[HiFiChris]

An easy way to detect the real ground noise is to play an "empty" file with silence (you can easily create such a silent file with Audacity). That's how I do it most of the times with new devices.

I also kinda like that the ER-4S is kind of a high impedance low sensivity phone as it reacts less critical to ground noise and output impedance.

 

[csglinux]

just to point out that noises when in pause might have nothing to do with noise when playing music. it is not at all a good indication of the noise that will actually be there when playing.
as pause is often associated with some part of the circuit being cut off...

Yep - that's exactly what the iPhone does! But even in play mode, it has an extremely low noise floor (to my ears), even with sensitive IEMs, whereas the X3ii has a pretty consistent hiss, in playback or pause.

 

[Smugsie]

Has anyone ever tried to use Noble cables with the ER4S? I just modded my grado to have glow in the dark cables, would be neat if my ER4S could have one too :>

 

[TheDreamthinker]

  I own the X1, so I can speak for that. I use X1 DAP + E12A amp combo for my ER4S at the moment. 
 
The X1 only works with local files. It's pretty easy to get songs on to it. You just drag and drop everything from the computer to the X1's micro SD card when you connect it to the computer. Getting all your iTunes music on there is easy, in that sense. No other features, though.
 
The ER4S with the X1 + E12A really opens them up. Instrument separation is on another level in my opinion. If you're just using the X1 with no external amp, you can EQ up some of the missing sub-bass, which helps.
 
The UI on the X1 is very similar to that of the older iPods. The wheel navigation system works great. The screen is a bit small and leaves a little to be desired, but if you have average eyesight, you shouldn't have a problem making out any writing.
 
I'd avoid 6th gen iPod Classics. As far as I know, it has a rubbish DAC relative to previous gens. Though you should be fine if you bypass that DAC and buy an external DAC/amp.
 
All in all, I don't see any need to get a Classic over the Fiio X1. I put in a 128gb micro SD card and have all the storage I could hope for. That can only go up in the future, too.

Thanks for your input.
 
I am only somewhat interested in getting a Classic due to its integration with iTunes and over the years have an own library system which I would like to keep.
Is the UI stable and reliable? The build quality?
 
How much do the Fiio DAPs have without SD extension? I couldn't really get that info from their website.
 

  Hi Dreamthinker, It has been a while. Welcome back! It so happens I've been playing with the 2nd gen X5 (and 2nd gen X3) for the last couple of weeks. They both sound good with the ER4S, mainly on account of the extra juice. At lower volume levels (volume matched to my iPhone 6), I'd have to say sound quality differences aren't nearly as large as I expected. For the ER4S, I'd have to recommend the X3.2 over the X5.2. The newer X3 model has a very slightly warmer sound signature (which I think fits better with the ER4S), plus it's smaller, lighter, has better battery life and still has all the other cool features that the X5.2 has (OTG USB, external DAC capability, etc.). The X3.2 does have a bit of a noise floor with more sensitive IEMs, but you'll never hear that with the impedance of the ER4S.
 
iTunes is a no-go. It's dragging and dropping stuff into folders. One other thing to be aware of, the EQ function on the Fiios is not very fine-grained. You get only a small number of (very wide) frequency bins to adjust. I find the Fiio EQ a bit clunky and not so useful.

 
Thanks.
The noise floor is also which I find troubling. I am very sensitive to any kind of hiss, especially because I also use IEMs in quiet environments.
Even if this won't pose a problem in case of the ER4s, I do want a more versatile DAP to begin with.
I have never been an EQ user to begin with, but mostly because iPods never came with good EQ functions.
 
What are the main differences between the X3.2 vs. X5.2?
 
Thanks to both of you.
 
Do you guys know of any other good high capacity alternatives to the Fiio DAPs?

 

[Happytalk]

I can say that the iPod classic line out direct to the jds labs c5 or c5d and er4s is an excellent combination. It really spreads, clarifies. And smooths the sound of the iPod classic DAC. Even better with a 5.5 gen Ipod.

