[viper_45]

Hi,

Does anyone else find the ER4s simbilant? I haven't seen it mentioned in any review and I find it's quite noticable... especially with some artists/recordings. Using the foam comply tips helps a little, but they sacrifice some bass (at least for me).

If, by chance, some has both the ER4s and the SA5000s could you let me know how they compare (in respect to their highs).

 

[joelongwood]

Yes, they can impart sibilance, the 4P more so than the 4S which is smoother up top. It really depends a lot on the recording, though.
I've kinda switched over to the Shure sound recently, as it seems to be more forgiving of poorly recorded material.

 

[EdipisReks]

i only find the Etys to be sibilant with sibilant music.

 

[vranswer]

Man, you know what? I've gone back and forth on this a few times. First I loved the ER4s, then grew tired of their harshness (incl. sibilance), sold 'em, bought some more, now have achieved peace with them. The sibilance for me is directly a result of the lack of bass. If you can figure out how to bump the bass and round out the phones' presentation, they're absolutely beautiful. For me that's dropping the gain on my audio files (w/WaveGain, etc.), enabling the use of iPod's Bass Boost preset.

 

[EdipisReks]

i never expected you to go back to the Etys, VR!

 

[vranswer]

Well, you know me....about as consistent as a Bill Bruford snare drum.

I've been enjoying the ER4s since I've come up with the bass boost workaround. Wasn't it you that essentially talked me out of the ER6is?

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Man, you know what? I've gone back and forth on this a few times. First I loved the ER4s, then grew tired of their harshness (incl. sibilance), sold 'em, bought some more, now have achieved peace with them. The sibilance for me is directly a result of the lack of bass. If you can figure out how to bump the bass and round out the phones' presentation, they're absolutely beautiful. For me that's dropping the gain on my audio files (w/WaveGain, etc.), enabling the use of iPod's Bass Boost preset.

Man, I just received SuperMacro v.3 today. Plugged in ER4P with P->S switch and bass boost on. Hoollleeeyy Motthhheeerr of Gooodddd!

I hate my Gen4 iPod's bass boost EQ, but SM3's bass boost absolutely Tranforms Etys..

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Well, you know me....about as consistent as a Bill Bruford snare drum. I've been enjoying the ER4s since I've come up with the bass boost workaround. Wasn't it you that essentially talked me out of the ER6is?

yeah. i think the ER6i's would have been unbearable for you, bass boost or not. i find them sibilant, and i don't really hear sibilance in most other phones.

 

[vranswer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L Man, I just received SuperMacro v.3 today. Plugged in ER4P with P->S switch and bass boost on. Hoollleeeyy Motthhheeerr of Gooodddd! I hate my Gen4 iPod's bass boost EQ, but SM3's bass boost absolutely Tranforms Etys..

Rock on, my friend! You are going to have a blast! Try the bass boost workaround if you get a chance. You'll be amazed at how much OOMPH those little suckers (Etys) really have in them.

 

[markmaxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L Man, I just received SuperMacro v.3 today. Plugged in ER4P with P->S switch and bass boost on. Hoollleeeyy Motthhheeerr of Gooodddd! I hate my Gen4 iPod's bass boost EQ, but SM3's bass boost absolutely Tranforms Etys..

I have heard this before but at the DC. meet (SM3) I just could not hear that much differance between the P to S switch or the bass boost with my ears and my ER 4P's but now with my new Meridian and the Ety P to S converter now we have some bass!(and the SR-71) but I still grab for my Grado RS-1 with flat pads for home listening, now there's some bass.

Anyway my point is the PCDPers we were using did not have much bass to start with so maybe the bass boost had very little to work with in my tests. Its all about the total package and your likes and your ears.

Quote:

Does anyone else find the ER4s simbilant?

What is simbilant?

 

[adhoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks i only find the Etys to be sibilant with sibilant music.

ditto. i love my etys.

 

[viper_45]

I have to agree that the S adaptor does help somewhat, and also improves the bass extension. It depends a lot on what music I'm listening to, but for a headphone that is so highly regarded, I think it's a fairly serious flaw that doesn't exist (in any way) with my previous HD600s. Overall, they are very nice to listen to, and if it wasn't for the simbilance, I could imagine living without any full sized cans.

I read somewhere that due to the angle that the soundwaves propogate in - with headphones (as opposed to speakers), there can be a percieved harshness of certain frequencies in the treble (i think it's something like 10k and 15k). The sennheiser HD6XX compensate with dips in these frequencies ranges. Due to the Etys having a flat response, could this be the problem? If so, some careful EQing could solve the problem.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper_45 I think it's a fairly serious flaw that doesn't exist (in any way) with my previous HD600s.

That's because the Etys don't have the "veil."

 

[elnero]

Interesting, I auditioned the ER4P's with foamies a couple of weeks ago and while I found them brighter, or more tipped towards the treble region than my RS-1's they never seemed to become overly sibilant even though there were occasions I expected them to. On the flip side I owned HD600's as well as auditioned HD650's and found both, but especially the HD600's, to have a harsh sibilance on some of those same recordings.

 

[viper_45]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelongwood That's because the Etys don't have the "veil."

Careful now... let's not turn this into a Sennheiser "veil" debate

By simbilant, I find some vocals, such as those from Jason Wade (Lifehouse) - are so screechy that there's almost a whilstling sound rather than a smooth "sss". Difficult to explain I guess.