[koljaho]

as strong base as e2 ?

 

[warrior05]

the bass on the E4 is much better - much more refined. as stated previously, if you are a bass head and want the bass to just boom at your eardrums... no, they won't do that. but if you want to actually be able to hear bass notes then you're going to love them.

 

[blue4n3]

I will make it simple for you. For all of your jazz, rock, classical, trance (the real stuff...not the radio europop crap) and etc. get the e4c. When you feel like listening to non peotic rap (for all those who dont like hip hop....dont flame me) like crunk music or USAC bass mixes get a pair or UE superfi EB. This way you get a refined bass for listening to music as if it were live in front of you with the e4. With the EB you can get that super boomy "my vison is shaking" type of bass for the genres that are meant for it. Remember, some music is recorded to sound natural, and other types are recorded unatural for a purpose. Lil Jon is gonna ampllify the hell out of his bass so that you can set off car alarms with your system. Dream theater or Dave Matthews are going to keep it as natural as they can becuase they are audiophiles. Your set up has to reflect these recording philosophies. Remember though, you will never get the type of bass a good sub can deliver (the type that makes breathing difficult during bass peaks.) I also see that by your user name you like Bone thusgs 'n Harmony. I usually use my e4c with them (opposed to UM2) because even though it is rap, they use bass guitars and pianos more than synthesized bass. plus easy bone has a much more natural sound to his voice with the e4c (not so congested) Hope this helps!
Neil

 

[birryboy]

I just "upgraded" from e2s to e4s and although I can immediately hear the improvement in highs and some mids it feels like the bass just dropped out of my world!

Bearing in mind that both sets are running unamped from my sony nw-hd5 with the same eq settings (ie. bass +3 and treble +1) the e4s have almost no bass presence at all compared to the e2s. I'm using the soft silicone tips on both sets and am well used to getting a good seal with the e2s so feel pretty sure I'm sealing the e4s adequately.

From owners of both, did you have any similar problems? Is there a "definitive" tip for the e4s that will unlock that low end? Or do they really need burning in?

Having just spent three times what the e2s cost on the e4s, and with portability a key issue, I am frankly not prepared to start throwing more money at an amp to resolve this - please help!

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by birryboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif owners of both, did you have any similar problems? Is there a "definitive" tip for the e4s that will unlock that low end? Or do they really need burning in?

I use the E4s with a NW-HD1 and a NW-A3000, about the same soundsignature. Bass is not overwhelming, but good enough for me. You can try using the small flex on the E4 and insert them deeper in the ear, or try the foamies.
Compared to the E2 the E4 has more treble and more bass control, so they sound more midoriented compared to the e2 midbass orientation, but bass most certainly is there on my walkmans.

 

[Lennys]

birryboy:

I also had the E2C's and found the best seal was with the large soft silicone tips. When I upgraded to the E4C's and passed the E2's to my son who is making good use of the excellant phones, I used the equivelant tips and was underwhelmed with the bass response, although I otherwise had similar impression of them ie clear treble and mids. Then experimented with the triflanges....initially, they sounded like different headphones, except it felt like I had a spear piercing my ear. I then cut the small tip off, and cut down the base of the tip, and found that they seal well and what do you know, the bass seemed to return.
I later searched the forum here and found many others had found the same thing and made the same mod.
Your milage may very of course, but the point is experiment with the different tips before you are disappointed with your purchase. IEM's always are described differently by different people since the fit changes everything.

BTW, I love the E4's. It is a little shy on bass, but as an ex-bass player, I can even tell which pickup is being used on the bass. Very nice.

 

[birryboy]

Dura & Lennys - many thanks for your advice on this.

I'm probably being a bit quick to complain about the e4s - I listened to a couple of "reference" tracks on my journey to work today (Ulrich Schnauss's "Gone Forever" and The Sundays' "Goodbye") and the improvement in detail, soundstage and overall clarity from the e2s *almost* makes up for the reduced low-end.

It sounds like the best bet is to do some proper experimentation with the tips - I recall that I went through several days of hell with the e2s before I bought the silicone tips so I'm prepared to stick with it...

 

[rx7_fan]

E4 sounds has enough bass, get the correct seal. The bass on the E4 is way better than the E2s.

P.S.
I own both.

 

[birryboy]

Quick update - I tried the tri-flanges, with trimmed stalks and smallest flange clipped off and this was a *big* improvement, but isolation was not up to snuff.

