[dxy56]

Was Etymotic the pioneer canalphone manufacturer? Did Shure and Westone copy some of Etymotic's ideas? Or did they independently work out their own system?

Just curious.

 

[kwkarth]

I think Etymotic was there first, although I wouldn't be surprised if Sure or Westone was first to package as pro stage monitors.
Etymotic has a patent on their design.
Don Wilson...Are you around?

 

[Tim D]

According to the futuresonics webpage it claims Marty Garcia as the first to develop in-ear monitors(of course in-ear is much more general than canalphone). What is interesting however is that most in-ear monitors use armature technology. And now Futuresonics has just recently claimed that dynamic transducers are better and is now what is being used in their products, but Etymotics I believe have always been dynamic. I'm willing to bet Etymotics were the first dynamic in-ear canalphones that are high-grade. Wheter there were cheap earbud-like canalphones or armature designs before it, who knows but it wouldn't be a surprise.

 

[kwkarth]

"Dynamic" denotes electromagnetic actuation of the diaphragm as opposed to electrostatic actuation. That being the case, "armature" types are also dynamic.

 

[IZCool]

I'm not certain on this, but I'm pretty sure i read a post by don wilson that said that the Etymotic drivers are armature type drivers (ie not diaphragm type as used in earbuds)