Who else prefers the Etymotics over the Shures?
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warpdriver
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No, you're not the only one. In some regards, it's a better balanced headphone that the ER4, but I never found their sound signature to my taste, they still have that characteristic mid-forward sound.
| Originally Posted by darkninja67 Am I the only one here that is not goo goo for the E4Cs? |
No, you're not the only one. In some regards, it's a better balanced headphone that the ER4, but I never found their sound signature to my taste, they still have that characteristic mid-forward sound.
DigDub
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i prefer the er6i over the e4c. i guess the high end details of the etys are hard to match.
The Monkey
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In general, how fatiguing are the Etys? The Shures?
AuroraProject
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I have to disagree, I have the ER-4P and the Westone UM2's (supposedly the same as Shure E5) and they are two different animals. To me the Ety's trounce everything else I own or have heard.
| Originally Posted by CamelBackCinema Try the Shure E5 and I think you will find some competition. The Etymotics are wonderful as well as the Shure. In terms of overall quality, I think the ER4P/S canalphones are superior to every Shure canalphone except the E5c. |
I have to disagree, I have the ER-4P and the Westone UM2's (supposedly the same as Shure E5) and they are two different animals. To me the Ety's trounce everything else I own or have heard.
Cthulhu
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So far I infinitly prefer the shure formfactor, but enjoy the etymotic sound.
I wish etymotic would get a clue and adopt the over the ears style of wearing the cord, damps microphonics, and is more comfortable as the weight of the wires is on your ears, not your earcanal.
I cannot find a single reason why the straight down wire solution is superior.
I wish etymotic would get a clue and adopt the over the ears style of wearing the cord, damps microphonics, and is more comfortable as the weight of the wires is on your ears, not your earcanal.
I cannot find a single reason why the straight down wire solution is superior.
Teerawit
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You prefer the ER-4 over the UM2? I was considering getting the UM2 as a departure from the Ety line, but I guess I'll reconsider that!
The Shure E4c seems to be fun only for portable use, when the utmost detail and clarity do not matter in portable situations. They're more engaging and would be good for use at the gym, etc.
But I cannot leave the Ety sound and migrate permanently to the Shure sound. I appreciate the detail that the Etys deliver in the treble. E4 midrange seems alittle too exaggerated, but again for non-critical listening this may be better.
| Originally Posted by AuroraProject I have to disagree, I have the ER-4P and the Westone UM2's (supposedly the same as Shure E5) and they are two different animals. To me the Ety's trounce everything else I own or have heard. |
You prefer the ER-4 over the UM2? I was considering getting the UM2 as a departure from the Ety line, but I guess I'll reconsider that!
The Shure E4c seems to be fun only for portable use, when the utmost detail and clarity do not matter in portable situations. They're more engaging and would be good for use at the gym, etc.
But I cannot leave the Ety sound and migrate permanently to the Shure sound. I appreciate the detail that the Etys deliver in the treble. E4 midrange seems alittle too exaggerated, but again for non-critical listening this may be better.
warpdriver
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Some people are just more sensitive to prominent treble, and find the slightly rolled off response of the Shures to be less fatiguing.
| Originally Posted by The Monkey In general, how fatiguing are the Etys? The Shures? |
Some people are just more sensitive to prominent treble, and find the slightly rolled off response of the Shures to be less fatiguing.
a5ianz
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the shure's aren't rolled off in the highs, they just don't have the extreme detail of the ety's
Jasper994
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That's not detail...
| Originally Posted by a5ianz the shure's aren't rolled off in the highs, they just don't have the extreme detail of the ety's |
That's not detail...
DomA
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Damn, I am just about to order some E4c based on the replies to my IEM choice thread to go with my zen micro then you post this up.... now I don't know what to do....
I'm gonna be listening to dance and trance, Paul Oakenfold and some rock mainly outdoors but may also hook them up to my PC.... any more help and advice greatly appreciated....
Anyone actually got a zen micro and either the shure or etys?
I'm gonna be listening to dance and trance, Paul Oakenfold and some rock mainly outdoors but may also hook them up to my PC.... any more help and advice greatly appreciated....
Anyone actually got a zen micro and either the shure or etys?
