[sari0n]

I would suggest a total bithead or a fiio e7 for cheap amplifiers.  I used a total bithead with my HF5's which are pretty similar to the ER4's and they increased the soundstage quite a bit and also enhanced the bass slightly.  It also made the music a tiny bit heavier and less airy.  I imagine the e7 with the bass enhance would synergize nicely with the ER4's as well.  The built in DAC is very handy to have around as well, if you ever want to listen to nice music out of a laptop or a computer with a not so great sound card.

 

[Koorosh]

Wow, thank you for that
I'm still thinking amp and wire however, even with the added arse of lugging it around with me, simply because I think that the problems I'm concerned about will be resolved with this set-up. It's not an easy choice though because I would love a new set of monitors just for something new! I have to keep telling myself that I'm a bum

 

[mvw2]

The ER4P doesn't need an amp.  Amping wouldn't provide much other than an option to color the sound signature a little depending on what product you get.  On the cheaper end, you may even worsen the sound a little if the product introduces an audible level of noise.
 
Plain and simple a different IEM will offer a vastly larger difference than an amp.  An amp is useful when the power is needed.  When it is not, the amp isn't doing anything for you.  An amp makes sense o the ER4S but not the ER4P.  You can get the adapter to do the P to S conversion but all you're doing is buying a cable and then also buying an amp, two things you get the pleasure to spend money on just to use the same headphone and have a slightly different sound.
 
I would certainly lean you to trying out other products.  The ER4 is a great foray into high end audio, but it is more a stepping stone than an end point.  It is a very good implementation of a single BA driver which has allowed it to last for so long and remains a highly regarded product.  However, there's a lot of new stuff out there, a lot of very good new stuff.  If you seek a different sound, why not do that? 

 

[AudioCats]

ER4P is a bit rolled-off on the top end, which bothers me a lot. So I bought some Earsonic SM3 (v1), much fuller sound, shimmering highs and powerful bass. But the SM3 v1 is not comfy for me (somehow the ER4P's tri-flange doesn't bother me a bit). And there is detectable housing resonance from the SM3 v1's, when playing certain kind of percussion tracks.
 
The ER4P does benefit from a good amp, though.  

 

[Koorosh]

I think as it stands with money, an amp with a converter cable would be the best option right now. Perhaps if I were to buy new monitors at some point then a trade of all those parts could go some way towards a trade of some new IEMs? I also really think I need to hear the ER-4S sound signature before I veto them completely

 

[Koorosh]

Saving money is a good thing for me, so I'm thinking of getting the Viio E5 with the L5 cable and the converter cable. Sound a good combo?

 

[goodvibes]

Some bass IEMs just for fun.

 

[limpidglitch]

Quote:

Saving money is a good thing for me, so I'm thinking of getting the Viio E5 with the L5 cable and the converter cable. Sound a good combo?

Try it, but with your stated object for this upgrade I see no reason why this should make you any happier.
 

 
Quote:

Some bass IEMs just for fun.

 
What was it exactly you wanted to illustrate?

 

 

[Koorosh]

At the moment, I feel the monitors are 'pushed' with their sound when I play through an mp3 player. When I play them through a PC the sound seems more pronounced, although I hope that with ER-4S running through an amplifier, the sound will be clearer and more pronounced. That's the hope anyway! If not, I have a set of gubbins that might get me a trade for some different IEMs!

 

[AudioCats]

I would recommand getting somebody to make you a Cmoy amp that uses all premium parts.
 
 

 

[nikongod]

 
Quote:

I would recommand getting somebody to make you a Cmoy amp that uses all premium parts.
 

Thats called a B22.

 

[AudioCats]

yeehaw!
 
a Beta-22 driving 108dB/mW sensitivity IEM's?
 
However I have never even heard of a B22 built with all premium parts. You will at least need all blackGates for power supply, no?
 
The SEX amp in your sig seems to be a good fit for the ER4's.

 

[nkramer]

i do not have any experience with the er4p/s but i have and love my er6is. had them for a while, tried the eq thing. these do not like to get pushed on the low end (using 5th gen ipod video/rockboxed) without an equal or greater precut. i was also playing with the advanced eq which worked better than the standard graphic eq, but i just got a cmoyBB and i'm very pleased with it. now all eqs are off and i just use the bass boost on the amp. much better. now i know there is no reason for using an amp with my puny 16ohm er6i's but now i can use the line out of the ipod and better bottom end than rockbox eq + headphone jack. i previously had an fiio e5. if you are looking to the fiio line for a big boost in the bottom end i'm afraid you might be disappointed. if i remember... i think it's only like 3db boost (correct me if i'm wrong.) even on the e7 the setting are like 1.5. 3, 4.5db boost (again, please correct me if i'm wrong, been a while since i read the review that stated the boost levels). the cmoyBB is 9db and if you're a little handy you can replace the switch with a pot and dial it in to anything from 0 - 9db.
 
i believe you can send your set back to ety & they can switch the cables for you (the resistors are in the barrel looking thing on the cable). if you send them in they also usually do a check on the iem as well. or just pick up the adapter.
 
anyway, best of luck in whatever you decide to do, and above all... enjoy the music.

 

[scrane]

I can't imagine that no matter how much juice you pour through the ER4ps they will sound like anything other than a single driver ba. Try something new and different.

 

[Koorosh]

Well thank you again to all of you for the information. I will at least try the ER-4P>S converter with an amp running through the L5 cable. Ah that reminds me! Do any of you have a good method for cutting down on the microphonics of those things! I use the clip supplied. Sorry for the tangent- just thought it was worth asking. Are ER-4s amongst the worst or what?