[luisdent]

Quote:

Luisdent, I think our different sources may be the explanation. As you mention Accudio a few times, am I correct in assuming you are using an iPod Touch or iPhone? Accudio is a terrific app and a great way to get most any IEM or phone to sound like your preferred phone so long as you listen to an iDevice unamped. 
 
I recently purchased an iBasso DX100 and this has a far wider and consistent frequency spectrum than my iPhone 5 which I now rarely use for music. I never need to EQ my W4s or current crop of earphones with this DAP. But now all my phones sound either warm or dull out of the iPhone by comparison. And on the DX, my Shure 535s sound way too bright and the Limited Edition red ones are fatiguing now but the W4s just right. Probably sell both my Shures soon.
 
Anyhow, for the OP, I think this just emphasises my earlier comment that you will possibly go through a few different IEMs before you find the ones you like best for no other reason than everyone's ears and preferences are different and opinions are subjective. 

 
That is interesting.  If it sounds that much better on the dx100 that's cool.  But have you compared it to accudio on the iphone using the hifi setting?  I'm curious how that compares.  I actually prefer the senn hd600 simulation.  It tames the "hi-fi" settings brightness a bit.  The hi-fi seems a tad too bright.  Even their graph shows that they don't tame the treble spike all the way.  ANyhow, want to send me your ibasso?  haha.  I might have an o2 soon, so I'll see how that changes things...  Either way, I think everyone should try to audition the 4r on their device if possible, as impedance and other factors play a role in the final quality.

 

[Manofwood]

 
So surprisingly the ER-4S arrived! Seems the store just never updated the order status.

I wasn't surprised by the sound however, they're almost exactly as I imagined them to be and they're great! Those mids are so accurate, they're to die for. I can instantly hear tones in my music that even $20k monitor speakers in a measured room could barely assist with. I have no issues with the supposed lack of bass, they're thin and flat but not boring and the isolation require some getting used to... this is all with the IEM barely fully inserted however as the comfort is atrocious. They're painfully sitting in my ears to the extent I think they've permanently altered my ear canals, really! I'm hearing the world differently and the HD600 don't seem to shine as much as they did previously. I need to visit an audiologist, not only for a check up but to get impressions for those custom tips.
 
I want to wear the HD600 on top of them
 

 
What next?

Cheers

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

 
So surprisingly the ER-4S arrived! Seems the store just never updated the order status.

I wasn't surprised by the sound however, they're almost exactly as I imagined them to be and they're great! Those mids are so accurate, they're to die for. I can instantly hear tones in my music that even $20k monitor speakers in a measured room could barely assist with. I have no issues with the supposed lack of bass, they're thin and flat but not boring and the isolation require some getting used to... this is all with the IEM barely fully inserted however as the comfort is atrocious. They're painfully sitting in my ears to the extent I think they've permanently altered my ear canals, really! I'm hearing the world differently and the HD600 don't seem to shine as much as they did previously. I need to visit an audiologist, not only for a check up but to get impressions for those custom tips.
 
I want to wear the HD600 on top of them
 

 
What next?

Cheers

 
The graphs on those look really nice.  Not perfectly flat, but the treble region looks good and they look like they would reveal a lot of detail.  I don't know if the bass would do it for me personally, but I know they don't work for me anyway because they share the same etymotic fit.... which for me is that they don't at all. haha

 

[Deadlovestory]

 
So surprisingly the ER-4S arrived! Seems the store just never updated the order status.

I wasn't surprised by the sound however, they're almost exactly as I imagined them to be and they're great! Those mids are so accurate, they're to die for. I can instantly hear tones in my music that even $20k monitor speakers in a measured room could barely assist with. I have no issues with the supposed lack of bass, they're thin and flat but not boring and the isolation require some getting used to... this is all with the IEM barely fully inserted however as the comfort is atrocious. They're painfully sitting in my ears to the extent I think they've permanently altered my ear canals, really! I'm hearing the world differently and the HD600 don't seem to shine as much as they did previously. I need to visit an audiologist, not only for a check up but to get impressions for those custom tips.
 
I want to wear the HD600 on top of them
 

 
What next?

Cheers

So do they actually sound close-ish to HD600? Just wanna see if my memory's correct or not.
 
