RollsDownWindowsManually
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2001
- Posts
- 372
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- 116
First off, this is probably the 1000th or so review of the ER-4, so I'll refrain from making it too long and just hit the highlights. I've had my ER-4P with S convertor cable for about a week now, so I guess it's time for a quick review. This purchase was an upgrade for me, as I already own the ER-6i.
I mostly listen to hard rock and heavy metal, but I have a little bit of everything, from jazz to classical to pop to hip-hop. For the purposes of this review, I used the S-convertor (to my ears, the P convertor simply makes the ER-4 sound a lot closer the ER-6i). I have listened to hundred of tracks on the ER-4S so far, so I'll keep my comments general.
I am absolutely blown away by the sound qaulity of these headphones for all genres of music. The ER-6i, while still good for the price, sounds tinny and veiled by comparison. The ER-4S is crystal clear, has great low bass, and of course it's ultra-detailed. I use the etymotic foamies, and find them quite comfortable for extended listening. With the ER-4S, I feel like I'm hearing the music as it was intended, with every nuance easily identifiable (wait, doesn't this sound like a BOSE commercial? haha).
The biggest complaint I had against the ER-6i was that they sounded a bit thin; it's difficult to explain why they sounded that way but they did....the ER-4S goes a long way toward improving on this. I know it's a cliche, but it sounds closer to a live performance. What differences in the design of the two models accoutns for this? I don't know, but the difference is there. I think low end extension may have a bit to do with it.....the ER-4s;s deeper bass extension might account for the heightened sense of realism. Also, the midrange (vocals, guitars) sound much more crisp with the ER-4s, again I can't explain why, but they do.
Somewhat sadly, I think I actually prefer the ER-4S to my Alessandro MS2's even in quiet listening environments. I'm starting to realize that the MS2's just sound a bit muddy by comparison, and they don't make up for it in other areas. Strange that a pair of IEM's costing half the price and weighing just a couple of ounces could even stay on par with a 300 dollar pair of full size phones, but I'm starting to think they do. They don't have the visceral impact of the Alessandro's, but you can "hear the bass" more cleary with the ER-4S. It sounds strange in writing, but I appreciate clarity and precision more than I do raw impact when it comes to headphones; and don't get me wrong, the impact is definitely there with the ER-4S, but they Ety sounds like a speaker system with a vented subwoofer tuned to 17hz and level matched to blend with the rest of the system, whereas the Alessandros sound more like a sub tuned in the mid 30's....more output, but at the expense of extension.
The only downsides:
1) The microphonics, which are undeniably worse than than the ER-6i's, even with the shirt clip. The cords from the ER-4 tends to rest on my shoulder, and if I move at all I can hear it unless I position the clips at the perfect position on my shirt.
2) Because the ER-4's go deeper into the ear, it is somewhat painful if they are touched or tugged on while inserted. With that said these downsides are more than eclipsed by the superior sound quality the headphones produce.
In conclusion, the ER-4S is well worth the $180 they're going for lately. This headphone is a real winner, especially considering how well the design has held up for the past 15 years. I admit, I went in skeptical that there would actually be a significant difference between the ER-6 and the ER-4, but the difference is actually quite large, and I believe it would be worth the price difference for most people who use head-fi.
I have auditioned the E4C and E500, as well, and while I do need to go back for a direct head to head comparision, initially I would have to say I prefer the sound of the ER-4S, even for rock and heavy metal. The ER-4S is a solid addition to any headphone collection, but moreover I believe it could easily become your reference headphone....
Me listening to the ER-4P>S:
I mostly listen to hard rock and heavy metal, but I have a little bit of everything, from jazz to classical to pop to hip-hop. For the purposes of this review, I used the S-convertor (to my ears, the P convertor simply makes the ER-4 sound a lot closer the ER-6i). I have listened to hundred of tracks on the ER-4S so far, so I'll keep my comments general.
I am absolutely blown away by the sound qaulity of these headphones for all genres of music. The ER-6i, while still good for the price, sounds tinny and veiled by comparison. The ER-4S is crystal clear, has great low bass, and of course it's ultra-detailed. I use the etymotic foamies, and find them quite comfortable for extended listening. With the ER-4S, I feel like I'm hearing the music as it was intended, with every nuance easily identifiable (wait, doesn't this sound like a BOSE commercial? haha).
The biggest complaint I had against the ER-6i was that they sounded a bit thin; it's difficult to explain why they sounded that way but they did....the ER-4S goes a long way toward improving on this. I know it's a cliche, but it sounds closer to a live performance. What differences in the design of the two models accoutns for this? I don't know, but the difference is there. I think low end extension may have a bit to do with it.....the ER-4s;s deeper bass extension might account for the heightened sense of realism. Also, the midrange (vocals, guitars) sound much more crisp with the ER-4s, again I can't explain why, but they do.
Somewhat sadly, I think I actually prefer the ER-4S to my Alessandro MS2's even in quiet listening environments. I'm starting to realize that the MS2's just sound a bit muddy by comparison, and they don't make up for it in other areas. Strange that a pair of IEM's costing half the price and weighing just a couple of ounces could even stay on par with a 300 dollar pair of full size phones, but I'm starting to think they do. They don't have the visceral impact of the Alessandro's, but you can "hear the bass" more cleary with the ER-4S. It sounds strange in writing, but I appreciate clarity and precision more than I do raw impact when it comes to headphones; and don't get me wrong, the impact is definitely there with the ER-4S, but they Ety sounds like a speaker system with a vented subwoofer tuned to 17hz and level matched to blend with the rest of the system, whereas the Alessandros sound more like a sub tuned in the mid 30's....more output, but at the expense of extension.
The only downsides:
1) The microphonics, which are undeniably worse than than the ER-6i's, even with the shirt clip. The cords from the ER-4 tends to rest on my shoulder, and if I move at all I can hear it unless I position the clips at the perfect position on my shirt.
2) Because the ER-4's go deeper into the ear, it is somewhat painful if they are touched or tugged on while inserted. With that said these downsides are more than eclipsed by the superior sound quality the headphones produce.
In conclusion, the ER-4S is well worth the $180 they're going for lately. This headphone is a real winner, especially considering how well the design has held up for the past 15 years. I admit, I went in skeptical that there would actually be a significant difference between the ER-6 and the ER-4, but the difference is actually quite large, and I believe it would be worth the price difference for most people who use head-fi.
I have auditioned the E4C and E500, as well, and while I do need to go back for a direct head to head comparision, initially I would have to say I prefer the sound of the ER-4S, even for rock and heavy metal. The ER-4S is a solid addition to any headphone collection, but moreover I believe it could easily become your reference headphone....
Me listening to the ER-4P>S:
