[tvhead]

I was just thinking. People like the mx-500 over the the mx-400 because the 500 had an inline volume control which adds some kind of resistance? I'm not an electrical engineer so please forgive me if I'm saying this wrong or my logic is all wrong. The adapter to convert the 4p to the 4s is just a cable with a 73 ohm resister on it, right? Why not just buy a volume control adapter from radio shack. Wouldn't that do the same thing? Actually, wouldn't that be better because you can vary the resistance?

 

[disturbed]

I remember someone from the pjb100 groups did that...and they claim it works?

Anyone vouch for this?

 

[livingplasma]

The small inline volume control has a pretty low quality carbon potentiometer. It's tracking isn't always accurate through it's range, it my have noise when turned and it will wear out from use. At least if you use resistors you can select the two that match or are close to each other in value. I'm not sure how a pot. would affect the EQ circuit in the Etymotics though, since it is a voltage divider essentially, whereas the added resistance in the Etymotic 4P-4S adaptor is simply a resistor in line with the output. The resistance to get a 4S or 4X response and performance is a specific value anyways so I don't see how having it variable would be better.

 

[chych]

Changing the resistance changes the sound, there is an optimal point. Going to high will cut the highs, for example... I made a 250 ohm adapter for my Beyerdynamic and it totally destroys the highs and some soundstaging on the etys. Resistance does not mean sound quality...

The ER4s and ER4p are already at their optimal point (most likely)... so I wouldn't really change it unless converting from the 4p to 4s. However it should be noted that the cable itself can be completely detached from the transducers... I wonder if etymotic will sell the 4p and 4s cable separately... that would be really nice though...

 

[skippy]

the ety cables weren't meant to be removed by the user. etymotic used to sell the cables, but too many people started to damage their headphones by changing the cables (i remember don throwing around the idea of an ety with a switchable resistance). that is why adding an external resistor is preferred. but like livingplasma said, pots sound worse than a simple resistor, and cheap pots (i.e. radio shack pots) sound really bad.

 

[tvhead]

Yeah, cheap pot is bad..Oh wait, we're talking about headphones.