[Orpheus]

hi.

i'm gonna go to china for almost 2 months, and will be traveling on a train for a long time... so i figured it's time to take the plunge....

i will be using a portable cd player of course (iriver 400). no amp. but based on the posts i have read, most portables can drive the 4s fine.

but also, the etymotic web site says that the 4p has more bass, and is more efficient. people on this site say that the only difference between the two models are different impedances... but that's not really what etymotic's description implies....

so..............................

1. is it the concensus that 4s sounds better?
2. will it sound fine out of my iriver 400?
3. also, anyone remember where to buy those custom ear molds for the 4 series for about $50?

thanks.

 

[zeplin]

you should get the 4P for use without an amp. the 4S sounds better with an amp vs the 4P w/out an amp. but, if you get the 4P, then you have the opportunity to get the 4P>4S converter later on down the road. that way you have the best of both worlds. i think that is hands down the best way to go. you'll have two headphones. also, a big plus about going this route is if you get the converter, you can use it on other headphones to see how the impedance increase alters the sound...which i have found to be sometimes for the better

good luck

welcome to the blissful world of Etymotic!

 

[Hiker]

I'd recommend the 4p as well just for future versatility. Thats what I did at least. Ive been using the 4p with my Ipod for the past 6 months and it has worked quite well. They are very efficient and I find absolutely no trouble getting enough volume out of them. In the near future I see myself getting the converter cable so that I can use them with my soon to get amp in order to get the maximum results from the etys. Good luck with your new purchase.

 

[jpelg]

I guess getting the 4P's does allow a bit of versatility. But I prefer the 4S's, and don't have the added extra cable or adapter. But that's just (minimalist) me.

Scientific Plastics will make you custom earmolds for only US$30 if you but Ety's from them (US$100 otherwise):

Scientific Plastics, Inc.
243 West 30th Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 967-1199
www.customearsets.com

They sell the ER4 series for $269. You don't have to get the earmolds at the time of purchase either. You can to it at a later time.

 

[JaZZ]

I would get the ER-4P. The few iRiver players I've heard or seen measurements of don't suffer from the common bass roll-off with low impedances (other than iPod, Archos, etc.), so the more efficient Ety version is advantageous. Indeed it has some more bass than the S and a less pronounced high end at the same time. If you plan to use it with an amp later, you can add some serial resistors to turn it into an X (which I prefer) or S.

 

[MusicJunkie]

Definitely get the 4P. Not only will it do a great job right out of your pcdp but with an amp it also sounds better than the 4S.

MJ

 

[uoods]

They both sound great, and each have their own characteristics. But if you get the 4P, you can always switch to the 4S with an adapter that isn't all that expensive. So, go for the 4P if you have any doubts.

 

[Orpheus]

welp, ...i got the 4p today in the mail. and to be honest, i'm not all that impressed.

i first used the rubber tips. i pushed them as far as they can go, and then pushed them in even more. if i pushed them in farther, i'd tear a hole in my ear. but even with as good a seal as i could get, the bass isn't all that deep... nor does it have so much detail. i was expecting much more detail than all my phones cause of their noise supression and that they are so close to the ear drum. but nope. the hd600 has much deeper and CLEARER bass, and much more detail. i dunno............. so, then i tried the foam tips. i squashed them up really good, and stuck them in my ear as far as they would go too. same deal.

i guess when etymotic quoted a frequency response of 50hz-16khz, they really meant it.

but anyway, i also ordered the custom molds.... so, i'm praying that they will improve the sound. gonna send out the impressions tomorrow, so i should get the finished molds in a week. i'll post my results then.

would the 4s adaptor improve the frequency extension in either direction?

 

[Guyferd]

hd600 has more 'slam' but not necessarily more 'depth' as the ety. Ety really goes deep but not that kind of visceral bass that you'll get.
In terms of detail the etys are quite easily on par, if not maybe loses slightly only to the hd600.
But in terms of the imaging I find the etys to be superior.
But of course you need to get the right fit otherwise everything will falter.

