[vwinter]

Here is the email conversation I had with Etymotic when I enquired about a new cable. It's not quite as simple as ordering a cable and have them send one, when you read below you will understand.


Hello friend.

I was wanting to buy an Etymotic ER4S cable from you. I am located in Australia and need a replacement cable. I was wondering how much this would cost with shipping.

Look forward to your reply.

Thanks,
Awesome person



Hello Awesome person

Thank you for writing. Unfortunately, we do not sell replacement cables for the ER-4 as an accessory. We require that the earphones be sent to our facility referencing a return authorization (RMA) number. There are a few reasons for this:

1) This allows us to completely evaluate the unit (cable and speakers).
2) There is a small component in the cable design that can easily break if the cable is not properly removed.
3) When our Service Department replaces a cable or transducers, they will perform the appropriate testing to ensure that the earphones perform with specification.

Simply complete the Service Return Form found at http://www.etymotic.com/cs/er4service.html, as this will serve as your return authorization. Print the completed form and include it with your headset inside a padded envelope or small box. Please send only the headset, as we will not require any packaging or accessories. You may use the carrier of your choice, however we always recommend a method that might allow you to track or confirm receipt. The address is listed below:

Etymotic Research, Inc.
Attn: Service Dept.
61 Martin Lane
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

I usually ask to allow 3-5 days for turnaround. We will contact you with the results of the evaluation and recommend service as soon as the evaluation is complete.


Best Regards,

Did Ety support actually say "Hello Awesome Person" or are you just editing yourself out? If they said that, their stock just went up a point in my book.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Did Ety support actually say "Hello Awesome Person" or are you just editing yourself out? If they said that, their stock just went up a point in my book.

I edited out my name.

 

[Meshail]

so does the new units of the Er-4s still have the microphonics issues or did they refined the cable on the new unites ? ... & will the high impedance Er-4s be driven well unamped through Colorfly c3 ?

 

[pacman46]

Did Ety support actually say "Hello Awesome Person" or are you just editing yourself out? If they said that, their stock just went up a point in my book.

I said this to someone on here before and they thought I was crazy. Lol that etymotic wants you to send the headphones in to remove the cable and replace it themselfs instead of doing it yourself. I think because like they said there is a piece that can break easily. And they want to calibrate them. Or whatever it's called. Lol I know with other headphones with removable cables you can just do it yourself. I think that's good that they will check everything out for you and make sure everything pass code,,, sorta speak.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

It sure is easy to break... Said easy to break part came off from the earbuds with the cable when the sound became intermittent and I tried disconnecting and reconnecting the cable a few times

Then my mc3 got lost... I've had nothing but bad luck trying to own etymotics...

 

[Poimandres]

Well I have given up on ety's after receiving my third set from b&h that looked the same as the first two. Very unfortunate.

 

[luisdent]

Well I have given up on ety's after receiving my third set from b&h that looked the same as the first two. Very unfortunate.

I'm telling you... It's b&h.

 

[luisdent]

O.k., I don't know if they want me to share this or not, but it should only help them anyway.
 
All of my tips, except the ones currently on my er4s, went through the laundry and got warped and unusable.  I emailed etymotic and simply asked if the "sold" a tip kit that includes all the stock tips.  This was their response:
 
 

 
One of every tip mailed to me.  Free.  The filters were because I had to remove my filters if I wanted to try them in the custom tips, and when they told me to try that they just said "go ahead, we'll send you some filters to replace the ones you use".  The tool I didn't even ask for.  That's $20.50 worth of stuff for just asking if they sold them in a pack  That's some awesome service.  
 
JDS labs and Etymotic.  Excellent sound (literally together) and service.  Together they've provided me with such an awesome purchasing experience.  Highly recommend both!

 

[gnarlsagan]

Quote:

 
JDS labs and Etymotic.  Excellent sound (literally together) and service.  Together they've provided me with such an awesome purchasing experience.  Highly recommend both!

 
That is awesome. Really makes the purchase worth it. Also +1 on the JDS labs service. My power supply for their O2 stopped working and they sent me a new one at no charge!