 

[headdict]

Do you guys know of any other good high capacity alternatives to the Fiio DAPs?

Isn't one or two 128 gig micro-SD card(s) capacity enough? For versatility I'd consider iBasso DX50 or DX90, as these can run Rockbox. If you don't need a lot of power, even a Sansa clip zip will do. Just use the parametric EQ and kiss Ety's fatiguing upper mids hump goodbye.

 

[L1C4]

I agree - I love the ER4-S more than any other. Are there any plans in the works for Etymotic to make an updated version? Not expecting something completely overhauled, but it would be nice to see something new.

 

[HiFiChris]

Are there any plans in the works for Etymotic to make an updated version? Not expecting something completely overhauled, but it would be nice to see something new.

Personally I don't think so as they were introduced in 1991 without changing the drivers/filters over the years. AfaIk, the only thing that changed over time was the cable.
Though, I'd also like to see an ER-4S successor.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  Thanks for your input.
 
I am only somewhat interested in getting a Classic due to its integration with iTunes and over the years have an own library system which I would like to keep.
Is the UI stable and reliable? The build quality?
 
How much do the Fiio DAPs have without SD extension? I couldn't really get that info from their website.
 
 
Thanks.
The noise floor is also which I find troubling. I am very sensitive to any kind of hiss, especially because I also use IEMs in quiet environments.
Even if this won't pose a problem in case of the ER4s, I do want a more versatile DAP to begin with.
I have never been an EQ user to begin with, but mostly because iPods never came with good EQ functions.
 
What are the main differences between the X3.2 vs. X5.2?
 
Thanks to both of you.
 
Do you guys know of any other good high capacity alternatives to the Fiio DAPs?

 
I use X3II and ER4S. I highly, highly doubt you'll hear any hiss, there's none I can detect.

 

[TheDreamthinker]

Isn't one or two 128 gig micro-SD card(s) capacity enough? For versatility I'd consider iBasso DX50 or DX90, as these can run Rockbox. If you don't need a lot of power, even a Sansa clip zip will do. Just use the parametric EQ and kiss Ety's fatiguing upper mids hump goodbye.

If I remember correctly, only the X5II supports dual 128GB SD.
 
I reason is that I am somewhat lazy to manually copy my entire library (and its structure) via drag-and-drop to a new device.
I haven't heard good things about the DX50. They seem to be quite prone to fail.

 

[nc8000]

Neither DX50 nor DX90 are more probe to fail than most other players, I have had both for over a year with no problems. That said both are being discontinued and the replacements have not been launched yet.

 

[Francisk]

Neither DX50 nor DX90 are more probe to fail than most other players, I have had both for over a year with no problems. That said both are being discontinued and the replacements have not been launched yet.

My DX90 is still working without any problems too.

 

[H20Fidelity]

The iBasso units were unstable on release (mostly DX50), many bugs, crashes etc. As time moved on iBasso got both DX50, DX90 virtually stable on later firmware. Problem is...all the information logged during 'the hassle' doesn't just disappear like the stability issue eventually did. There's utube videos out there, hundreds of comments with people ripping their hair out embedded all over the internet still today.

I have x2 DX50, x1 DX90. They're now fine.

 

[GN-0015]

Personally I don't think so as they were introduced in 1991 without changing the drivers/filters over the years. AfaIk, the only thing that changed over time was the cable.
Though, I'd also like to see an ER-4S successor.

I want to see a version where the sound is still as good as it is but with different housing design that allow people to wear it over the ear comfortably. That's the only complain I have about ER4.

 

[HiFiChris]

I might be one of the few people that can can wear them comfortably with the cable over the ear and has no comfort/fit issues in general with them - wide and straight ear canals in combination with a big concha are a bliss. 

 
Though, I had to modify the stock tips a bit as the tips were not big enough to provide me with a good seal when inserted deeply (I cut off the smallest flange, pulled it over the empty sound tube and then put on the modified b-i/tri-flange -> the eartip length remains the same but I get a good and deep seal as the largest flange moves deeper into my ear canal).