Pianist
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2007
- Posts
- 3,994
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- 113
Quote:
Quote: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...
Quote: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.