[kovalchuk71]

While I LOVE Etymotic, I am tired of having to constantly replace them. Between school lecture/library and my commute, they get a LOT of use. This also means that I am frequently winding/unwinding the cords, which I assume is stressing the cable attachment point and causing my problems (I make sure to properly insert and remove them with every use). I currently have a pair of O.G. ER4S, and really don't want to ruin them.

Any suggestions on something decent to replace the ER4S? Ideally, I would like an IEM with deep-ish insertion (sound isolation is vital) and a beefed-up/reinforced cable attachment point. $750 or less would be ideal (I am OK with buying pre-owned).

Cheers!

 

[Craft Ears]

Hi!
With your budget, you can choose freely. If you don't mind, I would like to recommend our products. Switchable cable (spare one is 30EUR, or get something premium if you wish) and we will make you a custom mould and custom finish. As per sound, we like it, but don't hesitate to ask others: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/craft-ears-reviews-impressions-thread.923233/

 

[klaberte]

While I LOVE Etymotic, I am tired of having to constantly replace them. Between school lecture/library and my commute, they get a LOT of use. This also means that I am frequently winding/unwinding the cords, which I assume is stressing the cable attachment point and causing my problems (I make sure to properly insert and remove them with every use). I currently have a pair of O.G. ER4S, and really don't want to ruin them.

Any suggestions on something decent to replace the ER4S? Ideally, I would like an IEM with deep-ish insertion (sound isolation is vital) and a beefed-up/reinforced cable attachment point. $750 or less would be ideal (I am OK with buying pre-owned).

Cheers!

I am a long-time (over 30 years) etymotic fan. I had the OG ER4P, and at different times, had the ER-6i, the HF5, and currently, the ER3SE. I've also had a long-time friendly correspondences with one of their engineers, who more-or-less told me that the largest source of their customer service issues dealt with cable problems, usually after heavy usage. Fortunately the ER4S have replaceable cables that are, at least on aliexpress, very affordable, e.g. <$25 US, including shipping (although it might take 3-4 weeks to arrive).
For example https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805315205484.html with your choice of jack (including balanced or unbalanced) and cable length. (I'm not affiliated, just been happy with similar products.)

At the time my bag holding my ER4P's got stolen (long, sad story), I was using an aliexpress cable that worked great. If you are still enjoying your ER4S, why not give an inexpensive replacement cable a try? Short of pounding the drivers with a hammer, I suspect your ER4S will outlast you, and thus having a backup cable or two on hand will likely reduce the risk of non-working ety's to very close to zero. You can of course spend more on a cable, if that's your thing. Feel free to PM me if you want more details on my experience.