads about inserting them if you think so.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/538615/if-you-still-love-etymotic-er4-this-is-the-thread-for-you
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Yeps! Sure will. I do squeeze them up first and then when they are squeezed completely, I pull the back of the ear and insert and hold for 10-20 sec while the foam expands.
 
I am getting excellent isolation, surely. But just not what I expected when I saw 42dB. I can't hear anything around when I have my music on moderate volumes.
 
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