 

[zeplin]

if you are finding that they are not surpassiing the HD600 or even equalling it, then something is wrong because the blissful sound that you hear about all the time is there and does exist, you just may have to have patience and dedicate some more time in order to help bring it out. also, your ears might be angled or shaped in such a way that a different approach from the foam and rubber tips is needed...although there are not many differnt substantial approaches, meaning that the differences are so small and subtle, yet provide many variations in ways listeners use their ety's using different placement methods(i.e. some pull out the ety's a little bit after pushing them in to make a suction type fit). do you have anything that has simple bass and treble tone controls to add into the loop? the ety's can handle any volume and amount of bass you can throw at tham! for now, i suggest you take the time to let your body become acquainted with them, and make your judgements from a longer experience. and for the few that just plain don't like them, that might be you, but i hope not seeing as how the ety's have such great potential once a person can get past the fitting and placement issues, which i wish they didn't have and would or will eventually eliminate. good luck

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Orpheus [size=xx-small]welp, ...i got the 4p today in the mail. and to be honest, i'm not all that impressed. i first used the rubber tips. i pushed them as far as they can go, and then pushed them in even more. if i pushed them in farther, i'd tear a hole in my ear. but even with as good a seal as i could get, the bass isn't all that deep... nor does it have so much detail. i was expecting much more detail than all my phones cause of their noise supression and that they are so close to the ear drum. but nope. the hd600 has much deeper and CLEARER bass, and much more detail. i dunno............. so, then i tried the foam tips. i squashed them up really good, and stuck them in my ear as far as they would go too. same deal. i guess when etymotic quoted a frequency response of 50hz-16khz, they really meant it. but anyway, i also ordered the custom molds.... so, i'm praying that they will improve the sound. gonna send out the impressions tomorrow, so i should get the finished molds in a week. i'll post my results then. would the 4s adaptor improve the frequency extension in either direction? [/size]

Orpheus,
You've been around here long enough to have read some of the many, many threads about getting good sound from your Ety's, and if you haven't, you should. Have patience man, read a bunch of those threads and work with them. You'll find it all well worth it.

 

[troublemaker]

well.............he never did let us know how he did.

over the last couple of weeks i have noted that overinsertion is a nightmare with etys.

sometimes is it a subtle change - just seems..well.... harsh!

othertimes it is "wheres the bass"

i love them. BUT they are poo out of the box. maybe thats because they need running in, maybe cos we need to learn how to insert them, i dunno.

 

[Orpheus]

well, i found the best fit/sound with the foams. when i insert them well, i can't hear myself clapping... just sounds like small click sounds. with music playing, i can't hear nothing from the outside at all. i guess the i have them inserted correctly, cause i can't hear nothing from the outside, so nothing could be escaping either.

anyway... the bass is still weak, and not very deep, like i said before. but i'm getting used to the sound. i've used them for quite a bit... on the 16 hour!!! airplane ride to china. (delayed for 2 frickin hours too......) anyway... they sound good, but still not as good as i thought they should.

i also received my custom earpieces... and they suck. isolation is not nearly as good as with the foams or the rubber pieces. the sound is also worse. i think it's for two reasons: the seal is not as good, and the angle the etys are inserted directs partially the output-hole into a wall in the earpiece. anyway, the only reason i ever use them is just for a small amount of increase in comfort. i certainly wouldn't buy them again.

when i get back, i'll probably get another mold made, just in case my first mold was bad... but i'm pretty sure they will still suck. the earpieces i mean.

anyway.... like i said, i'm sure my seal is good. the ety's just don't sound as good as the hype to me. sorry. but for traveling phones, they are the best... nothing that small with that good of sound quality.

 

[CBMC]

How about you try building this equalizer. I have heard that it does wonders to improve bass on the ety's. Here is the info on building it: http://www.linkwitzlab.com/reference_earphones.htm

 

[AIM9x]

I've been to the house of a man who owns Etys and does not praise them... I feel dirty.


HD600s more detailed than etys? That definitely doesn't sound right. You definitely had something going wrong with the seal. To all ety newbies, I'd probably just suggest taking the foamies, compressing them, and pushing them into your ear canal just until the red/blue connector tips get to about .5-1 mm from the hard protrusion from your ear (the lobe, i believe). Overinsertion definitely makes etys sound like crap, and underinsertion just makes them sound like an old school AM radio. I hope you can get to liking them more, but considering you've owned them for nearly a month, doesn't look like your mindset will change much.