Shure e3c vs. Etymotic Er-4 for iPod

[EdipisReks]

long time lurker first time poster here. i am in the market for a pair of canalphones to use with my iPod. i bought a pair of E2c's about 6 months ago, but an unfortunate incident involving a dog and headphones left out in the open pretty much prevent me from using them. the e2c's impressed me very much, and i liked how they were fairly sonically similar (to my ears) to my SR-60's.

i have been using a pair of PortaPros that i bought using the 50% off coupon that was posted on this forum a couple months back, but the lack of isolation makes me want to go to the canalphones again, as i walk next to some loud roads on my way to school every day, not to mention using the phones in everyday loud situations. to make a long story short, should i get the e3c's or the er-4's?

i can get the e3c's for $140 at www.academicsuperstore.com, and it looks like the ER-4P's run for about $180-200 on ebay. at some point i am also planning on picking up a govibe amplifier from headsave regardless of which set i get, so driveability isn't a huge issue with either set. i've also seen the Er-4s for about $220 retail from www.headphone.com. this brings up the issue of the ER-4S to ER-4P adaptor cable, which is $50. my understanding is that the ER-4P is louder and more easily driven than the ER-4S, but doesn't sound as good. the adaptor cable brings back this increased sound quality while retaining the extra sound output. is buying the ER-4p and adaptor cable worth the extra expense (looks like at least $250 to do this vs. $220 for the ER-4S)? to reiterate, these phones will be mostly used for portable use, as i prefer my Grados when i'm sitting around the house.

other than sound quality, i am also looking for comfort, as i will be wearing these canalphones for several hours every day. the E3c's use soft rubber caps that look similar to the very comfortable sony EX-71's that i used before i got into hi-fi a little more seriously. i prefer the rubber plugs over the foamies.

basically, will the ER-4 be comfortable for long listening sessions, and are they worth the extra money over the E3c's? if i should get the etys, shoudl i get the ER-4S or get the ER-4P and the adaptor cable? i'm willing to spend the extra money to get the etys and the accessories that they may need, but only if it will really be worth it. thanks for reading.

 

[raif]

I am not a big fan of the canal phone sound for serious listening, it is basically the same arguement as speakers vs headphones, concerning perceived depth, visceral slam, and other aspects that are physically impossible to achieve due to driver proximity, size, etc, so keep that in mind with my comments.

I would choose the e3c over the ety any day of the week. For portable aplications the increased detail of the ety only irritates my ears as I increase the volume to compete with external noise. Also the flat sound of the ipod combined with the nuetrality and "exagerated" detail of the etys destroys all sense of musicality to these ears.

The ety are the definite winner for audiophile listening, and if used as such might make more sense combined with the portapro for all the things mentioned in the first paragraph. However, for the situations you describe I would definitely take the e3c.

 

[ipumuk]

hi,
i own porta pros, the e3cs but not the etys so i dont think i can really help you with your decision.

but there is one thing i have to say about them. the porta pros are MUCH MORE fun to listen to. i guess because of the heavy and so called "uncontrolled" bass.

but the e3cs are more compfortable, especially when wearing them several hours a a day.

from what i read the etys are more neutral sounding. so if you like your porta pros and listen to pop rap rock etc. i'd suggest the e3c.

if you like a monitoring-like sound the etys are the better choice.

but keep in mind that i dont have the etys =D so i might talk ********. what i am saying is just the impression of the etys from what i read in the forum.

 

[enzoferrari650]

er4.................. uhhhh yeah.... er4

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipumuk hi, i own porta pros, the e3cs but not the etys so i dont think i can really help you with your decision. but there is one thing i have to say about them. the porta pros are MUCH MORE fun to listen to. i guess because of the heavy and so called "uncontrolled" bass. but the e3cs are more compfortable, especially when wearing them several hours a a day. from what i read the etys are more neutral sounding. so if you like your porta pros and listen to pop rap rock etc. i'd suggest the e3c. if you like a monitoring-like sound the etys are the better choice. but keep in mind that i dont have the etys =D so i might talk ********. what i am saying is just the impression of the etys from what i read in the forum.

the PortaPros are certainly a lot of fun, but i would probably like something more like the e2's that i had and the Grados that i currently use. does anyone how the etys compare to the sr-60's in terms of overall sound quality? the e2c's are, to me, fairly similar to the grados, so i'm assuming that the e3c's do as well.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by enzoferrari650 er4.................. uhhhh yeah.... er4

can you qualify your preference some?

 

[rextrade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by enzoferrari650 er4.................. uhhhh yeah.... er4

Agreed.