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

 
That is awesome. Really makes the purchase worth it. Also +1 on the JDS labs service. My power supply for their O2 stopped working and they sent me a new one at no charge!

 
I could write a book of all the things John at JDS Labs has done for me, for free.  It's not even right.

 

[luisdent]

By the way, I know you don't use EQ gnarlsagan, right?  I recently was using the clip zip and thought I had the EQ on like I've been using (gentle sub bass boost only).  I listened for a while enjoying the heck out of it.  Then I realized it wasn't even on.  I turned it on, and while it did sound better, I was surprised at how much I "didn't" feel like any bass was really missing that much.  The bass perfects them, but they still sound amazing when you forget to turn it on.

 

[gnarlsagan]

Quote:

By the way, I know you don't use EQ gnarlsagan, right?  I recently was using the clip zip and thought I had the EQ on like I've been using (gentle sub bass boost only).  I listened for a while enjoying the heck out of it.  Then I realized it wasn't even on.  I turned it on, and while it did sound better, I was surprised at how much I "didn't" feel like any bass was really missing that much.  The bass perfects them, but they still sound amazing when you forget to turn it on.

 
No eq. I found that eq-ing 50Hz and below doesn't do much for most music. Today I was listening to some deep house un-eqed, and the bass still sounded forward and deep.
 
A lot depends on the mastering. Some classical sounds too cold, and some just right. Olafur Arnalds sounds perfect. I've been listening to another guy Zack Hemsey (more intense like Hans Zimmer) and his stuff sounds too cold. Actually that reminds me to listen to Hans Zimmer, which I'm going to do right now!

 

[vwinter]

No eq. I found that eq-ing 50Hz and below doesn't do much for most music. Today I was listening to some deep house un-eqed, and the bass still sounded forward and deep.

A lot depends on the mastering. Some classical sounds too cold, and some just right. Olafur Arnalds sounds perfect. I've been listening to another guy Zack Hemsey (more intense like Hans Zimmer) and his stuff sounds too cold. Actually that reminds me to listen to Hans Zimmer, which I'm going to do right now!

I like Zach Hemsey. For the grandiosity of his musical style, his production/mastering is a bit constrained size-wise and it always bugs me. He builds great tension though.

Most music I consider bassy focuses around 60-30hz so i can see it having some impact.

 

[gnarlsagan]

Quote:

I like Zach Hemsey. For the grandiosity of his musical style, his production/mastering is a bit constrained size-wise and it always bugs me. He builds great tension though.

Most music I consider bassy focuses around 60-30hz so i can see it having some impact.

 
Yes his mastering sucks for the style of music he makes! It takes me right out of the music actually. Otherwise it would be so great.
 
Hans Zimmer btw sounds very accurate on the ER4S. Plenty of bass and great mastering on the Inception soundtrack.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

 
No eq. I found that eq-ing 50Hz and below doesn't do much for most music. Today I was listening to some deep house un-eqed, and the bass still sounded forward and deep.
 
A lot depends on the mastering. Some classical sounds too cold, and some just right. Olafur Arnalds sounds perfect. I've been listening to another guy Zack Hemsey (more intense like Hans Zimmer) and his stuff sounds too cold. Actually that reminds me to listen to Hans Zimmer, which I'm going to do right now!

 
I find them listenable without eq, but I use a "very slight" 20-50hz eq and find it makes them more reference.  I only use enough to fill out the low end.  Certain sounds are less fatiguing this way a tad and sub bass sounds more "proper".  But it's so slight one songs without emphasis down there you can switch the eq on and off and it does absolutely nothing to the sound.  I think I do about 2.5db at 50hz and 5db at 20hz or something similar...  I may not insert them as deep though as they get uncomfortable too deep for me.  I get past the second bend, but I have noticed the deeper I get the more bass I hear without any other changes past the second bend.  So you might be getting a tad more bass than I am stock, not sure.  But you should try my eq.  I'll post the exact settings later and just see what you think after some useage...