[emba4]

sadly my cable has gone for the second time so rather than just get ety to replace it im going to get a decent 3rd party cable and hopefully solve the problem, im leaning towards Null Audio at the moment

 

[joed83]

Im done eith my ER4s now, one driver came apart and im not sinking any more money into it - the current ones have been recabled twice in two years since being completely replaced, before that id replaced the cable several times and the drivers had become mismatched prompting the replacement. 
 
and id just finished making a cable that id been planning for years (i used it for around a week) 
 
Im thinking about getting another universal IEM, budget would be about £300 - dosent have to be exactly like the ER4s but i do love their sound. I know ill end up repairing the ER4s but I cant bring myself to do it at the moment
 
anyone have suggestions?
 
cheers 

 

[m.knight]

Im done eith my ER4s now, one driver came apart and im not sinking any more money into it - the current ones have been recabled twice in two years since being completely replaced, before that id replaced the cable several times and the drivers had become mismatched prompting the replacement. 

and id just finished making a cable that id been planning for years (i used it for around a week) 

Im thinking about getting another universal IEM, budget would be about £300 - dosent have to be exactly like the ER4s but i do love their sound. I know ill end up repairing the ER4s but I cant bring myself to do it at the moment

anyone have suggestions?

cheers 

This is out of your stated budget but I just received a pair of JH Audio Roxanne Universals from a fellow headfier so I can compare the two.

Er4s is much more neutral and detailed. Sound is thinnish with more hi frequency extension. Response is very quick in comoarison with very neutral bass.

The Roxannes (which you can get used for ~$700 USD) has a much thicker sound. Bass is detailed and heavy with very forward mids. Highs seem to roll off pretty early and overall they're a little slow on the attack. However, the sound is very cohesive and natural sounding. A little analytical but mostly liquid and very warm. I'm finding that I'm connecting with the music again in a way that I haven't with portable gear in a long while. Taken together, the "flaws" and merits work well.

I recommend them if you're looking for a different flavor. Stay away if you're looking for cool and analytical.

 

[m.knight]

Oh, and I'm comparing both when used single ended with an Onkyo Dp-X1. 

 

[joed83]

This is out of your stated budget but I just received a pair of JH Audio Roxanne Universals from a fellow headfier so I can compare the two.

Er4s is much more neutral and detailed. Sound is thinnish with more hi frequency extension. Response is very quick in comoarison with very neutral bass.

The Roxannes (which you can get used for ~$700 USD) has a much thicker sound. Bass is detailed and heavy with very forward mids. Highs seem to roll off pretty early and overall they're a little slow on the attack. However, the sound is very cohesive and natural sounding. A little analytical but mostly liquid and very warm. I'm finding that I'm connecting with the music again in a way that I haven't with portable gear in a long while. Taken together, the "flaws" and merits work well.

I recommend them if you're looking for a different flavor. Stay away if you're looking for cool and analytical.

thanks, i hadn't considered JH audio (as far as i know i cant get them in the UK) but ill add it to my short list, which at the moment only consists of shure se425 and westone w30.
 
i think ive been spoiled by the ER4s 

 

[Voyageur]

  thanks, i hadn't considered JH audio (as far as i know i cant get them in the UK) but ill add it to my short list, which at the moment only consists of shure se425 and westone w30.
 
i think ive been spoiled by the ER4s 

 
I think that if you're accustomed to the Ety signature you'll find the SE425 to be substantially lacking in detail and treble. The W30 should suit your needs better. The treble is more vivid and extended, and the music more organically represented. Just my opinion, not facts. 

 

[joed83]

   
I think that if you're accustomed to the Ety signature you'll find the SE425 to be substantially lacking in detail and treble. The W30 should suit your needs better. The treble is more vivid and extended, and the music more organically represented. Just my opinion, not facts. 

thank you. i appreciate opinions very much, especially since i am unlikely to be able to try anything before buying.
 
i have just realised i should have said shure se535 - i imagine the shures are fairly similar though

 

[Voyageur]

  thank you. i appreciate opinions very much, especially since i am unlikely to be able to try anything before buying.
 
i have just realised i should have said shure se535 - i imagine the shures are fairly similar though

 
I've owned both, basically the 535 have fuller bass while the 425 is fairly neutral (well, apart from the treble roll-off). You could also add Aurisonics' Rockets to your list, I've never owned them but from what I've read so far they prove to be a pretty good alternative to the ER-4. 

