[PiccoloNamek]

It is perfect for what it was designed for.

Whether or not it fits your subjective preferences for music listening is another issue entirely.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

The ER4P is below $200. The E500 is $400 at least. Does the SQ difference justify the huge price gap?

IMHO I think not.

 

[Tuarreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek It is perfect for what it was designed for. Whether or not it fits your subjective qualifications for music listening is another deal entirely.

So, my opinion is subjective, but yours is fact? I guess it's end of the discussion then.

Tuarreg

 

[PiccoloNamek]

It's a fact that the ER4 does match the acoustic response of the open ear, yes.

 

[russdog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuarreg So, my opinion is subjective, but yours is fact?

Jeez, man... everybody's experience and opinion is subjective, and it's a fact that we all have our own experiences and opinions. I don't see anybody saying that your personal dis-preference for ER-4's is bad or wrong. I don't see anybody saying you're wrong for preferring something else.

What's happening is that you're coming across as saying that the ER-4 is a behind-the-times, out-of-date, now-inferior product. Implying that people who like them just fine are somehow ignorant of what is best. The Er-4 is a fine product, and the fact that you don't like it doesn't change that. Neither does the age of its design. It seems that you're trying to overlay your judgment all over the experience of other people. I don't think anybody minds when you say you don't like ER-4's, but people do mind when you tell them that they're somehow wrong, misguided, or using obsolete judgement for liking it. I like mine fine.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by russdog Jeez, man... everybody's experience and opinion is subjective, and it's a fact that we all have our own experiences and opinions. I don't see anybody saying that your personal dis-preference for ER-4's is bad or wrong. I don't see anybody saying you're wrong for preferring something else. What's happening is that you're coming across as saying that the ER-4 is a behind-the-times, out-of-date, now-inferior product. Implying that people who like them just fine are somehow ignorant of what is best. The Er-4 is a fine product, and the fact that you don't like it doesn't change that. Neither does the age of its design. It seems that you're trying to overlay your judgment all over the experience of other people. I don't think anybody minds when you say you don't like ER-4's, but people do mind when you tell them that they're somehow wrong, misguided, or using obsolete judgement for liking it. I like mine fine.

tuarreg changed his argument from "the ety er4 is outdated and will fade away" to "i prefer the e500 to the ety er4". those are two different arguments, man. one is objective, the other subjective. so don't go crying foul when you can't stick to the subject.

 

[Tuarreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redshifter tuarreg changed his argument from "the ety er4 is outdated and will fade away" to "i prefer the e500 to the ety er4". those are two different arguments, man. one is objective, the other subjective. so don't go crying foul when you can't stick to the subject.

What difference does it make? Both statements have merit, whether they are objective or subjective. The Etys are excellent, but they are 15 years old and can use some improvements and they are 4th on my short list of favorite IEMs behind the E500, UM2 and 5 Pro.

Why the personal attacks?

Tuarreg

 

[PiccoloNamek]

What kind of improvements could they use? Personally, I think that the other three you mentioned could use some improvments. Like more treble, for instance. I've never heard the E500 or UM2, but I have heard the 5 Pro and owned them for almost a month. They have nothing on the Etymotics.

 

[Tuarreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by russdog Jeez, man... everybody's experience and opinion is subjective, and it's a fact that we all have our own experiences and opinions. I don't see anybody saying that your personal dis-preference for ER-4's is bad or wrong. I don't see anybody saying you're wrong for preferring something else. What's happening is that you're coming across as saying that the ER-4 is a behind-the-times, out-of-date, now-inferior product. Implying that people who like them just fine are somehow ignorant of what is best. The Er-4 is a fine product, and the fact that you don't like it doesn't change that. Neither does the age of its design. It seems that you're trying to overlay your judgment all over the experience of other people. I don't think anybody minds when you say you don't like ER-4's, but people do mind when you tell them that they're somehow wrong, misguided, or using obsolete judgement for liking it. I like mine fine.

Russdog

Please review past responses. Not once did I say that Etys are bad and never did I say that those who disagree with me are "wrong, misguided or using obsolete judgement."

This a discussion... and it seems like everyone has valid points, so why are you taking it so personal?

Tuarreg

 

[Mercuttio]

Folks, I'm totally bitten by the Ety bug. My ears have totally gotten used to the flanges, and I absolutely adore these little phones. They're actually splitting time with my RS1 on my home rig. I was always under the impression that an IEM was a compromise... sound for size. Apparently I was completely wrong, because these best a gigantic majority of the phones I've tried, full size or not.