Speaking of Ety's fit, they do say the triple flange tips needs time to soften up and become comfortable. Some have recommended softening the outer part of the flanges with baby oil; dunno if this works though. Maybe using comply tips instead will alleviate the pain.
 
But I guess custom tips would still be the best solution.

 

[Manofwood]

Quote:

 

I haven't really attempted to compare them yet. The higher mids (~4khz+) definitely resemble the HD600 but unfortunately they don't extend as far. They also lack the sparkle around 14khz. By specs they cutoff at 16khz so that's expected. HD600 have a warmer attack response where the ER-4S is definitely more snappy. They also feel more distant but all in all they're almost as brilliant.  They're so accurate sounding that I used them in the studio right away. Thank you for the early recommendation!  
 
I'm considering using the foam tips instead. Not sure about comfort or sound difference but apparently the foams provide even more isolation with easier insertion. Should be good til I get the custom tips going though!

Cheers

 

[Eugguy]

I own both the hd600 and the um3x. The um3x had very closed in sound compared to the hd600. Also feels like you are sitting directly "in-front" rather than being enveloped and surrounded by the music from the 600. Both are great choices if you love ingesting music in your ears!

 

[Deadlovestory]

Quote:

I haven't really attempted to compare them yet. The higher mids (~4khz+) definitely resemble the HD600 but unfortunately they don't extend as far. They also lack the sparkle around 14khz. By specs they cutoff at 16khz so that's expected. HD600 have a warmer attack response where the ER-4S is definitely more snappy. They also feel more distant but all in all they're almost as brilliant.  They're so accurate sounding that I used them in the studio right away. Thank you for the early recommendation!  

No problem, glad to know that you're enjoying it!

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

I haven't really attempted to compare them yet. The higher mids (~4khz+) definitely resemble the HD600 but unfortunately they don't extend as far. They also lack the sparkle around 14khz. By specs they cutoff at 16khz so that's expected. HD600 have a warmer attack response where the ER-4S is definitely more snappy. They also feel more distant but all in all they're almost as brilliant.  They're so accurate sounding that I used them in the studio right away. Thank you for the early recommendation!  
 
I'm considering using the foam tips instead. Not sure about comfort or sound difference but apparently the foams provide even more isolation with easier insertion. Should be good til I get the custom tips going though!

Cheers

 
I found with the etys the fit is more demanding in term of the angle of the nozzle.  For me the seal was an issue with the triflange, however even with the mushroom foam, which sealed excellent, the tip had to be perfectly positioned or it would not sound good at all.  I think certain ear shapes have more curvature and the sound is more easily blocked if the tip is simply inserted normally.  Once I got the angle correct they sounded very smooth.  If I moved them at all they sounded very rolled off in both directions.  I think a deep fit might help this as well, but I couldn't fit any tips deeply except the triflange, but those never work with my ears easily either. :-/

 

[Manofwood]

I tried the foam tips and they're slightly more comfortable (still painful) and definitely isolate more but the sound is suddenly muffled so they're no solution for me. I have ramp style ear canals it seems.
 
I ordered the UM3X. Next I'll try and find the Sony EX1000 and Earsonics SM64 

 

[Manofwood]

Got the DBA-02 MKII. These are awesome! They seem to have a more powerful sound in comparison to ER-4S, leaving the the ER-4S sounding thin, the mids wet and compressed-ish while DBA-02 MKII more raw, but the ER-4S definitely still feel the trusty pair for reference. The comfort is almost the same though, however I've attached the OLIVE looking tips to the ER-4S and they seem to be the best solution out of all the provided tips... much more comfy. I found the foam tips kept bending over the output hence the muffled sound I think... I can't confirm this though.

Can't wait for the other pairs! I may be broke soon for the rest of the month though

Cheers!

 

[luisdent]

I just got my hd600 today! woohoo.  I'm listening to them on my ipod touch, and I can say that they actually do very well in terms of quality.  The main thing is that I'm running at max volume a lot, which probably isn't great for a few reasons, but to get a general idea of their sound it is extremely close to my amp... I can say they sound like I would expect they should sound.  In other words, if you didn't tell me i wasn't using a more powerful amp then the ipod, i might not even know.  I will be getting a portable amp soon though, as I'm not perfectly happy with my touch's sound quality in general... but that's another story and a much more complicated topic.  And it will give me the volume for any very quiet tracks...

