Sorry, forgot some important detail to the above.  Am looking to keep costs < $300.   Thanks! Bruce

Hi folks!  I'm a long time Head-Fi member who has been fairly inactive for the past...ummm, ~ decade.     I've been happily using and loving Etymotic ER4P. Unfortunately, I've been unable to locate them and am in need of a replacement.  The easy solution would simply be to order a replacement...

lwells: I'm not a major metalhead, but do enjoy crunchy sounding bands like Dream Theater, Riverside, Porcupine Tree, Pathosray, yada yada. I happen to LOVE listening to those bands via Ety ER4! And, yes, hearing the separation between the bass drum and bass guitar is one of the reasons that I...

jdc65: the way the E1 works has to be via amplification... that's how it changes volume. Line out just provides a signal without it being amplified. In my case (iPod 60 GB), the line out produces a more clean signal than the signal that gets output through the headphone jack. The signal goes...

OK, for $25, I added the FiiO E1. Thanks! Bruce

BTW: To folks that are using the supa-inexpensive FiiO portable amps like the E1, do they really provide much of a difference in sound quality? I guess my head-fi snobbishness was showing... I was skeptical that a mass produced $22 amp could sound decent.... so I didn't add one to the RE0 order...

bcpk: Excellent question. The real answer is that I enjoy the overall Ety sound. I'm really into detail. If there was another headphone option that offered similar detail PLUS clear, accurate, visceral bass, would definitely consider it... especially if it didn't require an amp when using a...

dcpoor: yep, have already contacted Etymotic about repair. They provide terrific support! This would be an additional purchase. Bruce

Thanks for the fast responses! Have been looking at some of the above recs and am intrigued by the "value" of the RE0 (yes, I'm a typical Head-Fi-er and am mainly motivated by SQ, but I still have to deal with family issues, so $79 sounds like a very good deal!!!). That being said, while looking...

Howdy folks! Am hoping to get suggestions for alternatives to Etymotic ER4P. Unfortunately, my brother-in-law's dog ate my Etys. Will see if they can be repaired. However, this is a great opportunity to get some input from folks and to try out some new gear. Background: am a long time...

Quick response: Although initially somewhat skeptical about burn in, I believe that headphone sound quality can change pretty dramatically over time. Example: Got some Future Sonics Atrios this past year. When first listened to them, they were so bad, I considered sending them back right...

So... now thats out of the way, back to the OP: Find a meet OR Buy from a store with a solid return policy There's lot's of opinions that get posted, but the only one that matters is YOURS! Bruce

Ety ER4 series are among the most accurate phones on the market. They will deliver exactly what they are provided. They don't add or take anything away... they just deliver. Now, having said that, that's not an ideal sound for some folks. Everyone is different, everyone has their own likes and...

Recommendation for Future Sonics Atrios M5. Just let them burn in for > 100 hours before listening. Bruce

Howdy folks! Just wanted to share my experiences with Etymotic customer service. In a word, outstanding! Here's what happened. I went to use these headphones a couple weeks ago and discovered that my cat had chewed on them (yes, really!). The barrel of the left channel was dented and no sound...

After another chunk of time burning in, these have REALLY improved. The bass is much more controlled, the mids are more definitely present, the highs are very nice. Altogether, a very fine audio experience! Quick question: how do y'all wear these things? I have not gotten to the point of...

FYI: I left mine plugged into a CD player set on repeat for the past 6 days and just popped them off periodically to check the sound. Not playing pink noise... playing Rush, Moving pictures (was the disk I had handy at the moment!). They definitely have come around, but am not sure I like the...

FutureSonics really needs to put a disclaimer on their packaging about the NEED for burn-in time! At first listen, I was not impressed and seriously considered sending these back. Bass was bloated, highs were repressed, midrange was recessed. The sound changed dramatically over time. At ~...

FYI: Same boat as the OP. Am appreciating the recommendations! Unfortunately, I too have a distinct dislike for growling. To my ears, Meshuggah sounds amazing... until the "vocalist" does his thing. Love Opeth's Damnation. Can't stand most of the rest that I've heard because of the growling...

Long time Ety user who had a problem with the Etys and decided to get these. First impressions with no burn-in: DARK! Muddy even at the lower frequencies. After a couple hours of burn in (~ 5): have played with different tips and positions of the phones (e.g., memory wire over the ears vs...

tstarn: Will probably give a listen... new headphones in the house will be toooooo tempting! And, yes, strange how they showed up. They were in the car. The same car I'd been using for the past week. The same car both me and my wife searched last weekend when they went missing. Am thinking my...

OP: no real gripes... just a couple things one must get accustomed to... both of which are wife related. Isolation so great that you can't hear your significant other when she's trying to get your attention. There's nothing good that comes from this situation. Either the other feels that you...

Trager, thanks for the review. Very helpful. Of course, since I started this thread with missing headphones, I've order a replacement set of Etys and have order the M5s. Today, I found the ORIGINAL Ety ER4Ps! So, the newer Etys are going back... didn't even have a chance to get them...

Howdy all! Would appreciate suggestions. Am considering a Nikon D80 as my first dSLR. Reviews look very favorable. Am not competent, just interested. What do you think of the base kit lens (18-135mm)? Is it worthwhile, or should I consider another option??? If so, what would you all suggest as a...

Next step: RWA modded pod...iMod. ALO modded videopod pod... 80 GB modded video iPod plus cable for $565. Bruce