Shure e4c vs. Ety ER4p, one opinion and some questions

[sno1man]

So in continuing my rapid (and rapidly more expensive) tour of headphoone specifically IEMs, My ERP4's arrived this week. Damn, why I did I hold off on these?

I had written before that I had ended up with both the shure e4c and the ultimate ears 5 pro's because while I liked them both, they were distinctly different enough in sound that I could justify keeping them both.

Well after a couple of days, i'm sure the shure's are going to be gone.

Everything i liked about the shures is even more so with the Etys. Incredible amounts of detail, nice clean sound and better bass than the shures. Listening to Bob Dylan's Blood On the Tracks I am hearing things I have never heard before (like bob hitting the mike slightly about mid way through "you're a big girl now")

And the bass is enough improved that I'm now questioning the superfi's. Just a quick A-B listen now makes the super-fis sound a bit heavy.

And this is just after a couple of days.

What is a variable in all this is that i'm using different tips on all three because each seems to have the best seal for that phone.

Shure E4's- Foam Tips
Ety's -smallest tri flange
Super Fi's- medium black silicone tips.

My question to all is before I do something dumb like get rid of some of these is if I'm going about this right.

The tip selection is based on what seems to have the best seal which I am judging without a source present and just what seems to have the best isolation.

After I got the best tips, I am then comparing all three phones with the same sets of music, out of my receiver, my ipod, and my sony portable CD player.

Any thoughts on if this is a good way to compare?

Or maybe I have finally now just gone off the deep end and should just resign myself to an emptier wallet but lots of phones

 

[DJGeorgeT]

I agree, my shure e4c is going back to buy.com. The er4p/s excels in every area in direct comparison. The bass is actually stronger on the er4p than the e4c. It is also tighter. The highs roll of on the e4c...it isn't quite there. I think my er4p/s is always going to be a keeper.

 

[elephantman]

I'd compare them using silicon tips then foam tips, its more fair that way.

 

[jjcha]

I've never thought the ER4P were light on the bass - every time I've listened to them I liked it a lot. But likewise, I've found in the right system the Shure E4c is very capable of fantastic bass.

Still, I'm glad you've discovered how great the ER4P are. They're fantastic IEM.

Best,

-Jason

 

[SiBurning]

Hard to compare different phones with different tips...

I mostly use the tri flange tips on the ety er4-p, but sometimes they hurt and I switch to the foam tips. The foam tips muffle the sound as if listening through a pillow. Maybe some people would say the bass is heavier and the highs are rolled off. I don't like that, so I mostly stick with the flange and take the pain like a M... A... N... (Muddy & Johnny rock)

 

[sno1man]

That's what I was kind of wondering was how much the tips themselves color the sound. I suspect they do, but by the same token, wouldn't a worse seal affect it even more?

 

[Jmmmmm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sno1man That's what I was kind of wondering was how much the tips themselves color the sound. I suspect they do, but by the same token, wouldn't a worse seal affect it even more?

I think the best way to compare them is using the tips that make them sound the best to you. If you use the tips that make one IEM shine, then it is only fair to compare them to another IEM using the tips that makes that one shine. Now I wouldn't compare two grados, one using bowls and another using flats, but I think the minor differences with these tips shouldn't matter too much. I don't think the tips make all that much of a difference (with these two iems), anyway, unless you aren't getting a good seal. I guess if you want to be extra fair, you could use all the tips and compare them, noting the differences.

I have to say I'm surprised you like the rubber tips on the 5pro's, I couldnt get them to stay in my ear for 5 seconds.

I'm glad you found the IEM you like the most. It took me a while to find my sound also, but once I did I didn't need any other IEM. I don't think there's much point in keeping both the e4c and the er4, they have a similar enough sound that it would be redundant. I found that after getting the e4, though, I no longer liked the 5pro. It lacked too much treble that whenever I listened to them, I was dissatisfied.

 

[catscratch]

I never thought that the ER-4P's were all that light on bass when I had them, but I did think that the treble was jacked up to the point that when the mids and bass were at a level that I liked, the treble was completely overbearing and painful. I didn't have a portable player with good EQ (is there such a thing? Probably not), so I couldn't get them to sound the way I wanted to; also, I was going minimalist and not using an amp. So, the ER-4P's went away to a new home, but I still miss them from time to time. I prefer them to the E4 also, but they did have their issues for me that I just couldn't live with. The E4 has these issues to a lesser degree, but it isn't as outstanding in it's strong areas (detail, clarity, imaging) as the ER-4P is, either.

Anyway, glad that you've found your sound. Now get the Ety P/S converter and a good amp - preferably something warm. Lastly, build a Linkwitz filter (details here: http://www.linkwitzlab.com/reference_earphones.htm ) to cut down on the excess treble, and you'll be in audio bliss. Portably (more or less).

 

[backdrifter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sno1man My question to all is before I do something dumb like get rid of some of these is if I'm going about this right.

May I suggest that before you get rid of the Shure's you give this thread a read:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=138591

Regards.