If you still love Etymotic ER4, this is the thread for you...

[drMuse]

Got to use the train for the first time in two months today, which meant getting out the old ER4XRs again. Usually the isolation is just way too much and I don't have time to fiddle with the comply tips, so I just go for a set of true wireless earphones.

Damn, everytime I pull them out I am so amazed at how much music I am missing out on. All the reverbs, singers taking breaths, back singers hidden by instruments! Amazing. Not to mention how quiet they make traffic and the subway if you can roll the foams right.

Even though this level of isolation at home with kids and the wife gives me anxiety and getting the fit right is a chore, I seriously need to use these more!

Can't wait to see if the double flanges will help with the time it takes to get a nice deep fit.

I'm trying to understand your post. You got on a train and opted for wireless headphones? What brand/model? You liked the improved perception with those? You're not talking about the ER4XR's here, right?

 

[batracom]

Can't confirm date, but I bought a pair of ER4SR on Drop, and they came with the dial flanges.
Can't believe I haven't tried them! Everything I read said that triple flange was the way to go - in hindsight, a lot of those comments seem to predate these new double flanges. Eager to try them, and though I love these ER4s, they do hurt after a while. Just not getting used to them.

Thanks, so are the dual flanges more comfortable that the tri-flanges, or are you having trouble with the dual flanges as well? They do not offer an improvement in terms of comfort?

 

[RobinFood]

I'm trying to understand your post. You got on a train and opted for wireless headphones? What brand/model? You liked the improved perception with those? You're not talking about the ER4XR's here, right?

Sorry, I got on a train, so I opted for my ER4(XR), because trains are noisy. I only use my ER4 on trains now. I had not been on a train in a while, so had not listened to them in a while, so I was surprised by how good they sounded.

On a day to day, I use true wireless earphones from Nuarl, but they do not sound as good as the ER4, they are just more convenient in my busy life.

I don't usually use the ER4s because the isolation is too much and I have gotten in trouble at home in the past for not hearing the wife or kids, but when I use the train by myself, I can use them.

 

[drMuse]

Sorry, I got on a train, so I opted for my ER4(XR), because trains are noisy. I only use my ER4 on trains now. I had not been on a train in a while, so had not listened to them in a while, so I was surprised by how good they sounded.

On a day to day, I use true wireless earphones from Nuarl, but they do not sound as good as the ER4, they are just more convenient in my busy life.

I don't usually use the ER4s because the isolation is too much and I have gotten in trouble at home in the past for not hearing the wife or kids, but when I use the train by myself, I can use them.

OK, understood. I used my ER2SE's in the gym today. The isolation's pretty good. I've used ER4S, ER4P, and now ER2SE's in the gym for around 20 years. I even use them around the house and to watch movies. I have Bose Quietcomfort 20's, I use them for napping without plugging them into anything. They kill neighborhood ambient sounds pretty well. I don't think my Sony WF-1000XM3's do as well. Not sure how much I'm going to use them. They sound great, no question, music sounds wonderful, but the noise cancellation is nothing to write home about.

No wife and kids here, so isolation of the Etymotics is great for me... almost anywhere. Trains too, of course, but I only ride one once in a while.

 

[bcaulf17]

OK, understood. I used my ER2SE's in the gym today. The isolation's pretty good. I've used ER4S, ER4P, and now ER2SE's in the gym for around 20 years. I even use them around the house and to watch movies. I have Bose Quietcomfort 20's, I use them for napping without plugging them into anything. They kill neighborhood ambient sounds pretty well. I don't think my Sony WF-1000XM3's do as well. Not sure how much I'm going to use them. They sound great, no question, music sounds wonderful, but the noise cancellation is nothing to write home about.

No wife and kids here, so isolation of the Etymotics is great for me... almost anywhere. Trains too, of course, but I only ride one once in a while.

I’m thinking about getting the ER2 for the gym as well because I love the ER4 so much.

