[sonic32]

I think the E4c is bass shy, but this is compounded by the very forward midrange too. If you pair them with a good source/amp combo they really improve in this respect.

 

[Turner_Brown]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek Wow, I never had to go through any of that to get great bass from my E4Gs. Perhaps we all just hear bass differently.

possibly. It also depends on what you are used to. If you are coming from etys or stock buds you will more than likely be thrilled by the E4's bass. If you are coming from e71's or full size cans...you may find yourself wanting more. (I'm speaking about unamped/un'EQ'd)

 

[afobisme]

i have an iaudio X5L/e4c setup myself... the sound wasn't that great for the first 24 hours or so, but it got better for me. i can definitely tell you that e4c + X5L combo = pretty good, as in there IS bass. i only have the bass setting set to 4/10 too.

you might be getting a good seal.. the problem is that you might be expecting too much. or maybe they arent broken in yet.

 

[Turner_Brown]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afobisme i have an iaudio X5L/e4c setup myself... the sound wasn't that great for the first 24 hours or so, but it got better for me. i can definitely tell you that e4c + X5L combo = pretty good, as in there IS bass. i only have the bass setting set to 4/10 too. you might be getting a good seal.. the problem is that you might be expecting too much. or maybe they arent broken in yet.

Turn your bass setting down to 0/10. That is how the unamped/un-EQ'd ipod owners are hearing them. When I used them with my h120 and the bass bumped up they sounded just right. Unfortunately I bought them for use with my ipod.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turner_Brown possibly. It also depends on what you are used to. If you are coming from etys or stock buds you will more than likely be thrilled by the E4's bass. If you are coming from e71's or full size cans...you may find yourself wanting more. (I'm speaking about unamped/un'EQ'd)

I have a pair of Grados and I still think my E4Gs have more than enough bass.

 

[Turner_Brown]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek I have a pair of Grados and I still think my E4Gs have more than enough bass.

Are you using them unamped/un-EQ'd?

 

[afobisme]

why would you listen to them un-EQ'd though... ipods should have EQ customization and all.

so i turned the settings on my X5L to 0, and all though the bass is less prevalent, i can still hear it. i would consider it short on bass, but it's there at least.

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turner_Brown Turn your bass setting down to 0/10. That is how the unamped/un-EQ'd ipod owners are hearing them.

I just tested the following side by side:

Laptop --> Total Bithead --> E4

Unamped iPod 5G --> E4

I played the same encoding (LAME -V2) of the same track on each setup, with the timing of the track synchronized so that I could switch back and forth between the two systems quickly.

I matched the volume level as best I could, and then compared the bass. The bass on the Bithead setup was slightly better. The difference was noticeable, but not dramatic. While the Bithead setup had slightly better bass, I would not call the unamped iPod bass deficient by any means.

I then used the recently-enabled hardware EQ in Rockbox to add 4dB of bass using a low-shelf filter at a 105Hz cutoff. The bass is nicely present. Kick drum has a good thump without being overwhelming. Electric bass is well-defined.

If I increase the gain of the low-shelf filter to 12dB, I get a ton of bass--more than I would ever really need. Raising the cutoff frequency to 175Hz gives the perception of even more bass, though it is not as tight.

Bottom line: I find that the E4 has perfectly adequate bass even from an unamped iPod 5G. Moreover, it responds very well to EQ. (Contrast this to the E3, which IMO does not have deep lows even when EQed.)

 

[PiccoloNamek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turner_Brown Are you using them unamped/un-EQ'd?

Amped, never equalized.

 

[Jeffreybar]

I have owned all the Shure IEMs except for the new E500s, and I can say that, without a doubt, the E4s are the most sensitive to tip selection, position, and seal. If you're not getting as much bass as you want, first, switch to the foamies. If you're still not getting enough bass, order the charcoal gray Etymotic foamies -- those are what I use, and if you have larger than average ear canals, the yellow Shure foamies will probably *not* give you a good seal. Then, once you're using good, huge, Coke-can sized foamies, be sure to wiggle them around a bit, and you should be able to get a decent amount of bass.

Note that the E4s definitely have less mid-to-upper bass than the E3s and E2s, thus making them sound initially less bassy. After you get used to them, however, I think you'll find that they make up for it with much deeper bass than the E3s, and more controlled bass than the E2s. A good EQ helps a lot -- I believe the original poster said he had an X5. That is also the source I use, and I pump the bottom end of the EQ up to like +10 or so (60Hz) -- that'll help a lot. Also, I strongly recommend turning MP-enhance on...basically that particular processing function simulates higher-order harmonics to make your music more lively. This also helps to compensate quite substantially for the slightly anaemic mid-bass on the E4s.

-jeff

 

[raccoon]

I have a second gen iPod and a (12" 1GHz) Powerbook. Would the E4 be a problem with either of these? I just bought a pair of E2cs but I haven't opened the box yet. For about twice the price of the E2cs I can get E4s. Is it a good idea when I have these two sources unamped? I don't want an amp at all

 

[raccoon]

Oh man I am going crazy! I can't open it because the store I bought it from said if I open my E2cs I can't return them. Anybody have an opinion?

 

[raccoon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raccoon Oh man I am going crazy! I can't open it because the store I bought it from said if I open my E2cs I can't return them. Anybody have an opinion?

I caved and opened the E2c. I just couldn't let it sit there staring at me.

 

[afobisme]

ah, might be a little too late but.. personally i wouldn't get the e2c... at least from what i've heard of them/the price. the bass is supposedly bloated, it's there, but bloated.

i think the best bang for your buck IEMs is the altec lansing IM716

 

[raccoon]

I suppose I could sell the E2c.
I'm not interested in the IM716 since I read that they require even MORE power. I would like to stick with the Shure sound as well. I'm just worried that a 2nd gen iPod and an old 12" Powerbook, both unamped, wouldn't be enough for the E4 and would lack bass.
I shouldn't have opened the E2c