[scowboy]

I have had my Etymotics ER-4S for almost 10 years.  I started out using them with and Airhead and a CD Player and then of course iPod, now iPhone but stopped carrying the amp when the iPod came out.  I am very frequent business traveler so that is where my cans see all the action.  
 
I stopped off at one of those Inmotion stores in the airport and started trying out new ear buds looking for something with better low end extension than my Ety's.  After listening to several I liked the Monster Coppers the best.  Came home found a pair bought them...for hundreds less than Inmotion.
 
So I just got home from a trip and this is where I am at.
 
I love the fit of the Ety's miles better than the Monster.  I can get them in and out of my ears quickly.  I also love the well documented high end of the Ety's but think they lack bass in compared to the Monster Copper's.  However I think the bass on the Copper's can get overwhelming bordering on annoying.  The Coppers are way more efficient and can be easily driven to the point of "way too loud' even by my 32gb iPhone 3GS and I like that as I don't intend to carry a portable amp.
 
I guess I am looking for some suggestions on what to get.  I'd like to morph the high/mid attributes of the Ety's with a toned down low end I get from the Coppers plus the comfort of the Ety's.   I don't find the Copper's easy to get in and out of my ears.  I think that is mostly to do with the narrow design of the Ety's.  The Klipsch go in and out really easy and as you probably know they are physically the most similar to the Ety's.  Another very superficial thing I do not like about the Copper's is the copper finish.  Looks like ear jewelry.

I closing I tried the Etymotic HF5 and liked them and I did not buy them because I will never use the mic part of it.  I'd also like to try the Ety ER-4P which is what I am leaning toward I read somewhere that the HF5 and the ER4-P are sonically very similar if not exactly the same, any comments???  Any non-Ety product that I should be checking out? 

 

[Bennyboy71]

Ety HF5 is the mic-free version of the HF2, which has the mic.
 
I got my HF5 yesterday and love it so much I have now sold my SM3s.  The build quality is definitely an improvement over the ER4P/S, and compared to my memory of the ER4s, i prefer the HF5, since it seems to have more bass and a warmer, ear-caressing sound signature that still retains all of the trademark Ety crystal clarity and forensic attention to micro detail.  Absolute perfection with the tracks I've been listening to so far.
 
Check out this recent review in Stereophile for a brilliant comparison between the ER4S and the HF2/5
 
http://stereophile.com/headphones/etymotic_research_hf2_amp_hf5_in-ear_headphones/
 
Not sure where you're based, but I'd say these are an absolute steal for the money.  Cheaper than half the price of the ER4s in the UK.
 
Oh, and having trialled the Monster Coppers before, I can say categorically, hand on heart that I hated every minute of them. They sound meh and look like two miniature gold plated planes have crashed into your head.
 
But your (air) mileage may vary, of course.
 

 

[yello131]

What price range you are looking at?
There are so many options out there: Balanced Driver vs Dynamic diaphragm?
Check this top tiers. e-Q7, SM3, FX700, UM3X, IE8, Radius DDM, ATH-CK100, Phonac Audeo.
 

 

[yello131]

@ Bennyboy71,
Sold your SM3? is that so?
 
Quote:

Ety HF5 is the mic-free version of the HF2, which has the mic.
 
I got my HF5 yesterday and love it so much I have now sold my SM3s.  The build quality is definitely an improvement over the ER4P/S, and compared to my memory of the ER4s, i prefer the HF5, since it seems to have more bass and a warmer, ear-caressing sound signature that still retains all of the trademark Ety crystal clarity and forensic attention to micro detail.  Absolute perfection with the tracks I've been listening to so far.
 
Check out this recent review in Stereophile for a brilliant comparison between the ER4S and the HF2/5
 
http://stereophile.com/headphones/etymotic_research_hf2_amp_hf5_in-ear_headphones/
 
Not sure where you're based, but I'd say these are an absolute steal for the money.  Cheaper than half the price of the ER4s in the UK.
 
Oh, and having trialled the Monster Coppers before, I can say categorically, hand on heart that I hated every minute of them. They sound meh and look like two miniature gold plated planes have crashed into your head.
 
But your (air) mileage may vary, of course.
 

 

[Bennyboy71]

Yep. Mark's getting them tomorrow. Much as i loved them, I couldn't justify having kit that expensive lying around if I actually preferred a 70 quid pair of Etys.  Money eh? It makes no sense.
 
Quote:

@ Bennyboy71,
Sold your SM3? is that so?
 

