[markod]

After reading all good and bad comments regarding the er-4p as having weak bass response, being extremely detailed, sterile etc. I'm seriously considering the purchase.
Since it is all relative I would simply like to know how these characteristics differ from the original iPod phones - for example, will I they have more or less bass etc.?

 

[joelongwood]

Less bass than original iPod buds.........a LOT less, to my ears. But you'll also hear details in your music that you didn't know existed.

 

[Cocovitsch]

ER4P have very good bass with a good player (Creative Zen Touch,Sony VAIO Pocket, Sony HD3,etc...)
I don't understand any complaints about a lack of bass except for Ipod's users because Ipod has no bass...

 

[Kenny12]

i really like the bass on my er-4s its impactful and very tight.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenny12 i really like the bass on my er-4s its impactful and very tight.

Hmmmm. I am not quite sure what you mean by "impactful" here. I own the ER4P, with the P>S cable, and have never felt like the Etymotic's bass was punching my ear.

However, the bass is definitely there, and is very well articulated and detailed. The only song on which I have ever had trouble hearing bass that was very apparent on my SR404s and speakers is If It Ain't Ruff by NWA.


I would highly recommend the purchase, as I am very happy with them.

 

[fatko]

the bass from my ER4P is so accurate and natural
i can hear the different sound of bass from different intruments rather than just one kind of BASS like BOOm BOOM ...

ER4S got less bass but the mids and highs just shine !

 

[EdipisReks]

the ER-4 series doesn't have "big" bass, bt it's tight, detailed, and very deep.

 

[kwlinder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markod After reading all good and bad comments regarding the er-4p as having weak bass response, being extremely detailed, sterile etc. I'm seriously considering the purchase. Since it is all relative I would simply like to know how these characteristics differ from the original iPod phones - for example, will I they have more or less bass etc.?

Mt Ety 4Ps are my favorite phones. The detail is better than My KSC 75"s and Grado SR-60's. I tend to listen to the Grado' at home (they are fun phones) and the Koss when excerising or walking. But whe I really want to listen to music, the Ety;s rule. The bass is there, balanced, and not overpowering or muddy. Truly great phones.

 

[KenW]

The 4P's give you great detail and isolation. The bass was tight but lacking in my opinion. Using the Karma's EQ, I got it to what I consider barely acceptable for short trips, but that's about it. Again, JMO so take it for what it's worth.

 

[ScubaSteve87]

I have some ER4-P's and the base is very precise and detailed, its not booming base like a pair of Sony MDR-V600 i own, but I still enjoy the sound. Soon im getting an amp and a P to S cable. Supposedly these paired with the ipod will provide great bass, ill have to let you know how it sounds.

I do notice less base in a few songs, the one that comes to mind instantly is "KGB" by Binary Star. The beat of this song is lowwww and it's a real booming sound, I can def tell that I am lacking in base when I listen to this song straight out of the headphones port with my ER4-P's. Go download that song and play it on the ER4-P's and any other stereo/cheap headphone and youll be able to tell. btw its a free download, no pirating here

http://www.subterraneousrecords.com/motu.html

 

[AlienPyro]

While the ER4-Ps are definitely better than the stock ibuds, there are many other (and better), choices for direct use out of the iPod.
Pairing two bass-light, treble-heavy components is not a good way to optimize your sound.
If you listen to rock or other music heavily underscored by rhythmic bass the recessed bass will pose a problem - especially with the iPod's less-than-capable equalizer.

 

[widds2v]

ER4P bass is very detailed & precise like scubasteve said. If you're looking for any "amount" of bass though... it's non-existant. They have about as much bass as my MX500s did. E5s put them to shame in the amount category, although if I could have the precision of the ER4 mixed with the impact and amount in the E5, it would be perfect.

IMHO the people that think the ER4 has bass is those that listen at extremely low volumes, where almost anything has bass. The people that have their iPods at like 5% volume and consider it "loud enough". I'm someone who likes to ruin my hearing though so at higher volumes there isn't any bass to keep up with the piercing highs or beutiful mids.

 

[JaZZ]

The ER-4P has plenty of bass in and to my ears, even comparable to the HD 650, and as others have stated it is of excellent clarity and precision, and no other headphone I know reaches as low as the ER-4. Admittedly this is with some modifications removing the upper-mid/lower treble humps which may mask lower frequencies. (Shortened foam tips provide 60% of the effect BTW.)


Quote:

Originally Posted by AlienPyro While the ER4-Ps are definitely better than the stock ibuds, there are many other (and better), choices for direct use out of the iPod. Pairing two bass-light, treble-heavy components is not a good way to optimize your sound. If you listen to rock or other music heavily underscored by rhythmic bass the recessed bass will pose a problem - especailly with the iPod's less-than-capable equalizer.

There's definitely a problem when pairing the iPod (and some other portable players) with low-impedance headphones.

 

[setmenu]

I run my ER4 with some LF boost at the amp end of the chain and a tiny amount
of midbass/low mid tweak with my inline filter coupled with
some further tuning in the mids and highs. I get an airy powerful sound that does not
get lost when out and about.
Not exactly a plug and play solution for Ipods etc, but for most of my premium
listening when on the move the pcdp/amp/filter combo is great.

Has anybody else here experienced a true gut vibrating visceral bass when
out an about?
I often get an excellent illusion of this when listening to,say some D&B whilst
standing near a bus on idle, the engine vibrations fool the brain into timing
the vibration with the bass notes.
First time I experienced I was , Whah!!

what the hell??
Then in dawned on me

Hehe.

 

[ken36]

This depends on the type of music you love. Probably you should tell us.