e4 vs. er6i

[Peppermint Duck]

The plan was to upgrade to either MS-2is or sr-225s, but then IEMs caught my eye. When I finally do get a portable they'll act as a perfect replacement for the stock buds and I thought I could comfortably use them at home too...so it's a kind of 2-in-1 deal. I have plans to upgrade my source and I'll probably want a headphone amp too (if that isn't include in the source upgrade). I could do that for £200, but if I start looking at the Alessandros/Grados I'm looking at nearer £400 (the MS-2is/sr-225s will cost me approx. £200 to buy - 2x that of even the e4s).

 

[Nomad]

Forget about ER6i or 2c. You will end with these and the upgrades. Save money.

4c and ER-4 are both very good. I'll go for the 4c for rock maybe (besides, ER4 are quite microphonic). I was listening to your avatar (Smashings) quite a lot with the 4c a few weeks ago and they sounded quite good.

However, nothing like a Grado SR-225 for Smashings... (well, almost any Grado will do actually).

 

[Peppermint Duck]

Don't tempt me!

When your on the fence 'quite good' isn't a phrase you want to hear however!

On a side note, people always go on about how uncomfortable Grados are, but the thing that most annoyed me (about the MS-1s anyway) was the cable. Always getting tangled and stuck in knots...is there anyone who sells modded Grados with better cables (and hey, why not better pads too?) anywhere?

 

[Nomad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppermint Duck Don't tempt me! When your on the fence 'quite good' isn't a phrase you want to hear however! On a side note, people always go on about how uncomfortable Grados are, but the thing that most annoyed me (about the MS-1s anyway) was the cable. Always getting tangled and stuck in knots...is there anyone who sells modded Grados with better cables (and hey, why not better pads too?) anywhere?

This is your lucky day: www.headphile.com


PS: I'd go for Grados instead of Alessandros for Smashings.

 

[Peppermint Duck]

Sweet...but how does this work? Do I have to send him the headphones? Bare in mind I'm in the UK.

 

[Nomad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peppermint Duck Sweet...but how does this work? Do I have to send him the headphones? Bare in mind I'm in the UK.

Mmmm. The best you can do is ask to Larry (headphile). The idea is to buy them and then send them to him. But this is anoying. I don't know if Larry will be able to buy them for you, then modify them, then sending to you. If that's the case (I'm not sure about it) it will be great for you as Grados in UK cost almost twice.

Cheers.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad Forget about ER6i or 2c. You will end with these and the upgrades. Save money. 4c and ER-4 are both very good.

Even the 4C and ER4 are only mediocre in the grand scheme of IEM's, the single driver design only gets you so far. When you make the jump to dual driver IEM's like Sensaphonics or UE10's, that is another league of IEM.

That is why if it's just sound quality you are after, the real value comes in the form of full sized cans. With every single driver IEM I've heard, there's always something wrong with the sound that has me reaching for my full sized cans. With a comparably priced full sized can, the listening experience is far more versatile. With single driver IEM's, their signature makes more of a compromise out of the listener.

So as I said before, if you REALLY don't need portability AND isolation, it's far better to use that money to buy a full sized can, and even a cheap amp if need be. And if you really still need something for on-the-go, go with the ER6i's to supplement your home setup. Only think about spending more on an IEM if you spend a lot of time travelling/commuting.

 

[CodeGuy]

If I had to choose between the ER6i, the E4, or the ER4-P ( I own them all ), I would reach for the E4 9 times out of 10. I am quiet sure that some here will totally disagree with me, but I think the E4 does everything the ER-4p does, but with more bass. As far as the er6i vs the E4, there really is no contest to my ears. I rarely ever lisen the my Er6i, especially so since I aquired the E4. Then again, I have never been a huge fan of the Etymotic sound, it just hurts my ears for some reason, so take that into consideration as well. I also like falling asleep with my E4, and that is kinda hard with any of the Ety products to me, as they tend to jab my brain when I roll onto my side. Anyways, opinions are free, so I decided to add mine