 

[Manofwood]

Quote:

I just got my hd600 today! woohoo.  I'm listening to them on my ipod touch, and I can say that they actually do very well in terms of quality.  The main thing is that I'm running at max volume a lot, which probably isn't great for a few reasons, but to get a general idea of their sound it is extremely close to my amp... I can say they sound like I would expect they should sound.  In other words, if you didn't tell me i wasn't using a more powerful amp then the ipod, i might not even know.  I will be getting a portable amp soon though, as I'm not perfectly happy with my touch's sound quality in general... but that's another story and a much more complicated topic.  And it will give me the volume for any very quiet tracks...

Congratulations! You're really considering using the HD600 for portable use? You'll be missing out on so much of it's potential, but you already know that. To me they sound best on a neutral, studio quality source with a neutral amp. Run some lossless, well mastered audiophile-quality tracks through them and the sound performance way exceeds their obtainable price tag. I would of been happy paying double it's street price.
 
Whow... this thread has gone way off-topic haha.

 

[Phosphenetre]

Hey Manofwood and everyone else here,
 
I'm in a similar position. I'm a professional musician, also running my own home production setup (my cans of choice are the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro 250 ohm, though!), and wanted an IEM with a similar accurate, neutral and detailed sound presentation. I most probably will NOT be using them for production work though.
 
Manofwood, how did you find the DBA-02 MkII? Since your in this profession to, how would you describe its sound signature? I know it is a fantastically detailed, fast and transparent IEM on the whole, but I am not fully sure of what its sound signature is like, yet - I'm getting some fairly contrasting views. I'd like to know your take on it, since you're an audio professional as well.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

Congratulations! You're really considering using the HD600 for portable use? You'll be missing out on so much of it's potential, but you already know that. To me they sound best on a neutral, studio quality source with a neutral amp. Run some lossless, well mastered audiophile-quality tracks through them and the sound performance way exceeds their obtainable price tag. I would of been happy paying double it's street price.
 
Whow... this thread has gone way off-topic haha.

 
Oh no no no.  I'm not using the portably per se.  However, I visit my brother and we listen to music and record and such and at times like that I'd like to bring them in my bag and listen to them at other places.  By that isn't even what I meant.  I just listen to a lot of music at home on my ipod.  It allows me to sit where I want, lay in bed, etc.  I will probably mostly use my 4r for that though, because I didn't realize just "how" open these things are.  That rules out bed (keeps the wife up).  My main reason for these is listening to music on my computer (lossless, sound interface/amp) and for mixing music (apartment).  I am absolutely loving these on my duet.  They sound phenomenal.  At times I wish they blocked a tad of sound being in an apartment, but it doesn't really take away quality, but rather it is just distracting.  Luckily it's pretty quiet here late at night, and I'm an all nighter...  I'm disappointed these didn't come with at least a pouch to carry them in.  Is there one that someone can recommend?

 

[Manofwood]

They don't enjoy being carried away from home, I'd be afraid of breaking them in a pouch myself. When I have moved them around, I restore them in the case they came with. I'm glad you're enjoying them though. They really come through with performance when you need them to, never let me down. They've definitely spoilt me, they bring out that audio amateur excitement in me. They've been my favorite to watch movies as well. Especially blockbuster flicks with great sound editing/mixing still blow me away They really could do with some isolation... maybe we should test that "space helmet" you mentioned on your first post in this thread?
 
As for my newly found IEM journey, I just came out of a 7 hour session with the ER-4S and my right ear is extremely sore, I literally cannot insert it back at the moment without feeling the pain. I kind of lost myself assuming it was just the pressure in the canal and with how beautifully detailed the sound was. The conscious of this recurring might detract me from professionally using them again. Such a shame. I was really enjoying that neutral, dependable sound. 
 
DanielKRego, Audio Professionals and Audiophiles are not to be confused I've never heard the DT880's, and I really would embarass myself attempting to describe their sound signature in audiophile terminology, but I'll give it a proper shot when I can. I'm currently consumed by battling with the Ety's.