 

 

[yello131]

Quote:

Yep. Mark's getting them tomorrow. Much as i loved them, I couldn't justify having kit that expensive lying around if I actually preferred a 70 quid pair of Etys.  Money eh? It makes no sense.
 

 

How about e-Q7, you are also considering them expensive and not justifiable to keep?  Will you try the e-Q5? this should less then e-Q7 and SM3.

 

[Bennyboy71]

I sold my e-Q7s to a work colleague ages ago.  Then the cable broke on him within 2 weeks! Result for me.
 
If the e-Q5s are a step up in quality and down in price over the 7s, I might think about it.
 
Right now - to get back on topic - I'm digging the HF5s like nobody's business.

 

[yello131]

Quote:

I sold my e-Q7s to a work colleague ages ago.  Then the cable broke on him within 2 weeks! Result for me.
 
If the e-Q5s are a step up in quality and down in price over the 7s, I might think about it.
 
Right now - to get back on topic - I'm digging the HF5s like nobody's business.

Where can I get those HF5?  Are they better then e-Q7, SM3, Radius DDM?

 

[kostalex]

ATH-CK10

 

[kostalex]

Or get custom tips for your Ety. 

 

[Bennyboy71]

If you're into treble above other frequencies, sure.... Me, I couldn't get on with my CK10s - too sibilant and the fit tortured my ears into the ground.
 
Quote:

ATH-CK10

 

[Bennyboy71]

1) Depends where you live
2) Yes, in my view. But then I'm a weirdo. They definitely fit my own personal requirements better than the others you listed, and are considerably cheaper to boot.
 
Quote:

Where can I get those HF5?  Are they better then e-Q7, SM3, Radius DDM?

 

[Kunlun]

Quote:

I have had my Etymotics ER-4S for almost 10 years.  I started out using them with and Airhead and a CD Player and then of course iPod, now iPhone but stopped carrying the amp when the iPod came out.  I am very frequent business traveler so that is where my cans see all the action.  
 
I stopped off at one of those Inmotion stores in the airport and started trying out new ear buds looking for something with better low end extension than my Ety's.  After listening to several I liked the Monster Coppers the best.  Came home found a pair bought them...for hundreds less than Inmotion.
 
So I just got home from a trip and this is where I am at.
 
I love the fit of the Ety's miles better than the Monster.  I can get them in and out of my ears quickly.  I also love the well documented high end of the Ety's but think they lack bass in compared to the Monster Copper's.  However I think the bass on the Copper's can get overwhelming bordering on annoying.  The Coppers are way more efficient and can be easily driven to the point of "way too loud' even by my 32gb iPhone 3GS and I like that as I don't intend to carry a portable amp.
 
I guess I am looking for some suggestions on what to get.  I'd like to morph the high/mid attributes of the Ety's with a toned down low end I get from the Coppers plus the comfort of the Ety's.   I don't find the Copper's easy to get in and out of my ears.  I think that is mostly to do with the narrow design of the Ety's.  The Klipsch go in and out really easy and as you probably know they are physically the most similar to the Ety's.  Another very superficial thing I do not like about the Copper's is the copper finish.  Looks like ear jewelry.

I closing I tried the Etymotic HF5 and liked them and I did not buy them because I will never use the mic part of it.  I'd also like to try the Ety ER-4P which is what I am leaning toward I read somewhere that the HF5 and the ER4-P are sonically very similar if not exactly the same, any comments???  Any non-Ety product that I should be checking out? 

Look at the new dynamic-driver Ety mc5, that might be perfect for you with the ety sound but a little more bass than the armature iems.
 
Also, the hippo shroom EB might be perfect as well.
 

 

[yello131]

 
Quote:

1) Depends where you live
2) Yes, in my view. But then I'm a weirdo. They definitely fit my own personal requirements better than the others you listed, and are considerably cheaper to boot.
 

 

are you planing to write a review on this as well? I am sure Head-fi crowd is missing on your obscure literary poetry verse.

 

[kmhaynes]

Quote:

Look at the new dynamic-driver Ety mc5, that might be perfect for you with the ety sound but a little more bass than the armature iems.
 
Also, the hippo shroom EB might be perfect as well.
 

I also have the MC5, and while I don't think it has a significant increase in bass over the RE0 (or other Ety's according to Ety owners), I DO think it responds very well to EQ'ing the bass up a bit, to give a bit more bass fullness.
 
But SOMEBODY out there has to make an earphone under $100 that has nearly Ety/RE0 level details, plus some bass fullness that doesn't require pushing the bass EQ to 10 just to get some warmth and fun out of them -- WHAT phone is that?