yipcanjo
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2009
- Posts
- 263
- Likes
- 11
(Updated: Jan 4, 2010)
So, several weeks ago I started looking into IEMs for a couple of different reasons. 1) I need to replace my aging (and lame-ish) Zune Premium headphones, 2) I needed a better IEM for all-around listening, and 3) I needed an IEM that I could use as an on-stage monitor for lower-volume "live" performing. I wanted to a good solution for me as well as some options in various price ranges to suggest to others -- since folks on my team will need to purchase IEMs for on-stage use. Yes, price was a big consideration. Isolation was another. And, as always, sound quality was important.
As a quick bit of background, the best IEMs I've owned *to date* are the Zune Premiums and the Sennheiser CX300. Both are decent, but nothing to write home about. I also own some AKG 141 Studio semi-open headphones, which are very nice. I've been a professional musician, as well as spending quite a bit of time with studio recording, mixing, and mastering. I don't have "golden ears", by any stretch, but I have some knowledge.
Back to the story.
After some "cold searching" (Bing, Google, etc.), I was fortunate enough to land here in the Head-Fi universe. I'm very appreciative of that, as well as the knowledgeable folks who share their insights/opinions here.
With a good price-point and some very positive (almost TOO positive) reviews, I ordered up the Klipsch S4s which I burned in for a good 110 hours or so. Although I was initially impressed with the S4s, I found it somewhat "muddy" with the mids and lows. I decided to order a pair of the Etymotic HF5 IEMs, which also have a decent following.
This write-up is intended to be my personal comparison between these IEMs. In most cases, the audio source was a Zune HD with no eq. Audio files were either 256kbps MP3s or 192kbps WMAs. Test tracks included Tears For Fears "Sowing The Seeds", Fiona Apple "Extraordinary Machine", The Dear Hunter "Act III", The Avett Brothers "I And Love And You", and The Working Title "About Face".
[size=medium]Price[/size]
Klipsch S4: $70
Etymotic HF5: $105
Advantage: ????. Obviously at $35 cheaper, the Klipsch S4 is potentially the better value if it's really a better product. We'll see.
[size=medium]Packaging & Accessories:[/size]
Klipsch S4: Decent, but not incredible. I don't personally like the included tin carrying case, but it's better than nothing. Also comes with (3) sets of Klipsch Gels ear tips, which I find very comfortable
Etymotic HF5: Nice packaging, and more impressive than Klipsch. Comes with (2) sets of tri-flange ear tips, one set of foamies, one set of "gliders" ear tips, a cleaning tool, and some extra filters. Impressive.
Advantage: Etymotic HF5.
[size=medium]Style & Appearance[/size]
Klipsch S4: The S4s have chrome accents and a shiny,black plastic casing which (to me) borders on somewhat cheap-ish looking. Maybe slightly 90s looking, whatever that means.
Etymotic HF5: The HF5s are flat-black and (in my opinion) very cool. The ray-gun look is both retro and modern. I dig it.
Advantage: Ety HF5.
[size=medium]Build Quality[/size]
Klipsch S4: While appearing cheap-ish in design (to me), they feel solid enough. Both the casing and cables feel fairly sturdy, and break-age isn't a huge concern right now. Compared to the Shure E3s, however, the cable feels fairly thin.
Etymotic HF5: More or less on par with the Klipsch S4s -- thinner cable, sturdy casing, and generally appear to be well-built. The rubbery cable was more difficult to mange, in my opinion, and I preferred the smoother cable of the S4s.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the HF5s -- primarily because the narrow body is easier to grab onto when removing from the ear.
[size=medium]Isolation[/size]
Klipsch S4: Perhaps due to the slightly angled design, I've found the S4s quite easy to isolate. Depending on the ear tips used, isolation rates from decent to very good. Shure Olives have provided the best isolation for me, with the Etymotic tri-flange ear tips next. Klipsch Gels, while most comfortable, give somewhat less isolation. Personally, I've had the best isolation/comfort combo using the small Etymotic tri-flange tips with the S4s.
Etymotic HF5: With a very long nozzle, the HF5 can potentially get much deeper into the ear canal. It may be for that reason that the HF5s gave me more difficulty getting good isolation. It wasn't impossible, by any means, it just took me longer to accomplish. In a somewhat ironic twist, I preferred the large Klipsch Gels with the HF5s.
Notes: Again, likely due to the longer nozzle on the HF5s, I tended to prefer larger-sized ear tips with the Etymotics, and smaller-sized ear tips with the Klipsch. Just something of note.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the Klipsch S4s, which were easier for me to isolate. Otherwise, isolation was really more a matter of which ear tips were used. Since these IEMs can interchange ear tips, it's more or less a matter of personal preference/fit.
