[Bacon_N_Cheese]

You may want to read this.. the effect on various dampers/filters on ETY... I think the only filter that you may want to try out is the red one, 2200 Ohm, the rest are a waste of time and obviously this tuning kit is way overpriced!
http://rinchoi.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-effect-of-acoustic-dampers-on-iems.html

Thanks, I just ended up buying the regular green filters on amazon. jeez, $12 is so expensive for 4 small pieces of plastic

 

[PowerCycles]

Did anyone try to compare the SQ of ER3XR with 20ohm impedance adapter and ER4XR?

I can't find any further discussion about it. Did it truly sound identical or was it just in graph?

I don't have a ER3XR, but based on what I've read, they are darker sounding compared to ER4XR. So, i'm wondering if it is possible for them to sound identical with the impedance adapter.

 

[twiceboss]

nothing, just an etymotic er2se user pass by after being impressed again and again (finally i figured how good this with foam tips)

 

[emklap]

Did anyone try to compare the SQ of ER3XR with 20ohm impedance adapter and ER4XR?

I can't find any further discussion about it. Did it truly sound identical or was it just in graph?

I don't have a ER3XR, but based on what I've read, they are darker sounding compared to ER4XR. So, i'm wondering if it is possible for them to sound identical with the impedance adapter.

Hi PowerCycles,

Your lucky, I have had an ER3XR for a year now and added an ER4XR last week so I started comparing them this morning. For this comparison I have used an Ibasso DX160 DAP, the original Etymotic cables, and original tripple flange ear tips, 3.5mm SE connector. Impedance adpater of 30 ohm. Tests are all done by ear. The ER4XR's are still brand new and I only have about 50 Hrs usage on them.

ER3XR vs ER4XR:
My first impression is that the bass on the ER3XR is similar in strength as that on the ER4XR, but the ER3XR I find more woolly and congested. The notes on the ER4XR are a better defined. The biggest change I hear are in middle and upper frequencies. On te ER4XTR these note feel faster, more airy and more "fresh". To be fair the difference is not huge. This was a bit of a surprise to me because I was expecting a drop on bass volume on the ER4XR, as is happening by adding the impedance adapter.

ER3XR + 30 ohm adapter vs ESR3XR without adapter.
I used a 30 ohm impedance adapter which comes close to you 20ohm request. The ohm values I have find on the web go form 23 ohm to 75 ohm so there is a rather big variation. When adding the impedance adapter, the bass volume drops by a few decibel. This lifts the middle and highs and make it less woolly, the bass bleed less into the middle notes. IMO this gives the effect of stronger (louder) middle and high frequency notes. This works well on heavy bass tracks lifting the mids and highs. A subtle but welcome change in frequency response.

ER3XR + 30 ohm adapter vs ESR4XR
Now the million dollar question, how do these compare. Adding the impedance adapter on the ERS3XR lifts its mids and highs making them feel louder/stronger, making them sound more like the ER4XR. However IMO the quality of the notes on the ER4XR are better, faster and more fresh. The changed frequency response on the ER3XR+30ohm can not make up for the lift in quality of the ER4XR.

Again, the differences between the ER3XR and ER4XR are small and I can understand that some cant hear the difference. I only bought the ER4XR because I love the ER3XR. I wanted a spare pair and Black Friday prices (on amazon US) pushed me into buying the ER4XR because they are the top op the range of Etymotic.

While experimenting I also tested the ER4XR + 30ohm impedance adapter. The impact is similar to the ER3XR + adapter. The bass volume drops a few decibel, making the frequency response more like the ER4SR.

 

[WilcoRoger]

So adding the 30Ω to the ER3XR results in the ER3SE?

 

[emklap]

So adding the 30Ω to the ER3XR results in the ER3SE?

yes, likely

 

[adolchristin]

They need to update the certificates; looks like they're testing with 100mv drive rather than 200mv drive now. My old ERXSR certificate shows ~104.5 db rather than ~98.5 for the sensitivity measurements.

