Loving Etymotic. (Some tiny ER6i review)

[countach]

I'm listening (my first time ever) to a Etymotic IEM.

It is the ER6i I bought to my sister for her birthday.


Having the Westone UM2, in the lasts weeks I'm still thinking of buying the Etys ER4P, due to my need of more detail. In fact, there is not the bass section of the UM2 the one I like but the detail.

UM2 DO have detail, maybe in some sources is difficult to get, but they "can" do it.

Right now with the E6i plugged, and I love this detail.

In the ER6, detail are just like UM2 if not better... for sure it is the best part of them.

Mid-high section have some sibilance sometimes, but this source is not very good (internal Compaq Presario soundcard) and this point is known for me in this can.

Mids are not the gorgeus and liquid E3 mids, (I miss them so much), but are in some way better than UM2 ones. UM2 are so 'silky' and sometimes destroy all female lyrics. You know, UM2 -> great sound but a bit blurry.

The bass section is there. Well, this is not the awesome UM2 bass, but is clear and defined. Percussion low toms go deep low and bass lines are where they have to be.

A very balanced sound. More for classical and well arranged music than for hard techno sessions.

Some notes: (0-5 stars)

Etymotic Er6i - Bi-Flange tips (Modded triflange)
DETAIL: ***** (Love the cymbals separation)
HIGHs: **** (some sibilance)
MIDs: *** (not as liquid as E3)
LOWs: *** (correct and present)
JOY: **** (the sound is not big, they delight you with its details)

To compare with the other IEMS i tested, here there are its notes:
UM2:
DETAIL: ****
HIGHS: ****
MIDS: **
LOWS: *****
JOY: ***** (The sound is big and gorgeus, they delight you with it magnificence)

E3:
DETAIL: ***
HIGHS: ***
MIDS: *****
LOWS: ***
JOY: *** (That mids)

E4:
DETAIL: *****
HIGHS: ****
MIDS: *****
LOWS: ***
JOY: **** (Can mesmerize you with the detail)




Finally, and being so pleased with Ety ER6i sound, I wonder how his brother ER4P will better it... can be amazing...

In fact, I whould buy them RIGHT NOW but...


...but...



...the E500 are just there...

Well, that is; as usual, sorry for my english

 

[sidewinder]

Here's my view:

Etymotic ER4P- Triflange
DETAIL: *****
HIGHs: ***** (although some sibilance on less than decent recordings, or the ones sung too close to microphone (Bono, the singer of U2, has the tendency to do this a LOT).. even very old recording do sound great eg. Elvis - In the Ghetto)
MIDs: ***** (absolutely fantastic)
LOWs: **** (correct and present, indeed.. an addition of 3dB in the bass (EQ or amp with switchable bass) might do the trick. It does in my case.)
JOY: *** (sound also not THAT big, can hurt after a while, and some days your ears are so 'deaf', the Ety's can be a pain in the ass, especially the ER4S.. the ER4P just has more 'slam' to it, and has a fuller sound. But please don't let this be a letdown. 75% of the time you're gonna use this IEM you'll be glad you're a ER4 owner)

UM2: Comply tip
DETAIL: ***
HIGHS: ****
MIDS: ** (seriously a big letdown in my case, but one advantage: no sibilance)
LOWS: **** (too much to handle imho, but quality was very good)
JOY: ***** (because of the 'musical' feeling, though it lackes the detail in the mids imho)