Looking for Etymotic ER4 Replacement/Upgrade

[Steel Ninja]

So my amazing Etymotic ER4Ps just broke. 

 
Turns out sticking sewing needles into headphones isn't a good idea... (long story) But that means spending way more money than any reasonable person should (again) on new toys! 

 
Anyway, I loved the comfort, isolation, and sound of the Etymotics, but I was a little disappointed by their bass output. Now, I am by absolutely no means a basshead. At all. I don't listen to super bassy music, and I utterly hate it when bass dominates the sound signature of a pair of headphones. However, I do want the lower end of my music to have some punch, because after all, bass is what drives rhythm and supports the rest of the sound spectrum. So here's what I'm looking for: IEMs that:
 

1. Are comfortable. I have large ears, so big shells aren't much of an issue, but I have tiny ear canals, and if I have to constantly cram my IEMs back into my ears, it ruins the experience entirely.
2. Have a largely neutral sound signature. I listen to a wide variety of music that demands high performance from the bass, treble, and mids without any of them being too forward. The Etymotic ER4s got this almost perfect, except for the bass, so if an IEM sounds relatively similar to the ER4, that's a good sign. A little cold or warm is okay, as long as it's pretty close to neutral.
3. Have clean, sparkly treble. I want satisfying cymbals, flutes, synths, and female vocals, but I don't want anything overly bright or fatiguing. I listen to music for several hours a day, and I don't want a treble-induced headache. Again, the ER4s are a good baseline for this.
4. Don't have recessed or thick mids. This seems to be a common issue. I want an emotional experience with vocal tracks and an engaging one with guitars and other instrumental tracks. Warm, bloated, or veiled mids are bad news.
5. Have fast, accurate, punchy bass. I don't want booming bass, but I want to be able to hear it underneath the rest of a song and not have it muddy up the mids or drown out the treble. Again, I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, so I need good electric, slap, and string bass; male vocals; rumbles; drones; everything. Unless dubstep stuff is its own category. Feel free to ignore that.
6. Have good bass and treble extension. Pretty self-explanatory. Mid and sub bass both matter to me, but they need to be controlled of course, and I listen to a lot of really high vocals, so a significant treble roll off is no good either.
7. Don't require amplification. I need to be able to listen comfortably through my FiiO X5ii without an amp.
8. Have good isolation. I don't think it's reasonable to ask for isolation as good as that provided by the Etymotics, because those things are absurd, but I do ride the bus frequently, so I want something that can block a solid amount of outside noise without turning the music way up.

 
I know that's a lot to ask for, which is why you'll probably be happy to know cost isn't much of an object. I'd rather cry once as I purchase an epic IEM than have a slightly thicker wallet and cry every time I turn my music on.

 

[Raketen]

Might interest you to know that Etymotic just announced two new ER4 models, ER4SR that slightly tweaks the current version and there's an 'XR' version that has extra bass. They are supposed to be out fairly soon afaik. Check the ER4 fanthread discussion from past 2-3 weeks for more info (there's an ETY rep hanging around there too). Someone compiled some of the info here: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/4fxzh7/new_etymotic_er4xr_and_er4sr_announced/

 

[Steel Ninja]

Those were all really good suggestions, thanks a bunch!
 
I did decide that none of them met my needs after looking at reviews, mostly due to emphasis or recession in one frequency or another, but they were damn close (especially the Pinnacle) and the research was fun, so thanks for that!
 
I think I may wait for more info on the updated Etys (and thanks for mentioning those—I had no knowledge of them before now) before I buy anything, but in the meantime any more suggestions are still greatly appreciated. Does anybody have any thoughts on the Klipsch X20i? From what I've seen they seem pretty good but the reviews that exist right now aren't very thorough...

 

[rnros]

Are you aware that Etymotic has a repair service for out of warranty ER4s? Here's the link:
 
http://www.etymotic.com/support/er4-series-earphones
 
Also, rather than repair the existing, you can opt to purchase a different Etymotic at a 40% discount. Might be an attractive option given the initial investment and the new extended bass model. Although the new model is not yet on the list...
 
http://www.etymotic.com/support/out-of-warranty-and-special-purchase-options
 
I spent a lot of time with the Etys, many years ago, they were my first earphone. I agree with their good points but also missed the bass. I moved onto dynamics with an occasional excursion into hybrids. Lots of very reasonable price single dynamics to explore. Hybrids also. Dynamics probably my first choice if I had to choose only one for good bass and natural sound. Hybrids can push the extremes and the dynamics but sometimes the sound can be a little disjointed. But I've never really considered going back to a single BA driver. Still have my Etys. But this extended bass model does sound interesting.

