er4p vs superfi5 pro

[leo5111]

i have the superfi5 pros how do the er4p sound in comparison and is bass as good on er4p or not as much bass?? thanx

 

[bellsprout]

not as much bass but better bass, also midrange and highs are spectacular

 

[joelongwood]

The Superfi5, to my ears of course, are much warmer sounding than the 4Ps, which tend toward the analytical. As far as bass quantity is concerned, I don't think there is any contest......the SF5s have it all over the 4Ps. I know that many Head-fiers say that the 4P bass is qualitatively better, but my ears perceive it as a lack of bass. It really comes down to which type of sound you prefer.......highly detailed and somewhat analytical (Etys) or warm, full and musical (SF5s). Only your ears can decide.

 

[bellsprout]

sf5 has an enveloping layer of bass which makes it sound unnaturally dark, but it fails at actually rendering instruments, eg the velvetty timbre of the bass guitar, or drums.

er-4 bass sounds natural. as stereophile put it:
Quote:

Is all of this worthwhile? Absolutely. Properly seated in the canal, the ER-4Ses are capable of bass response better than many loudspeakers. The coupling is crucial; if not properly seated, their sound will be anemic. Get it right and the bass is full—flat to 40Hz, and probably only down about 3dB at 20Hz! Granted, you don't get the physical sense of slam that you do with a speaker system; but even so, you have no idea how giddy this sort of low-frequency information can make you when you're cruising at 42,000'. When I reviewed the Sennheiser HD-580s, I wrote about how silly I became listening to the deep bass-drum on the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's "Jungle Blues," from Jelly (Columbia CK 53214, CD). Back home in Charlottesville, I had my old friend Jimmy Jet listen to the track through the ER-4Ses. "It's kind of tinny!" he shouted to those of us not wearing headphones. "Push them in further," I pantomimed back. "Wow!"—eyes widening in amazement. Wow indeed.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

The super.fi 5 Pros do not make anything sound like it is supposed to.

 

[scottiebabie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout /img/forum/go_quote.gif not as much bass but better bass, also midrange and highs are spectacular

x2! i only have the iM716 (ER4 wannabee??

) but properly seated, sourced and amped, it gets more play time than my (now ex)HD600. although i can see why some ppl mite find it lacking if any of the above conditions arnt met.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

bass= Super fi's hands down. Mids-treble=ER4. Er4 are more analytical, super .fi's are more musical and fun.

 

[bellsprout]

i disagree with them being more musical. depends how u define musical. stereophile glossary defines it as sounding more like live music, which is the least accurate description of sf5 and most accurate description of er-4

and "fun", other than a term COMPLETELY subjective to the listener, it's never been defined anywhere

 

[antonyfirst]

I wouldn't say that bassy headphones like the Superfi 5 Pro are "fun".

 

[joelongwood]

"Fun," "musical," "analytical,"..........all OPINIONS (IMO) based on what one hears, Stereophile definitions notwithstanding. And since each person hears differently, it is best, as I stated earlier, to hear the IEMs in question for oneself.
I currently have quite a few IEMs at my disposal, from a variety of manufacturers (Shure, Etymotic, Westone, Ultimate Ears, Future Sonics), and each brings its own set of attributes and drawbacks. I (and many others here) have come to realization that there is no perfect headphone. Therefore it is imperative to find one that you enjoy listening to. What one person finds "too bassy" may be just another's cup of tea. While I find the Etys to be too analytical for my taste, I can understand how others would enjoy its great detail and transparency. I happen to prefer the fullness and warmth (some may call them "dark") of the SF.5 Pros..........YMMV.

 

[_M2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonyfirst /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't say that bassy headphones like the Superfi 5 Pro are "fun".

Well I wouldnt find analytical headphones like the ER4 to be "fun" either. Its all in the person's perspective.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _M2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I wouldnt find analytical headphones like the ER4 to be "fun" either. Its all in the person's perspective.

Exactly.