 

[carmatic]

On a different topic - are er4xr (and the rest of Etys line) right/left specific? Or would it be fine to switch right to left when changing cables? I don’t mean switching channels. Just changing drivers compared to what is marked at the testing sheet. They’re all identical right? (Unlike shure IEMs for example)

the etymotic ER series is kind of unique among IEM's in that the drivers are not side-specific, they are basically cylinders which plug into the electrical connector on one end, and the eartips on the other, you could swap the drivers around if you wanted to

 

[carmatic]

Just received my ER4XR!

I wonder if your ER-4 is matched down to below the sub-100hz region... with a free piece of software and a desktop mic , you can find out https://www.head-fi.org/threads/if-...-thread-for-you.538615/page-932#post-15121217

 

[lordvader]

Thanks, so are the dual flanges more comfortable that the tri-flanges, or are you having trouble with the dual flanges as well? They do not offer an improvement in terms of comfort?

I'm trying out the dual flanges this week, and I'll keep y'all posted.
So far, slightly more comfortable than the triple, but I'll get a better feel after a few days. Might mess around with the sizes too (the medium ones pretty much fell out right away!)

They don't feel like the isolate as well (the triple's felt like they were going to suck my brains out), but isolation is still excellent.

 

[DeliriumCordia]

I wonder if your ER-4 is matched down to below the sub-100hz region... with a free piece of software and a desktop mic , you can find out https://www.head-fi.org/threads/if-...-thread-for-you.538615/page-932#post-15121217

I don't notice a difference. I'm pretty happy about the response overall.

 

[NiceStrongArm]

There are third party cables for the ER4SR and XR like Plussound
http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html
Do they make any difference with either durability (some Etymotics cables only lasted 2 months) or particularly cable noise? Which ones are best for reducing cable noise in your experience?

 

[sainteb]

There are third party cables for the ER4SR and XR like Plussound
http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/inearmonitor.html
Do they make any difference with either durability (some Etymotics cables only lasted 2 months) or particularly cable noise? Which ones are best for reducing cable noise in your experience?

The single best improvement you can make in terms of microphonics is wearing your Etymotics over the ear. It might feel weird at first but it works totally fine. I can't comment on those cables (besides noting that they are super expensive) but there are certain people on Head-Fi who can make quality compatible cables for you.

 

[jibberish]

The single best improvement you can make in terms of microphonics is wearing your Etymotics over the ear. It might feel weird at first but it works totally fine. I can't comment on those cables (besides noting that they are super expensive) but there are certain people on Head-Fi who can make quality compatible cables for you.

I've found this to be true, but in the case of the ER2 series cable, it's still slightly microphonic when wearing it up (it's cheaper and more rubbery than the ER4 series cable). I'm looking for an upgrade to the cable on my ER2XR.

 

[sainteb]

I've found this to be true, but in the case of the ER2 series cable, it's still slightly microphonic when wearing it up (it's cheaper and more rubbery than the ER4 series cable). I'm looking for an upgrade to the cable on my ER2XR.

That's definitely true. Not too many options to be honest, you can either use an ER4-compatible cable on your ER2 (like from your ER4-XR, although the colour scheme doesn't match) or get a custom cable or adapter. @ClieOS here on Head-Fi makes some pretty good cables.

 

[Aeneas]

Does the pain subside in time?

I think I’ve got the right tip.
Is it best to keep wearing them or to take a few days off?

Coming from customs and very shallow TWEs this is really jumping in at the deep end and it hurts!

I hope it’s heat a case of getting used to the fit.

 

[sainteb]

Does the pain subside in time?

I think I’ve got the right tip.
Is it best to keep wearing them or to take a few days off?

Coming from customs and very shallow TWEs this is really jumping in at the deep end and it hurts!

I hope it’s heat a case of getting used to the fit.

Yes, it does. It probably took me a month to get used to it the first time.