[Judge Crandall]

I've had my Ety 4P's for a couple of weeks now, and they're incredible. To be honest, at first, I found them horribly uncomfortable with minimal bass. After burning them in for about 72 hours, the bass suddenly appeared. The sound only got better as I became accustomed to having something shoved in my ear. Like everyone says, the ety's are very revealing. It's amazing how much is going on in the background of songs that just aren't brought out by cheap speakers and headphones. The soundstage is almost nonexistent, though I can clearly differentiate instruments, voices, etc. I don't really mind this. On certain songs, especially with soft vocals, it sounds like someone is whispering in your ear. Very cool. They work well with everything I listen to, which covers most every musical genre. A good seal is crucial to get bass. While the bass won't blow you away, I find it more than adequate (Keep in mind, I'm not a basshead, others may find the bass to be lacking). It's almost impossible for me not to get a good seal now though. The microphonics were also very bothersome at first. Over time, you will get used to this. You can also loop the cord over your ears, which helps immensely. Isolation is pretty good, though you can hear a lot of your own movements/noises. Just wanted to post my thought on these great phones, hope this helps anyone who is thinking about getting them. If I've left anything out, feel free to ask. Oh, one more thing that the ety's will force you to do is keep your ears clean.

the Judge

 

[h3nG]

i had the exact same experience when i first had them. the only thing i disagree with is that i dind't think burn in improved it, it was more of getting use to its 'different' kind of sound/bass.

the etys do require the longest amount of time to appreciate them. the grados did it for me instantly because it was such an in your face phones, the sennheisers took about a week for me to appreciate its dark character, but the etys definitely needed a few weeks to fully appreciate it's greatness.

 

[Jon L]

I hope you guys are right. I just got my ER4P's (used) for 4g iPod, running Apple Lossless only.

While I hear great resolution with 4P, they are making more albums less listenable compared to iPod earbuds (used in "wedge" mode where you force-create a good seal). Also, bass quantity is way less with 4P, even with the foamy mod and bi-flange mod.

And there are DEFINITELY some frequency peaks in upper midrange to low treble area, accentuating poor recordings' faults.

Then again, maybe I'm being too harsh, being used to AKG K-1000 running off of 300B pp tube amp and ribbon tweeters of my speakers.

We'll see how I feel after a few weeks, maybe even with a Xin amp with bass boost and/or P-to-S...

 

[raptor18]

I want xin to, but cannot find it anywhere. Supermono seems a bit to big for me(and expensive). Isn't it a bit bigger then superdual?

Raptor

 

[Judge Crandall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by h3nG i had the exact same experience when i first had them. the only thing i disagree with is that i dind't think burn in improved it, it was more of getting use to its 'different' kind of sound/bass. the etys do require the longest amount of time to appreciate them. the grados did it for me instantly because it was such an in your face phones, the sennheisers took about a week for me to appreciate its dark character, but the etys definitely needed a few weeks to fully appreciate it's greatness.

You could be right, as I've heard that burn-in isn't a big factor with canal phones. I guess the psychological adjustment amounts to the same thing as a real burn-in though. Either way, they sound better.

the Judge

 

[bangraman]

I appreciate their technical qualities and will pick them up for technical listening, but have found them to be not particularly listenable in a general musical sense. This is after nearly a year of ownership and fairly regular use.


The P has some problems which the S irons out. However the S introduces other issues. I don't think they are any less of a compromise than the E3c or the E5, but there is something about the character of the Etys (especially perhaps the 4P) that I'm not wild about, in a similar way to the E3c... and that's before we get to the respective tractability issues, where for example the E3c chalks up a win.

 

[Heidshade]

I mostly use my 4Ps with an iPod out hillwalking, for up to 6 hours at a time. I find that after a while *when I'm very well warmed up!*, I can push the phones that much further in, and the seal obviously improves with sweat/hot wax etc, because the bass becomes much more strong and voluminous, even boomy.

I think there is a certain constriction of 'musicality' (dynamics and pace) with the Etys used with the iPod (at least compared with my home system, Meridian cd through Conrad-johnson and Sonus Faber speakers), but I put a lot of that down to the 3G 'pod.

 

[dshea_32665]

I think the Etys definitely benefit from some burn in. Also, an amp will really help those with bass and depth concerns. Their portability is a very attractive feature, but I find that I prefer listening to them through my computer and using an external DAC (an AOS Piccolo DAC) and an amp. This setup is quite stunning and I get great bass, great instrumental separation and I do get a sense of soundstage. The music is also smoother but still with great detail.

I only mention all of this because if you feel that the Etys lack bass, or are too harsh for some recordings, it could be that the source needs to be improved. When it is, the great detail these canal phones provide will really help the music come alive. Of course, those who are primarily trying to have a mobile and portable setup have more limited options. However, there are some great small portable amps out there and I really think they would make a big difference for those who feel like their Etys are lacking.

Take my newbie impressions for what they are, newbie impressions. I actually loved my Etys straight out the headphone jack of my iBook before I started adding upgrades.

dshea

P.S. I got the converter cable to make my Etys 4S's. Even unamped, I very much prefer the 4S sound, and with an amp, magic.

 

[Jon L]

What exactly changes as you add the P->S cable?

Does treble smooth out and become less peaky while bass decreases as well?

 

[eastside504]

I have my er4p for 2 month now. They only get better with use! I love them and they sound incredible. At first, they were very uncomfortable and sound really bright with lack of bass. I have become more accustom to having them in my ear canal and therefore able to get a better seal. This have greatly improve the bass response. Unfortunately i still cant wear them for more then a few hours

. Also i found the used of an amp to really improve the highs and increase the bass response. I dont have the p -> s cable, so can anyone explain the difference it will make?

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastside504 I have my er4p for 2 month now. They only get better with use! I love them and they sound incredible. At first, they were very uncomfortable and sound really bright with lack of bass. I have become more accustom to having them in my ear canal and therefore able to get a better seal. This have greatly improve the bass response. Unfortunately i still cant wear them for more then a few hours . Also i found the used of an amp to really improve the highs and increase the bass response. I dont have the p -> s cable, so can anyone explain the difference it will make?

Which headphone amp are you using with 4P's? What source?

 

[eastside504]

3rd gen. ipod or laptop computer with a pimeta amp

 

[null]

What closed phone could you compare the ER4Ps to in terms of sheer sonic performance? A500...A900?

 

[bLue_oNioN]

I have only heard two out of three of those headphones you listed, so I don't have much to say, but just real quick: from the overwhelmingly similar majority impression of the ER-4P, it sounds like they are quite different in style when placed side by side with the A500/A900 -- in other words, a comparison doesn't seem just quite right if you're trying to find the equivalent full-sized headphone. But that is, of course, a guess from me!

 

[dshea_32665]

The P--S cable for the Etys does affect the volume output of the headphones. I was able to drive them from my laptop, rock music about two thirds max volume, classical music one or two clicks below max volume.

The sound difference is difficult for me to describe since I don't know all the audiophile lingo. My sense is that the music is closer and more detailed. Being a musician I tend to hear things in terms of performance space. The 4p's sound like they are in a great performance space that has a touch of reverberation (echo). The 4S sounds like you are in a smaller more intimate space that is warmer with less reverberation, but is still resonant and smooth. I hope this makes a little sense. They are both really great sounds and you will be happy with either. I think most people who listen to the 4S setup for a few days, and have adequate volume, appreciate the refinement.

dshea