[size=medium]Microphonics[/size]
Klipsch S4: With a smooth, plastic cable, the S4s gave me very little microphonics -- especially when worn over-the-ear, which is my preference.
Etymotic HF5: With a rubbery cable, the HF5s were occasionally quite microphonic, though mostly unnoticeable while playing music.
Advantage: Klipsch S4
[size=medium]Comfort[/size]
Klipsch S4: Lightweight and very comfortable, especially with the Klipsch Gels. My personal preference is wearing them over-the-ear, which works well with the S4s.
Etymotic HF5: Also lightweight and comfortable, though (perhaps) slightly less so than the S4s. The rubbery cable made these slightly more cumbersome to use.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the S4s.
[size=medium]Sound[/size]
Klipsch S4: As noted by many others, the Klipsch S4s have very pronounced mids and lows. You really feel the bass and kick, which can border on "muddy" in some cases. Mids are very present, and (again) can border on too much. Highs are nice, though sibilance has been an issue at times. Not always, but occasionally. At this point, it's not particularly distracting to me. Also, I've noticed some very discernible differences depending upon the ear tips used. Ear tips with deeper insertion tended to sound more "muddy" to me, whereas shallower insertion gave me more sibilance. My currently preferred ear tips are the Etymotic small tri-flanges, which are a good mix of insertion, isolation, low-end, and reducing sibilance.
Etymotic HF5: The HF5s are typically noted to sound "true" with a slight boost to the low-end, at least compared to the ER-4Ps. "Anemic" is a word often used to describe the low-end, and it is somewhat correct. In my opinion, the low-end felt "back" in the mix, and was easily lost in louder conditions. I rarely "felt" the low-end at all, although it was present and tight. I'm not a basshead, per se, but (evidently) I prefer a more pronounced low-end, which the HF5s didn't give me -- no matter what ear tips I used. Mids were decent, if a bit "back" in the mix as well. Highs and mid-highs were extremely present -- to the point of almost sounding "colored" to me. It didn't come across as natural or "what the author intended". It was, at times, almost fatiguing to my ears. The soundstage, at least compared to the S4s, felt completely central and narrow. When switching back and forth, I always felt more "free" with the S4 soundstage, and more confined when using the HF5s.
Advantage: Klipsch S4
[size=medium]Summary[/size]
With a larger sampling of IEMs, I could probably start to discern my personal preferences even better, but as it is I just have these two to compare. Honestly, I wanted to prefer the Etymotic HF5s. I like the way they look, I like the company, and I figured that spending an extra $35 would net me a better pair of IEMs. Also, as I listened to the Klipsch S4s more and more, I noticed the low/mid "muddiness" that was becoming distracting. A "true" sound, as potentially offered by the HF5s, was very welcoming to me.
As it stands, however, I can't help but prefer the Klipsch S4s. The soundstage was better, the low-end was much more noticeable, and the sound was all-around "warmer" to my ears. Using the S4s has been more enjoyable, even though they're not perfect. Would I change the S4s? Sure. Dial back the lows/mids slightly, deal with the sibilance, and bring out the highs/mid-highs a tad. The HF5s, on the other hand, I would (personally) change a lot more.
All that said, I give my nod to the Klipsch S4 IEMs. Hmmm.... I wonder how the Klipsch X5s sound?
Thanks for reading.
Yip
=======================
[size=medium]UPDATE (Jan. 4th, 2010)[/size]
I hate to waffle on this, but I want to give honest feedback as much as I'm able. Here's what's transpired...
So, I've spent a considerable amount of time listening to these two sets of IEMs over the past few days. I had posted that I was able to get the Shure Olives comfortable for me on the HF5s, which was a nice find. The isolation on the olives is amazing, to say the least. Also, the HF5s have really improved for me with these ear tips.
Anyhow, as I've listened back and forth, I've begun to prefer the "true, non-colored" sound of the Etymotics. Certainly a smaller soundstage, but the detail in the highs and mids is really great. Listening back to the S4s has shown me how over-bearing and muddy the lows/mids can be, which has become somewhat distracting. Vocals especially feel pushed back on the S4s. The enhanced bass is somewhat nice for tracks that already lack low-end, but it can get out of line pretty quickly.
Another point that I'd not spoken to was "which IEM would be better for the on-stage use" between the two of them. Truth is, I'm going to want high/mid detail more than low-end. Since it's "on-stage", I'll be able to 'feel' a bit of the low-end via the bass amp and sub-woofer, but highs/mids are easily lost and not gotten back. This has helped me decide that the Etymotic HF5s are a better solution for my needs.
Rethinking my decision, now: I'm going to stick with the Ety HF5s. I prefer the natural, "airy" sound, and the bass is sufficient for me. Never overbearing, but not missing either. The on-stage benefit of the HF5s and the "muddiness" of the S4s finally changed my mind.
