[Theta Alpha 1]

Quote:

 
That's because the ER4 has one of the smallest soundstages of any IEM that I've heard (in the 100+ price range)

 
The ER-4B with a binaural recording will produce soundstage over 10 metres left and right.  The etymotics have 92% accuracy and the Hifimans have less, maybe 70 something.

 

[lwien]

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If you link me to the songs.....

 
How do I do that?

 

[kyuuketsuki]

Quote:

 
The ER-4B with a binaural recording will produce soundstage over 10 metres left and right.  The etymotics have 92% accuracy and the Hifimans have less, maybe 70 something.

 
Please tell me how you can quantify those numbers in IEMs....? Really it is hard, neigh impossible to measure any kind of exact length of soundstage width, height or depth in IEMs due to it being simulated. And ER4s, in fact, Etymotic in general, despite their accuracy sonically, which is quite high, due to the design of them, do not allow for really great soundstage. Once you listen to TOTL IEMs or even other lower end IEMs with really great soundstage you realize how small the soundstage really is. The instrument separation and detail is fantastic, but the depth is rather shallow. The soundstage isn't TERRIBLE, but at that level I'd expect more. But then again I haven't heard the ER4B. I've only listened to ER4PT (Which is about average imho in terms of width and depth) and the ER4P (Which was less than stellar, as the depth was more lacking). I've heard the ER4S is about average too in soundstage, but nothing to write home about.
 
Quote:

Majority of androids including GN is more than decent with Neutron player. In fact, my Voodoo'ed androids are better than cheap desktop setups.

 
I use Neutron whenever I load music onto my device. Such an awesome sounding player.
 
Quote:

 
How do I do that?

 
Well you can either list the songs if they are on mog, or use youtube. 

 

[vwinter]

The ER-4B with a binaural recording will produce soundstage over 10 metres left and right.  The etymotics have 92% accuracy and the Hifimans have less, maybe 70 something.

I've been thinking this for a while actually, but this is as good a time to say it as any because it is gaining traction here on Head-Fi as a measure:

Using binaural recordings to make judgements about soundstage characteristics is flawed IMO. All you are doing is testing an IEMs compliance and receptiveness to a specific algorithm that allows the perception of binaurally recorded space.

And further, it has no relevance or correlation to "performance" or characteristics in regard to soundstage with stereo recordings.

 

[lwien]

Quote:

 

 
Well you can either list the songs if they are on mog, or use youtube. 

 
Ah.......thanks.   I have no idea why I didn't think of that.   Ok, here......
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01CnBGWvBpE
Beginning at about 5:00
 
Also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97uTa1qVK5U
 
Thanks a bunch for checking this out.    Much appreciated.

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

 
The ER-4B with a binaural recording will produce soundstage over 10 metres left and right.  The etymotics have 92% accuracy and the Hifimans have less, maybe 70 something.

 
Tell me something, how does Etymotic measure "accuracy"? 

 

[fnkcow]

Quote:

I use Neutron whenever I load music onto my device. Such an awesome sounding player.

Could it be that Poweramp has upped their game? I tried the Neutron with 64-bit processing, audiophile resampling, dithering. Both have eq off, instead use Noozxoide to eq. A/B'ed them but cant tell much difference at all between Poweramp and Neutron

 

[tigon_ridge]

Okay this is just ridiculous. I refuse to believe that I just paid $99 for these. I've had these things in my ears for the last "I don't know how many" hours, and I can't find a legit reason to take them out. THESE ARE NOT $99 IEM's! They're IMO on the caliber of $500+ IEM's, but somehow made available miraculously for the money-starved audiophiles. Do not let the price fool you! I am nominating the RE-400 for the "head-fi all-time best bang for the buck" award.
 
I have never heard better sounding treble! That's saying a lot since I've heard both the RE0 and the ER4S, which are both touted for their treble performance. The RE-400's treble is so effortless. Smooth. Realistic. Detailed. Shows no signs of dips or spikes. I have never heard better sounding bass! This is coming from having heard the GR07, touted for its supposedly some-of-the-best bass quality. The RE-400 may or may not have the GR07's control at the lowest lows (I don't really know because I haven't tested this, since I don't listen to genres where sub-bass is of any priority), but what it definitely does have better than the GR07 is slightly more accurate decay. The GR07, to my ears, is slightly bloated. The RE-400, after burn-in, shows its bass prowess in my most bass-demanding track that I keep around solely for testing bass quality: Infected Mushroom - Heavyweight. Make no mistake - the RE-400 can rumble when the track calls for it... and can do so at high volume without at trace of clipping! Its attack is also no slouch here, easily competing with the GR07 in this regard. These are mesmerizing in the lows, and deathly seductive in the mids and highs.
 
Soundstage... Sure the ER4S, I must admit, has really pathetic soundstage for a $300 IEM... but I simply don't recall an IEM that does soundstage as convincingly as the RE-400. I don't recall the GR07 having the 3D, layered presentation that RE-400 renders. I also don't recall the GR07 producing an out-of-head feel like the RE-400 does. Soundstage on the RE-400 is big, life-like, yet beautifully intimate. You're right there with the singer, but he/she isn't in your head.
 
