[AryaTwirl]

Amazon.jp is there for you

Ah haven’t tried the .jp yet. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Blackwoof]

Seem like /r/headphones is a total mess there a few trolls going around praising planar for speed/detail but then argue at anyone who dares point out that the ER4, Evo have the same speed/detail. Not to mention they seem to love to spam the ER2XR as the only IEM to get like they do with OE like the HD6XX, Ignoring people who don't like Harman bass. Many there still think the ER4 can only do 50Hz ~ 12KHz despite every FR chat shows it doing 10Hz ~ 18.5KHz.

It is even worse when the ER4XR is the main topic since I would pick the 4XR over the 2XR or just add 3db on the ER4XR to mimic the 2XR bass. I hold the view that ER4SR with 6db bass shelf(105Hz) blows the Westone W40 out the water while having the bass quantity.

 

[productred]

Seem like /r/headphones is a total mess there a few trolls going around praising planar for speed/detail but then argue at anyone who dares point out that the ER4, Evo have the same speed/detail. Not to mention they seem to love to spam the ER2XR as the only IEM to get like they do with OE like the HD6XX, Ignoring people who don't like Harman bass. Many there still think the ER4 can only do 50Hz ~ 12KHz despite every FR chat shows it doing 10Hz ~ 18.5KHz.

It is even worse when the ER4XR is the main topic since I would pick the 4XR over the 2XR or just add 3db on the ER4XR to mimic the 2XR bass. I hold the view that ER4SR with 6db bass shelf(105Hz) blows the Westone W40 out the water while having the bass quantity.

Seriously Ety lovers should avoid forums except dedicated Ety threads lolllllllll Don't mention Ety to anyone chasing hundreds of drivers in their tri or quad hybrids costing them a car and a house not to say a kidney. Don't make them look at FR graphs Lollll

 

[Rackhour]

So...should I invest into an amp for my ER4XR? I see a lot of posts about amping ER4 buds.

 

[Toesnip13]

Seriously Ety lovers should avoid forums except dedicated Ety threads lolllllllll Don't mention Ety to anyone chasing hundreds of drivers in their tri or quad hybrids costing them a car and a house not to say a kidney. Don't make them look at FR graphs Lollll

Though I have ti say the EVO is remarkable at keeping up with other multi-driver IEMs

 

[rasmushorn]

So...should I invest into an amp for my ER4XR? I see a lot of posts about amping ER4 buds.

I think the ER4XR scales nicely with whatever amp I use it with. There is a huge difference between using the lightening-jack dongle from my iPhone to a dedicated amp and even use the ER4XR with my full size desktop amp and they sound fantastic! So, getting a better chain and source will be rewarded with the ER4XR.

 

[bms44974]

So...should I invest into an amp for my ER4XR? I see a lot of posts about amping ER4 buds.

I found that an amp substantially improved SQ for my ER4 (100 Ohm). I used FiiO X3 DAP + FiiO E11 amp. Granted that the M9 I use now delivers more output than the X3, but at 45 Ohm, I find that my ER4SR requires no additional amplification with FiiO M9. Most modern DAPs and DACs include a sufficient amp component to render the need for an external amp superfluous with the ER4SR/XR.

Cheers... Brian

 

[Zachik]

So...should I invest into an amp for my ER4XR? I see a lot of posts about amping ER4 buds.

What is your alternative, if not buying an amp?
Straight out of a modern DAP - I would say no need, since they have pretty decent amps already built-in.
If you intend to drive the ER4XR from a laptop's or a phone's headphone jack - then absolutely get an amp! (and a better DAC...)

 

[Toesnip13]

What is your alternative, if not buying an amp?
Straight out of a modern DAP - I would say no need, since they have pretty decent amps already built-in.
If you intend to drive the ER4XR from a laptop's or a phone's headphone jack - then absolutely get an amp! (and a better DAC...)

But if they already get loud enough, is there a point? Does an amp somehow make the FR more true to what it should be if SPL is matched with and without an amp?

 

[tinyman392]

But if they already get loud enough, is there a point? Does an amp somehow make the FR more true to what it should be if SPL is matched with and without an amp?

The only advantage an external amp will have when driven out of a phone or laptop is that it could be a physically better amp (lower output impedance, etc.) or "color" the sound differently. Do note that a lot of laptop amps are kind of rubbish; though I'd say if you have a flagship phone, the amp and DAC being used is likely decent. Even Apple's little dongle is actually really good. I do use my EVO using a Fiio BTR1K right now for convenience; I'm thinking of getting the Qudelix though.