Hope that helps someone out there.
So, several weeks ago I started looking into IEMs for a couple of different reasons. 1) I need to replace my aging (and lame-ish) Zune Premium headphones, 2) I needed a better IEM for all-around listening, and 3) I needed an IEM that I could use as an on-stage monitor for lower-volume "live" performing. I wanted to a good solution for me as well as some options in various price ranges to suggest to others -- since folks on my team will need to purchase IEMs for on-stage use. Yes, price was a big consideration. Isolation was another. And, as always, sound quality was important.
As a quick bit of background, the best IEMs I've owned *to date* are the Zune Premiums and the Sennheiser CX300. Both are decent, but nothing to write home about. I also own some AKG 141 Studio semi-open headphones, which are very nice. I've been a professional musician, as well as spending quite a bit of time with studio recording, mixing, and mastering. I don't have "golden ears", by any stretch, but I have some knowledge.
Back to the story.
After some "cold searching" (Bing, Google, etc.), I was fortunate enough to land here in the Head-Fi universe. I'm very appreciative of that, as well as the knowledgeable folks who share their insights/opinions here.
With a good price-point and some very positive (almost TOO positive) reviews, I ordered up the Klipsch S4s which I burned in for a good 110 hours or so. Although I was initially impressed with the S4s, I found it somewhat "muddy" with the mids and lows. I decided to order a pair of the Etymotic HF5 IEMs, which also have a decent following.
This write-up is intended to be my personal comparison between these IEMs. In most cases, the audio source was a Zune HD with no eq. Audio files were either 256kbps MP3s or 192kbps WMAs. Test tracks included Tears For Fears "Sowing The Seeds", Fiona Apple "Extraordinary Machine", The Dear Hunter "Act III", The Avett Brothers "I And Love And You", and The Working Title "About Face".
[size=medium]Price[/size]
Klipsch S4: $70
Etymotic HF5: $105
Advantage: ????. Obviously at $35 cheaper, the Klipsch S4 is potentially the better value if it's really a better product. We'll see.
[size=medium]Packaging & Accessories:[/size]
Klipsch S4: Decent, but not incredible. I don't personally like the included tin carrying case, but it's better than nothing. Also comes with (3) sets of Klipsch Gels ear tips, which I find very comfortable
Etymotic HF5: Nice packaging, and more impressive than Klipsch. Comes with (2) sets of tri-flange ear tips, one set of foamies, one set of "gliders" ear tips, a cleaning tool, and some extra filters. Impressive.
Advantage: Etymotic HF5.
[size=medium]Style & Appearance[/size]
Klipsch S4: The S4s have chrome accents and a shiny,black plastic casing which (to me) borders on somewhat cheap-ish looking. Maybe slightly 90s looking, whatever that means.
Etymotic HF5: The HF5s are flat-black and (in my opinion) very cool. The ray-gun look is both retro and modern. I dig it.
Advantage: Ety HF5.
[size=medium]Build Quality[/size]
Klipsch S4: While appearing cheap-ish in design (to me), they feel solid enough. Both the casing and cables feel fairly sturdy, and break-age isn't a huge concern right now. Compared to the Shure E3s, however, the cable feels fairly thin.
Etymotic HF5: More or less on par with the Klipsch S4s -- thinner cable, sturdy casing, and generally appear to be well-built. The rubbery cable was more difficult to mange, in my opinion, and I preferred the smoother cable of the S4s.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the HF5s -- primarily because the narrow body is easier to grab onto when removing from the ear.
[size=medium]Isolation[/size]
Klipsch S4: Perhaps due to the slightly angled design, I've found the S4s quite easy to isolate. Depending on the ear tips used, isolation rates from decent to very good. Shure Olives have provided the best isolation for me, with the Etymotic tri-flange ear tips next. Klipsch Gels, while most comfortable, give somewhat less isolation. Personally, I've had the best isolation/comfort combo using the small Etymotic tri-flange tips with the S4s.
Etymotic HF5: With a very long nozzle, the HF5 can potentially get much deeper into the ear canal. It may be for that reason that the HF5s gave me more difficulty getting good isolation. It wasn't impossible, by any means, it just took me longer to accomplish. In a somewhat ironic twist, I preferred the large Klipsch Gels with the HF5s.
Notes: Again, likely due to the longer nozzle on the HF5s, I tended to prefer larger-sized ear tips with the Etymotics, and smaller-sized ear tips with the Klipsch. Just something of note.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the Klipsch S4s, which were easier for me to isolate. Otherwise, isolation was really more a matter of which ear tips were used. Since these IEMs can interchange ear tips, it's more or less a matter of personal preference/fit.
[size=medium]Microphonics[/size]
Klipsch S4: With a smooth, plastic cable, the S4s gave me very little microphonics -- especially when worn over-the-ear, which is my preference.
