[JohnYang1997]

To those who don't know about hf5 and er4, they use the "same" driver but by two different manufacturers. sonion 2389 is essentially knowles (2)9689. Slightly different in the fr. Thus to me. hf5 + PtoS adaptor ~ er4s.
Same thing may apply to er3. Etymotic being a "big" company means that they are able to customize ba driver. New er4's have customized drivers that you are not able to buy retail like you do with 29689/2389. So it's "safe" to etymotic.
Which also means that even if you crack er3/4 open, you won't find anything meaningful.
My word is, if you love etymotic and want to support etymotic, go buy er4sr + xr + mk5 and probably er1 and 2 lol.
If you want to have the most of your money and have the most of your er3, try adding 20-100ohm resistor to er3 and profit.

 

[overgang]

I think those x-ray pictures ( http://alexmod.do.am/forum/10-292-1 ) are more useful and you won't break anything lol.

My goodness. X-raying headphones, that's Übergeekery.

 

[csglinux]

I think those x-ray pictures ( http://alexmod.do.am/forum/10-292-1 ) are more useful and you won't break anything lol. Apparently, there are no resistors in the housing, maybe it's like old ER4 and resistors are placed in Y-splitter? I can't tell by those pictures. However, would be interesting if someone can check the cable impedance with a multimeter.

Reading with translate some forums it looks like the new ER4 lineup is using a custom Knowles RAB and might ER3 isn't exactly the same custom BA. But, that is just random thoughts not the actuality at present.

Thanks for the interesting link! I measured the ER4XR cable as ~1.1 Ohm - so basically just wire. There's no resistor in there. Now these thin-film resistors can be tiny - about the same size as a blob of solder. I wonder if a 20 Ohm TFT soldered on to the outside shell of a BA driver could technically be considered as turning this into a (slightly) different model BA driver?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Thanks for the interesting link! I measured the ER4XR cable as ~1.1 Ohm - so basically just wire. There's no resistor in there. Now these thin-film resistors can be tiny - about the same size as a blob of solder. I wonder if a 20 Ohm TFT soldered on to the outside shell of a BA driver could technically be considered as turning this into a (slightly) different model BA driver?

That is the solder joint. The wire is inside the ba driver housing. Basically, if you wind the wire you get inductance, if you don't you get resistance. But not 100% sure that this is the way they did it.

 

[Happytalk]

To those who don't know about hf5 and er4, they use the "same" driver but by two different manufacturers. sonion 2389 is essentially knowles (2)9689. Slightly different in the fr. Thus to me. hf5 + PtoS adaptor ~ er4s.
Same thing may apply to er3. Etymotic being a "big" company means that they are able to customize ba driver. New er4's have customized drivers that you are not able to buy retail like you do with 29689/2389. So it's "safe" to etymotic.
Which also means that even if you crack er3/4 open, you won't find anything meaningful.
My word is, if you love etymotic and want to support etymotic, go buy er4sr + xr + mk5 and probably er1 and 2 lol.
If you want to have the most of your money and have the most of your er3, try adding 20-100ohm resistor to er3 and profit.

To those who don't know about hf5 and er4, they use the "same" driver but by two different manufacturers. sonion 2389 is essentially knowles (2)9689. Slightly different in the fr. Thus to me. hf5 + PtoS adaptor ~ er4s.
Same thing may apply to er3. Etymotic being a "big" company means that they are able to customize ba driver. New er4's have customized drivers that you are not able to buy retail like you do with 29689/2389. So it's "safe" to etymotic.
Which also means that even if you crack er3/4 open, you won't find anything meaningful.
My word is, if you love etymotic and want to support etymotic, go buy er4sr + xr + mk5 and probably er1 and 2 lol.
If you want to have the most of your money and have the most of your er3, try adding 20-100ohm resistor to er3 and profit.

Regarding the hf5 being the same as the er4s if the resistance S adaptor is used. Is this in theory or practice? Have you compared the two in this way. I remember doing so briefly and did not feel they where the same at all. I really like the hf5, but in comparison to the er4s, the hf5, with the S adaptor, still did not seem to have the same level of detail retrieval both in the highs (especially) and the lows. It did inberently have more bass then the er4s but not as good quality or as clear. YMMV
H5 is still fantastic. Especially for the money.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Regarding the hf5 being the same as the er4s if the resistance S adaptor is used. Is this in theory or practice? Have you compared the two in this way. I remember doing so briefly and did not feel they where the same at all. I really like the hf5, but in comparison to the er4s, the hf5, with the S adaptor, still did not seem to have the same level of detail retrieval both in the highs (especially) and the lows. It did inberently have more bass then the er4s but not as good quality or as clear. YMMV
H5 is still fantastic. Especially for the money.