The etys are in a different league then the e3cs imo--I think a better comparison is with the e5. Not to knock the Shures, but the detail you get with the etys is outstanding. As for portability and comfort, the Shures probably win out. I don't find the etys particularly uncomfortable, but when I tried the e3cs (caveat: I only had these for about a week), I found them easier to take in and out of my ears than the etys.

 

[EdipisReks]

this is pretty much going in the direction that i was expecting. with regards to the ER-4, how much easier to drive would the ER-4P's be and how much better do the ER-4S's sound than the ER-4P? i plan on getting a Headsave Mint-Vibe, but i may be in a situation where i don't have a an amp handy. Would it be worth it to get the ER-4P and Mint-Vibe AND the ER-4P to ER-4S adaptor? i guess what i'm really asking is, are the ER-4P's driveable from a third generation iPod and is the difference between the ER-4S and the ER-4P really that large?

 

[bangraman]

I think you're going to have to try them. Given the choice between the two, for regular portable use (not air travel, or any other situation where you spend most of your time sitting down) I would tip towards the E3c. Considerably more practical in a daily-portble-use situation.


The Etys are indeed somewhat complimentary to the E5, but that does not make the ER-4P the equal of the E5.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI: Soon there will be a ety 6i out for the ipod that looks like it will have good isolation. you might wait for them.

 

[EdipisReks]

i thought about the ety 6i, but at that general price point i would rather have the e3c's. thanks for the suggestion, though.

does anyone know of a place to audition these canalphones in Cincinnati, Ohio? there is a place called audible elegance near by, but as far as i can tell they only have MartinLogan, Sennheiser and Grado (that's where i got my sr-60's, actually).

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks i thought about the ety 6i, but at that general price point i would rather have the e3c's. thanks for the suggestion, though.

why?

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks this is pretty much going in the direction that i was expecting. with regards to the ER-4, how much easier to drive would the ER-4P's be and how much better do the ER-4S's sound than the ER-4P? i plan on getting a Headsave Mint-Vibe, but i may be in a situation where i don't have a an amp handy. Would it be worth it to get the ER-4P and Mint-Vibe AND the ER-4P to ER-4S adaptor? i guess what i'm really asking is, are the ER-4P's driveable from a third generation iPod and is the difference between the ER-4S and the ER-4P really that large?

This is exactly the quandry and decision I'm facing right now since I got my 4G iPod 20gig. No way for me to audition Ety's or Shure's.

Let me ask the 4G iPod users this. The stock earbuds do sound terrible, I know. If one plops them in the way most people do, there is no bass, warmth, or midrange weight. However, when you angle them parallel to your actual canal and wedge them so there is good seal (but uncomfortable), I find that they sound pretty darn good. There is a lot more vocal richness/warmth and bass, and sound is not tinny.

Can anyone tell me how different Ety 4P or E3c would sound specifically to the situation above with "optimal" earbuds? For example, will Ety 4P have way too much treble compared to the "optimal" earbuds, too little bass?

 

[Spankypoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L Can anyone tell me how different Ety 4P or E3c would sound specifically to the situation above with "optimal" earbuds? For example, will Ety 4P have way too much treble compared to the "optimal" earbuds, too little bass?

No offense meant, but if you think the iPod buds wedged into your ear sound "pretty darn good," then I can't type the expletives you'll want to use when you upgrade to a better set of 'phones.

Really, no comparison, no matter what you do with the Apple 'buds. They do sound much better than stock that way, but it's like comparing a Pinto which is running REALLY well vs. an F1 car. At some point you won't care how much you can coax out of the Pinto - it's got its limitations.

'Optimal' fitment of Apple earbuds still won't have the detail of the Etys, and their bass is kind of artificial - the bass of the Etys is much more pure and textured, and the highs, while too much for some, sound just right to some of us.

Frankly, you'll probably be blown away by either the Ety or the Shure. If you decide to go the Ety route (which I'd recommend), I'd get the P with a P->S cable. The S's sound is worth it - even straight out of the iPod.

 

[EdipisReks]

one last question. i might have to wait a paycheck or two (stupid me being a poor student, and all) to get the amplifier or the adaptor cable. will the ER-4P's play well enough straight from the iPod until i get get the amplifier.

also, while there have been plenty of comments on the sound quality of the etys, how is the overall comfort? while i know that the E3c's will most likely be more comfortable, are the Etys still half way decent once i get used to them? i will most likely be using the Triflanges over the foamies. thanks for your patience, everyone.