Edit: Dug out the certificate from my old packaing ER4SR and my wife's new packaging ER4SR and compared. You can see there are some small differences. My wife's pair has THD under .5% on both units but the sensitivity is much lower. This makes me suspect 100mv drive rather than 200mv (since doubling the voltage would give 6db).

Sonically I can't perceive a difference at the same volume but I wonder what changed during the validation process.

 

[dr cornelius]

They need to update the certificates; looks like they're testing with 100mv drive rather than 200mv drive now. My old ER4XR certificate shows ~104.5 db rather than ~98.5 for the sensitivity measurements.

Edit: Dug out the certificate from my old packaing ER4SR and my wife's new packaging ER4SR and compared. You can see there are some small differences. My wife's pair has THD under .5% on both units but the sensitivity is much lower. This makes me suspect 100mv drive rather than 200mv (since doubling the voltage would give 6db).

Sonically I can't perceive a difference at the same volume but I wonder what changed during the validation process.

I have SR's from 2017 and XR's from 2019 and they both look more like your test from 4/4/2018; The test covers 20Hz-20k, instead of only 100Hz-10k.

 

[Blackwoof]

They need to update the certificates; looks like they're testing with 100mv drive rather than 200mv drive now. My old ER4XR certificate shows ~104.5 db rather than ~98.5 for the sensitivity measurements.

Edit: Dug out the certificate from my old packaing ER4SR and my wife's new packaging ER4SR and compared. You can see there are some small differences. My wife's pair has THD under .5% on both units but the sensitivity is much lower. This makes me suspect 100mv drive rather than 200mv (since doubling the voltage would give 6db).

Sonically I can't perceive a difference at the same volume but I wonder what changed during the validation process.

Seems like 0.58% is a common THD on the ER4XR, Yet many just dump 1% ER4's then lash out when it not common. But then again i doubt they could tell in a DBT with a ER4SR at 0.28%.

 

[adolchristin]

I have SR's from 2017 and XR's from 2019 and they both look more like your test from 4/4/2018; The test covers 20Hz-20k, instead of only 100Hz-10k.

Out of curiosity are your units in the old-style packaging? My measurements came from an old-style package and a new-style package. I wonder if the verification changed a bit when Lucid Audio acquired Etymotic.

 

[dr cornelius]

Out of curiosity are your units in the old-style packaging? My measurements came from an old-style package and a new-style package. I wonder if the verification changed a bit when Lucid Audio acquired Etymotic.

I think mine are the old style packaging, but I do remember that the XR box has a small Lucid logo on it. I'm not sure if there's a Lucid logo on the older SR box - I'll have to check in the next couple of weeks, when I'm back in my apartment. The XR box says made in USA, so maybe they switched the verification after they moved overseas?

 

[adolchristin]

I think mine are the old style packaging, but I do remember that the XR box has a small Lucid logo on it. I'm not sure if there's a Lucid logo on the older SR box - I'll have to check in the next couple of weeks, when I'm back in my apartment. The XR box says made in USA, so maybe they switched the verification after they moved overseas?

Yeah, that seems likely. I don't think it's a big deal personally since both pairs sound great. I was just curious after seeing some of the certificates posted recently so I dug mine out.

 

[adolchristin]

Not too bad for an hour or two of soldering.

Apologies for the slight necro here but @ClieOS how do you do finish the connectors so cleanly? I'm handy with a soldering iron and i've got some notched etymotic connectors coming in along with some diy cabling. Are you using two-part epoxy? And is that colored shrinkwrap? Can I ask what the diameter is?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

[FayeForever]

FWIW this is ER4SR I recently purchased from Amazon, came with the new package.

 

[adolchristin]

FWIW this is ER4SR I recently purchased from Amazon, came with the new package.

It seems that the newer packaging certificates don't show any information before 100Hz and after 10kHz and are tested at 100mv rather than 200mv if the sensitivity is any indication. Not that it matters but it's interesting to see the difference between the old and new style certificates.

Also not sure if anyone has seen these yet:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001507370795.html

I remember @ClieOS used to homebrew fancy converters like this; I'm ordering a set and will post with my impressions when they arrive.