[TrantaLocked]

Anyone want to try and explain something I've noticed with etymotic earphones? I have two pairs of ER4s (one ER4SR and one ER4PT) and noticed that over time it seems like bass and stereo width decrease somewhat and that leaving the headphones to sit idle for a while sort of like, resets them back to sounding full and alive again. Is this just mental or is there something to it?

 

[SilverEars]

It's mental, probably reduced sensitivity from prolonged listening or listener's fatigue. It happened to me as well from too much listening time.

When you stop listening to iems for a long duration, and then listen, your impressions change I think.

 

[rasmushorn]

What iem would you recommend to complement ER-4S?

If you are looking for something similar, I find that the qJays v2 is a great companion to the ER-4S. I moved from ER-4S to the qJays and the design is better while keeping a neutral and clear, open sound.
Also the qJays are not pointing out of the ears like the ER-4S.

But hearing the ER4-XR this weekend makes be want to go back to Etymotic...

 

[Bubblejuice]

Does anyone know how the ER4XR compare to the B&O H3?

I know it's probably apples and oranges, but the H3s are the best in ears I've heard, other than the iSine 10, which didn't impress me unfortunately.

 

[castleofargh]

Anyone want to try and explain something I've noticed with etymotic earphones? I have two pairs of ER4s (one ER4SR and one ER4PT) and noticed that over time it seems like bass and stereo width decrease somewhat and that leaving the headphones to sit idle for a while sort of like, resets them back to sounding full and alive again. Is this just mental or is there something to it?

it's the feeling of eating a piece of cake, vs the feeling after eating cake for 5 consecutive hours. the cake is the same, I'm the same, but somehow my impressions have changed a lot. ^_^

 

[liquidrats]

Does this marvel even burn in, or it's just my head. A day of listening and the bass response becomes very apparent.

 

[SilverEars]

Does this marvel even burn in, or it's just my head. A day of listening and the bass response becomes very apparent.

There are many perspectives to look at how you perceive.

Another way is what type of iem was your ears acustomed to prior to listening to er4? Was your ears acustomed to more elevated bass?

At the point in time you switch iems, and therefore the signature the ear is used to hearing, and if there is significant contrast(warm to cold would be one), the brain see something significantly less. That's when something is noticed the most, at the point of contrasting transition. And once your ears keep listening to the signature, it adjust, and the bass doesn't seem as low.

An analogy would be a new prescription glasses. Our brains needs adjustments.

This is another perspective in how to make sense of it. Combine this with measurements, and you can rule out hardware changes if it's not there, and something else must explain the phenomena.

 

[liquidrats]

There are many perspectives to look at how you perceive.

Another way is what type of iem was your ears acustomed to prior to listening to er4? Was your ears acustomed to more elevated bass?

At the point in time you switch iems, and therefore the signature the ear is used to hearing, and there is significant contrast, the brain see something significantly less. That's when something is noticed the most, at the point of contrasting transition. And once your ears keep listening to the signature, it adjust, and the bass doesn't seem as low.

An analogy would be a new prescription glasses. Our brains needs adjustments.

This is another perspective in how to make sense of it. Combine this with measurements, and you can rule out hardware changes if it's not there, and something else must explain the phenomena.

My prior accustomed iem is westone w30. I know it's a whole world of differences, it has it own thing going on. I wanted something more natural, flat and closer to what it's suppose to sound like. I tried Polaris, and IT03. Altho the Polaris was good, but I wanted something more laid back... This burning in is always a matter of discussion. But I think it's the mind getting used to the sound. But all in all, ER4 is my bedtime story book, nice and relax putting on something like Gregory Porter.

 

[jaxz]

Hi, maybe this was asked but, any comparison between er4xr and Hifiman RE0/00?

Thanks.

 

[LarryNYC]

Just received these - the new SR/XR connector. Different from those (previously) available on Lunashops (which doesn't have the notch / lock), these are molded to fit perfectly into the SR/XR socket and will not spin at all . Here is the close-up picture



This is the Taobao shop I bought mine: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...ab0VCN&id=554917339777&ns=1&abbucket=6#detail
There are probably a few more places selling them if you search around Taobao. If you can't buy directly from Taobao, you might need a buying agent.

Along those lines, ClieOS shipped me a pair of adaptor plugs so the Capri cable will work with my Etymotic SR earphones. Thanks Clie!

If you recall from earlier in this thread, the Etymotic drivers have a keyed slot for the cable and the standard MMCX plugs on the Capri cable will not snap into the driver. I thought I would have to sell the Capri cable but it works great with Clie's adaptor plugs.

I believe in passive attenuation of external noise and so I use the biggest foam earplugs sold by Ety. I could use some kind of shirt clip for the Capri cable so as to reduce microphonic noise. Any ideas? I never wear this rig while walking on the street because I wouldn't be able to hear a bus that was about to run me over.

 

[bmoregnr]

Along those lines, ClieOS shipped me a pair of adaptor plugs so the Capri cable will work with my Etymotic SR earphones. Thanks Clie!

If you recall from earlier in this thread, the Etymotic drivers have a keyed slot for the cable and the standard MMCX plugs on the Capri cable will not snap into the driver. I thought I would have to sell the Capri cable but it works great with Clie's adaptor plugs.

I believe in passive attenuation of external noise and so I use the biggest foam earplugs sold by Ety. I could use some kind of shirt clip for the Capri cable so as to reduce microphonic noise. Any ideas? I never wear this rig while walking on the street because I wouldn't be able to hear a bus that was about to run me over.

Is that an over/around the ear setup, the rounded bend I mean. Pretty setup whatever it is. If you're looking for clips, I have found that tiny ladies hair clips from the drug store will work wonders in all types of pickles.

 

[jaxz]

Hi, maybe this was asked but, any comparison between er4xr and Hifiman RE0/00?

Thanks.

 

[uoods]

I'm so glad to be returning to head-fi after a long absence to see this thread! My ER4P/S are still among my favorites after 15+ years. I'm pondering new cables after all this time, as the microphonics keep me from using these anywhere but at home, sitting still. Found these on aliexpress, any opinions?

 

[ClieOS]

I'm so glad to be returning to head-fi after a long absence to see this thread! My ER4P/S are still among my favorites after 15+ years. I'm pondering new cables after all this time, as the microphonics keep me from using these anywhere but at home, sitting still. Found these on aliexpress, any opinions?

Fine cable, as I used it as the base cable to mod it to spec for either 4P / 4S / 4B (*see the link in my sig). If you use it as it is, do note it has no resistors inside and you will end up having a different sounding ER4 with less than 10ohm in total. You can however mod it as I did, or use an impedance adapter.

 

[LarryNYC]

Is that an over/around the ear setup, the rounded bend I mean. Pretty setup whatever it is. If you're looking for clips, I have found that tiny ladies hair clips from the drug store will work wonders in all types of pickles.

I tried but I can't really make it work as a behind the ear setup. The Y in the cord on the Capri gets caught around my chin. Thanks for the tip about lady's hair clips!