- Joined
- Apr 20, 2016
- Posts
- 1,589
- Likes
- 3,631
Ok, instead of quoting multiple previous posts, I'm going to do my best to address some of the questions that have come up. My apologies if I miss any:
Comparisons with the old models: As most of you know, in the past the ER4S was the more accurate, lower sensitivity earphone. By lowering the impedance, the sensitivity improved, which slightly tilted the response. Because the only difference between the models was the impedance, it was easy to have a P-S converter cable that effectively turned an ER4P into an ER4S.
That's different in the new models. The new ER4SR and ER4XR are both 45 ohm earphones (and have the same 1khz sensitivity). They no longer share the same driver. The new ER4SR driver is *slightly* different than the old one (I'm not going to oversell that), but it hits our target curve a bit more closely and is about 6dB more sensitive than the old model, which we think is nice. The new ER4XR has basically the same response as the ER4SR except for an intentional lift in the low frequencies. While the ER4P tilted the response which gave the impression of a warmer earphone with a bit more bass, the new one is basically flat in the mids and the highs but has a bit of a boost in the low end.
Because the drivers are different, there is no longer the possibility of a converter cable.
Detachable Cable: First thing I can clarify: we moved the resistor out of the splitter. We stayed with the splitter tube because some felt that it was part of the industrial design that people identify as Etymotic (plus it gave us a chance to laser etch our logo on the side). So while we'll be happy to offer replacement cables, there really isn't any reason why you'd be locked into getting one from us.
MMCX Connector: Ah, the MMCX connector. There certainly seems to be a lot of opinions on this one. I can tell you that we tried a lot of different connector types (including the much beloved two-pin option). In the end, we felt that this offered the best combination of functionality while allowing us the form factor we wanted. I have seen some of the issues with MMCX on other earphones. We attempted to alleviate those by countersinking the connector and adding a key. They key prevents rotation, but it's the countersunk area of the cable (a hard plastic mold under the rubbery part) that keeps the connector snug. Without all the lateral side force, we haven't noticed any issue with connectivity.
As far as availability, it's looking like the middle of May as long as I don't end up spending too much time on Head-Fi.
Comparisons with the old models: As most of you know, in the past the ER4S was the more accurate, lower sensitivity earphone. By lowering the impedance, the sensitivity improved, which slightly tilted the response. Because the only difference between the models was the impedance, it was easy to have a P-S converter cable that effectively turned an ER4P into an ER4S.
That's different in the new models. The new ER4SR and ER4XR are both 45 ohm earphones (and have the same 1khz sensitivity). They no longer share the same driver. The new ER4SR driver is *slightly* different than the old one (I'm not going to oversell that), but it hits our target curve a bit more closely and is about 6dB more sensitive than the old model, which we think is nice. The new ER4XR has basically the same response as the ER4SR except for an intentional lift in the low frequencies. While the ER4P tilted the response which gave the impression of a warmer earphone with a bit more bass, the new one is basically flat in the mids and the highs but has a bit of a boost in the low end.
Because the drivers are different, there is no longer the possibility of a converter cable.
Detachable Cable: First thing I can clarify: we moved the resistor out of the splitter. We stayed with the splitter tube because some felt that it was part of the industrial design that people identify as Etymotic (plus it gave us a chance to laser etch our logo on the side). So while we'll be happy to offer replacement cables, there really isn't any reason why you'd be locked into getting one from us.
MMCX Connector: Ah, the MMCX connector. There certainly seems to be a lot of opinions on this one. I can tell you that we tried a lot of different connector types (including the much beloved two-pin option). In the end, we felt that this offered the best combination of functionality while allowing us the form factor we wanted. I have seen some of the issues with MMCX on other earphones. We attempted to alleviate those by countersinking the connector and adding a key. They key prevents rotation, but it's the countersunk area of the cable (a hard plastic mold under the rubbery part) that keeps the connector snug. Without all the lateral side force, we haven't noticed any issue with connectivity.
As far as availability, it's looking like the middle of May as long as I don't end up spending too much time on Head-Fi.