[TacticalPenguin]

And want to take a pic of both next to each other in comparison with no tips on them? I think I have a general idea but I want to know exactly how big the ER 4 is, particularly in length, compared to the ER 6. I found this image but it only gives a vague idea.

Thanks

 

[GreatDane]

 

[TacticalPenguin]

Cool, thank you. Looks like theyre about the same length then, its just the cable attached to the back and the longer barrel making the difference for the ER 4.

 

[jonathanjong]

How much of a step up are the 4s anyway?

 

[oldschool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathanjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif How much of a step up are the 4s anyway?

For $100 more you get better IEM, a big storage box and lots of accessories and tips. And you can always turn the P to S with an adapter.

However, the 6i are more comfortable for portable use. The P's cable is extremely microphonic, long and heavy.

 

[abrizz]

I am quite new to IEMs and am trying to find out which models might suit me at the moment. Both of these have caught my interest since I have read that they might both be good for someone like me with small ear canals. Looking at the picture it seems like the 4s are thinner but longer and the 6s are shorter but thicker.
Are the 4s used longer into the earcanal?
If so that might be a problem for me. On the other hand the 6s might be thicker and more uncomfortable because of that?
What do you guys think?

I posted in this thread before with some more thoughts and questions: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/i...scious-379041/

feel free to stop by there and read too

Thanks!

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abrizz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am quite new to IEMs and am trying to find out which models might suit me at the moment. Both of these have caught my interest since I have read that they might both be good for someone like me with small ear canals. Looking at the picture it seems like the 4s are thinner but longer and the 6s are shorter but thicker. Are the 4s used longer into the earcanal? If so that might be a problem for me. On the other hand the 6s might be thicker and more uncomfortable because of that? What do you guys think? I posted in this thread before with some more thoughts and questions: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/i...scious-379041/ feel free to stop by there and read too Thanks!

Using stock foam tips, my ER6 are no different to me compared to stock foam tips on ER4...diameter wise where they sit in my ear canal. Both will only insert into your ear as far as possible to maintain safety and be comfortable. I find that the small diameter tips that I use allow for slightly deeper fit and because of this the ER4 barrel(the biggest black part) sits quite far into my ear canal and is partially hidden.

My ER6 allows for a very stealthy look because they are so short in length. This combined with the cable being routed over my ear make them much less noticeable.

 

[TacticalPenguin]

Both of them are quite small, but for small canals I would go for the ER 4 or the Q-jays (the Q-jays essentially are the size of the ER 4's driver housing (big black part) but don't have such a long barrel (I've always known the barrel as the part tips go over) and have builtincables)

The ER 4 has replaceable cables and better isolation. When I use the ER 6i with small biflanges they sit in my ear to where you see nothing but a cable going down into my ear from the front and i often end up using fingernails to pull them out. The ER 4 will not go in this far, but with small biflanges, which would probably be the best tip for you or maybe the small triflanges, they will go in enough that most of what's showing is cable connector.

Look at my original post's image to see Q-jays vs ER 4 and ER 6i in size. The Q-jays are no doubt best for small earcanals, and soundwise almost everyone will prefer them over ER 6/ER 6i and it is close with HF2 but even the HF2 most will prefer the Q-jay - the ER 4 is ety's competitor with the Q-jay. If the ER 4 is significantly more, go for the Q-jays.

 

[Shoewreck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldschool /img/forum/go_quote.gif For $100 more you get better IEM, a big storage box and lots of accessories and tips. And you can always turn the P to S with an adapter.

I wonder if 6i can be turned to 6 with that adapter, too...

 

[TacticalPenguin]

Generally no, the ER 6 is actually different in construction, while the 4P/4S differ only in cables.

 

[jsmithepa]

U should ask for pictures of people actually wearing them.

The 4 sticks out quite a bit, vs the 6, which sometimes may one look like wires coming out of one's ears.

I hate the new 4 twisted cables (hate twisted cables in general no matter what sonic benefit), and the 6 cables, to me is too thin (tangles ezly). This is an aesthetic/practical concern, NOTHING TO DO WITH SONIC.

 

[TacticalPenguin]

Indeed, for me the 6 looks like a little tiny cable hanging down into my ear canal from over my ear. When my hair is longer, you'd never know I have them in.

The 4 can be made to be the little blue/red/black connector coming out of your ear, maybe if you modded some small biflanges you could make them lowerprofile, but I don't know.

 

[dan1son]

I've had both for a few years and have to say, buy the ER-4P and get an adapter for S if you have an amp. I probably use them as P 90% of the time hooked straight into a DAP and they sound amazing. The S adapter in an amp makes a difference, but I don't find it required for portable use.

The ER-6 is definitely smaller and less noticable when in your ears. It basically looks like I have little wires sticking out of my ears when I wear them (although I can't remember the last time I used them... the 4s are used regularly).

For me the ER-4 doesn't stick out that much. I have to go pretty deep to get a good seal. You can see the colored ends sticking out, but not much.

To reiterate, buy the ER-4. Sound wise, they obliderate the ER-6. It's worth every penny.

 

[synaesthetic]

When I used the ER-4P with both tri-flanges (for about two minutes before it started killing my ears) and Shure olives, they were seated quite deeply and did not stick out far at all.

When used with the default Ety gray foams, they did tend to stick out quite a bit. I also noticed that the default orange foams that come with the ER-6i also tend to make them stick out quite far, while the triflanges and Shure tips do not.

Regarding the sound of the 6i vs. the 4P; the 4P is a great deal clearer and more detailed and has a much nicer midrange. However, they are also far more sibilant and emphasized on the high frequencies. Some albums I own are completely unlistenable on the 4P, such as anything by Arcturus and After Forever. The sibilance is painful. These albums were fine on the 6i, and not incidentally the HF2/HF5 as well.

In my opinion I find the HF5 to be the best sounding Ety earphones. They are more suited to all-around use than the 4P/4S and not quite so finicky about what's put through them. They are not as detailed, having detail on par with or slightly better than the 6i, but they are also not as sibilant and harsh as the 4P/4S can be on the "wrong" kinds of music.

Beyond sound quality, the HF5 are also much more practical for portable use than either the 4 or the 6. The cable is far shorter (only 48", which is perfect for portable use) and vastly lighter and less microphonic. It also has no giant "pod" at the Y-split like the 4P and 4S has. I am mildly annoyed that they do not have a right-angle connector, but it's less of a problem with a DAP that has the headphone out on the bottom, rather than the top or the side.

After using all three Etymotic earphones, and having problems with the 4 and 6 ranging from sound issues to usability issues, I am truly happy with the HF5s. It is a bit of a shame that Etymotic couldn't keep the detail of the 4P while also removing that awful sibilance.

 

[abrizz]

Great points you all make! Big thanks from me in my first IEM-endevour! There are clearly several different things to weigh in when making my choice. I saw the 6i in a store yesterday and they seem really nice. I didn't get a chance to try them out though. I think I like the design of the 4's better though, with the thinner profile. I imagine that they might be a better fit for me and also easier to remove safely without pulling the cable of.