[theSleepyOne]

hi everyone. i've been browsing these boards for a little while, but finally decided to register. so i guess that qualifies me as a newbie.

since the price of the er-6i has come down a lot, i've been seriously considering them to replace my stock ipod buds, but i have a few questions:

1. how is the bass compared to the stock buds? i like having bass in my music, and the stock buds just don't deliver. i'm no audiophile (at least compared to most of you), but i am picky when it comes to sound quality. i don't want the ex51-81's because they seem to compromise sound quality for unnecessarily exaggerated bass.
2. i do not know the correct term for this, but i have read a few times about hearing your own footsteps or if the cable is touched you can hear it. is this true of all IEMs? is there a way to prevent this? it sounds like it could get annoying.
3. how do they compare to the audio-technica ATH-CM7TI? i may be going to japan this summer so if they are significantly better than the er-6i then i may wait. but then again, i do not know if my ears will even be able to tell the difference between the two.

thanks in advance.

 

[EdipisReks]

1. the bass is deep and fast, and perfectly audible, but doesn't have a lot of "slam" unless you EQ or amplify. it's definitely way, way, way, way better than the stock buds.
2. that is occlusion and mechanical microphonics, respectively. both are pretty much present with any IEM's, to a greater or lesser degree. the mechanical microphonic effect isn't terrible with the ER6i, since the cable is very supple, but occlusion is present (though whether or not occlusion can be heard when music is playing is debatable). your brain eventually learns to filter both out, and you don't even hear it anymore.
3. no clue.

i hope that helps

p.s. being an audiophile isn't about spending lots of money: if you care about audio quality, you are an audiophile.

 

[atx]

Quote:

1. how is the bass compared to the stock buds?

The bass is accurate and clean, not exaggerated. However, they are still thin and puny to my ears. I had to buy an amp (pocket amp 2) just to compensate for the bass. Compared to the stock buds though, the ER6i wins hands down.

Quote:

2. i do not know the correct term for this, but i have read a few times about hearing your own footsteps or if the cable is touched you can hear it. is this true of all IEMs? is there a way to prevent this? it sounds like it could get annoying.

It is annoying and I never got used to it. I just don't do any physical activities when I'm wearing the ER6i's. I don't know of any way to prevent it.

 

[theSleepyOne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atx It is annoying and I never got used to it. I just don't do any physical activities when I'm wearing the ER6i's. I don't know of any way to prevent it.

how bad is it when you're just walking? i don't do any real physical activities, but i'm usually either walking or sitting when listening to my ipod.

 

[zip22]

the only time you'll notice the microphonics is when you're moving. they come with a clip and if you use it to clip the cord to your shirt, there will be little to no noise from microphonics. i dont use it since i think it might look a little weird, but any noise from the cable is a price i am more than willing to pay for the EXCELLENT isolation. if you bundle up any unused cable, i find the microphonics barely noticeable. i did get used to it, and it doesn't impede on my experience at all. obviously opinions will difer, but you won't know for yourself until you have them. in my opinion, they are the best purchase i have made all year. i can't wait to try them on an airplane.

 

[theSleepyOne]

the etymotic web site lists the er6i's cord as 5ft long. is that 5ft from the plug to the Y-split? or 5ft to the earphones? either way that sounds pretty darn long... i find the length of the stock ipod buds almost perfect.

 

[DobsOnly]

5' from plug to Phone, ~16" from phone to Y. I don't find the little bit of extra length to be a problem. It 's handy to have most of the time and I just take the slack and stuff it in my pocket with the Karma.

ATX is right about the Amp. The Ety's sound good without it but there is a very nice improvement in the ER6 at least with even a small amp like a Cmoy.

I don't think you'll be disappointed in the Ety's. IMHO they are a very detailed, and enjoyable.

 

[atx]

Quote:

how bad is it when you're just walking? i don't do any real physical activities, but i'm usually either walking or sitting when listening to my ipod.

You hear the 'thud' 'thud' of your footsteps. It's bad enough for me to stop walking when listening with the ER6i's.

It also depends on how loud you play your music. I'm a low volume listener so the 'thuds' are very audible.

Quote:

the etymotic web site lists the er6i's cord as 5ft long. is that 5ft from the plug to the Y-split? or 5ft to the earphones? either way that sounds pretty darn long...

Don't have a measuring stick but I think it's 5ft from the plug. It's also too long for my taste.

By the way these are bright earphones. You better like Grados.

 

[zip22]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atx You hear the 'thud' 'thud' of your footsteps. It's bad enough for me to stop walking when listening with the ER6i's. It also depends on how loud you play your music. I'm a low volume listener so the 'thuds' are very audible.

hmm... i've never experienced this. but like i said before, everyones experience is different.