[ClieOS]

Quick q, for the new version do i need to add resistors to the cable? Im sure i read it needs a 45R but more recent comments seem to imply its not needed. I have a few audionote resistors i think 47R which i can use if needed.

Thanks!

There is no resistor in the ER4SR / XR cable and thus you don't need to add any resistor when making your own cable for them. Only the old ER4P/S/B required resistors in the cable.

 

[joed83]

There is no resistor in the ER4SR / XR cable and thus you don't need to add any resistor when making your own cable for them. Only the old ER4P/S/B required resistors in the cable.

Thanks!

 

[ClieOS]

I got a couple of requests asking for help to build more ER4 cable, so I guess it is time to reopen the build thread. For those who are interested - like old times, I'll provide my labour for free and you are only going to pay for parts, shipping as well as Paypal fee. This run is mainly for the old ER4 (*your choice of P/S/B configuration), but SR/XR cable is also possible. More detail will be posted once the build thread is up and running sometime next week.

As promised, a new ER4 cable build thread is up and running now: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/etymotic-replacement-cable-for-er4-4th-run.858568/

 

[BartSimpson1976]

Lunashops now have stock of the ones with lugs

http://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=5734

Great, will get a pair and have them on a Linum Bax cable.

 

[episiarch]

Great, will get a pair and have them on a Linum Bax cable.

I am really interested in how this turns out.

 

[TrantaLocked]

Which graphs represent left and right on the ER4SR compliance graph?

 

[castleofargh]

Which graphs represent left and right on the ER4SR compliance graph?

guessing you're asking because you've removed the cable and now you don't know which is which? if so, the answer is: it doesn't matter! ^_^
there is a right and left on the cable to make sure you get the right channel of the music going to your right ear. but which driver is on each side is irrelevant. even more so when the matching is this good.

 

[TrantaLocked]

It kind of does because I'm trying to figure out which of my ER4 sets is better matched. My ER4SR sounds a bit louder on the right channel compared to my ER4PT, which led me to compare compliance graphs to see if there's any visual correlation. I was with the ER4SRs for so long that it's still hard adjusting to the quieter right channel on the ER4PT.

 

[castleofargh]

well you still have the serial number on the left of each FR graph to identify measured variations. but unless there is a clear issue, I'm wondering how you deal with pretty much any other IEM or headphone?
if you're really very sensitive to imbalance, or now that you've seen a graph, your brain can't unsee it, I would suggest you get yourself a little microphone and start measuring stuff with ARTA or REW. I'm a tiny bit maniac over some stuff myself^_^, really just a little, and self made measurements really calm the mind. also for the IEMs with obvious imbalance in a wide enough area, you could always make your own sonarworks kind of matching job, and create an EQ for that. REW can help do it. the real issue is afterward to find a playback system to apply it. I've ended up making µSD specifically for an IEM and all the songs encoded with the EQ just because my DAP has only kiddo EQ. it can be some work to learn how to do it all correctly and come up with a working solution, but that's a real solution, acoustically and psychologically.

 

[TrantaLocked]

Ah yes, the serial numbers. The graphs do confirm what I'm hearing. I'd also need to do more testing for any inbalanced hearing loss that may be contributing. I think everything I've gathered and tested confirms the ER4P is more closely matched and I just need to adjust. If you're interested, from the start I thought the right channel with the ER4P had less shimmer than I expected, and this was without paying attention to the graphs, which now confirm to me what I'm hearing. The ER4SR favors the right channel for frequencies above 8KHz whereas things appear exactly matched in that region for the ER4P. The difference might even be higher than a dB if it happens that any imbalance for the ER4P in this region favors the left channel.

I don't have the time or care for that other stuff though. I just use spotify and try to be minimal in how much I modify stuff, whatever it may be. Interesting that you recoded your library for a single pair of headphones though.

 

[castleofargh]

yup, I started doing one µSD per IEM a few years ago, at first just to have the EQ I liked for each, then I went mad like always ^_^. before that I was using one sansa clip per IEM so that I wouldn't have to change the EQ every time(also having spare DAPs in the bag was nice). but that takes me back like 8 years, ancient history. now I feel almost like a modern man with all my little digital toys.
still, my er4 has the best matched channel I've measured in all the IEMs I've got since I bought a coupler. that's why I wonder how it goes for you with other IEMs.

 

[TrantaLocked]

Balance isn't usually a huge concern for me, it's the comparison between my ER4s that's the problem. I was with the ER4SR as my laptop headphones for a while, and then as my only headphones for a few more months after my HD 201s died. I became so used to the SRs specific balance that the change to the ER4Ps balance bothered me. The fact that both are ER4s is a contributing factor for why I'm bothered. I thought maybe a driver was acting up, and I have superstitions about damaging my ER4's drivers. But the graphs confirm it's like a 1 dB difference in the sparkle region, with the ER4P I believe being closely matched.

On the other hand, I did try out the Philips $10 earphones which sound good but literally have 8+ dB channel mismatch, making them nearly unlistenable. Pretty much DoA. I like them enough for their price to replace though, mainly as a backup to my RE-400a. So for balance, I'm ok with anything within a few dB for either channel, but I doubt anything I've ever chosen for my main phones have had anything severe.

 

[Bina]

To the fans of Etymotic, how is it with price of ER4SR? Is it stable and pretty much never goes under MSRP? I'm trying to find used pair, but they seems to be pretty rare, so curious if I can get them anywhere for lower price than MSRP.

Thanks

 

[ClieOS]

To the fans of Etymotic, how is it with price of ER4SR? Is it stable and pretty much never goes under MSRP? I'm trying to find used pair, but they seems to be pretty rare, so curious if I can get them anywhere for lower price than MSRP.

Thanks

I don't think you will see price drop any time soon on the SR/XR. If anything, Etymotic is known to tightly control the old ER4's pricing for many years. I recalled the was a time when the price of old ER4 dropped into the $200+ zone (as rumors had it, there was a fairly big number of liquidated ER4 floating in the market at that time), but Etymotic responded by re-releasing the ER4P as 4PT, pushing the price back into the $400 range.

 

[bmoregnr]

I agree, I have less experience paying attention to pricing but I don't remember seeing Ety's discounted very often much less such new versions like these SR/XRs.