[H20Fidelity]

I had an idea at some point that low freq being the hardest to locate in space, they were a big part in making 1 single instrument to occupy more space. you know how the er4 pinpoints each instruments, well I thought it was (at least in part) due to the treble extension, and the weak bass/subs. that's really the ER4 that gave me the idea.
I tried to EQ but I felt like I just wouldn't get the sub I was looking for without destroying the rest in the process(don't you feel like the ER4 kind of sucks globally as soon as you try to add like 5 or 6db or more in the sub?  so I tried the weirdest stuff, I put on my hd650 above my er4 ^_^ lol.
I went the complicated road with VAC and VSThost to get 2 outputs with independent volume controls and some low pass filter/small EQ for the hd650. in retrospect, it would have worded almost as well with a doubling jack and an old remote cable(rheostat kind) to lower the volume on the er4 and just counting on the isolation to filter the high freqs. oh well.:rolleyes:

anyway I fooled around a long time with that and my very unproven own conclusion was that it might indeed be a choice to make. knife sharp precision in space and detail of the ER4 with kind of flat texture and 180° in line instruments, or more subs, more texture and feeling of "3D", but immediate sense of losing in precision.
can't say if it's about how our brain get distracted by the bass(or maybe receives contradictory spacial cues?), or if somehow the bass comes to pressure the driver in a way that tempers with how accurately it can move for trebles(I remember reading about even multi BAs rolling off in trebles because of bass driver, but I didn't understand the explanation ).

I'm a sub addict so I would sacrifice a great deal for them, but I now doubt it's possible to really get the feeling of the ER4 with good bass. and mr Suyama(fitear) thought the same for different reasons when he tried to make an er4 with bass.



oh and I really was never a fan of dba2, B2 and other stuff with the same double driver spiking close to 10khz. I guess I had them all(only tried the dba mkII a few days though)because I always reach for small form factor. my favorite were the Qjays but they all had the same pros and cons. they were amazing because of how small and comfy they could be, without too much cable noise. but the signature... still yes the soundstage felt maybe not bigger, but more "3D" no doubt. and the massive bass bump could fit with my hypothesis I guess.

You made a hybrid, not only a hybrid but also a cross-breed of full-size headphones / IEM! It's actually an interesting concept. I think the most I've done is use a 3.5mm male to x2 3.5mm female adapter and listen to two different IEM's, one in each ear simultaneously. It sounded similar, like frequencies were cancelling out or the ear wasn't decoding it correctly.

But don't worry, I think we all ride the what if, give a whirl train sometimes.

I've also thought of an ear adapter that would insert into your ear like an IEM but allowing fitments for two IEM nozzles, giving the ability to encounter two IEM at once.

It's just a sign we've been on Head-fi too long my friend.

 

[castleofargh]

oh yeah! an IEM ABXer !!!!! it would change the signature because of the added length between driver and eardrum, but comparisons would become much more precise.
and then we could also use several 12driver IEMs at the same time. at last something good enough for my ears

.
we should at least have 1 driver per bit of resolution.

 

 

[H20Fidelity]

On another note, I'm absolutely loving my ER4S in thier current setup. Using glider tips and Hum Pervasion Dap, they just sing away at low volumes allowing all the details push through. They've also gained a nice relaxing atmosphere from this combination.

About 6 months ago I was all about amping ER4S pulling as much detail possible which they completey succeeded giving instant body rushes with Andrea Bocelli tracks, it was about the excitement, that daring edge of pulling as much detail possible at high volumes.

These days I've sold the amp, they're more used as a relaxation tool late at night laying down only subtlety playing in the background. They succeed at this remarkably well too.

Sure got my moneys worth from this purchase.

 

[headdict]

I have to admit that I'm getting old and unwilling to endure the discomfort of using ER4 or even HF5. I don't really mind the loss in accuracy, which is rather mild compared to the gain in comfort when I use dba-02 mkii instead. And these can even be worn cables up without making me look like a cyborg. They're just ten times more practical and usable for me. However, the sd-2 are yet more comfortable and practical, so these have become my go-to IEMs. Still looking for a better compromise, though. Something like sd-2, just with a more balanced sound. If I only were a more talented EQer!

 

[ozkan]

  I have to admit that I'm getting old and unwilling to endure the discomfort of using ER4 or even HF5. I don't really mind the loss in accuracy, which is rather mild compared to the gain in comfort when I use dba-02 mkii instead. And these can even be worn cables up without making me look like a cyborg. They're just ten times more practical and usable for me. However, the sd-2 are yet more comfortable and practical, so these have become my go-to IEMs. Still looking for a better compromise, though. Something like sd-2, just with a more balanced sound. If I only were a more talented EQer!

 
ER4+custom mold maybe?

 

[headdict]

   
ER4+custom mold maybe?

Experiences with this seem to be all over the place. Unpredictable sound changes due to different resulting insertion depths. Still awkward to use in public due to looks. Don't think I wanna go that route. But thanks for the suggestion! Would be nice if it worked...

 

[thunderfromsky]

Hi, I have er4s . I want to buy custom iem. I need same sound signature with er4. I have about 500$ (excluding reshell) . Probably I will buy second hand. I have two opinion
1- ue uerm 
2- another ciem

 

[luisdent]

  Hi, I have er4s . I want to buy custom iem. I need same sound signature with er4. I have about 500$ (excluding reshell) . Probably I will buy second hand. I have two opinion
1- ue uerm 
2- another ciem

I say buy a new UERM. It isn't identical to the er4s, but it's the closest signature i've heard and is very nice. But if you're going to pay $500 plus re-shelling, I'd get the UERM from UE new and gave it molded correctly by someone they recommend or them. Get it done right and know that you are getting a working, known good UERM. Just my thoughts...
 