Jasper994
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? I was referring to the ER4s not having "tons more detail". The thing is, they don't. They have a lot going on in the highs that's just not there. I've heard the same tracks with K1000's and R10's and the Ety extra detail just isn't real. The E4c is very detailed as universal fit IEMs go. This fake ety detail has been discussed in the past by others such as Bangraman. http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...tymotic+detail Beyond that, they have a serious lack of decay, particularly in the treble region. Decay, at least in my opinion is part of detail. For example, with the E4, when I hear a cymbal hit, it sounds like a cymbal. With the ER4s, it doesn't sound like a cymbal. You just hear this very hot "tst tst tst" noise that's not clearly identifiable.
| Originally Posted by DomA Damn, I am just about to order some E4c based on the replies to my IEM choice thread to go with my zen micro then you post this up.... now I don't know what to do.... I'm gonna be listening to dance and trance, Paul Oakenfold and some rock mainly outdoors but may also hook them up to my PC.... any more help and advice greatly appreciated.... Anyone actually got a zen micro and either the shure or etys? |
? I was referring to the ER4s not having "tons more detail". The thing is, they don't. They have a lot going on in the highs that's just not there. I've heard the same tracks with K1000's and R10's and the Ety extra detail just isn't real. The E4c is very detailed as universal fit IEMs go. This fake ety detail has been discussed in the past by others such as Bangraman. http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...tymotic+detail Beyond that, they have a serious lack of decay, particularly in the treble region. Decay, at least in my opinion is part of detail. For example, with the E4, when I hear a cymbal hit, it sounds like a cymbal. With the ER4s, it doesn't sound like a cymbal. You just hear this very hot "tst tst tst" noise that's not clearly identifiable.
pablor
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ER-4s are fantastic phones in my opinion. But they are not an 'immediate satisfaction' phone for everyone. I think they are also more source dependent than many phones.
When I first got my ER-4Ps, using them straight out of an iPod, I was very disappointed. They sounded tinny and weak - just didn't have the 'transcendent' quality I had been led to expect. I had read that they took some getting used to, so I decided to stick with them for a while.
After some accustomization, I thought they sounded good with some of my music, but were just too much hassle. My PortaPros were once again my daily use phones. About six months later, I thought I should try them again, and was really impressed by how they sounded. So clear and detailed on the right music. But still really bad on others (especially rock). Still, I could forgive them because what sounded good sounded SO good. I ended up just listening to different music – more jazz and acoustic, where these babies really shine.
I did buy a pair of Shure E4Cs, as I thought these might be a better all-round phone. Maybe they are, but I didn’t feel they gave significantly more ‘oomph’ to make it worth keeping them, and they didn’t have what I can only describe as that shimmering, silvery quality that the ER-4s have.
I’ve spent a while using other cans, but I’ve recently rediscovered my Etys yet again. The reason this time is my SuperMacro amp (with switches). With this, the Etys enter another dimension. The impedance switch transforms the ER-4P to 4S for one thing. Then you have the bass boost…
But even without these extra features, the improvement is nothing short of dramatic. The sound becomes fuller. Bass reaches deeper and has more impact. They sound richer and sweeter, no thinness or harshness at all. And their famous clarity is even, well, clearer. The detail is still there, but now supported by a solid foundation of bass. Their sound now is quite addictive to me. Everything sounds good – even rock, which pleases me no end as a bit of an old rocker.
Sure, these phones have their flaws. Microphonics for one. But this is a small detail when the sound can be like this. The Shures didn’t have this, but I found the lack of a shirt clip a pain when you need to take them out temporarily to buy a subway ticket or whatever. I also find the Etys much easier to insert due to their long, straight design.
So to cut a long story short (oops, too late...), these are rather quirky phones in some ways, but ca be so detailed and absorbing that it’s easy to forgive them their flaws. And paired with the right amp, they are simply magnificent. I enjoy my other phones a lot too, for very different reasons, but I think I will always come back to the Etys. They are perhaps the one phone I own that I will never let go of.
When I first got my ER-4Ps, using them straight out of an iPod, I was very disappointed. They sounded tinny and weak - just didn't have the 'transcendent' quality I had been led to expect. I had read that they took some getting used to, so I decided to stick with them for a while.
