[artnoi]

I’d look into the Massdrop Plus too. It’s the XR except warmer and way better executed. Neutral like the ER4 but with just the right amount of bass. Treble is rolled off a tad though.

Thank you for your recommendation but I’m really used to trebly sound, as all my full-sized monitor headphones some how have peaks in treble area, and most of the times I find most IEMs have seriously rolled off treble (like my Massdrop EDC3 and Hifiman RE400), so I think I’ll stick with Ety’s.

 

[Colors]

In the case, Ety has some of the best trebles aside from the Andromeda =P

 

[Voyageur]

I found the mid-bass on the XR overly boosted. I’d stick with the SR.

Agreed, I own both the XR and SR, and the XR I barely use while the SR gets the most job.

The XR bass boost feels a bit odd, almost like it's trying too hard. I still reach out for it from time to time though.


Edit: I'm thinking of getting a back-up classic ER4S at the moment, as I feel like my 10year+ journey to find "the perfect IEM" is pretty much ending here.

 

[erick15]

One more 2.5mm balanced cable for another fellow ER4 user:

Looks great. What mmcx connector is that?

 

[ClieOS]

Looks great. What mmcx connector is that?

This.

 

[luisdent]

Agreed, I own both the XR and SR, and the XR I barely use while the SR gets the most job.

The XR bass boost feels a bit odd, almost like it's trying too hard. I still reach out for it from time to time though.


Edit: I'm thinking of getting a back-up classic ER4S at the moment, as I feel like my 10year+ journey to find "the perfect IEM" is pretty much ending here.

I'm seriously considering selling my xr. my sr and s are just too good. i think i prefer the s still for most supreme sound, but not sure. they're so close. the sr is just more comfortable and easily driven...

 

[Voyageur]

I'm seriously considering selling my xr. my sr and s are just too good. i think i prefer the s still for most supreme sound, but not sure. they're so close. the sr is just more comfortable and easily driven...

More comfortable indeed, the only complaint I have is the quite fragile, and still heavy stock cable. The strain reliefs, apart from the one at the L shaped jack, are nearly non-existent. Had to replace it already due to faulty contact. The original ER-4 cable is quite a bit sturdier in comparison (in my experience), although not "user-replaceable". Would be nice to see Etymotic come up with different cables sold as accessories, just like Westone (braided, MFI, super thin, Bluetooth, silver,... they have them all, optimized for their W/UM Pro products and ready to be paired).

 

[luisdent]

More comfortable indeed, the only complaint I have is the quite fragile, and still heavy stock cable. The strain reliefs, apart from the one at the L shaped jack, are nearly non-existent. Had to replace it already due to faulty contact. The original ER-4 cable is quite a bit sturdier in comparison (in my experience), although not "user-replaceable". Would be nice to see Etymotic come up with different cables sold as accessories, just like Westone (braided, MFI, super thin, Bluetooth, silver,... they have them all, optimized for their W/UM Pro products and ready to be paired).

I haven't had any issues with any of my three new models yet... not saying you didn't, but it may have been a less common defect?

the s cable is very easy to replace for a user. it may not be sold as a separate cable, so perhaps not technically user replaceable. however, I've done it many times with no issueand nothing but my fingernails.

 

[lesale08]

I find the synergy between 4sr and iphone SE streaming spotify extreme better than 4sr straight from my pioneer 300r.

 

[lesale08]

Now with the DH1000 amp I hear less of grain in the mids.

 

[Voyageur]

I find the synergy between 4sr and iphone SE streaming spotify extreme better than 4sr straight from my pioneer 300r.

The iPhone 5s/SE are actually pretty decent audio players (sorry if I'm shocking some audiophiles saying that)

 

[lesale08]

The iPhone 5s/SE are actually pretty decent audio players (sorry if I'm shocking some audiophiles saying that)

It can drive the ety without sounding thin. At times I find the ety thin sounding out of the 300r.

 

[artnoi]

The iPhone 5s/SE are actually pretty decent audio players (sorry if I'm shocking some audiophiles saying that)

So is the iPhone 4. I mainly use my iPhone 4 with Ety, sometimes with Fiio A5 amplifier to have finer control over the volume.

 

[lesale08]

Today I was able to try the ety with the AK240 gold and SP1000 cu. Oh boy the sp1k sounds so full while the ak240 sounded more analytical and has a slightly thinner bass and mids compared to sp1k.

 

[SoundTown]

It can drive the ety without sounding thin. At times I find the ety thin sounding out of the 300r.

If I were to guess, might have something to do with output impedance. Not sure about the output on the Pioneer, but on the iPhone SE it's about 1 Ohm or less if I remember correctly. While I won't say the ER4SR are especially sensitive IEMs, this might be one factor making a difference.
And yes, like @Voyageur said, the iPhones and iPods for that matter are actually really good players, contrary to what many audiophiles may be led to believe. Those Cirrus audio chips are actually quite decent.