So I just got in a pair of ER4Ps that I was eager to try out against my Atrios because they have such different sound signatures. I thought I'd post my impressions here. Both headphones are being run off my 5gen iPod through a HEADSIX with a Qables LOD.
Norah Jones - The Nearness of You
Ety - Very forward vocals, she's right in your face. Her voice is silky smooth but maybe a little peaky in upper midrange? Lots of very lush midrange in here, sound is more balanced than the Atrio, definitely a brighter by comparison. Microphonics are INSANE.
Atrio - definitely a darker sound, a little thinner in the midrange. The piano comes on very strong now, especially in the lower octaves - presentation of vocals is a little less forward. I feel more lulled by this sound, for better or for worse.
Seal - Kiss from a Rose
Ety - Very airy. Again the presentation is quite forward. There's definitely a brightness, I'm hearing things in the treble that I haven't noticed before. I can see how people might find this sound a little fatiguing. The clarity in the treble really draws your attention to everything in that range. At the same time, I think I definitely prefer the presentation of voices here - they just sound a little more human.
Atrio - The soundstage is pretty wide, but doesn't have the same feel of air. HUGE difference here in the sounds, much starker than Norah Jones. The darkness of this sound is so relaxing - it's like being wrapped up in a warm blanket of sound. I'm not hearing those same treble sounds I noticed when listening with the Etys. At the same time, separation and clarity is not all there.
Yanni - The Rain Must Fall and Acroyali
Ety - The soundstage is pretty wide and VERY deep. I was actually expecting the Etys to shine given some orchestral music, but the sound comes off as oo thin for my tastes. I think the lack of bass is more noticeable when it's not there to ground a large orchestral piece. Although the separation of the instruments and the quickness of the headphones is really impressive, the lack of bass impact is extremely distracting. It's really like night and day between the amount of bass information that gets carried.
Atrio - I finally feel like I'm hearing the whole piece now. The impact of the drums is much more noticeable, and the sound is very nice and smooth. I'm not getting the same level of detail that I was in the Etys but I'm also not really missing it.
Coldplay - Viva la Vida (I wanted to try something that was not necessarily as great a recording to see how they dealt with this)
Etys - Bringing out the things I love about this song very well - energy, speed, shimmering feeling. Listening to Coldplay with my Atrios has always made me feel like Chris Martin's voice is too far away, but the presentation here is much more satisfying.
Atrio - The bass impact is very present now, but these are clearly a little slower, and it muddies the track a little bit. The presentation of the bass is a little too much here, maybe. Although it's nice to have the smooth sound, it gets in the way of some of the other aspects of the song, especially in the chorus when there's more going on.
Bottom line - it's hard to pick a favorite here, they've got very different strengths and weaknesses. I think the Etys have spoiled me with regard to their presentation of vocals, which is extremely seductive. At the same time, I can't help but feel like there's something missing when listening to an orchestra or symphony. When listening to Yanni, I would take the Atrios by a mile. If I had to give one up (which I might), I would probably let go of the Etys, just because I really felt like there was a lot missing in some of the pieces I've listened to, and while I prefer the Ety's presentation of vocals (Norah Jones sounded wonderful!) I could more easily live with the Atrio's vocals than the Ety's orchestra.