So as a last ditch attempt I thought I'd give the clear flex sleeves a go; I hadn't even tried these previously as when I'd worn them on my e2cs they'd been so uncomfortable I could barely stand to keep the phones in for ten minutes. But on the e4s they were a revelation! Medium clear flex gives excellent isolation, not in the least uncomfortable and there's the bass that I was after! Maybe not smothered on like the e2s do, but just as described by several posters on this thread: tight, distinct, controlled and really very pleasant.

Combine this with the highs and mids I'd already heard and I can start to see why the e4s get the praise they do. I'm sure it will take a few days to get fully used to them and maybe some burn in, be it physical or psychological, but I am starting to feel the money was well spent. Thanks again for the advice from earlier head-fi'ers!

 

[Spyro]

I am NOT a fan of complys or foamies but something about E4's (and perhaps my ears), nothing sounds as good as the yellow foamies.

Conversely, with my ER-4's, foamies don't work at all, tri-flanges are poor but the bi-flanges are perfect.

Amazing because between these two IEM's the stem is just a hair longer on the Ety, there's really no other difference that should affect the tips. Goes to show you that getting the right fit and tip is crucial but once you get it, it's a snap.

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am NOT a fan of complys or foamies but something about E4's (and perhaps my ears), nothing sounds as good as the yellow foamies. Conversely, with my ER-4's, foamies don't work at all, tri-flanges are poor but the bi-flanges are perfect. Amazing because between these two IEM's the stem is just a hair longer on the Ety, there's really no other difference that should affect the tips. Goes to show you that getting the right fit and tip is crucial but once you get it, it's a snap.

X2!

the same goes for all IEMs.

 

[vagarach]

How about the fit with the E4? I had the E3's for a little bit and I could not stand them, left ear sealed comfortably, right ear would irritate and hurt and so on. I have the E2's and the fit is excellent, I can wear them for hours. Looking at the E4's they have the same basic shape as the E3's, so is the fit any different to the E3's then?

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vagarach /img/forum/go_quote.gif How about the fit with the E4? I had the E3's for a little bit and I could not stand them, left ear sealed comfortably, right ear would irritate and hurt and so on. I have the E2's and the fit is excellent, I can wear them for hours. Looking at the E4's they have the same basic shape as the E3's, so is the fit any different to the E3's then?

That's pretty odd. I had E2's for about a year. Mainly used the foamies and because they are fairly large I thought they were a little uncomfortable but I dealt with it because I rarely listened longer than 45 min or so. I went to E3's from there and thought they were much more comfortable since they are smaller, lighter and have a slightly narrower stem. All comfort improvements.

If you have problems with E3 you will have problems with E4. I think they fit identically. In fact, if you can't get either of these to fit right, IEM's may not be for you. Foamies or complies are the fallback for best comfort, no question.

 

[dura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vagarach /img/forum/go_quote.gif How about the fit with the E4? I had the E3's for a little bit and I could not stand them, left ear sealed comfortably, right ear would irritate and hurt and so on. I have the E2's and the fit is excellent, I can wear them for hours. Looking at the E4's they have the same basic shape as the E3's, so is the fit any different to the E3's then?

I recognize that;the E2's body itself fitted perfectly in my earshell, with the E3 I got the best fit chancing left and right so that they were somehow clamped in my earshell, the E4s I wear with the cords down and the y-connector in the back of my shirt.

 

[Low Fidelity]

I have both e2s and e4s. I used the e2s for almost 2 years. Just before christmas (Merry Ho Ho to me) I upgraded to the e4s.

The difference between the two is night and day, ying and yang, Dogs and Cats, Democrats and Republicans. I found the e2s are more bottom heavy, but I wasn't left with the impression of more accuracy.

That is my point.

Through the e4s, I was hearing things in my music that I had not noticed before. The slight nuances (sp?). The "sound" of the room that the music was recorded in. It didn't matter whether i'm watching a movie, a DVD ripped concert or just a CD, everything was beautiful (cue the green grass, the sunshine, the cheesey music and lets all hold hands).

The e2s are great for casual listening and the e4s are superb for critical listening.

I have always felt that the e2s are awesome to listen to and still feel that way, but after having the e4s stuck in my head, i can say the e4s are awesomer!

But just as with all those "shoved-in" earphones, the secret is in the fit. That tight fit gives the audio the tight paunch and accuracy.

I've got the 3rd and final size of comply foamies (the short fatties) on their way (to try) but i'm totally hooked on the "custom foam" tips from butchered Howard Leight Laser Light earplugs. I love the isolation, the comfort and "cost." (5 mins of my time for a fresh set from the box I swiped from work).

Although, i'm still entertaining the idea of sensaphonics or The ear plug super store molded sleeves.