[Smugsie]

  i felt like the highs were airy, sparkly, the mids were clean and smooth, the lows  were neutral with some good bottom end  ( we all know the er4 isnt a bass head iem), its a super clean sound, i almost want to say a clinical like sound but not in a bad way. i really enjoyed it.

There are headphones that get a lot worse with the clinical sound. Although yeah you're right, the er4s is enjoyable despite that factor.

 

[Mooses9]

  There are headphones that get a lot worse with the clinical sound. Although yeah you're right, the er4s is enjoyable despite that factor.

true, the er4 have that sound to begin with though but with a touch of warmth at least to my ears. but the c5/c5d is a excellent amp esp with the er4

 

[TheDreamthinker]

  There are headphones that get a lot worse with the clinical sound. Although yeah you're right, the er4s is enjoyable despite that factor.

Agreed.
 
Especially because the ER4s doesn't have a tendency to spike (like other iems sometimes (/often) tend to do). Therefore they are able to maintain a bright yet smooth sound.
 
On the other hand, I wish Etymotic would stop sitting on its laurels and create a new iem (possibly dual-driver to maintain coherence) which
 

1. adds some body to the overall sound (mid, bass),
2. improves separation, soundstage and placement and
3. brings some long overdue improvements to the design and ergonomics.

 
At the same time maintaining the ER4s' treble sound and philosophy.

 

[H20Fidelity]

I don't know if Etymotic ever will update the ER4S. Been a few years so far... 

 

[Max Choiral]

On the other hand, I wish Etymotic would stop sitting on its laurels and create a new iem (possibly dual-driver to maintain coherence) which
 

1. adds some body to the overall sound (mid, bass),
2. improves separation, soundstage and placement and
3. brings some long overdue improvements to the design and ergonomics.

 
At the same time maintaining the ER4s' treble sound and philosophy.

All these requirements will be achieved as long as you have:
 - decent source
 - amp with plenty of power
 -  well-recorded music
 - !!!FIT!!!

 

[TheDreamthinker]

  I don't know if Etymotic ever will update the ER4S. Been a few years so far... 

True, but we are allowed to hope aren't we...

 

  All these requirements will be achieved as long as you have:
 - decent source
 - amp with plenty of power
 -  well-recorded music
 - !!!FIT!!!

I do understand the ER4s is more recording and rig depended than some other iems.
But on the other hand there are inherent shortcomings to the single BA design and the ergonomics which can't be denied.
 
I personally am looking at something akin to the UERM in overall presentation. Not saying that a future evolution/upgrade to the ER4s should directly rival the UERM, but it could use it as a reference (no pun intended) for improvements. (+ a touch more warmth?)

 

[Mooses9]

I don't know if Etymotic ever will update the ER4S. Been a few years so far... 

Haha yeah just a few I think they heard about that quote "if it's not broke don't fix it".

I think they will revise the look as the years go on. But I think the main groundwork will remain the same.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Haha yeah just a few I think they heard about that quote "if it's not broke don't fix it".

I think they will revise the look as the years go on. But I think the main groundwork will remain the same.

Let them bring out some kick ass hybrid with HUGE bass and quad ER4S balanced armatures, triple up the detail levels, take a totally different direction. Take the audio world by storm!

You can do it Etymotic!

 

[TheDreamthinker]

Haha yeah just a few I think they heard about that quote "if it's not broke don't fix it".

I think they will revise the look as the years go on. But I think the main groundwork will remain the same.

Once Knowles ceases production of the drivers, they may have to.

 

[luisdent]

if the included red filters stock, and then added a separate driver for more level sub bass, the er4 would be mind blowingly awesome. they would just need to redesign the housing to include another driver which is then routed into the same output path as the existing driver. go one more step and add some acoustic design to slightly even out the treble that very last small amount and i'd never put another iem in my ears again.

 

[TheDreamthinker]

if the included red filters stock, and then added a separate driver* for more level sub bass, the er4 would be mind blowingly awesome. they would just need to redesign the housing to include another driver which is then routed into the same output path as the existing driver. go one more step and add some acoustic design** to slightly even out the treble that very last small amount and i'd never put another iem in my ears again.

 
Now this is what I am talking about.
* for better placement and seperation
** in order to improve soundstage

 

[Mooses9]

yes yes yes, but again we are tinkering with accuracy here, etymotic designed the er4 for accuracy so that if one wishes one could use it in a studio setting for mastering or thing of such.
 
if we are talking about if the drivers were no longer made well im sure that etymotic has a ton of driver and if they did no longer have those drivers to no longer be made they have a trick up their sleeve. they have been making then for what and please excuse my ignorance 14 years? they would do something, its their flagship its what they are known for.

 

[castleofargh]

if the included red filters stock, and then added a separate driver for more level sub bass, the er4 would be mind blowingly awesome. they would just need to redesign the housing to include another driver which is then routed into the same output path as the existing driver. go one more step and add some acoustic design to slightly even out the treble that very last small amount and i'd never put another iem in my ears again.

I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that multi drivers were a problem for treble extension. something I didn't really understand about the air flow if I remember.
here is a mail I got from mr suyama(fitear) almost 2 years back,  in response about the togo! 111. 

We tried to make the product for people who loves  Etymotic Research
ER-4S. They considered purchasing a new earphone and asked us to develop
the replacement model.


We learned from our many failures that multi-driver configuration and
much bass spoil the greatest appeal of ER-4S.

 

[Max Choiral]

Originally Posted by TheDreamthinker /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
the ergonomics which can't be denied.
 
I personally am looking at something akin to the UERM in overall presentation. Not saying that a future evolution/upgrade to the ER4s should directly rival the UERM, but it could use it as a reference (no pun intended) for improvements. (+ a touch more warmth?)

True, ergonomics could be better.
Etymotic doesn't need to compete with other companies which are making CIEMs. They produced ER4S not for fun but critical listening, adding warmth could affect that feature in a bad way
What I also like about ER4S - output impedance mostly doesn't affect its sound, unlike other IEMs & CIEMs

 

[Max Choiral]

triple up the detail levels

there are crazy amount of it already, no?