OK, so obviously this is not the full write up by any stretch of the imagination but all I have to say is this: The ER4SR are replacing the ER4XR for sure. Playing classical, psytrance, dubstep, pop, classic rock, heavy metal and electronica lead me to conclude that the SR is less noisy, has a slightly wider soundstage yet somehow more resolving and intimate at the same time (I think this is due to a feeling of more air between instruments/mix channels) and I'm actually enjoying the bass more without the more obvious thud. The rumble of sub-bass and the thud of a resonating psytrance kick is most definitely there and it lets you know so, but the thing that happens in the XR when it tries to up its bass game is you lose the detail in that note. If you need any evidence that the SR has a ton of sub-bass just stop listening to the bay-sayers and play Shitbox by Noisia - you’ll see exactly what I’m on about. The ER4 series are simply so unbelievably accurate that they spit out crap recordings instead of creating bass where it doesn’t belong. It has to have come from the mind of the artist and that’s what I love so sooo much about them! They respect the art so effortlessly.
I'm also really enjoying hearing the intricacy of how various bass notes attack and especially when they decay on the 4SR.
I want to repeat this particular point because it's quite new to me - I am able to hear layers of bass decay and yet still enjoy the presence of that note. What have Ety done here? Seriously this is pure magic. The 4XR have this to some level but I’m afraid some detailing is attenuated to the point where I could only hear it because I knew it’s there, after having discovered it on the 4SR - and at that point it’s probably just my brain filling gaps.
One very important point for those who listen to rock/metal or similar: I did not realise this until tonight but oh my goodness have I been missing out. Playing Gojra's new album, Fortitude, through the XR usually resulted in quite a bass heavy experience and (even though Gojira's mastering is top notch) I could at times even pass the track off as something being played as a 128 kbps mp3 file - until now. The culprit? Yup, the raised bass floor of the XR. Why? Well, you know that bass guitarist nobody ever pays attention to in the band? He/She comes through like an all consuming tidal wave on the XR! If you listen to the track Born For One Thing then within the first 35 seconds you'll know exactly what I mean. Listen through the SR and you shall be rewarded with supreme separation, now being able to pick out the bass and still headbang to its grit, but this is grit with detail
Just would like to conclude with the following that the ER4XR are definitely some of the best IEMs I have ever heard, and it is a long list of premiums I can promise you that. However, the SR, for my taste and musical needs, takes the experience just that bit higher and lets me hear all that beautiful texture I know the artist worked so hard on including. If you have the 4XR, try the SR if you can. And actually if you have the 4SR, try the XR because it might have what you're looking for if you need a little more bass 'feel'.
One more thing: I use these Etys to play along to tracks on my phone through my Roland TD25KV e-drums, the distortion is noticeably lower when using aux input from phone and playing the kit at the same time. With the XR it was kind of unusable in some cases - too muddy and noisy when things got busy. The 4SR definitely fixed this. Not a massive difference but no more muddiness in the mess, so I'm definitely a happy bunny now
For those interested, ER4XR THD lab measurements are approx 0.86% for both and ER4SR THD at approx 0.49%
And if anybody is wondering whether my 4XR is perhaps damaged or something then I can assure you it's not. I have two sets for the comparison (the other is my friend's) and the results are identical. She loves hers by the way but partilly agreed with me about the 4SR but isn't replacing her set.
Thanks guys and please rip my post apart any which way, would love to hear from people and suggestions on any tracks you'd like me to compare
Sounds like the ER4XR is source sensitive cause in my case: LG V20 > > > E10K >>>>> Fiio Q1. The THD on ER4XR could lower in reality, 1% still low when compared to speakers.
The PtoS cable that came with the ER4PT.
