OK, I got a portable MP3 player (never mind the brand name, let's just say it sounds great and has good specs! ). I got some Koss ksc-50s, and ordered the 35's after reading these forums.

Now, for the nicer phones. I don't want heavy, regular phones. Also, after reading this forum, I've built some resistance to the lovely A8 siren call from my local B&O store. This left me with lusting for the Etymotic ER-6 (I'd love owning the higher models, but I have to sleep at night and keep up with the bills).

Now, lo and behold, I find out about the Weston UM-1s, for about the same price as the discounted Ety's. Are they any threat to the ER-6?

I don't really know anything about those Weston headphones you're talking about but I own the Ety 4P w/ 4S adapter and if what other people say about the ER-6 is true, and that is that the ER-6 give you close-to-ER-4-sound, then I would recommend without reservation the ER-6. According to what other people say, the ER-6 are very musical and have a nice, uncolored sound, though I think I remember reading somewhere that you could "feel" the bass a little more than with the ER-4 series.

Don-
Don't know about the deaf musician comment, but I find the Shure E1's alot better in sound than the ER6's. Its easier for me to get a seal with the E1's, and even when I got a good seal on the ER6, which wasn't too hard, they didn't sound close. The E1's sound better to me than the Sony EX70's and the Plug (again, don't see HOW you made that comment-- I know that Shure ripped Ety off, but the Koss Plug comment just isn't even accurate---unless there wasn't a good seal with the E1's).

How much of an increase in sound quality would you say the 4P series is over the ER6? I figure you're the best person to ask!

I think across the board, these types of phones sound alot better with foamies than with the silicon tips. Any chance of shipping the 4 series with the foamies installed? As someone else posted, it would make people appreciate the Ety sound alot easier right out of the box...

appar111

Neruda reviewed the Shure E1's to be basically crap, worse than his Sony EX-70's. TimSchimer also had a pair, also considered it crap compared to the ER-6.

Headroom seems to like the E2's however, especially for their ergonomics.


http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=11609

seems funny that Tim used to have the E1's and loved them at first... then gradually went over to Ety. I'm sure the ER4 series are worlds better, but the ER6 just misses the mark-- I don't know where Neruda gets that the EX70's sound better, but then again, I don't know if he's running through an amp, or what the source is. My experience with the E1 is straight out of the headphone jack...