[Pianist]

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Guys, I just got Etymotic ER4 and in my humble opinion, they destroy the e-Q5. I don't want to start a war here, but if anyone heard both, I would be really curious if you can tell me what e-Q5 does better than the ER4, because I just can't think of anything. Now, ER4 does lots of things better than the e-Q5 IMO - deeper, tighter bass, better clarity, better refinement and definition, wider soundstage, better instrument separation, more accurate timbre, better extended highs, better speed, better detail...

 
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Haven't heard the ER4 but I was under the impression it was a colder and more analytical IEM as opposed to the warmer, mid-centric, musical signature of the e-Q5. It's hard to say one is better than the other, just different signatures for different preferences...?

x2. Tbo any claim of IEM A destroying IEM B among top tiers makes me highly sceptical. As for different preferences, just read both Pianist's and Mark's take on the DBA-02.
Says it all IMO...

Ok, to my ears, ER4, especially the P is in no way emphasized in the treble. If anything, it is a bit forward in the mids, which can sound a bit edgy with a certain fit, source and recordings. Compared to e-Q5, the ER4 is way faster - music sounds effortless all the time, even during most intense passages. e-Q5 sounds very slow and congested by comparison. ER4 also has an extremely accurate timbre in the mids, while e-Q5 sounds too warm and smoothed out by comparison.
 
Regarding DBA-02. it's not the forward treble that I like the most about it - it's the soundstage, which to my ears sounds very three dimensional and realistic, the bass, which sounds tight and accurate with good punch when necessary, the mids which are VERY neutral and transparent and the speed which is extremely high and allows even the most complex of recordings to shine. Again, the e-Q5 is no match for DBA-02 IMO.

 

[Dekimasu]

I am certainly not an expert when it comes to IEMs, but the sounds of the Etymotics and the Ortofons are sufficiently distinct that I'm surprised to see an implication that their markets overlap. I thought it was a given that the Ortofons are warmer than the Etys. Some people like warmer sounds--and this is particularly clear when looking at reviews of the e-Q7. Some people prefer. It seems silly to me to base a quality comparison on what is clearly a conscious sound choice on the part of the brand.
 
Comparing the e-Q5 to the DBA-02 seems a bit more reasonable to me. However, I have not found the e-Q5 slow or soundstage lacking.

 

[Pianist]

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I am certainly not an expert when it comes to IEMs, but the sounds of the Etymotics and the Ortofons are sufficiently distinct that I'm surprised to see an implication that their markets overlap. I thought it was a given that the Ortofons are warmer than the Etys. Some people like warmer sounds--and this is particularly clear when looking at reviews of the e-Q7. Some people prefer. It seems silly to me to base a quality comparison on what is clearly a conscious sound choice on the part of the brand.
 
Comparing the e-Q5 to the DBA-02 seems a bit more reasonable to me. However, I have not found the e-Q5 slow or soundstage lacking.

 
To each their own of course, but to my ears, the ER4 is both musical and analytical. It is both very fun to listen to and yet also incredibly strong technically IMO. By warm people often mean an emphasized bass and lower midrange and subdued treble and personally, I think that's just boring sound. It can work with some music, but it just doesn't sound natural with most music to my ears. The Etys on the other hand, sound very realistic to my ears and play all music realistically, meaning that whatever emotions are present on the recording are reproduced, but nothing extra is added that's not there. I find this great, because I want to hear my music the way it sounds from my source without extra coloration added that may improve the listening experience, but can also ruin it and you never know what it will do because it doesn't just depend on music genre, but a specific recording and source/amp you are using.

 

[mugen3]

Just got these for $212 U.S. (bought them in Japan and used a forwarding service to bring them here). I love them! Pretty much agree with everyone else about how they sound. No more upgraditis here 

 

[yello131]

212 inclusive shipping? that is not a bad price. Dimitri is offering them at $248 as a Promotional Rate at Musica Acoustics.
 
Do you know if you can get them serviced in case they fail on you?

 

[ClieOS]

Wow, 212 is definitely a very good price.

 

[mugen3]

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212 inclusive shipping? that is not a bad price. Dimitri is offering them at $248 as a Promotional Rate at Musica Acoustics.
 
Do you know if you can get them serviced in case they fail on you?