 

[Zachik]

But if they already get loud enough, is there a point? Does an amp somehow make the FR more true to what it should be if SPL is matched with and without an amp?

When I just started in this hobby, I asked myself (and others) the same question!
Most intuitive answer I got was something like:
You could drive on a highway from city A to city B in a Porsche / Mercedes / BMW at 65MPH (100KM/H) and the car just drives with ease.
You could also drive a 30 year old car that sounds like its engine is going to explode at the same speed, and arrive at the same time.
The experience will be VERY different, even when the drive time and speed are the same.

So... I know this analogy is a little over-simplification, but I agree with it. Yes, your laptop will drive your ER4XR to the same ear-splitting volume, but it will just not sound good!
Many USB dongles out of a PC (or USB-C out of a phone) would make your ER4XR sound MUCH better!
The good news: you do not have to spend a fortune. I very highly recommend the blog by Head-Fi-er @OspreyAndy at: https://andyaudiovault.com/donglemadness/
The guy bought ALL the dongles, so that we do not have to... Excellent work and I actually bought a couple of the cheap ones he liked as a throw-in-the-laptop-bag solution.

 

[AryaTwirl]

When I just started in this hobby, I asked myself (and others) the same question!
Most intuitive answer I got was something like:
You could drive on a highway from city A to city B in a Porsche / Mercedes / BMW at 65MPH (100KM/H) and the car just drives with ease.
You could also drive a 30 year old car that sounds like its engine is going to explode at the same speed, and arrive at the same time.
The experience will be VERY different, even when the drive time and speed are the same.

So... I know this analogy is a little over-simplification, but I agree with it. Yes, your laptop will drive your ER4XR to the same ear-splitting volume, but it will just not sound good!
Many USB dongles out of a PC (or USB-C out of a phone) would make your ER4XR sound MUCH better!
The good news: you do not have to spend a fortune. I very highly recommend the blog by Head-Fi-er @OspreyAndy at: https://andyaudiovault.com/donglemadness/
The guy bought ALL the dongles, so that we do not have to... Excellent work and I actually bought a couple of the cheap ones he liked as a throw-in-the-laptop-bag solution.

Yap, even those cheap dongles can sound much better than onboard PC card, and definitely muuuuch muuuuch cleaner without all those static noises.

 

[Rackhour]

I think the ER4XR scales nicely with whatever amp I use it with. There is a huge difference between using the lightening-jack dongle from my iPhone to a dedicated amp and even use the ER4XR with my full size desktop amp and they sound fantastic! So, getting a better chain and source will be rewarded with the ER4XR.

I found that an amp substantially improved SQ for my ER4 (100 Ohm). I used FiiO X3 DAP + FiiO E11 amp. Granted that the M9 I use now delivers more output than the X3, but at 45 Ohm, I find that my ER4SR requires no additional amplification with FiiO M9. Most modern DAPs and DACs include a sufficient amp component to render the need for an external amp superfluous with the ER4SR/XR.

Cheers... Brian

What is your alternative, if not buying an amp?
Straight out of a modern DAP - I would say no need, since they have pretty decent amps already built-in.
If you intend to drive the ER4XR from a laptop's or a phone's headphone jack - then absolutely get an amp! (and a better DAC...)

I figure my reply kinda touches on all three of your replies, so I just grouped the quotes. My regular setup for the ER4 is an iPhone 8+ and the Apple Lightning dongle, occasionally swapping it with an iPod Classic (last generation, no mods). I figure with the dongle becoming problematic, I might try a different amp/DAC.

 

[Toesnip13]

I just used my M-Audio 192/14 audio interface to listen to some CDs. Wow. What a sound
Never heard the EVO and ER4SR sound so pure and energetic at the same time.

Oh and call me crazy but I actually went a touch warmer with the filters by using the red ones on the EVO

 

[Blackwoof]

Seriously Ety lovers should avoid forums except dedicated Ety threads lolllllllll Don't mention Ety to anyone chasing hundreds of drivers in their tri or quad hybrids costing them a car and a house not to say a kidney. Don't make them look at FR graphs Lollll

Reddit is troll central, I've yet to find a IEM that rivals the ER4XR/ER2SE.