Treble... oh wait - didn't I already write about this? I think I might need to control my enthusiasm... Alright, if you bump up the 8kHz-20kHz range by 2-4 dB with equalization, you'll definitely enjoy the bit of extra brightness. Without this enhancement, the RE-400 may be viewed as ever so slightly relaxed in treble. With the bump, they still have less treble energy than the ER4S, which to me has just a bit too much sometimes. Both quantity and quality-wise, the RE-400 nailed it.
 
Midrange?u Gently liqid. Able-bodied, yet not so much so that it sounds like the monstrosity that is the SM3, which literally butchers vocals in a gruesome manner. 99% of my music collection is vocal, so midrange accuracy is very very important to me. Let me repeat, very very very... I do feel like these could use a little nudge in the upper-mids and lower trebs, which with EQ made it possible and vocals more accurate. 9/10 without the equalization, 9.5 with.
 
Bump up its sub-bass and they will obey effortlessly without clipping.
 
Ohmygawd, the soundstage!! ... okay, I need to get a grip. Just get these!! Best $100 I've ever spent. Period.

 

[vwinter]

You sir have fallen hard lol. Enjoy the honeymoon phase.

 

[Gozzer]

I,ve had these since march and I'm still in honeymoon phase.

 

[fnkcow]

Quote:

Okay this is just ridiculous. I refuse to believe that I just paid $99 for these. I've had these things in my ears for the last "I don't know how many" hours, and I can't find a legit reason to take them out. THESE ARE NOT $99 IEM's! They're IMO on the caliber of $500+ IEM's, but somehow made available miraculously for the money-starved audiophiles. Do not let the price fool you! I am nominating the RE-400 for the "head-fi all-time best bang for the buck" award.
 
I have never heard better sounding treble! That's saying a lot since I've heard both the RE0 and the ER4S, which are both touted for their treble performance. The RE-400's treble is so effortless. Smooth. Realistic. Detailed. Shows no signs of dips or spikes. I have never heard better sounding bass! This is coming from having heard the GR07, touted for its supposedly some-of-the-best bass quality. The RE-400 may or may not have the GR07's control at the lowest lows (I don't really know because I haven't tested this, since I don't listen to genres where sub-bass is of any priority), but what it definitely does have better than the GR07 is slightly more accurate decay. The GR07, to my ears, is slightly bloated. The RE-400, after burn-in, shows its bass prowess in my most bass-demanding track that I keep around solely for testing bass quality: Infected Mushroom - Heavyweight. Make no mistake - the RE-400 can rumble when the track calls for it... and can do so at high volume without at trace of clipping! Its attack is also no slouch here, easily competing with the GR07 in this regard. These are mesmerizing in the lows, and deathly seductive in the mids and highs.
 
Soundstage... Sure the ER4S, I must admit, has really pathetic soundstage for a $300 IEM... but I simply don't recall an IEM that does soundstage as convincingly as the RE-400. I don't recall the GR07 having the 3D, layered presentation that RE-400 renders. I also don't recall the GR07 producing an out-of-head feel like the RE-400 does. Soundstage on the RE-400 is big, life-like, yet beautifully intimate. You're right there with the singer, but he/she isn't in your head.
 
Treble... oh wait - didn't I already write about this? I think I might need to control my enthusiasm... Alright, if you bump up the 8kHz-20kHz range by 2-4 dB with equalization, you'll definitely enjoy the bit of extra brightness. Without this enhancement, the RE-400 may be viewed as ever so slightly relaxed in treble. With the bump, they still have less treble energy than the ER4S, which to me has just a bit too much sometimes. Both quantity and quality-wise, the RE-400 nailed it.
 
Midrange?u Gently liqid. Able-bodied, yet not so much so that it sounds like the monstrosity that is the SM3, which literally butchers vocals in a gruesome manner. 99% of my music collection is vocal, so midrange accuracy is very very important to me. Let me repeat, very very very... I do feel like these could use a little nudge in the upper-mids and lower trebs, which with EQ made it possible and vocals more accurate. 9/10 without the equalization, 9.5 with.
 
Bump up its sub-bass and they will obey effortlessly without clipping.
 
Ohmygawd, the soundstage!! ... okay, I need to get a grip. Just get these!! Best $100 I've ever spent. Period.

If RE-400 at $99 is already THIS good, RE-600 at $399... 

 

[FieldingMellish]

I recall reading about a law of diminishing returns when it comes to price.

 

[fnkcow]

True, can't expect it to be 4 times better than the RE-400, but if 2 times better it'd certainly be among the top of universal IEMs 

 

[tigon_ridge]

Quote:

If RE-400 at $99 is already THIS good, RE-600 at $399... 

I no longer have any ounce of faith left in the notion that more expensive equals better. You may personally find the RE-600 inferior to the RE-400 depending on your tastes. I personally don't want any more warmth than what I'm getting from the 400s.

 

[Inks]

Nah, just a bit at most,like 272 to 262. That price is mostly because of it's flagship status. 
 
If they can get that treble to extend more and have more presence, it will be the dynamic IEM to beat though.