[lindrone]

Decay and reverb are two completely different things.

 

[rextrade]

Quote:

Originally posted by lindrone It's not a theory, I think I have more than a few people supporting me in saying that the decaying notes on the Ety's are absent. It's not that they "cut it off", but they designed it to emphasize just the rising note... they produce a bit of decay, but only to a slight degree.

Maybe, but to my ears acoustic instruments sound incredibly lifelike from etys. A single piano note sounds like a single piano note played live, and I can here all of the undertones of a violin like I was in the room with it (this, of course, ignores the role of the microphone that recorded those actual sounds). I was listening to Mozart's Piano Quartets (w/ Ma, Stern et al) last night on the e5cs, and it sounded nice, but it sounded like music coming through really good speakers. The etys give this strange impression (with certain types of music) of being in the room with the performers. as opposed to listening to music through speakers. So, even if etys do emphasize the rising note, I don't think that would account for all of their perceived detail.

 

[rextrade]

Quote:

Originally posted by lindrone Decay and reverb are two completely different things.

Not really. I would call reverb a component of decay.

 

[orl2222]

I've owned both( old style 4'ps)and just recieved the newer style with the braided cord. I can tell you that with the new cord, microphonics are gone. The ety's offer more detail, and are mellower sounding. They are great for jazz, classical and vocals. They are extremely nuetral.
The shures on the other hand have to my estimation, have a more " bloated bass". This is good if you like rock or rap music. From my standpoint, the ety's sound better, more accuate.
(I do have a new mini ipod on which i only use with aiff format.) The ety's are more delicate, so if you plan on going to the gym, or jogging, the shures may be a better bet.
If its just comuting purposes, in a more controlled enviroment, than the ety's are actually better.

Either way you can't go wrong, but from a purist standpoint the ety's still win in my book.

 

[linuxjunkie]

For the money, I'd get the ER-4P (and did!). No contest in my opinion, after having listened to the E3c, which is the Shure model closest in price to the Etymotics. I don't agree that the Etymotics are deficient in the bass department either. I think you will find a divergence of opinion on the subject, but those who like the 'Ety' sound, REALLY, REALLY like the 'Ety' sound, usually after a small period to adjust the fit. Additionally, with the 'S' adapter (a resistor cable), they rival MUCH more expensive phones in detail and clarity. (My opinion of course, but it seems to be a shared one here among many.)

Good luck with your choice, and I don't think you can really go wrong either way.

 

[wildeone]

I own the Ety 4P/S and have heard both the E3 and the E5. If it's between the E3 and the 4P, the 4P (with the option of an S converter cable later on) is the way to go. They are truly outstanding phones. The Etys do not sound artificial to me and they are particularly stunning for vocals and instrumentation. Where they lack is listening to punk and hard rock, times when you really don't give a fig about detail. The microphonics are absolutely not an issue with the new cord. People need to let that go unless they're buying a used phone.

If I had my druthers, I'd own both the ER-4 and the E5 (working on it). The E3 just didn't stand up to the top two sonically, IMO, though the ergonomics made them the most comfortable for most people.

 

[Tyson]

One thing I can say with certainty is that once you get used to the convenience, isolation, and discreetnes of good canalphones, it's hard to go back to full sized cans.

In fact I've decided to sell my Sony CD1700's, my Senn HD280's, and purchase a pair of Shure E5's.

I do have to say that the Ety's are very close to neutral sound, and are my prefered listening devices for most music (hooked to either my PPA at my desk, or a Xin Supermini on the go), but they are in fact a little thin in the upper bass. Interestinly, the low bass is actually pretty good, strong and in perfect proportion to the mids and highs. But that slight thinness in the upper bass can have a pretty dramatic impact on warmth, especially on vocals and with things like drums and bass guitars. For that reason it sounds like the E5 is actually a very good compliment to the Ety 4 sound. i havent heard them yet, but I will have them in less than a week

 

[smeggy]

I don't have e3's or Ety's, but if my e5's are anything to go by...

I'm still gonna get some Ety's when I can find some second-hand going cheap. Just blew my budget on 'puter toys

 

[nilanjan]

I would focus on the intended use rather than the difference in sound, since both brands are very good. I have the older Ety 4 P/S, and love it to death. However, it is not practical for a lot of activities. The cord is extremely microphonic (although I know the later model is better in this regard). So it is not suitable for workouts. With its extreme isolation, it is not safe for walking on busy streets and inappropriate for team environments at work. The rubber tips don't work for me, and the foam tips are expensive consumables.

So my Ety is perfect for a middle-aged corporate drone who flies a lot and works for hours in his hotel room.

