[chowmein83]

Guys, what about ces 2016? Any news about (improved) er4?

 
Actually, I was just at CES and went to the Etymotic room/booth to exactly ask about this.
 
The rep there actually told me that they were indeed making a revision to the ER4. Specifically, from what I understood, they are not tinkering with the sound but instead are focusing on improving the cable.
 
They want to make the cable actually user-replaceable (since the current cable supposedly isn't designed for normal consumers to replace). I think they also might have said that they want to make the cable less microphonic.
 
While there is no firm release date, they want to get it out sometime by this year. I think he hinted that Ety may have something by SoCal CanJam in March, but I don't think this is for certain.
 
EDIT: I corrected a huge typo before that said that Ety was looking to change the sound of the ER4 with the new revision. They are in fact, not going to do so.

 

[ClieOS]

   
Actually, I was just at CES and went to the Etymotic room/booth to exactly ask about this.
 
The rep there actually told me that they were indeed making a revision to the ER4. Specifically, from what I understood, they are tinkering with the sound but instead are focusing on improving the cable.
 
They want to make the cable actually user-replaceable (since the current cable supposedly isn't designed for normal consumers to replace). I think they also might have said that they want to make the cable less microphonic.
 
While there is no firm release date, they want to get it out sometime by this year. I think he hinted that Ety may have something by SoCal CanJam in March, but I don't think this is for certain.

 
A bit fanny they said that as the only reason why the cable on ER4 series is not user replaceable is because Etymotic doesn't sell the replacement cable to user. My sinister guess is that because they don't want people to buy just one ER4 and have three version of the cable but rather want people to buy three different versions of ER4 instead.
 
If they want user-replaceable cable, better move the circuit in the cable pod into the earpiece. Won't hurt to update the cylinder design to something more 'modern' as well (over-the-ear perhaps?), but please oh please don't use MMCX connector.

 

[chowmein83]

   
A bit fanny they said that as the only reason why the cable on ER4 series is not user replaceable is because Etymotic doesn't sell the replacement cable to user. My sinister guess is that because they don't want people to buy just one ER4 and have three version of the cable but rather want people to buy three different versions of ER4 instead.
 
If they want user-replaceable cable, better move the circuit in the cable pod into the earpiece. Won't hurt to update the cylinder design to something more 'modern' as well (over-the-ear perhaps?), but please oh please don't use MMCX connector.

 
I knew that (hence why I used the word "supposedly"), but I didn't mention that to the rep in the interest of being polite.

 

[HiFiChris]

[...] , but please oh please don't use MMCX connector.

Wahaha, +1.

 

[alershka]

Modified cross-post from Fiio forum.

I have Etymotic ER4P. I have already sent them in once for re-cabling/rebuild and have been frustrated with the microphonics of the stock cable.


Today I ordered the shure cable adapters for the ER4's off of eBay. Does anyone have any experience with the Fiio replacement cables on ER4's? Is the cord noise reported better/worse/same as the etymotic stock cables?

Is there a preferred cable to use for the 4p? I've seen people recommend Westone but the ER4 Westone adapter wasn't available on ebay. I am assuming the connectors are not interchangeable.

For now, I've reinforced my stock cable at the plugs using a ball point pen springs but I like the thought of being able to change out the cable myself if there is a problem.


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 
Hope you got the adapter from AW Audio as other seller don't have any resistor built into the adapter and that will totally change the sound of your ER4, not to mention it will lower the IEM's impedance to very low and put stress on the source.

Ack! I did not. Not the first time I have wasted money on the Internet but it still hurts. Should have done more research.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

[uzi2]

Ack! I did not. Not the first time I have wasted money on the Internet but it still hurts. Should have done more research.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

All is not lost. Look for a 100ohm inline resistor. The original Ety 75ohm model (to convert P to S) will be useful until you can source the 100ohm.

 

[ClieOS]

  I am in the process of building my own 4S and 4B cable, just waiting for one last part to come in. Will post picture when they are finished.

 Here are the finished cable that converts my 4P to 4S and 4B
 

The ressitor-caps circuit is built into the adapter in order to minimize the footprint. 4S on the left, 4B on the right.
 

Finished cable - red is 4S and blue is 4B
 
The SPC cable and the adapters are sourced from Lunashops, caps and resistors from RS-online. Due to the size restriction, caps have to be 0805 ceramic 0.22uF while the resistors are 0805 metal film 100ohm. Overall, I am quite happy with the result as they measure almost as good as any other 4S and 4B measurement that I have came across. If you are interested in the measurement, check them out here.

 

[robm321]

^ very nice!

 

[Joe Bloggs]

A bit fanny they said that as the only reason why the cable on ER4 series is not user replaceable is because Etymotic doesn't sell the replacement cable to user. My sinister guess is that because they don't want people to buy just one ER4 and have three version of the cable but rather want people to buy three different versions of ER4 instead.

If they want user-replaceable cable, better move the circuit in the cable pod into the earpiece. Won't hurt to update the cylinder design to something more 'modern' as well (over-the-ear perhaps?), but please oh please don't use MMCX connector.

