Earsonics EM4 Custom IEM Review: Front & Center
Feb 2, 2012 at 9:37 AM Post #33 of 89
 
Quote:
Thank you very much.
 
That means that this difference is felt only when played at high volume but as audiophile, who is listening music at such volume levels?
 
I received a mail from ES telling me the difference between EM6 and EM4.
 
EM6
 
- More headroom
- Emphasis in the deep bass
- Less warm
- Treble less thin, less soft than Em4 but more textured
 
These differences doesn't make it better but just a little bit different.
 
But what he talso told me is that there's NO difference AT ALL in speed, separation, soundstage and depth...


Thanks for sharing, even though that is a bit different response than I got from them.  It sounds like a great sound signature!
 
 
Feb 2, 2012 at 10:38 AM Post #34 of 89
You are welcome!...
 
Ah yes? What they told you about the EM6?
 
Feb 3, 2012 at 1:36 AM Post #36 of 89
 
Quote:
You are welcome!...
 
Ah yes? What they told you about the EM6?


Essentially that they were tuned for musicians and have less treble but more headroom and technical performance was the same.  They didn't mention more bass.
 
Feb 3, 2012 at 1:51 AM Post #37 of 89
I don't really think that the EM4 needs more bass at all, to my ears, the sound is so well balanced that personally I really don't need more bass at all so...
 
Feb 3, 2012 at 4:48 AM Post #39 of 89
For the refit period, it can take from 2 days to 10 days depending the amount of work they have...I still also wait for mine to be re-fitted and at this time, I know that they have a lot of work...7 days that I'm waitting....
 
Feb 3, 2012 at 12:15 PM Post #40 of 89
As usual a well constructed and informative review, Joe. Thanks for your efforts.
 
At the moment I'm looking forward to getting my LS8. As someone who likes having a diverse collection of sound signatures on hand, I'm looking for a opposing compliment to the LS8, a yin to its yang so to speak. What I think I'm really looking for is a CIEM with a somewhat laid back, perhaps slightly dark, signature. The EM4 sounds lovely, but probably not quite what I'm looking for. The SA-43 though, perhaps? From your impressions I gather the SA-43 is more laid back and less bright than the EM4.
 
Feb 4, 2012 at 1:19 AM Post #41 of 89
 
Quote:
I don't really think that the EM4 needs more bass at all, to my ears, the sound is so well balanced that personally I really don't need more bass at all so...


I agree, the EM4 has plenty of bass for me...although I still want to hear the EM6 :wink:
 
Quote:
As usual a well constructed and informative review, Joe. Thanks for your efforts.
 
At the moment I'm looking forward to getting my LS8. As someone who likes having a diverse collection of sound signatures on hand, I'm looking for a opposing compliment to the LS8, a yin to its yang so to speak. What I think I'm really looking for is a CIEM with a somewhat laid back, perhaps slightly dark, signature. The EM4 sounds lovely, but probably not quite what I'm looking for. The SA-43 though, perhaps? From your impressions I gather the SA-43 is more laid back and less bright than the EM4.


Thank you!  Congrats on the LS8, the EM4 does offer a diverse sound to the LS8, but the EM6 may be more of what you are looking for, at least if you want a mid-forward sound as the EM6 is not as bright with more bass!  The SA-43 is a good deal different as well and is not bright, and the options are nice.  Technically I rate the EM4 and SA-43 almost identical in my overall score.  The ACS T1 Live! is also more laid back and very different than the LS8.  I will be happy to help you decide on something else, but it might be best to move it here if the EM4 is not being considered.
 
Feb 4, 2012 at 11:04 AM Post #42 of 89


Quote:
 

I agree, the EM4 has plenty of bass for me...although I still want to hear the EM6 :wink:
 

Thank you!  Congrats on the LS8, the EM4 does offer a diverse sound to the LS8, but the EM6 may be more of what you are looking for, at least if you want a mid-forward sound as the EM6 is not as bright with more bass!  The SA-43 is a good deal different as well and is not bright, and the options are nice.  Technically I rate the EM4 and SA-43 almost identical in my overall score.  The ACS T1 Live! is also more laid back and very different than the LS8.  I will be happy to help you decide on something else, but it might be best to move it here if the EM4 is not being considered.

I prefer mids and instrument separation, so what is your general/specific advice about the EM4?
 
 
 
Feb 4, 2012 at 4:25 PM Post #43 of 89


Quote:
Hello,
 
When I first received my EM4, I had not only fit issue but also factory driver settings issue that tend to cut the treble to early. I told ES that confirmed it and when I received back my NEW EM4, the sound was perfectly tuned and now all I can say is that I love it to death...
 