If your profile is different, you may prefer another alternative

 

[mrcircle]

Just to throw in my $.02 worth, I've also owned both the Shure E3c and Ety 4p (with conversion cable), listening primarily to my minidisc player through the new Total Airhead amp. To my ears, the Ety's are far superior and more musically engaging. The Shures are very rolled off in the high frequencies and, while their bass may have more impact, it is also less well defined. With the Ety's I hear the actual note of the bass, not just the "boom." For my money, the Shures can't hold a candle to the Ety's.

 

[yogi_tala]

Quote:

Originally posted by nilanjan I would focus on the intended use rather than the difference in sound, since both brands are very good. I have the older Ety 4 P/S, and love it to death. However, it is not practical for a lot of activities. The cord is extremely microphonic (although I know the later model is better in this regard). So it is not suitable for workouts. With its extreme isolation, it is not safe for walking on busy streets and inappropriate for team environments at work. The rubber tips don't work for me, and the foam tips are expensive consumables.

While these thoughts are legit, they are true for any in the ear phones. There isn't a ton of difference in the sound reduction between the E2s, E3s, or ER-4s.

That said, I wear ER-4s every day commuting on the full-contact DC Metro every workday. My older ER-4Ps are still going strong after nearly two years, while my new ER-4Ss have overtaken them with the microphonics reduced to near zero and a new amp to drive my ipod. I love the clear, unbiased sound; I have heard notes or instruments that I never knew existed.

As a point of reference, I went up the food chain starting with Sonys, Koss's, two sets of e2s (both had the cable issue), a pair of er-6s, then the er-4s. I have taste tested a pair of e3s over the past week, and just can't warm up to them. It seems strange to me that any phones that 'color' the sound are considered 'superior'

 

[br0adband]

Wow, that's one of things about HeadFi that just seperates it from the pack: When you ask a good question, you get good answers.

As of this moment, it looks like I'm going to go with the Ety ER-4 model, but now it's a tossup between the P or the S model (or the P with the adapter cord). The primary use of these are, well, to put it bluntly, listening to music.

The intended places are riding the bus to and from work on occasion, and the aforementioned *want* of quiet environments and nothing but the music. I won't be using the iPod for workouts, nor any serious physical activities other than maybe walking the boardwalk on mornings here in Virginia Beach, listening to the music and loving the scenery.

So, if anyone now has opinions on one or the other - the P or the S models - I'd love to hear them (no pun intended). hehehe

Thanks folks,
br0adband

 

[Igor01]

I've used Ety's for a couple of years and then when the E3c reviews started pouring in I joined the holy quest for the flavour of the month and got a pair of Shures. Even though I tried my best to like the E3c and convince myself that they sound good, I simply could not fool myself and returned them after two weeks of use. They just sounded cheap, muddy and blurry to me compared to my Ety's. After struggling with the Shure sound for two weeks I was in sonic nirvana as soon as I switched back to my Ety's.

And as far as bass goes, Ety's will handle as much bass as you can pump into them and you will hear it in all its glory. I love bass myself and my Ety's do an amazing job of producing the sound that is not only "punchy and fun" but also unbelievable in clarity and detail reproduction, something that the E3c couldn't even come close to IMHO.

But then again, some people will tell you that they prefer the E3c sound which they find more fun and emotionally engaging, and although I can't quite agree with that point of view, it may be a good idea for you to get both the Ety and the Shure phones from a place with a good return policy and just A/B them for a while to decide for yourself. If that is not an option, I'd recommend the Ety's, to me they are worth every penny I've spent on them.

 

[yogi_tala]

Quote:

Originally posted by br0adband So, if anyone now has opinions on one or the other - the P or the S models - I'd love to hear them (no pun intended). hehehe Thanks folks, br0adband

Risking others wrath again

, I would say the P version for you. From your posting, it notes you have a ipod-mini. W/o an amp to drive the S's, I doubt you would have the volume or clarity. I have a 3G 30G that drives the P well; most of my music plays at 60-80% of volume and it can be very loud. With the S, it just sounds weak. However, add a small Mint Amp (that I had custom made), and the S's sound like a cleaner, clearer, and louder version of the P. If you have a sweet little mini, you probably don't want to lug around a separate amp, so the P would probably work great.

I would echo Igor01, in that if you can afford it, try the phones out from a dealer that will accept returns/exchanges. I took the leap of faith, though, and ordered off ebay for $220 /w shipping.

 

[br0adband]

yogi_tala:

So I take it you're quite satisfied with the P model, eh? Ok, still doing research but again, it's Etys for sure so far.

Thanks,
br0adband