Same condition. 60318-4 compliant coupler. er4sr + hf5ptos + hf5200ohm

 

[Slim1970]

After wavering back and forth about getting a pair of these I finally joined the club. I'm glad I did because these are fantastic sounding earphones when paired the my iDSD BL. I got the XR version and the bass is just right. It's not bloated or boosted but it's present and tight. Loving the neutral, clear sound presentation.

 

[HiFiChris]

 

[Signal2Noise]

^
Now THAT, sir, is bonafide Christmas card worthy!

 

[Happytalk]

Same condition. 60318-4 compliant coupler. er4sr + hf5ptos + hf5200ohm

Did you listen? I felt the er4s still had better detail retrieval and clearer bass, and ultimately provided a better emotional response. I did not feel the same way when listening to the hf5's with the S adaptor. Now I'm curious again... But sold my hf5's

 

[JohnYang1997]

Did you listen? I felt the er4s still had better detail retrieval and clearer bass, and ultimately provided a better emotional response. I did not feel the same way when listening to the hf5's with the S adaptor. Now I'm curious again... But sold my hf5's

Due to the fact that
1, PtoS + hf5 is still lower than er4s in impedance, so I tried 200ohm as well.
2, BA manufactured by sonion is highly possible to sound different from the one from knowles, even tho they use the same schematic. But very slightly and you don't say which is better.
3, cabling makes difference in this situation. Even you can't see the difference in measurement, you may hear improvements due to the cable. (I tried f7200 cable on er4sr, I can tell the imaging and detail is some better than the stock which sound bit narrow and congested. Not a lot but some)
I can't say they are 100% the same. But the first week I received er4sr, I couldn't tell the difference, and I don't own er4s (but er4b).
Instead of hf5, I am very interested about the er3 adding PtoS.

PS: BTW, I do hear a slightly fatter bass on hf5+PtoS, this can be improved by adding 200ohm. And the cable is highly possible to make the difference as well. But on the other hand I may say hf5+ptos is more robust/vivid less analytical/calmed? I do prefer er4sr now anyway.

 

[TypodCrowd]

Has anyone tried reterminationg their er4s/p/pt cable for balanced listening? I have an aftermarket cable that's broken that I just took apart and it ony had 3 conductors (L,R,G) wrapped in some shielding. I'm wondering if anyone's tried reterminationg their original cable and might be able to tell me if it's possible.

I've extensively googled the issue, no results found there, hence my posting here.

PS. My reason for asking:
I currently own an er4s and and er4p. I've ordered a custom cable build from clieos that'll give ma a balanced er4p to er4s adapter, along with a balanced to SE 3.5mm adapter. I'd like to balance my er4p cable and sell the er4s since I'd no longer need them.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Has anyone tried reterminationg their er4s/p/pt cable for balanced listening? I have an aftermarket cable that's broken that I just took apart and it ony had 3 conductors (L,R,G) wrapped in some shielding. I'm wondering if anyone's tried reterminationg their original cable and might be able to tell me if it's possible.

I've extensively googled the issue, no results found there, hence my posting here.

PS. My reason for asking:
I currently own an er4s and and er4p. I've ordered a custom cable build from clieos that'll give ma a balanced er4p to er4s adapter, along with a balanced to SE 3.5mm adapter. I'd like to balance my er4p cable and sell the er4s since I'd no longer need them.

If I remember correctly, you need to recable it completely or recable it from the splitter.

 

[TypodCrowd]

If I remember correctly, you need to recable it completely or recable it from the splitter.

Dang flabbit. okay cool - if I can get just one more confirmation then I'll plan for that. Should've just got a custom cable made instead of the adapters.

 

[Happytalk]

Due to the fact that
1, PtoS + hf5 is still lower than er4s in impedance, so I tried 200ohm as well.
2, BA manufactured by sonion is highly possible to sound different from the one from knowles, even tho they use the same schematic. But very slightly and you don't say which is better.
3, cabling makes difference in this situation. Even you can't see the difference in measurement, you may hear improvements due to the cable. (I tried f7200 cable on er4sr, I can tell the imaging and detail is some better than the stock which sound bit narrow and congested. Not a lot but some)
I can't say they are 100% the same. But the first week I received er4sr, I couldn't tell the difference, and I don't own er4s (but er4b).
Instead of hf5, I am very interested about the er3 adding PtoS.

PS: BTW, I do hear a slightly fatter bass on hf5+PtoS, this can be improved by adding 200ohm. And the cable is highly possible to make the difference as well. But on the other hand I may say hf5+ptos is more robust/vivid less analytical/calmed? I do prefer er4sr now anyway.

That's essentially what I heard. I found it hard to use anything other than er4s after all my comparisons. The new er4sr and xr are great and the experience of using them is better (cabling, look, microphonics), but I couldn't justify the upgrades once I compared sounds. Hf5 was good, without and with the s adaptor. I also have another 100ohm adaptor I tried them with. Definitely not as detailed in the treble and especially the bass. All subtle differences, but differences nonetheless. I also tried er4b for a while. Er4s for life for me.