[billb]

I'm new to this forum. I'd appreciate any feedback you can give.

I fly a lot, and wound up buying a Headroom Airhead, old-style, when they were on sale a few years back. (Years of seeing their ads in Stereophile got me curious.)

I have Sennheiser HD-280s, and have used cheapie CDPs as the source. The full size phones are nice in a hotel room, but they provide limited isolation from airplane noises. As a result, I was considering in-ear devices.

I was looking for a better CDP with line-out when I ran across a posting on this forum re: refurbished iPod 60g. I received one a week ago as a gift, and I'm loading it up lossless. I expect to buy a cable that permits use of the line out.

I got a decent deal on Etymotic ER6s at J&R, and then found that the 6i is available at the same price. The 6's are unused, and they'll let me swap for the 6i.

I may use the iPod primarily with the amp, since playback quality is important (Within certain financial limits...I don't want to have an emotional break-down if something gets lost or broken on the road), and the line-out seems like the way to go.

But, who knows, maybe I'll want to use just the player and in-ears for the simplicity and lack of clutter, while I'm in the air.

Given the possibility of dual uses, direct and through the Airhead, do I keep the 6s or get the 6i?

Also, what line-out to mini cable do you recommend? I think cables matter...in my home system, I use Discovery Cable's top of the line after trying nearly a dozen different flavors. I didn't like silver in my home system...does it yield a characteristic sound in a portable setting?

Thanks in advance.

 

[pds6]

I have your exact set-up. I own the Ety 6's and the 4's. I do not own the 6i's. It is my understanding that the 6'i are warmer.

For use with an amp, I would rather see you buy the 4's

I have and like the Cardas cable, but many seem to like the AudioLineOut (silver).

I would also suggest a look at the GigaBag. I have traveled with everything in the GigaBag and clipped to my waist. Nothing gets damaged. Nothing gets lost. Great way to travel.

 

[ILikeMusic]

If you decide to stay with the 6 series then the ER-6i model is designed for use with portables and has increased sensitivity and an enhanced bass response vs. the ER-6... thus the ER-6i would probably be the best choice for use with an iPod.

.

 

[Fang]

I've trid both of them before, when amped, the er6 sounds a lot better than the er6i, but when unamped, the er6 is too hard to drive compared to the er6i. If sound quality is more important than portability, then get the er6.

Personally, I bought the um1 over the er6i.

 

[episiarch]

I have both (and 4S and 4P), and I find the ER-6 to be the better earphone if you don't need the unamped driveability of the 6i.

That said, I do love my 6i - my favorite companion to an unamped Nano for a sweet-sounding highly portable rig. But side by side with an amped ER-6 (I don't find an amp to do much for a 6i), as nice as the ER-6i is, the ER-6 is the more accurate-sounding of the two.

 

[LaBreaHead]

"That said, I do love my 6i - my favorite companion to an unamped Nano for a sweet-sounding highly portable rig."

I've had the ER6 awhile and recently got the ER6i (primarily for travel) as I don't use an amp. I really like the airplane isolation and the ultra-portability of the Etymotics "6" series. While flying is a bit more stressful than it has been in past eras, I do look forward to my first trip with the 2G Nano and my ER6i's with short Comply's -- that combination sounds pretty good to my ears "on the ground," and I know it will be an improvement upon the ambient noise in an airplane cabin. The flanges are a lot softer than the photos would suggest, and I believe they have the potential to isolate best of all, but in my case the isolation comes and goes when I move my head up and down ... the seal and sound stay consistent for me with foamies.

Unamped, I'd go with the ER6i's (again, for ultra-portability); if you intend to use an amp regularly, you could keep what you already have. Either way, I hope you enjoy your airplane listening.

 

[Oga]

The Er-6i foam is shaped in a tapered way and easier to insert - but its pink and gets dirty in about 10 seconds, no matter how much you clean you ears. Even reading a newspaper - and getting newsprint on your hands - will make them dirty.

ER-6 foamies are grey and less likely to look bad - but slightly harder to sqeeze and fit - slightly.

On both, the foamies are better sounding and more comfortable than the silicone eartips.

 

[Bones13]

My old favorite ER 6 lost a channel about a month ago. I found some ER 6i to replace them. The 6i is a tad warmer. Both worked great off of the Shuffle that I use to walk/workout.

I find them less isolating than the custom IEM that I use for travel. The E4c was too uncomfortable to use for any length of time for me, passed those on down to a kid. (a big upgrade from iBuds for him

)

 

[pds6]

Bones13 says:
Quote:

My old favorite ER 6 lost a channel about a month ago.

You did change the filters?

Quote:

The E4c was too uncomfortable to use for any length of time for me

Everyone is different! I found the opposite and I love the clip on the 4's.