All the other CIEMS I've seen (I haven't heard any of them, but I'm very familiar with responses and graphs) have more V-shaped sounds or more mid bass warmth. If the er4s is what you're after the UERM is the closest I've seen (and have heard). I actually wanted one, but I'm a poor sap.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  I have to admit that I'm getting old and unwilling to endure the discomfort of using ER4 or even HF5. I don't really mind the loss in accuracy, which is rather mild compared to the gain in comfort when I use dba-02 mkii instead. And these can even be worn cables up without making me look like a cyborg. They're just ten times more practical and usable for me. However, the sd-2 are yet more comfortable and practical, so these have become my go-to IEMs. Still looking for a better compromise, though. Something like sd-2, just with a more balanced sound. If I only were a more talented EQer!

 
Try gilder tips if you haven't already from Etymotic, they're quite comfortable.
 
I was becoming like yourself, tired of the foam wearing out. Some days I didn't want to go through the insertion etc...
 
They've worked for me.

 

[ozkan]

   
Try gilder tips if you haven't already from Etymotic, they're quite comfortable.
 
I was becoming like yourself, tired of the foam wearing out. Some days I didn't want to go through the insertion etc...
 
They've worked for me.

 
Yes but they fall apart very easily. 

 

[H20Fidelity]

   
Yes but they fall apart very easily. 

 
Doesn't seem to be the case for me. I just slide them in, don't see how they can fall apart easily (at least for me)
 
At most they're going a little yellow up on the end from pushing against my canal. Haaha 

 
These are going on 1 month+ old.
 

 

 
 
They're also heat sensitive and rather hard during our Winter weather on first insertion.
 
I hold them between my fingers for a second to soften them (they react quite easily to heat)
 
This is the still the first pair of three I bought. 

 

[uzi2]

   
Doesn't seem to be the case for me. I just slide them in, don't see how they can fall apart easily (at least for me)
 
At most they're going a little yellow up on the end from pushing against my canal. Haaha 

 
These are going on 1 month+ old.
 
 
 
 
 
 
They're also heat sensitive and rather hard during our Winter weather on first insertion.
 
I hold them between my fingers for a second to soften them (they react quite easily to heat)
 
This is the still the first pair of three I bought. 

A month is good going. I wonder whether they have changed them at all. Years ago when I used them they would quickly tear and break away from the inner tube.
I've been using them again recently and have gone over a week without any signs of deterioration. They need to last a long time at the price they are, but they are by far the most comfortable way of getting proper insertion.

 

[H20Fidelity]

  A month is good going. I wonder whether they have changed them at all. Years ago when I used them they would quickly tear and break away from the inner tube.
I've been using them again recently and have gone over a week without any signs of deterioration. They need to last a long time at the price they are, but they are by far the most comfortable way of getting proper insertion.

 
If you look really close there's a little slit starting to appear around the area you mention.
 
I've been watching it for further deterioration. So far, it doesn't seem to be moving.
 
(look really close to the upper right next to the inner tube)
 
 

 
 
If I can get a couple of months out of them each I'm happy, Also I take a bit of care not to shove them around or heavily abuse them on insertion.
 
Slide them in gently, also heating that little bit allows a softer insertion.

 

[thunderfromsky]

 
I say buy a new UERM. It isn't identical to the er4s, but it's the closest signature i've heard and is very nice. But if you're going to pay $500 plus re-shelling, I'd get the UERM from UE new and gave it molded correctly by someone they recommend or them. Get it done right and know that you are getting a working, known good UERM. Just my thoughts...
 
All the other CIEMS I've seen (I haven't heard any of them, but I'm very familiar with responses and graphs) have more V-shaped sounds or more mid bass warmth. If the er4s is what you're after the UERM is the closest I've seen (and have heard). I actually wanted one, but I'm a poor sap.
 

Thanks, what about Lear lcm-5 ? I heard its the same signature with er4 . Is it true , anyone tried ?

 

[episiarch]

 
Experiences with this seem to be all over the place. Unpredictable sound changes due to different resulting insertion depths. Still awkward to use in public due to looks. Don't think I wanna go that route. But thanks for the suggestion! Would be nice if it worked...

For what it's worth I have several custom molds, which I bought after lots of experimentation with tips purchased from Etymotic, Shure, and Comply.  (Since that time Westone's introduced their Star Tips which I think are pretty recommendable.)
 
My favorite are from ACS Custom, and are a half-shell design in medium-firm silicone with a fairly short bore between the end of the ER-4 and the outlet of the earpiece.  They protrude more than a fully-inserted ER-4, but it's really not enough to be publicly embarrassing at all.  I have this one in both clear and black, and the two colors seem equally firm and I don't hear a sonic difference between them.
 
I have three sets from Westone, who offer a range of materials.  All my Westones are full-shell designs with a somewhat longer bore than the ACS molds, and they protrude more than the ACS sleeves. 
 
The best of my Westones is in their "water clear" silicone which is somewhat firmer than ACS' silicone.  It's somewhat hard to insert and remove, but has the best isolation of any of my customs, and maybe a hair better fidelity than the ACS but I'm not sure.  I have another Westone in water clear but with their slightly roughed up finish: it's a whole lot easier to insert, but it doesn't seal quite as well.  And I have one in their soft silicone, which I really wouldn't recommend unless you actually like having a portion of your treble energy being absorbed by the sound bore walls instead of going into your ear.  But it's fine from a comfort and isolation perspective.
 
Of the non-custom tips, my current favorite are the Westone Star Tips, which I find pretty comfortable although not nearly as much so as the custom tips.