 

[Tuarreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek What kind of improvements could they use? Personally, I think that the other three you mentioned could use some improvments. Like more treble, for instance. I've never heard the E500 or UM2, but I have heard the 5 Pro and owned them for almost a month. They have nothing on the Etymotics.

How can you say E500 and UM2 need improvement if you never heard them? But, you are right in that they are NOT perfect. Far from it, but I do like them better than ER4s. Now with the 5 Pro vs er4s, its another story. I remember having a hard time deciding which I prefer. Nicer detail on the ER4s, but I like the balance and the bass impact of the 5 Pro. The bass impact gave me a better illusion of "live" music.

If you get a chance, give the E500 and UMs a try. I think you'll like them!

Tuarreg

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuarreg How can you say E500 and UM2 need improvement if you never heard them? But, you are right in that they are NOT perfect. Far from it, but I do like them better than ER4s. Now with the 5 Pro vs er4s, its another story. I remember having a hard time deciding which I prefer. Nicer detail on the ER4s, but I like the balance and the bass impact of the 5 Pro. The bass impact gave me a better illusion of "live" music

I've never listened to an E500, but I've seen its chart, and it looks exactly the same as the E4C's chart, only with more bass. In fact, all Shure IEMs have the exact same treble roll off. I have been told that the UM2 is similar to the E5C, but I don't know much else beyond that. If that is the case, it certainly isn't the IEM for me. As for balance, if you're talking about frequency response, the ER4s are certainly far more balanced.

Concerning live music, I suppose it depends on what kind of live music you're talking about. The ER4S's bass seems far more realistic to me for things like classical music and just about anything else that isn't rock, rap, or hip-hop.

Quote:

If you get a chance, give the E500 and UMs a try. I think you'll like them!

I don't think I would. While I enjoyed my Shure IEMs at first, over time, the lack of treble began to bother me. I even started to use the iPod's "treble boost" EQ setting.

Now, they sound very rolled off compared to my ER4s.

The ER4S has a boost in the treble region to compensate for the sound's lack of interaction with the structures of the outer ear and ear canal, (which would normally be altering the frequency response to add those spikes) but the E2C, E3C, E4C, E5C, E500, super.fi 5 Pro, and probably the UM2 as well, for some strange reason, all have a roll off in tha exact same area, drastically reducing the sound's airiness and sparkle.

From what I've heard about the UM2s, the huge bass probably wouldn't be to my liking. Someone once described them as "warm" which probably means there is no treble either. If you like them, that is absolutely 100% fine with me, but I fairly certain I wouldn't.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Folks, I'm totally bitten by the Ety bug. My ears have totally gotten used to the flanges, and I absolutely adore these little phones. They're actually splitting time with my RS1 on my home rig. I was always under the impression that an IEM was a compromise... sound for size. Apparently I was completely wrong, because these best a gigantic majority of the phones I've tried, full size or not.

Congratulations, and welcome to the fold.

 

[ProleArtThreat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuarreg Russdog Please review past responses. Not once did I say that Etys are bad and never did I say that those who disagree with me are "wrong, misguided or using obsolete judgement." This a discussion... and it seems like everyone has valid points, so why are you taking it so personal? Tuarreg

If you want to know why people reacted negatively to your posts, perhaps you should look back at the comment you posted in this thread on the first page:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuarreg You ETY Heads crack me up. If Etymotics spend as much money refining and updating their product as they do paying bloggers to wax enthusiastic about their "beloved" ETYs, they would be better off. LOL

That's called thread crapping. You offered nothing of substance to add to the discussion -- just some unsbstantiated suggestion that Etymotic has kept its market share in the IEM business with an outdated product by paying off bloggers to post positive reviews. You should hardly be surprised at the reaction you got.

And just to make one thing clear about any bias I might have, although I love my Ety's, I'm spending much more portable time these days with my Shure E4 amped out of a Hornet. And I also wish that there was an ergonomic update to the Ety line. But I wouldn't change a thing about the way they sound.

 

[redshifter]

pretty much what prole said. got off on the wrong foot, so no offence. glad you're liking the e500 t., it sounded great when i auditioned them.

mercuttio,
welcome. soon your ears will be melded into the etymotics' seductive neutrality. eventually all other headphones will suffer in comparison.