[Jaska]

I only have positive things to say about the RSA Hornet, and enjoyed it very much for about a year with my iPod, ALO LOD, and ER-4S. This was a great portable setup.

The ER-4S definitely sounded better than with the iPod alone, but in the end I found it much more practical to just get a second pair of inexpensive IEMs (ER-6i) to use with the iPod, minus the amp and LOD.

In my opinion, it takes a lot better source than an iPod to hear major (or even minor) improvements with the ER-4S. I now use them exclusively with my Apogee Duet as a set of "home" IEMs. I don't think I will ever put money into a portable amp again.

 

[qqbingbing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif I only have positive things to say about the RSA Hornet, and enjoyed it very much for about a year with my iPod, ALO LOD, and ER-4S. This was a great portable setup. The ER-4S definitely sounded better than with the iPod alone, but in the end I found it much more practical to just get a second pair of inexpensive IEMs (ER-6i) to use with the iPod, minus the amp and LOD. In my opinion, it takes a lot better source than an iPod to hear major (or even minor) improvements with the ER-4S. I now use them exclusively with my Apogee Duet as a set of "home" IEMs. I don't think I will ever put money into a portable amp again.

Thank you for the exprence. Does this mean the ER-4S is quite harsh with portable equipments? The thing here is I have got an ipod vedio, a toshiba F60,in comparison the toshiba does a much better job with the er-4s simply because of the high impendence which the ipod can not afford. So I think when you use the linout with the ipod, you may hear bigger improvement, that's what I think, maybe untrue. But now I think I just give them some time to get used to each other, then hope I can hear the improvements later.

 

[Jaska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qqbingbing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thank you for the exprence. Does this mean the ER-4S is quite harsh with portable equipments? The thing here is I have got an ipod vedio, a toshiba F60,in comparison the toshiba does a much better job with the er-4s simply because of the high impendence which the ipod can not afford. So I think when you use the linout with the ipod, you may hear bigger improvement, that's what I think, maybe untrue. But now I think I just give them some time to get used to each other, then hope I can hear the improvements later.

I have never found the ER-4S to be harsh under any circumstances at all. It remains my favorite headphone, even though it's an IEM. The issue for me really is one of cost vs. benefit. I feel that I have personally spent enough time with the ER-4S to come to a conclusive decision that it just isn't worth it to me to spend several hundred dollars on portable amplification and cables when it just isn't going to make them sound more than marginally better than a cheap ER-6i plugged directly into the iPod's headphone jack.

Also, my 5G iPod Video does a fairly good job of driving the ER-4S, but the bass extension is noticeably insufficient compared to with the Hornet. Besides that single element, the rest of the sound is nearly identical to my ears.

Bigger improvements to what you hear through the ER-4S will come from drastic upgrades in source components rather than amplification, as I have come to experience upon testing them with my Apogee Duet. I also think that much of what we read about the benefits of using the iPod's line out rather than the headphone jack is pure hype. Even if it isn't (pure hype), the iPod is not a high-end source any way you slice it, so unless an iPod (or other DAP) is the only source you have, I would say that it just isn't worth it financially to invest in an expensive amp and cables for it.

 

[qqbingbing]

Thank you for the advice. Due to some restrictions I am not allowed to have a proper cd player or any better source other than these portable ones. So I really should not expect too much from them. Less expectations more satisfaction.

 

[gilency]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Given the sensitivity of most IEMS amping them is often futile. Given the portability of most IEMS, carrying around an extra box is often silly, too

X2. But little amplifiers are sooooo sexy

.

 

[SactoMan101]

I had a chance to borrow from a close friend an RSA Hornet with a short high quality iPod data connector-to-3.5 mm stereo phone cable to try with my 3G iPod nano (8 GB).

I can say that the sound quality improved quite a bit, especially at higher volumes. The ER-6i, super.fi 3 Studio and even the "cheap" HA-FX66-W sounded really good, especially with Jean Michel Jarre's Téo & Téa (which I ripped at 256 kbps VBR AAC). By changing the gain settings, I was even able to drive my big Sony MDR-CD750 to quite high volumes with really clean sound.

