Falling back in love with my Etys

[mvw2]

Shure Olives on the ER4 = happy.

Yeah. I do feel the ER4 is many times ignored or underrated for what it truly can do, even for being a 15 year old design.

I've been running through some of the higher end earphones recently: TF10, UM3X, IE8, plus my OK1 bud, and really these are not a huge leap from the ER4. Mostly, you just get better frequency response range, but the ER4 is still a reference product for a reason. The balance, clarity, and sound stage of the ER4 is incredibly good to start with. The only lack is just the frequency response. I'd really be curious what Etymotic could do with a multi-driver design if they put forth the same level of time with the ER4. I haven't had my ER4S for a while, and I do kind of miss it. I opted to keep the OK1 over it back when I whittled down my collection back then to just one, and I barely picked the OK1 over the ER4 mainly due to a little more top end clarity/sparkle and a little more bottom end presence and energy. I lost some of the ER4S' stage presence and balance.

Now, even when comparing high end universals to my Ok1, there isn't really a leap up using any of them. A lot of it comes down to personal preference rather then if one is holistically better. It isn't really out of place to include the ER4, a simple single BA earphone, in the ranks of all these top level IEMs simply for how much it pulls off.

 

[tstarn06]

Agree, starting to feel that the top tier phones (at least the ones I have owned) are not light years better than lower cost IEMs. I had this feeling before, with the PFEs, but getting those cheap 616s really brought it home (along with the Ety sound).

 

[Pablosammy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by priest /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have grown to hate the grey foams on the ER6i as well. They are scratchy, fit me poorly, and are too long. I've been thinking of trying different foams, but I'm not sure I want to spend $20 (incl shipping) to take the chance on improving an $80 pair of IEMs. I was actually considering buying the yellow ones (wider but shorter), so now I really don't know what to do. I use the medium Shure olives. Do you think the beige ones are comparable? Thanks for your post.

They're different to the olives, so it's hard to compare. However, the beige foams made my Etys, as outlined in the initial post. They made listening to them enjoyable for the first time, and I'd heartily recommend them to anyone who had issues with the horrible cheap grey ones. Finer foam, too.

 

[mvw2]

The gains are logarithmic. You get massive gains from cheap junk to medium level products. Going from medium level products to great products is a much smaller jump. From a great product to a top level product is really just a small upgrade. There are noticeable gains, but the raw scale of gain is much smaller. In the case of a lot of these, you are mainly paying for a little more competency over the entire frequency spectrum. You're buying something that actually outputs 20Hz to 20kHz instead of something that sort of, kind of, tries to do it. You get something that's a little more extended, a little more refined. It's worth the cost if you desire the gains. However, bang for the buck, lies in the great products, the ones that try to do it all with the least hardware. The PFE, ER4, RE0, and so on. Do the most with the least. Get great sound at a budget price. Is there room for improvement? Sure. However, you'll have to justify its worth. To me, there is some worth there. I can be content with a lower level product, but I am willing to spend that little bit more to get something that will impress every time I use it and that doesn't have any real shortcomings that may deter from the enjoyment from time to time. It's all personal choice.

 

[Spyro]

So I just received a new pair of ER4P's to compliment my UM3X. These ER4P's have a large red dot on the right housing which is new to me. A nice touch. Same old sound I remember and seem to gravitate back to. Very few IEM's offer this type of clarity and without it you feel you are missing something in the sound reproduction (from the disc to your brain).

Okay on this next point somebody please tell me I am crazy. I believe I am the only one that does this or finds it a good combination.

I use the ER4P with a Nano and use the hip hop EQ setting. It does not (I repeat) does NOT distort and I push the volume to about 90%. What it does is take some of the steely sound of the treble away. Sort of softens and warms the sound up and provides a fuller bottom end making it resemble a multi-driver option. Has anyone tried this? Some of you with Ipods please try and let me know your comments. I think I have pretty good ears so I can't possibly be the only one that finds this a good sound.

For the record I couldn't possibly imagine ER4P with Ipod with EQ "off". Completely lifeless sound with no body or dynamics. Again, I must be missing something because I find the Ipods somewhat on the warm and "fuller" sounding side but still need some EQ.

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibis99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I still do not understand where this type of opinion comes from.

because it doesnt mess with the sound...?
I actually don't want the JH13pro now because it sounded like he was describing a romanticised mid

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I just received a new pair of ER4P's to compliment my UM3X. These ER4P's have a large red dot on the right housing which is new to me. A nice touch. Same old sound I remember and seem to gravitate back to. Very few IEM's offer this type of clarity and without it you feel you are missing something in the sound reproduction (from the disc to your brain). Okay on this next point somebody please tell me I am crazy. I believe I am the only one that does this or finds it a good combination. I use the ER4P with a Nano and use the hip hop EQ setting. It does not (I repeat) does NOT distort and I push the volume to about 90%. What it does is take some of the steely sound of the treble away. Sort of softens and warms the sound up and provides a fuller bottom end making it resemble a multi-driver option. Has anyone tried this? Some of you with Ipods please try and let me know your comments. I think I have pretty good ears so I can't possibly be the only one that finds this a good sound. For the record I couldn't possibly imagine ER4P with Ipod with EQ "off". Completely lifeless sound with no body or dynamics. Again, I must be missing something because I find the Ipods somewhat on the warm and "fuller" sounding side but still need some EQ.