Etymotic HF5: With a rubbery cable, the HF5s were occasionally quite microphonic, though mostly unnoticeable while playing music.
Advantage: Klipsch S4
[size=medium]Comfort[/size]
Klipsch S4: Lightweight and very comfortable, especially with the Klipsch Gels. My personal preference is wearing them over-the-ear, which works well with the S4s.
Etymotic HF5: Also lightweight and comfortable, though (perhaps) slightly less so than the S4s. The rubbery cable made these slightly more cumbersome to use.
Advantage: Tie, with a slight edge to the S4s.
[size=medium]Sound[/size]
Klipsch S4: As noted by many others, the Klipsch S4s have very pronounced mids and lows. You really feel the bass and kick, which can border on "muddy" in some cases. Mids are very present, and (again) can border on too much. Highs are nice, though sibilance has been an issue at times. Not always, but occasionally. At this point, it's not particularly distracting to me. Also, I've noticed some very discernible differences depending upon the ear tips used. Ear tips with deeper insertion tended to sound more "muddy" to me, whereas shallower insertion gave me more sibilance. My currently preferred ear tips are the Etymotic small tri-flanges, which are a good mix of insertion, isolation, low-end, and reducing sibilance.
Etymotic HF5: The HF5s are typically noted to sound "true" with a slight boost to the low-end, at least compared to the ER-4Ps. "Anemic" is a word often used to describe the low-end, and it is somewhat correct. In my opinion, the low-end felt "back" in the mix, and was easily lost in louder conditions. I rarely "felt" the low-end at all, although it was present and tight. I'm not a basshead, per se, but (evidently) I prefer a more pronounced low-end, which the HF5s didn't give me -- no matter what ear tips I used. Mids were decent, if a bit "back" in the mix as well. Highs and mid-highs were extremely present -- to the point of almost sounding "colored" to me. It didn't come across as natural or "what the author intended". It was, at times, almost fatiguing to my ears. The soundstage, at least compared to the S4s, felt completely central and narrow. When switching back and forth, I always felt more "free" with the S4 soundstage, and more confined when using the HF5s.
Advantage: Klipsch S4
[size=medium]Summary[/size]
With a larger sampling of IEMs, I could probably start to discern my personal preferences even better, but as it is I just have these two to compare. Honestly, I wanted to prefer the Etymotic HF5s. I like the way they look, I like the company, and I figured that spending an extra $35 would net me a better pair of IEMs. Also, as I listened to the Klipsch S4s more and more, I noticed the low/mid "muddiness" that was becoming distracting. A "true" sound, as potentially offered by the HF5s, was very welcoming to me.
As it stands, however, I can't help but prefer the Klipsch S4s. The soundstage was better, the low-end was much more noticeable, and the sound was all-around "warmer" to my ears. Using the S4s has been more enjoyable, even though they're not perfect. Would I change the S4s? Sure. Dial back the lows/mids slightly, deal with the sibilance, and bring out the highs/mid-highs a tad. The HF5s, on the other hand, I would (personally) change a lot more.
All that said, I give my nod to the Klipsch S4 IEMs. Hmmm.... I wonder how the Klipsch X5s sound?
Thanks for reading.
Yip
=======================
[size=medium]UPDATE (Jan. 4th, 2010)[/size]
I hate to waffle on this, but I want to give honest feedback as much as I'm able. Here's what's transpired...
So, I've spent a considerable amount of time listening to these two sets of IEMs over the past few days. I had posted that I was able to get the Shure Olives comfortable for me on the HF5s, which was a nice find. The isolation on the olives is amazing, to say the least. Also, the HF5s have really improved for me with these ear tips.
Anyhow, as I've listened back and forth, I've begun to prefer the "true, non-colored" sound of the Etymotics. Certainly a smaller soundstage, but the detail in the highs and mids is really great. Listening back to the S4s has shown me how over-bearing and muddy the lows/mids can be, which has become somewhat distracting. Vocals especially feel pushed back on the S4s. The enhanced bass is somewhat nice for tracks that already lack low-end, but it can get out of line pretty quickly.
Another point that I'd not spoken to was "which IEM would be better for the on-stage use" between the two of them. Truth is, I'm going to want high/mid detail more than low-end. Since it's "on-stage", I'll be able to 'feel' a bit of the low-end via the bass amp and sub-woofer, but highs/mids are easily lost and not gotten back. This has helped me decide that the Etymotic HF5s are a better solution for my needs.
Rethinking my decision, now: I'm going to stick with the Ety HF5s. I prefer the natural, "airy" sound, and the bass is sufficient for me. Never overbearing, but not missing either. The on-stage benefit of the HF5s and the "muddiness" of the S4s finally changed my mind.
Hope that helps someone out there.
