Quote:
Hi everyone!
I have been reading Head Fi for 4 years now, and want to thank you all for providing accurate informations.
I own a ER4P for 4 years and would like to upgrade them soundwise. What would you suggest first between:
- apuresound recable (don't know how to connect them though)
- buying a portable amp (but I would lose portability)
- custom ear mold through the ety custom fit program (seems to improve the comfort more than the sound)
All these are discussed extensively in this forum separately but not compared to each other.
Budget: <200$
Gear: iphone, mp3 320 VBR, no amp
Thank you for your contribution!
You're likely to get a variety of opinion and the relevance for you will, IMHO, depend on the context of the advisor.
My context is that I have kept my Apuresound ER4Ps as my preferred generic IEM. I rarely use them, though, having held them for friends or family members to share the IEM experience with me. My current IEM (for some time now) is a JH13Pro and I have a set of Livewires T1s as a back up. I am a FLAC user, finding I hear sufficient difference from mp3 320 CBR to relegate my mp3 files to only background music at parties or in the car (Sorry if that makes me a bit snobbish with my portable audio
).
I have a variety of portable amps and am still working on improving my portable set-up/sound. ATM I use a qusp modified iBasso D10 portably but also own a couple of maxxed D1s, an SR-71 (original)(which I use transportably), a Supermicro IV (which both Nickyboyo and I find to have a good synergy with the Apuresound Etys) and an SR71B (that I am currently trying out and seeking an iBasso DB2 to try out with in balanced mode).
So I can comment on a range of amps, custom molds and the apuresound cable.
My suggestion, based on the existing iphone/mp3 320 VBR combo is that you're likely to notice the most immediate difference via an amp that matches well with your ER4Ps and your preferred music and sound preferences (e.g. some of us are far more into bass, or soundstage, or some other soundf aspect, than others, etc).
The Apuresound cable does raise the standard of the sound you get but I don't think you'd notice as much difference as an amp could give you (I've always wanted to get an adapter made for my Piccolino to see what that did for the ER4P - maybe one day...).
I once considered getting a custom mold for my ER4Ps but I saw little point considering I already had a couple of custom mould IEMs to play with. Yes, I agree it'd improve comfort more than sound though I do believe if implemented well (i.e. to the best possible distance for the driver to be in the ear cannal) it would also be more likely to consistently provide the best sound for you (particularly when combined with the Apuresound cable and a matching amp
).
So if you could get your hands on a good amp to suit your preferences (I'd recommend the Supermicro IV) that would be my first suggestion.
Second would be the Apuresound cable (though that is no slouch for improvement either).
Good luck in trying out what works best for you.