Does anyone have US$370 to spare?

 

[tfarney]

My experience with the less expensive but quite good-sounding Etymotic ER6 (no i - the i is a low impedance version designed specifically for portables) is exactly the same as Jaskas: When I put my Headroom Airhead in the signal chain, I get more girth in the bass. Maybe a touch more body in the mids, but that's so subtle it could be wishful thinking. In any case, it's definitely not worth carrying the Airhead around and shoving it in my pocket at the gym, which is mostly where I use the Etys. An iPod Nano is a wonderful little device, and while it was never meant to provide audiophile listening, good IEMS make it sound about 1000% better than earbud users will ever know it is capable of...with no amp. Plug in and enjoy.

Tim

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfarney /img/forum/go_quote.gif My experience with the less expensive but quite good-sounding Etymotic ER6 (no i - the i is a low impedance version designed specifically for portables) is exactly the same as Jaskas: When I put my Headroom Airhead in the signal chain, I get more girth in the bass. Maybe a touch more body in the mids, but that's so subtle it could be wishful thinking. In any case, it's definitely not worth carrying the Airhead around and shoving it in my pocket at the gym, which is mostly where I use the Etys. An iPod Nano is a wonderful little device, and while it was never meant to provide audiophile listening, good IEMS make it sound about 1000% better than earbud users will ever know it is capable of...with no amp. Plug in and enjoy. Tim

Yup. (er4-s)

I will use an amp w/ipod in machinery rooms to improve the bass and when cutting grass. Otherwise an amp don't have much improvement with my etys.

 

[Crackerman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tfarney /img/forum/go_quote.gif My experience with the less expensive but quite good-sounding Etymotic ER6 (no i - the i is a low impedance version designed specifically for portables) is exactly the same as Jaskas: When I put my Headroom Airhead in the signal chain, I get more girth in the bass. Maybe a touch more body in the mids, but that's so subtle it could be wishful thinking. In any case, it's definitely not worth carrying the Airhead around and shoving it in my pocket at the gym, which is mostly where I use the Etys. An iPod Nano is a wonderful little device, and while it was never meant to provide audiophile listening, good IEMS make it sound about 1000% better than earbud users will ever know it is capable of...with no amp. Plug in and enjoy. Tim

In the last few posts I've seen you make you've made yourself look about 200x more sensible than any of the rest of us in these forums.

 

[tk3]

Using an external amp with IEMs generally doesn't change the sound much anyway, with some exceptions.
They are useful as hiss attenuators though.

But when people say "night and day differences" they probably either didn't level match and are just listening louder (= perceived as better), or it's the placebo effect talking due to money spent.

 

[tfarney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crackerman /img/forum/go_quote.gif In the last few posts I've seen you make you've made yourself look about 200x more sensible than any of the rest of us in these forums.

That's just because I'm currently out of work. Give me a wad of disposable income and I'd go from audiophile to audiophool in a New York minute.

I love my Etys at the gym, though. I'd go as far as to say they are essential. People there with earbuds cranked up loud enough to play above the din of the machines must be developing tinnitus at godspeed.

Tim

 

[qqbingbing]

I also think the level of the improvements depend on the combination of your amp and your IEMs. I mean the hornet may not be suitable for ER-4S, people were saying the xin reference is more capable for the ER4s. However I can not wait for such a long time. Hope can get a second-hand one.( but not much expectation.)

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tk3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif But when people say "night and day differences" they probably either didn't level match and are just listening louder (= perceived as better), or it's the placebo effect talking due to money spent.

I have to disagree on that though!

I remember cranking up the volume on my 3G iPod nano when my super.fi 3 Studio were plugged directly into the iPod--at high volume there was audiable "clipping" and unpleasant distortion. Driving it through the RSA Hornet resulted in very clean sound at higher volumes.

 

[Deathwish238]

I doubt your cables will change anything...after that coat hanger = Monster speaker wire comparison I read what I always believe is even more confirmed.