 
Quote:
Hope my EM 6 doesn't sound werid,  and more importantly the fitting is good since I am sick of sending back IEMs to ear sonics anymore because I always did it like 5 times for different reasons.
Quote:
[size=medium]Thanks for a great review, to say the very least![/size]
 
[size=medium]For those of you considering buying the EM4, you may find my experiences with the EM4 interesting. I no longer have the EM4 but instead the EM6, the reason being explained towards the end of this post.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Initially I had a hard time getting along with the EM4, and you can pretty much read all about it in this thread.[/size]

 


 
[size=medium]I'm beginning to suspect that I have a problem with the fit of my EM6 (ex EM4). I haven't really noticed it before, but I'm adjusting the left ear piece quite a lot. It sits fine as long as I'm not moving any facial muscles (swallowing, coughing, smiling, talking, etc.), but once I do it sort of pops out a bit (perhaps a millimeter (0.04 inch) or so), and so degrades the isolation and consequently to some extent the sound. What can I do about it? Can anyone describe the steps I should take to fix this? Should I get in touch with my audiologist first? Do EarSonics still have my impressions? What if the impressions are the source of the problem? Basically, how do I go about fixing it? I'd be very grateful for any advice/direction![/size]
 
[size=medium]About the EM6 vs. the EM4; all I can say is that I find the EM6 to be an amazing piece of audio equipment, that puts me in touch with the soul of the music, and that is my all-encompassing goal. I never really got to that point with the EM4 (now rebuilt to the EM6), and I really don't know why. Maybe it was something wrong with my EM4, or maybe it was the EM4's brighter sound signature. With the EM4 the sound seemed to emerge out of thin air, extremely clean and precise. With the EM6 on the other hand, the sound also makes it easy to "visualize and feel" the instruments and people/voices producing the sound. The one thing indicating that something may indeed have been wrong with my EM4 is that my EM6 produces more detail. I hear subtle details in my album collection that I never noticed in the EM4 or my SM3, and I do not have "golden ears", plus I am quite old. (I'd be surprised if I'd hear anything above 14 kHz.) From an objective and scientific perspective, I certainly can't say that the EM6 is a better CIEM that the EM4. However, to me personally, the EM6 simply outshines my experience of the EM4, and I can wholeheartedly recommend the EM6.[/size]
 
Feb 4, 2012 at 8:44 PM Post #44 of 89
The impressions were taken without any facial expressions. So when you move facial muscles, e.g. like smile u will move up ur concha which of course will make the ear piece pop out a bit. I think this is quiet normal. The only thing you can do is possibly make the whole thing tighter (for that you probably need to take another left ear impression because it could be the original impression wasn't done properly), or make the canal longer so it prevents popping out easily (because the canal curves into your ears).  If you are not a singer, I don't think you should worry about it too much.
 

 
Quote:
 

 
[size=medium]I'm beginning to suspect that I have a problem with the fit of my EM6 (ex EM4). I haven't really noticed it before, but I'm adjusting the left ear piece quite a lot. It sits fine as long as I'm not moving any facial muscles (swallowing, coughing, smiling, talking, etc.), but once I do it sort of pops out a bit (perhaps a millimeter (0.04 inch) or so), and so degrades the isolation and consequently to some extent the sound. What can I do about it? Can anyone describe the steps I should take to fix this? Should I get in touch with my audiologist first? Do EarSonics still have my impressions? What if the impressions are the source of the problem? Basically, how do I go about fixing it? I'd be very grateful for any advice/direction![/size]
 
 



 
 
 
 
Feb 5, 2012 at 5:39 AM Post #45 of 89
Quote:
The impressions were taken without any facial expressions. So when you move facial muscles, e.g. like smile u will move up ur concha which of course will make the ear piece pop out a bit. I think this is quiet normal. The only thing you can do is possibly make the whole thing tighter (for that you probably need to take another left ear impression because it could be the original impression wasn't done properly), or make the canal longer so it prevents popping out easily (because the canal curves into your ears).  If you are not a singer, I don't think you should worry about it too much.
 

 
Quote:
[size=medium]I'm beginning to suspect that I have a problem with the fit of my EM6 (ex EM4). I haven't really noticed it before, but I'm adjusting the left ear piece quite a lot. It sits fine as long as I'm not moving any facial muscles (swallowing, coughing, smiling, talking, etc.), but once I do it sort of pops out a bit (perhaps a millimeter (0.04 inch) or so), and so degrades the isolation and consequently to some extent the sound. What can I do about it? Can anyone describe the steps I should take to fix this? Should I get in touch with my audiologist first? Do EarSonics still have my impressions? What if the impressions are the source of the problem? Basically, how do I go about fixing it? I'd be very grateful for any advice/direction![/size]
 
 



 
 
 



[size=medium]Thanks’ for the input. It's really just the left ear piece that bothers me. It dislocates more easily, and, unlike the right ear piece, needs to be put back in place by hand. So suppose I really want to try to do something about it, what steps do I need to take to fix it?[/size]
 

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