[goatwuss]

Hi. Just wanted to send out a note for potential earbud buyers. I bought the Ety ER4s a while back and hated them. I used an amp (MG Head) which yes, isn't the perfect amp for them, but it's a good amp regardless. These earbuds sounded thin, had no bass, no life. They just did not float my boat at all. I tried to like them every day for over two weeks.

At this point, I thought that earbuds just wouldn't do it for me, because the Etys seem to have the highest reputation among earbuds priced under $500.

I ordered the Shure just for the hell of it, and wow. They took a little breaking in, but they're fantastic, even used without an amp. These remind me of Wilson speakers, whereas the Etys remind me of an old Thiel or something. The Shures are so much more dynamic and full bodied sounding than the Etys that it's ridiculous.

Yes, it does seem a lot of people like Etys, and I of course respect that opinion. However, I do not understand it.

 

[AudioNoob]

well, if you support buying e5c for the hell of it, I want say no to a pair of e2c s ,that would save my ** from being sold

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goatwuss Hi. Just wanted to send out a note for potential earbud buyers. I bought the Ety ER4s a while back and hated them. I used an amp (MG Head) which yes, isn't the perfect amp for them, but it's a good amp regardless. These earbuds sounded thin, had no bass, no life. They just did not float my boat at all. I tried to like them every day for over two weeks. At this point, I thought that earbuds just wouldn't do it for me, because the Etys seem to have the highest reputation among earbuds priced under $500. I ordered the Shure just for the hell of it, and wow. They took a little breaking in, but they're fantastic, even used without an amp. These remind me of Wilson speakers, whereas the Etys remind me of an old Thiel or something. The Shures are so much more dynamic and full bodied sounding than the Etys that it's ridiculous. Yes, it does seem a lot of people like Etys, and I of course respect that opinion. However, I do not understand it.

sounds like you didn't get a good seal with the Etys. if you get a good seal the Etys are anything but thin and lifeless. glad you found canalphones that work for you, though.

 

[VicAjax]

different strokes for different folks...
(and so on and so on and scooby doo-bee doo-bee, ooooooh sha sha)

i find the bass on my er4p quite satisfying about 85% of the time... and the rest of the time, EQ does a bang up job at filling it out. and the richness and sparkle take over my brain.

when i auditioned the e5c, i found the bass nice and full, but it shoved the HF into a corner.

the e5c is like a crystal windchime blown by a gusty wind on a cloudy fall day.
the er4p is like a crystal windchime reflecting the sun on a breezy spring day.

ok, now i have to go apply for a position with hallmark cards.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax ok, now i have to go apply for a position with hallmark cards.

lol

 

[vranswer]

Just a small, insignificant rub: ever try to put on a pair of sunglasses while wearing the E5s? The clinical term is Memory Wire Revenge.

 

[AudioNoob]

guess he'll not buy me a pair of e2c s

*cry*

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Just a small, insignificant rub: ever try to put on a pair of sunglasses while wearing the E5s? The clinical term is Memory Wire Revenge.

Yes.. all day, everyday, and it actually never bothered me

 

[JMcMasterJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks sounds like you didn't get a good seal with the Etys. if you get a good seal the Etys are anything but thin and lifeless. glad you found canalphones that work for you, though.

This is so true. I haven't had mine for too long and always have a little trouble getting a perfect seal, especially in one ear. I am always a little dissappointed when I originally put them in because they sound very thin and almost worse than the iPod earphones, but once I find that good seal it's amazing and I never want to take them off. Like he said, they are anything but thin and lifeless. Also, changing the filters after that original load of earwax helped a lot too

 

[greenhorn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Just a small, insignificant rub: ever try to put on a pair of sunglasses while wearing the E5s? The clinical term is Memory Wire Revenge.

Many E5 owners (me included) prefer them with that annoying memory wire cut at about 1 cm from the earphone. It does not annoy anymore.

 

[toaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks sounds like you didn't get a good seal with the Etys. if you get a good seal the Etys are anything but thin and lifeless. glad you found canalphones that work for you, though.

they might not be "lifeless," but the etys are very, very thin in a direct comparison with the e5's.

also, after hearing other canalphones that present e5-like bass with better highs than the etys, one will realize even more how unbalanced and thin the etys truly are.

 

[toaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhorn Many E5 owners (me included) prefer them with that annoying memory wire cut at about 1 cm from the earphone. It does not annoy anymore.

agreed.

the memory wire length of the e5's is far too long.

i suggest cutting at least 2/3 of the memory wire off. this allows you to enjoy the functionality of the memory wire, without it being an annoying nuisance.

 

[vranswer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone Yes.. all day, everyday, and it actually never bothered me

Indeed!? You mean you DIDN'T have to remove the units (stiff-wires and all) completely from both ears, put on the sunglasses, then re-insert the E5s?? I found this to be absolutely necessary with nearly all of my sunglasses (of which I have dozens of pairs - yet another strange, esoteric obsession). Perhaps the only pair that can "sneak" through the E5's barbed-wire defenses on top of my ears would be my Oakleys. They have those signature pointy temple pieces which can breach the 'iron curtain'.

Please tell, have you not discovered this problem???

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Please tell, have you not discovered this problem???

Actually.. no.. maybe it's because I just have more of a "gap" on top of my ear... I wore the E5's wire over the top/side (wherever it fitted, I never purposely made it fit in a certain way) of my glasses frame very easily.

Never had problems with that...

I did have problems with the UE's.. because they have this huge "plug" that was far more offending than E5's memory wire in terms of rubbing against the frame of my glasses and thus, producing microphonics.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vranswer Indeed!? You mean you DIDN'T have to remove the units (stiff-wires and all) completely from both ears, put on the sunglasses, then re-insert the E5s?? I found this to be absolutely necessary with nearly all of my sunglasses (of which I have dozens of pairs - yet another strange, esoteric obsession). Perhaps the only pair that can "sneak" through the E5's barbed-wire defenses on top of my ears would be my Oakleys. They have those signature pointy temple pieces which can breach the 'iron curtain'. Please tell, have you not discovered this problem???

I've never had this problem, and I live in a place where you can't step outside without sunglasses, at least if you don't plan on going blind in the near future