[gnarlsagan]

Its not about if something can drive them to loud levels. It's about the sound quality. Things are dramatically tighter with an amp unless of course the source has enough to drive it. My iPhone and laptop can drive them louder than I listen but don't sound nearly as good as when amped. 

If distortion is low and FR is flat then there should be no issue. What would cause lack of good sound? If they are loud enough they are getting enough power to sound their best.

I used to have the same concern as you, but after extensive research and using an a/b switch to compare between sources, I've come to the conclusion that there is indeed no difference between using my Sansa Fuze and Leckerton UHA760. Jm2c.

 

[shak85]

I think i will have to go with er-4pt instead of s. The problem is the s is more expensive to buy outside of us (you can find it cheap enough from ebay but not from Authorised dealer). In amazon.co.uk the pt is about 156gbp and the s version is 196gbp . Not to mention that with the pt you basically get two earphones with different sound signatures, both the pt and s in one phone


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bms44974]

  Its not about if something can drive them to loud levels. It's about the sound quality. Things are dramatically tighter with an amp unless of course the source has enough to drive it. My iPhone and laptop can drive them louder than I listen but don't sound nearly as good as when amped. 

+1

 

[shak85]

 Its not about if something can drive them to loud levels. It's about the sound quality. Things are dramatically tighter with an amp unless of course the source has enough to drive it. My iPhone and laptop can drive them louder than I listen but don't sound nearly as good as when amped. 

+1

For what music is most suitable er4s? I listen mostly to edm and rock/metal. Will i need an amp when using my laptop?

Also will they fit be ok to small ears ? I always use the small foam tips with my iems
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[deepee]

I have the hf5 and am not that impressed. The sound in my opinion is a bit thin. Compared to the ue10, it is much less fun to my ears. I also have the Sony xba30, which sounds so much lively in comparison. Even the unexpensive Sony xba10c sounds to me fuller. The build quality is also not great: I had to fix the writes with glue near the place where they connect to the drivers. I had to change the files twice, and its not the case that I use them heavily. In short, although its a nice earphone it is not clear to me what is the hipe.

 

[bms44974]

For what music is most suitable er4s? I listen mostly to edm and rock/metal. Will i need an amp when using my laptop?

Also will they fit be ok to small ears ? I always use the small foam tips with my iems
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Etymotic is known for it's accurate and neutral sound signature. It's not for everyone. I listen to a lot of acoustic music (mostly guitar and cello), but also enjoy instrumental rock guitar (think Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Buckethead, etc.). I like the precision of the ER4 over IEMs with a V-shaped or bass-forward sound signature. While taste's differ, I prefer to hear, rather than feel, the bass. When I to better recreate the rock concert experience, will use the bass-boost switch on my FiiO E12. Because I have the 100 Ohm ER4s, I use the amp (and FiiO X3 in DAC mode) when listening on my PC. You might not need the amp with the 27 Ohm ER4pt (without the ER38-24 impedance adapter).
 
Etymotic offers 3-flange tips in small (7-11 mm) and large (8-13 mm) diameters in standard and long-stem versions. There are also 3 sizes of foam tips and a "glider" tip (8-11 mm). They are all listed at http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/all-acc.html.
 
Cheers... Brian

 

[robm321]

^ What he said. 
 
Also, you might want to get the PT instead of the S. That way if the bass is too thin for you for metal or EDM, you always have that option. 

 

[shak85]

^ What he said. 
 
Also, you might want to get the PT instead of the S. That way if the bass is too thin for you for metal or EDM, you always have that option. 

Thanks a lot brian and rob . I really appreciate it. That's the most practical thing to do ro get the pts for more variety. For more bass i will use my pts with my c&c bh amp and for more neutral sound and less quantity of bass the s version. To my understading the pts have more bass in quantity and the s has less bass but more clear . The prs bass is more felt whereas the s bass is more heard . Is it true?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shak85]

If i get the er-4s and use an amp to bass boost won't i be able to achieve the bass of er-4pt?
 
For example songs like No Leaf Clover by Metallica , will be able to enjoy more with er-4s or with er-4pt (without of course the impedance adapter)

 

[robm321]

If you have an amp that has bass boost, that would help. The P would give you more bass. With IEMs, you don't really feel bass, but it will be more than the S. The S is very tight, but the deep bass is rolled off. 

 

[shak85]

  If you have an amp that has bass boost, that would help. The P would give you more bass. With IEMs, you don't really feel bass, but it will be more than the S. The S is very tight, but the deep bass is rolled off. 

So basically the S version is best for acoustics songs , or orchestra . For rock music the PT should sound better because the bass will more impactful ?

 

[gnarlsagan]

So basically the S version is best for acoustics songs , or orchestra . For rock music the PT should sound better because the bass will more impactful ?

It's a pretty minor difference between the P and the S, and actually it will only be in the treble, where the P has less emphasis. This will give the impression of more bass on the P, but even then the treble difference is only 3 or so dB iirc.

 

[shak85]

It's a pretty minor difference between the P and the S, and actually it will only be in the treble, where the P has less emphasis. This will give the impression of more bass on the P, but even then the treble difference is only 3 or so dB iirc.

Thanks everyone . I also have the Tenore which i find a great budget IEM although i find a little bassy . I was expecting a more neutral sound. From what i read the Etymotic ER-4PT and ER-4S will have significantly less bass and a more neutral sound which i prefer

 

[Xdaggersoul]

I saw that the ER4S/PT has removable cables. What type of iem cables does it support? 

 

[Geo212]

I've been looking at IEM's around a $150 price range, and in my search the HF5's have popped up a few times and I came really close to purchasing them; I was scared off by reviewers saying that it lacked bass and that the build quality was subpar, and I ended up buying the Audio Technica ATH-IM02's. Having received the ATH-IM02's today, I can say that the sound isn't at all what I'd hoped from an IEM that claimed "balanced" sound. The highs have a harsh roll-off and really just aren't there, which, to me, is pretty unbearable. I also thought the bass, while tight and controlled, was a bit too present for my liking. Now I've come to reconsider the HF5's. I really think the sound signature will be much closer to what I'm looking for (flat and analytical, similar to my beloved DT 880's), but I still have the concern about build quality. If I had to praise the ATH-IM02's for anything, it would definitely be the build quality; I believe it well reflects its $150 price tag. I've read reviewers complain about how fragile the HF5's feel and how they've physically broken within the first few months of use, something I just wouldn't accept from an IEM above $100. Is that really something I should be worried about with that specific model? I'm also not a fan of the tri-flange eartip design; do they come with any double- or single-flange tips?

I appreciate any info or tips! I've been searching relentlessly for good quality IEM's with a flat sound signature, but sadly there are few options within my price range.