Yeah I couldn't resist the price. However it took 2 weeks to arrive (though 4 days of that time was the distributor receiving a shipment of e-Q5s). And yes I can get them fixed, I'd just need to send these back to Japan.
 
So I've only played about 4 hours of music on these, and there's something that shouldn't be coming up: sibilance in the vocals. I'm using a RB'd Sansa Fuze v2, no EQ or anything like that. Not playing my music too loud either, using ReplayGain and Fuze volume on -7 dB. I'm not sure if it's a fit issue because I can put them in fairly deep and the bass is perfectly fine (unless these things are supposed to hit even harder). The sibilance has come up with both the large stock tips and my large Sony Hybrids. Maybe I just need to burn the e-Q5s in? Or the songs I have just naturally have sibilance (though IIRC they didn't have sibilance before)?

 

[Pianist]

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So I've only played about 4 hours of music on these, and there's something that shouldn't be coming up: sibilance in the vocals. I'm using a RB'd Sansa Fuze v2, no EQ or anything like that. Not playing my music too loud either, using ReplayGain and Fuze volume on -7 dB. I'm not sure if it's a fit issue because I can put them in fairly deep and the bass is perfectly fine (unless these things are supposed to hit even harder). The sibilance has come up with both the large stock tips and my large Sony Hybrids. Maybe I just need to burn the e-Q5s in? Or the songs I have just naturally have sibilance (though IIRC they didn't have sibilance before)?

 
The e-Q5 is slightly peaky around 5 kHz. If you are sensitive to that region, then you may hear some sibilance. But it also depends on the recording of course. e-Q5 should not have sibilance when it is not on the track. If it does, there is something wrong with the fit or the IEM itself, or maybe your source. Also, -7 volume on the Sansa seems a little too loud to me. Try lowering the volume to see if it helps. e-Q5 sounds quite decent at low listening levels IMO.

 

[Redmetal1897]

Didn't you get hit with customs charges? Forwarding services like tenso send stuff through customs so shouldn't that have added to the cost?

 

[mugen3]

<double post>

 

[mugen3]

Thanks for the input Pianist. Actually I forgot to mention I still hear some sibilance at lower volume. I think I may just be sensitive. And @ Daanish, I didn't have a customs fee, U.S. customs is really easy.

 

[Redmetal1897]

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Thanks for the input Pianist. Actually I forgot to mention I still hear some sibilance at lower volume. I think I may just be sensitive. And @ Daanish, I didn't have a customs fee, U.S. customs is really easy.

Lucky 

 customs costs are ridiculous in Canada
 

 

[Redmetal1897]

And yea mugen, the e-q5's have the potential to be sibilant depending on the track, there is an upper mid spike which I find makes listening to metal difficult

 

[yello131]

 
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Yeah I couldn't resist the price. However it took 2 weeks to arrive (though 4 days of that time was the distributor receiving a shipment of e-Q5s). And yes I can get them fixed, I'd just need to send these back to Japan.
 
So I've only played about 4 hours of music on these, and there's something that shouldn't be coming up: sibilance in the vocals. I'm using a RB'd Sansa Fuze v2, no EQ or anything like that. Not playing my music too loud either, using ReplayGain and Fuze volume on -7 dB. I'm not sure if it's a fit issue because I can put them in fairly deep and the bass is perfectly fine (unless these things are supposed to hit even harder). The sibilance has come up with both the large stock tips and my large Sony Hybrids. Maybe I just need to burn the e-Q5s in? Or the songs I have just naturally have sibilance (though IIRC they didn't have sibilance before)?

If it took 2 weeks to arrive from Japan, I am wondering how long it will take to get them serviced if anything...
Well hopefully Ortos won't fail on you any time too soon..

even though I read quite a few e-Q7 ended up defective and needed fixing..
BTW, How do you know you can get them warranted?, have you already tried to exchange a pair  acquired via Tenso?

 

[mugen3]

Well actually the shipment itself took about 3 days (weekends made it seem longer, that and the rest of the time was just processing and mostly waiting for the Ortos to come in stock). Anyway Tenso was the forwarding service. They had nothing to do with the actual purchase. I bought the Ortos from Joshin, which has a decent policy concerning item failures.