While the im616 and ER4P are not the same (PC Mag did compare them favorably 4 years ago), I know exactly what you mean. When I hook the Ety-driven ALs to my Sony A818, I must EQ the bass or it's pretty dull. But when I do that, wow. Using the UM56s also helps, I believe. They match up well. Now you have a reason to get those custom sleeves you have always avoided. I got mine onto the 616s, which have about the same sound tube as the Etys, from my recollection.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif because it doesnt mess with the sound...? I actually don't want the JH13pro now because it sounded like he was describing a romanticised mid

How does ruler flat mids and superb transparency sound to you in regards to the JH13?

 

[wuwhere]

The ER4P/S has bass. They are not as efficient as the top universals, so they need a good portable headphone to sound their best. I'm listening to the ER4P on my modded iBasso D10 (BG caps and topkit). If the recording has good bass, it reproduces it.

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonboy403 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How does ruler flat mids and superb transparency sound to you in regards to the JH13?

It would depend on how they are produced.

personally i find the ER4P has a lot of bass (and would be happy if there was actually a little less... maybe 2 db or so)

 

[jleewach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibis99 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I still do not understand where this type of opinion comes from.

x2. I wouldn't describe a headphone that has an accurate amount of bass as "dry." Perhaps the person who made this comment is simply too accustomed to overemphasized bass.

Ety's are one of my loves as well, and honestly consider the er4's THE best iem I've tried. Better than the "top tier" SE530, and TripleFi's I used to own. Isolation is also the best.

...I only wish etymotic would make a native over-the-ear design that'd be easier to insert w/o need for the shirt clip.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif personally i find the ER4P has a lot of bass (and would be happy if there was actually a little less... maybe 2 db or so)

Me too.

The ER-4P is my favorite universal, at least reaching the same level as the SE530, IE 8, UM3X, and TF10pro.

 

[ibis99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I just received a new pair of ER4P's to compliment my UM3X. These ER4P's have a large red dot on the right housing which is new to me. A nice touch. Same old sound I remember and seem to gravitate back to. Very few IEM's offer this type of clarity and without it you feel you are missing something in the sound reproduction (from the disc to your brain). Okay on this next point somebody please tell me I am crazy. I believe I am the only one that does this or finds it a good combination. I use the ER4P with a Nano and use the hip hop EQ setting. It does not (I repeat) does NOT distort and I push the volume to about 90%. What it does is take some of the steely sound of the treble away. Sort of softens and warms the sound up and provides a fuller bottom end making it resemble a multi-driver option. Has anyone tried this? Some of you with Ipods please try and let me know your comments. I think I have pretty good ears so I can't possibly be the only one that finds this a good sound. For the record I couldn't possibly imagine ER4P with Ipod with EQ "off". Completely lifeless sound with no body or dynamics. Again, I must be missing something because I find the Ipods somewhat on the warm and "fuller" sounding side but still need some EQ.

Hey Spyro-

I use the "Electronic" eq setting on my iPod touch so what your doing is certainly not crazy. Nice to have the Ety's back right?

 

[Trav]

I fly 10k miles a month and my ER4P still reign supreme...but only due to isolation. Mind you I salivate at their resolution and detail...but my new "jealous mistress", the Stax SR 001 Mk2 trumps them in musicality and "fun" factor. IMO in the cans I've heard I prefer are the AKG K1K and the Sony R10. The electrostatic factor is indeed profound!

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jleewach /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2. I wouldn't describe a headphone that has an accurate amount of bass as "dry." Perhaps the person who made this comment is simply too accustomed to overemphasized bass. Ety's are one of my loves as well, and honestly consider the er4's THE best iem I've tried. Better than the "top tier" SE530, and TripleFi's I used to own. Isolation is also the best. ...I only wish etymotic would make a native over-the-ear design that'd be easier to insert w/o need for the shirt clip.

It's not a romantic phone is what I was getting at.
It's currently my favorite headphone becuase it isnt romantic about things.
It really lets you know when a recording is dry and just plain bad.
I'm actually in the market for a forgiving fullsize to tide me over till the SA5k comes round (which I hope will sound similar to the ER4s)

Anyone customed the Etys?
How are they?