[kg21]

good review/post, makes me really want to try the e500s unlike another thread started by a certain blind etymotic hater...

Quick question, did you try the E500s unamped and do you think the e500s perform better unamped than unamped ER4S?

 

[spinrite]

i've had the E500s for over a year, while although very good sounding. i found them to bit too bloated in the lower end in terms of the bass, i'm not saying the bass dominates and trounces over the other freq's but i came to a conclusion that 500s cant provide the sound i'm looking for. i'm going back to the er4ps after long deliberation. i've found out i'm in love with more of a balanced sound approach. so er4p / s here i come again!

 

[mkozlows]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kg21 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Quick question, did you try the E500s unamped and do you think the e500s perform better unamped than unamped ER4S?

I did listen to them unamped, which is also how I mostly listened to the ER-4p. Except for the hiss I mentioned (which is ameliorated with the volume control), both seemed fine unamped, though I think (based on a bit of listening through the Micro Stack) that the E500 benefits more from an amp than the ER-4p.

 

[ILikeMusic]

I can think of only two criticisms I would make regarding the E500, a slightly over-represented mid-bass (easily cured with a tad of EQ) and a touch of sibilance on certain tracks. I don't see them as being 'rolled off' (when using the proper tips), just not as bright as some other IEMS and yes, more speaker-like. Get 'em set up right and these things are a blast... just really fun to listen to. My Etys are great but when I listen to them I get the feeling I'm doing homework...

 

[spinali]

Your review coincides with mine.

For me, the only real downside of the E500 is the fear of the cables shorting. It's the only reason why I haven't invested in a pair. Those thick cables are hopeless for my kind of portable use. That's why any fix that replaces the cable would be a huge advantage.

Something, oh, like his...

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...light=E500+mod

 

[rb67]

Thanks for your very interesting review. I will definitely have to put the E500's at the top of my "considerations" list. Are the cables on the E500 replaceable like the ER-4P's?

 

[Fripp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinrite /img/forum/go_quote.gif i've had the E500s for over a year, while although very good sounding. i found them to bit too bloated in the lower end in terms of the bass, i'm not saying the bass dominates and trounces over the other freq's but i came to a conclusion that 500s cant provide the sound i'm looking for. i'm going back to the er4ps after long deliberation. i've found out i'm in love with more of a balanced sound approach. so er4p / s here i come again!

Did you try them with an amp? IMO there is nothing bloated about the 500's at all running of an RSA Hornet. They kick butt like a natural!

 

[robm321]

I would expect a pricy IEM to beat a relatively cheap, much older model IEM. It shows how awesome the er4p/s design was to still be compared against more expensive, brand new models after all these years.

Thanks for the review.

 

[ericlim]

I agree with most of the reviews and replies. I had used UM2 before e500 and e500 certainly covers the disadvantages UM2 has, like excessive bass and little obscure clarity. If any of you who is disappointed with the amount of bass and fuzziness UM2 has, e500 can be a definite alternative. I certainly like e500 but I'd like to try ue lines like ue-10. Any good ideas on custom molding? I'm thinking about going for dark red/clear...

 

[ast]

I had Ety E4-S and directly compared it with E500. Simply no comparsion here! E500 wins in every aspects sonically. The "clarity" from E4S, to me, is not because is have better resolution, but has less "sound", namely bass, so the listener gets the perception of clearer sound.

I did almost the same thing while compare both IEMs as the OP -- I compared them with my speakers side by side, plus K701. The reslut, I returned E4-S to Amanzon within a couple of days and got full refund. Now I listen to E500 almost everyday at work

 

[kyoshiro]

SE530 solved any problems E500 had?

 

[noypi]

Anyone tried using a xin super micro amp on the e-500.?? how does it sound like.??

 

[antonyfirst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ast /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had Ety E4-S and directly compared it with E500. Simply no comparsion here! E500 wins in every aspects sonically. The "clarity" from E4S, to me, is not because is have better resolution, but has less "sound", namely bass, so the listener gets the perception of clearer sound.

Really? I'd like to hear some ety lovers opinions about it, too. What kind of headphones do you like (what sound sig)?

 

[bellsprout]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ast /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had Ety E4-S and directly compared it with E500. Simply no comparsion here! E500 wins in every aspects sonically. The "clarity" from E4S, to me, is not because is have better resolution, but has less "sound", namely bass, so the listener gets the perception of clearer sound.

er-4's are clear because of their resolution. i don't know about e500 because i haven't heard it, but if i refuse to believe e500 triple drivers are faster and more resolving than er-4 single drivers, which are by quite a long margin the fastest drivers i've ever heard. i think the only reason u perceive clearer sound with less bass is because perhaps bass is overpresented on the e500, so u hear less of higher frequencies? although the bass is lighter on er-4, i can still hear all the bass that's in the recording. can u?

maybe i'm not really qualified to say, because i haven't heard both. but everybody in this thread up to u, and a lot of other threads generally say the same things (ety's are more detailed, e500's have more bass, less treble, bigger sound stage). if a lot of people start saying e500's have better resolution than er-4, then i'll definitely be going to the next meet to hear one, and then perhaps buy one. atm, if i hear one they'll probably sound exactly how i think they'll sound (good, but not worth the extra money when i already have er-4)

 

[bonethugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellsprout /img/forum/go_quote.gif er-4's are clear because of their resolution. i don't know about e500 because i haven't heard it, but if i refuse to believe e500 triple drivers are faster and more resolving than er-4 single drivers, which are by quite a long margin the fastest drivers i've ever heard. i think the only reason u perceive clearer sound with less bass is because perhaps bass is overpresented on the e500, so u hear less of higher frequencies? although the bass is lighter on er-4, i can still hear all the bass that's in the recording. can u? maybe i'm not really qualified to say, because i haven't heard both. but everybody in this thread up to u, and a lot of other threads generally say the same things (ety's are more detailed, e500's have more bass, less treble, bigger sound stage). if a lot of people start saying e500's have better resolution than er-4, then i'll definitely be going to the next meet to hear one, and then perhaps buy one. atm, if i hear one they'll probably sound exactly how i think they'll sound (good, but not worth the extra money when i already have er-4)

i remember some guy calling somebody a kid from a super fi thread i guess this time i'll call you a closed mined "old guy". i mean come on er4 is a 15 plus year old product and it's 200 dollars cheaper. if e500 sound better, so what? i thought ast had an interesting thought. not sure if he's right or not.
i personally never heard of neither products but i think i'm going to try someday.