 

[Steel Ninja]

I am aware of the repair and discount programs, but I would just as soon put the $80-$200 towards a better pair of earphones, although if they apply that program to the ER4XR I will probably take advantage of it.
 
Do you have any dynamics/hybrids in particular you think might fit my needs? "Not BA" is sort of a wide category for me to deal with 

 

[smy1]

Quick random question is the hf5 and the er4 have huge sound quality difference?

 

[alanchanxd]

Gonna bump this topic

I have been using the same ER4P/S/B (with different MMCX/impedance adapters) for the past 5 years straight as my everyday earphones

I recently bought the Hifiman RE00 from Massdrop (which offers unbeatable value for its clarity and sound, but unfortunately they are not as detailed as the ER4 with lesser instrument separation abilities.. although the soundstage is wider than the ER4)

I think it is time for an upgrade - to explore and try something new... Anyone got IEM recommendations that are potential upgrades to the ER4? I am looking for an IEM that is more-or-less the same requirements as the OP

Quote:

 

1. Are comfortable. I have large ears, so big shells aren't much of an issue, but I have tiny ear canals, and if I have to constantly cram my IEMs back into my ears, it ruins the experience entirely.
2. Have a largely neutral sound signature. I listen to a wide variety of music that demands high performance from the bass, treble, and mids without any of them being too forward. The Etymotic ER4s got this almost perfect, except for the bass, so if an IEM sounds relatively similar to the ER4, that's a good sign. A little cold or warm is okay, as long as it's pretty close to neutral.
3. Have clean, sparkly treble. I want satisfying cymbals, flutes, synths, and female vocals, but I don't want anything overly bright or fatiguing. I listen to music for several hours a day, and I don't want a treble-induced headache. Again, the ER4s are a good baseline for this.
4. Don't have recessed or thick mids. This seems to be a common issue. I want an emotional experience with vocal tracks and an engaging one with guitars and other instrumental tracks. Warm, bloated, or veiled mids are bad news.
5. Have fast, accurate, punchy bass. I don't want booming bass, but I want to be able to hear it underneath the rest of a song and not have it muddy up the mids or drown out the treble. Again, I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, so I need good electric, slap, and string bass; male vocals; rumbles; drones; everything. Unless dubstep stuff is its own category. Feel free to ignore that.
6. Have good bass and treble extension. Pretty self-explanatory. Mid and sub bass both matter to me, but they need to be controlled of course, and I listen to a lot of really high vocals, so a significant treble roll off is no good either.
7. Don't require amplification. I need to be able to listen comfortably through my FiiO X5ii without an amp.
8. Have good isolation. I don't think it's reasonable to ask for isolation as good as that provided by the Etymotics, because those things are absurd, but I do ride the bus frequently, so I want something that can block a solid amount of outside noise without turning the music way up.

 

 

[serman005]

 

What is your budget?

 

[alanchanxd]

  What is your budget?

Thank you for your reply!

Haven't thought of a budget yet, but I guess it would be around $1000 max

 

[serman005]

  Thank you for your reply!

Haven't thought of a budget yet, but I guess it would be around $1000 max

You might look into the Campfire Audio lineup. I think the Andromeda could potentially work for you.

 

[alanchanxd]

  You might look into the Campfire Audio lineup. I think the Andromeda could potentially work for you.

Thank you for the recommendation, I will try to find a dealer in Hong Kong to try them out.

I have previously strongly considered the Noble 4 or the Noble Savant (as others have pointed out), but these are now discontinued and I can't find a reseller that stocks them from where I live. I also read good things about the JH13 but they look like it is way out of my budget. I hope to try the earphones out before pouncing on them next time.

What about within $500 budget? This is the worst case scenario budget if I don't manage to sell some of my guitars and old stuff in order to raise some money. 
 

 

[jacquer]

Hi,

any suggestions for an upgrade to er4 with similiar sound signature around 500$?

I know this topic is from 2017 but will appreciate for more up to date suggestions.

Thanks a lot

 

[surfgeorge]

Hi,

any suggestions for an upgrade to er4 with similiar sound signature around 500$?

I know this topic is from 2017 but will appreciate for more up to date suggestions.

Thanks a lot

Maybe Moondrop could be worth a look for you.
German Review of the Kanas Pro here:
http://headflux.de/moondrop-kanas-pro-edition/

The reviewer is directly comparing them to the ER4XR in the end and states that he prefers the Kanas Pro over the ER4XR.
There's an active discussion of the Moondrop IEMs here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/moondrop-in-ear-monitors-impressions-thread.894139/

There's a lot of good feedback, particularly about the Kanas Pro ($180), but also the Blessing ($400)