Well, my ER4P did fall into pieces after just a few cable removals and reinsertions, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt here...

 

[nk126]

 Here are the finished cable that converts my 4P to 4S and 4B



The ressitor-caps circuit is built into the adapter in order to minimize the footprint. 4S on the left, 4B on the right.



Finished cable - red is 4S and blue is 4B

The SPC cable and the adapters are sourced from Lunashops, caps and resistors from RS-online. Due to the size restriction, caps have to be 0805 ceramic 0.22uF while the resistors are 0805 metal film 100ohm. Overall, I am quite happy with the result as they measure almost as good as any other 4S and 4B measurement that I have came across. If you are interested in the measurement, check them out here.

You like the Lunashops cable, then? I bought a Shure compatible cable from them to use with my er4 (with awann's S adapter) and the sound quality decreased noticeably from the stock cable. Wonder if I got a bad one, or maybe their cheaper cables just aren't so good?

 

[ClieOS]

You like the Lunashops cable, then? I bought a Shure compatible cable from them to use with my er4 (with awann's S adapter) and the sound quality decreased noticeably from the stock cable. Wonder if I got a bad one, or maybe their cheaper cables just aren't so good?

 
It works as it should, that I like.
 
You might want to know that the ready-made, fully finished cable from Lunashops often have reversed polarity (meaning the ground and signal wires are soldered the wrong way around) and that can cause you ER4 to sound rather off. Not a problem for me in this case as I soldered the cable myself and checked the polarity to make sure they are all corrected. I have one ready-made cable from Lunashops that has one side on the wrong polarity and another member mentioned that he faces the same problem from a few Lunashops' cables before. So it is a rather common problem with Lunashops' cable.

 

[castleofargh]

 

You like the Lunashops cable, then? I bought a Shure compatible cable from them to use with my er4 (with awann's S adapter) and the sound quality decreased noticeably from the stock cable. Wonder if I got a bad one, or maybe their cheaper cables just aren't so good?

 
It works as it should, that I like.
 
You might want to know that the ready-made, fully finished cable from Lunashops often have reversed polarity (meaning the ground and signal wires are soldered the wrong way around) and that can cause you ER4 to sound rather off. Not a problem for me in this case as I soldered the cable myself and checked the polarity to make sure they are all corrected. I have one ready-made cable from Lunashops that has one side on the wrong polarity and another member mentioned that he faces the same problem from a few Lunashops' cables before. So it is a rather common problem with Lunashops' cable.

I'd say it's a common problem for cables in general. out of maybe 15 IEMs I've measured on the veritas, I've had 2 with reversed polarity.  I can't seem to hear the difference when I reverse it TBH.  but I guess on the ER4, inverting would mean having the resistors on the ground right? so perhaps that's what making a difference(and I would suspect, not for the better).
I never thought of trying that, but even the cheapest resistor adapters available online don't go for a single resistor on the ground, so there must be a good reason.

 

[ClieOS]

 
I'd say it's a common problem for cables in general. out of maybe 15 IEMs I've measured on the veritas, I've had 2 with reversed polarity.  I can't seem to hear the difference when I reverse it TBH.  but I guess on the ER4, inverting would mean having the resistors on the ground right? so perhaps that's what making a difference(and I would suspect, not for the better).
I never thought of trying that, but even the cheapest resistor adapters available online don't go for a single resistor on the ground, so there must be a good reason.

 
Some IEM are designed to be listened with reversed phase and not necessary a cable / soldering problem. That's just how the designer has intended. With Lunashops however, everything is a bit random as they don't seem to check the polarity before soldering. Human are not very sensitive to phase so it is not uncommon not to notice when both sides are out of phase. It is much easier to notice when only one side is out of phase as the presentation will be off, especially on the image. From my own experience, driver that is on reversed phase tends to be more specious.
 
ER4 is a bit different - most ER4 aftermarket cable and cable adapter actually don't have any resistors built-in, which of course is completely wrong. Also, ER4's signal and ground pins are of different size, you can't just turn the earpiece around and plug in the other way to fix the problem, since it won't fit at all. So the problem is really two folds - you might have the right phase but don't have the required resistance (= bad!), or the wrong phase and still without any resistance (= worst!). I'll assume any builder who are careful enough to put in the right resistance won't have soldered the pins in the wrong way, though I guess that could happen in rare case.

 

[uzi2]

If both sides are out of phase then they are in phase. Out of phase is when left is out of phase with right. Out of phase is obvious to hear and easily corrected if you have standard 2 pin IEM connectors. Most IEMs make it obvious with the coloured dot whether you will be in or out of phase, but when using adapters with the Etys it's a little different. These things are round, there is no front and back

 

 

[ClieOS]

  If both sides are out of phase then they are in phase. Out of phase is when left is out of phase with right. Out of phase is obvious to hear and easily corrected if you have standard 2 pin IEM connectors. Most IEMs make it obvious with the coloured dot whether you will be in or out of phase, but when using adapters with the Etys it's a little different. These things are round, there is no front and back

 

 
We are talking about electrical phase, as also in what is considered the right acoustic phase the IEM is supposed to be listened to.