After some accustomization, I thought they sounded good with some of my music, but were just too much hassle. My PortaPros were once again my daily use phones. About six months later, I thought I should try them again, and was really impressed by how they sounded. So clear and detailed on the right music. But still really bad on others (especially rock). Still, I could forgive them because what sounded good sounded SO good. I ended up just listening to different music – more jazz and acoustic, where these babies really shine.
I did buy a pair of Shure E4Cs, as I thought these might be a better all-round phone. Maybe they are, but I didn’t feel they gave significantly more ‘oomph’ to make it worth keeping them, and they didn’t have what I can only describe as that shimmering, silvery quality that the ER-4s have.
I’ve spent a while using other cans, but I’ve recently rediscovered my Etys yet again. The reason this time is my SuperMacro amp (with switches). With this, the Etys enter another dimension. The impedance switch transforms the ER-4P to 4S for one thing. Then you have the bass boost…
But even without these extra features, the improvement is nothing short of dramatic. The sound becomes fuller. Bass reaches deeper and has more impact. They sound richer and sweeter, no thinness or harshness at all. And their famous clarity is even, well, clearer. The detail is still there, but now supported by a solid foundation of bass. Their sound now is quite addictive to me. Everything sounds good – even rock, which pleases me no end as a bit of an old rocker.
Sure, these phones have their flaws. Microphonics for one. But this is a small detail when the sound can be like this. The Shures didn’t have this, but I found the lack of a shirt clip a pain when you need to take them out temporarily to buy a subway ticket or whatever. I also find the Etys much easier to insert due to their long, straight design.
So to cut a long story short (oops, too late...), these are rather quirky phones in some ways, but ca be so detailed and absorbing that it’s easy to forgive them their flaws. And paired with the right amp, they are simply magnificent. I enjoy my other phones a lot too, for very different reasons, but I think I will always come back to the Etys. They are perhaps the one phone I own that I will never let go of.
Imyourzero
Headphoneus Supremus
If i wanted to scrutinize (and hear) every last detail in the music, obviously I would take the ER-4P/S. If I want to enjoy the music on a non-critical level, the Shures win. They (talking about the E4 here) are more balanced to my ear and aren't as thin-sounding as the Etys.
I can definitely see why some people prefer the Etymotic sound, though. Heck, I've had 2 sets of ER-4Ps myself...
I can definitely see why some people prefer the Etymotic sound, though. Heck, I've had 2 sets of ER-4Ps myself...
In a home listening (or at least sitting-still listening) situation with an amp, I prefer the Etys. In motion, and/or without an amp, the Shures win for me. The result is that I'm very happy to have both, and I use both quite a lot.
Listening to the ER-4S side by side with the E4, I just find the ER-4S to be cleaner-sounding and clearer-sounding. To some, this sound might seem a little thinner or a little less full, but to me it's a better sound.
The E4 sounds just great as well; please don't get me wrong there. Really, really terrific sound, and I have no complaint about it. But when I switch from the Shure to the Ety, it's like looking through a window that I thought was already perfectly clean -- and then cleaning it anyway and seeing the world with a previously-unsuspected layer of haze removed.
As for the question of whether the Ety sound is unreal or unnatural -- to me it doesn't seem so, but if it is, I like it. In real life I like the hyper-reality of putting on polarized sunglasses and seeing sharper and clearer than before, so maybe I'm just the kind of person who likes a certain kind of sharp, haze-free presentation, visual or auditory.
Listening to the ER-4S side by side with the E4, I just find the ER-4S to be cleaner-sounding and clearer-sounding. To some, this sound might seem a little thinner or a little less full, but to me it's a better sound.
The E4 sounds just great as well; please don't get me wrong there. Really, really terrific sound, and I have no complaint about it. But when I switch from the Shure to the Ety, it's like looking through a window that I thought was already perfectly clean -- and then cleaning it anyway and seeing the world with a previously-unsuspected layer of haze removed.
As for the question of whether the Ety sound is unreal or unnatural -- to me it doesn't seem so, but if it is, I like it. In real life I like the hyper-reality of putting on polarized sunglasses and seeing sharper and clearer than before, so maybe I'm just the kind of person who likes a certain kind of sharp, haze-free presentation, visual or auditory.
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