 

[Hutnicks]

  thanks, i hadn't considered JH audio (as far as i know i cant get them in the UK) but ill add it to my short list, which at the moment only consists of shure se425 and westone w30.
 
i think ive been spoiled by the ER4s 

Forgive me if I find this amusing. I think that perhaps the ER4 simply offers true value for money. It is not being spoiled to actually receive what you have paid for. One of the many issues I have with the audio trade in general right now is the inflated value system with which many vendors  utilize to attempt to hawk there wares. A true value IEM should not, in this day and age be the exception, it should be the rule.

 

[ER4S]

  Im done eith my ER4s now, one driver came apart and im not sinking any more money into it - the current ones have been recabled twice in two years since being completely replaced, before that id replaced the cable several times and the drivers had become mismatched prompting the replacement. 
 
and id just finished making a cable that id been planning for years (i used it for around a week) 
 
Im thinking about getting another universal IEM, budget would be about £300 - dosent have to be exactly like the ER4s but i do love their sound. I know ill end up repairing the ER4s but I cant bring myself to do it at the moment
 
anyone have suggestions?
 
cheers 

 
Maybe you can look at FLC 8S.
 

  Forgive me if I find this amusing. I think that perhaps the ER4 simply offers true value for money. It is not being spoiled to actually receive what you have paid for. One of the many issues I have with the audio trade in general right now is the inflated value system with which many vendors  utilize to attempt to hawk there wares. A true value IEM should not, in this day and age be the exception, it should be the rule.

 
Well said.

 

[m.knight]

  Forgive me if I find this amusing. I think that perhaps the ER4 simply offers true value for money. It is not being spoiled to actually receive what you have paid for. One of the many issues I have with the audio trade in general right now is the inflated value system with which many vendors  utilize to attempt to hawk there wares. A true value IEM should not, in this day and age be the exception, it should be the rule.

++++++1

 

[JRoyen]

Still looking for multi-driver IEMs that are as neutral as the ER4S. In the meantime, could anyone give me replacement tip suggestions besides the standard Etymotic ones? Thanks in advance.

 

[gnarlsagan]

thank you. i appreciate opinions very much, especially since i am unlikely to be able to try anything before buying.

i have just realised i should have said shure se535 - i imagine the shures are fairly similar though

I highly recommend looking at the Aurisonics Rockets. ER4S comparison here.

Still looking for multi-driver IEMs that are as neutral as the ER4S. In the meantime, could anyone give me replacement tip suggestions besides the standard Etymotic ones? Thanks in advance.

Why multi-driver? Just curious. I've never heard one as accurate as the ER4S. Some might say a custom UERM comes close.

 

[gnarlsagan]

A New Mod
 
So I wanted to share a new simple mod that has drastically increased my enjoyment of the ER4S.
 

 
 
That, my friends, is a tiny o-ring I've slid onto the cable to act as a cable cinch. I used a tiny pair of tweezers to slide it over the jack, up the cable, over the y-split, and up to where you see it now. It stays in place very well, and even further reduces microphonics. You can see in the photo that I've already tied up the cable so it can easily route over the ear. This has resulted in the least or very close the least amount of microphonics I have heard from any IEM. It also helps that no part of the ER4 barrel touches your ear, which cuts out nearly all sound caused by conductance from walking/running/general movement.
 
An Offer
 
I'd like to offer to send two o-rings to any ER4 user that wants them FOR FREE (until I run out of stamps or o-rings, whichever comes first). I have quite a few to send out. Consider this a gift to the community, and to those that have helped keep this thread alive after all these years. If interested PM me with your address and I'll get them in the mail some time within the next week or so.

 

[joed83]

Forgive me if I find this amusing. I think that perhaps the ER4 simply offers true value for money. It is not being spoiled to actually receive what you have paid for. One of the many issues I have with the audio trade in general right now is the inflated value system with which many vendors  utilize to attempt to hawk there wares. A true value IEM should not, in this day and age be the exception, it should be the rule.

My complaint is that in the past 3 years I've had two new sets, one strait repair and will need a third now. It's really all the shipping, taxes and handling fees I resent (shipping has been around £35 and I've also been hit with a tax/handling fee of around £40/45 each time. the repair/replace fees are very reasonable the earphones themselves are fantastic value. I had a pair of ER4s from around 2002-2011 and never had a problem with them despite using them every day, I only replaced the cable with the awwan adaptors to try and do something about the cable noise. I lost them but replaced strait away. This time I'm going to at least see if there is anything I can get that can be serviced within the EU, preferably England seeing as there is a possibility of the brexit lol. I understand both shure and westone operate within the EU but perhaps I should look into English makers, I believe acs and noble would be options although over my budget

Maybe you can look at FLC 8S.


Well said.

Thanks, after a quick read it sounds good!