[LTUCCI1924]

The er4p is 27 ohms then add the adapter and it is 80.6 additional ohms per channel and needs a amp and sounds like the er4ps. Which is better sounding. Now take a 30 ohm earbud and add a adapter that is 80.6 per channel additional ohmage and add a amp. Dont you think that the earbud would also sound better?

 

[Gluegun]

My guess:

ER4S & Amp > ER4P & Amp > ER4P W/O Amp > ER4S W/O Amp

 

[AtEase]

There was a big thread a while back about the ety's and someone asked the same questions, d_wilson replied that adding a resistor would probably just make the earbuds sound quieter and not better. I never bothered to read throught the whole thread so I don't know if d_wilson ever explained why adding the resistor works for the ety's but probably not for some arbitrary pair of earbuds...

 

[LTUCCI1924]

AtEase
MR D_WILSON has my respect and knows way more than me. So I thought that he said that the adapter would not change the frequince but if he says it wont work than I believe him and will re evaulate my findings. Thank you for your response.

 

[dgs]

"Better" is a subjective term. Hard to demonstrate. But, in my experience, the 4s is more open-sounding and detailed than the 4p under all conditions. The 4p is a bit punchier and aggressive sounding. That being said, my preference:

4s & amp > 4p w/o amp > 4s w/o amp > 4p & amp.

I think the 4p is too loud with an amp, even at very low settings. Not sure if others agree with this, though.

 

[davo]

My take is that the 4S is the "reference" version and that the 4P was inrroduced later for portable applications because they could be driven without amplifiers, for use with PCDPs and MP3 players primarily, both of which have lower power outputs to either the line out (if it exists for that player) or headphone out. In order to achieve this, Etymotics reduced the impedance.

I have the 4P and for portable use when I don't want to schlep around a portable amp, it's fine. At home, I add the 4S adaptor, turn up the gain a bit and listen to a better quality sound from the 4S. the 4S exhibits more extension of both the treble and bass with more detail....largely due to the higher gain setting of the source.

Other headphones might be improved by the added resistance in the line as well. Certainly, certain sources are so helped as the added gain raises the signal level above the noise floor. For example, with my Nex II MP3 player, there is some hiss, which disappears when I used a heaphone with higher impedance or the 4S adaptor.

My $.002 and I'm now officially off the soapbox.

 

[elipsis]

Quote:

Certainly, certain sources are so helped as the added gain raises the signal level above the noise floor.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.

 

[lextek]

Etymotic is coming out with their own adapter cable. I wonder want it does. I've made one with the added resistors and sounds excellent with an amp.

 

[AtEase]

I've always wondered if the er6 would benefit from a higher impedance cable...

 

[davo]

AtEase -

That's a great question. I'm flogging myself for not having thought of it before I returned my ER6's. Granted, the design methodologies between the ER6 and the 4P/4S are different, but the added resistance might have improved the quality of the sound somewhat. This is not to say that the ER6's are bad in any way....it's just that they aren't as good as the 4's. For less than half the price, that's not too bad.

Then again, you'd need amplification for the ER6 with more resistance which flies in the face of the intent of the ER6...of lower cost and being easy to drive for portable applications.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

davo
I have a very effeshent earbud the radio shack 33-1991 and it is real easy to drive out of anything. I think it is 30 ohms and at a high db level. Now when I crank it up it cant take it and starts to break up plus at a nice level it is thin sounding and not as full as it could be. I found this out by adding the 80.6 per channel adapter. Now the earbuds have an resistance of 110.6. The earbuds now need more power to get to the same sound level but can go much higher with out braking up. Now the earbuds sound much fuller the highs are more tame and the base is way tighter. The additional power brings out the fullness and full potential of the earbud. I would not have knowed this befor for I liked the buds the way they were not knowing that more resistanse would open them up way more. The adapter dont change the frequinces it just gives the bud more power and opens it up and sort of gives it a laid back but strong sound like my 580s do. Why is it that the senn. are 300 ohms and sound great. Could it be because of the power it needs to do its thing. If the adapter was muddie or didnot work I think that I have enough expeirence not to use it. So for me it the earbuds plus the adapter out of my mini disc with the total airhead.

 

[AtEase]

Quote:

Originally posted by davo Then again, you'd need amplification for the ER6 with more resistance which flies in the face of the intent of the ER6...of lower cost and being easy to drive for portable applications.

Thats true, but the er6 also work great in a noisy office/computer lab, where using a portable amp wouldn't be an inconvience. Plus with an adapter cable you could switch depending on your needs, besides who wouldn't eant a "free" sound upgrade.

Quote:

Originally posted by davo This is not to say that the ER6's are bad in any way....it's just that they aren't as good as the 4's. For less than half the price, that's not too bad.

The er6 impressed me so much, I really think I'm going to have to get a pair of er4s. There is just something about the ety sound -- even though I'd say my hd580s sound better (as in more refined, better soundstage, etc....) I often find that I'm enjoying myself more with the ety's; they're very involving (for me anyway).

 

[d_wilson]

Adding resistance to the ER-4P lowers the sensitivity and changes the frequency response. Adding resistance to the ER-4S, ER-4B, or ER-6 doesn't change their frequency response. Explaining why might also teach any competitors too much. It isn't rocket science, but some manufacturers don't understand.

Adding resistance to the ER-6, or some low impedance headphones might improve the response of the output amplifier of the portable device. Use a 50 ohm load such as the ER-6 with the i-pod, and the output amplifier rolls off at about 100 hz. With a higher impedance load the coupling capacitor in the i-pod isn't a limiting factor. Using an external amplifier gets around this problem.

Don Wilson
Etymotic Research

 

[davo]

Yeah...what he said.