A Special Note
I’d like to introduce this blog with a review and thoughts on my all-time favorite IEM (In-Ear Monitor for the uninitiated), the Etymotic ER4. It holds a special place in my collection due to the time and circumstances at the time of purchase, and because of the revelation I had when experiencing such a pure sounding IEM for the first time. Please post your questions and comments in the comment section below and I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner. The main goal of this site is to provide valuable headphone information/reviews and to foster discussion, so with that in mind, enjoy the review!
Introduction
Every audio enthusiast must listen to the ER4. Enough said. These are the greatest earphones ever created and if you disagree, then you are wrong… Just kidding!!!… sound quality is such a personal subject, and these earphones are incredibly polarizing.
BUT, the ER4 is arguably the most important headphone in IEM (in-ear monitor) history. It was developed out of a litany of research into audio testing technology by Etymotic Research and claims to be the most accurate earphone available (according to their internal testing).
Etymotic Research was founded in 1983. According to their website (https://www.etymotic.com/about-us/history), they originally developed rudimentary IEMs for research in brain stem response, microphones for audio emissions, and earplugs for musicians. This eventually led to the development of the first IEMs available to consumers, and they’ve been largely unchanged since then.
Fit and Feel
If you’ve paid attention to earphones in the last decade or two, then you’re probably aware of their polarizing nature. They are frequently discussed on Reddit and Head-fi, and are often criticized for their shape and, um, deep penetration, that’s required to get a good seal and accurate sound. Personally, I always find myself coming back to the small triple flange tips. These provide my favorite frequency response, and are the benchmark tip to use to hear these earphones as intended. The included gray foam tips try to mimic the sound of the triple flange by narrowing the nozzle as it approaches the end of the tip, but fall short in my opinion, since they make the ER4 noticeably brighter. Even with the small beige foam tips that allow deeper penetration (which must be purchased separately), the sound isn’t quite the same as the triple flange. There are some reasons, though, that you may want to pick the foam tips over the triple flange. I’ve created a table listing the pro’s and cons of the various tips that I’ve tested to help you make a purchasing choice. These pros and cons are outlined below:
| Foam | Triple Flange | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | 1. Reduced microphonics allowing cable to be worn straight down 2. Improved comfort for most people 3. No vacuum seal when inserting earphone | 1. Most accurate sound 2. Flush with ear creating a sleek look 3. Last significantly longer; > 6 months |
| Cons | 1. Brighter sound 2. Stick out farther from ear ruining “asthetics” if that matters to you 3. Wear out quickly; < 1 month | 1. Increased microphonics (can be eliminated by wearing cable over the ear) 2. Less comfortable initially. Sometimes improves with use 3. Vacuum seal can be uncomfortable, especially if the cable gets caught on something and yanks out your earphone. Yikes… |
Portability
This isn’t true for everyone, but the main reason I gravitate towards IEMs is for their portability, and boy are these IEMs portable. I can quickly roll them up and stick them in my pocket if I’m in a hurry. The case that the ER4 comes with is just too large for everyday use, but the small zippered case that comes with the ER3 is the perfect size. It can easily fit in a front pocket and can be purchased separately if you own the ER4.
I’m often asked whether or not to get noise isolating earphones or noise cancelling headphones for airplane travel. I tend to recommend noise cancelling headphones over earphones EXCEPT in the case of the ER4. The ER4 is in a league of it’s own with regards to noise isolation. Nothing I’ve tried even comes close. Not to mention the size of the ER4; it’s just SOOOO much smaller than noise cancelling headphones that I regularly recommend these over headphones like the QC35, WH1000XM3, and PXC550.
I still believe NC headphones have their place, and would be recommended for some people, but they only get my recommendation in select scenarios. Wearing the ER4s on international flights, I do usually get some discomfort after the 5 hour mark, but a half-hour break usually resolves the issue for another 5 hours. With NC headphones, this wouldn’t be an issue, but it really comes down to portability and attenuation. On a plane, I’ve worn both the ER4 and the QC35. I found that while the QC35 is extremely comfortable and blocks engine noise well, the ER4 attenuation more sound overall. It may come down to this scenario; the ER4 will block the sound of a crying baby, and the QC35 will not…
Related to portability, I’m often asked if you can sleep with these in. The short answer is “no,” but in reality, it can be a little more nuanced than this. If your ear shape allows the earphone to sit flush with your ear, then you might be able to sleep with these in, though you’ll want to use foam tips to prevent the pressure from your pillow from creating pressure/vacuum in your ear canal (which is very uncomfortable). Otherwise, using the triple flange tips will create pressure in your ear canal that’s not only uncomfortable, but probably bad for your ear health (though don’t quote me on this… I’m only an engineer and not a medical doctor).
Sound Quality
I know I buried the lead on this one, but the sound quality that comes out of these things… they leave me breathless sometimes. It’s not that I don’t love some other earphones/headphones, but these are just very special to me. I must have just the right ear canal shape to make these things shine. Though I don’t yet have the equipment to perform detailed measurements (if you want to see this happen, then I humbly ask for your support through Patreon), I find them to be extremely neutral with rolled off highs and lows. I still find the bass to be punchy and the highs to sparkle, but just not as much as something like the Campfire Audio Andromeda. For me, the ER4SR is the benchmark I use to rate every other headphone. This is another reason that my first official review is the ER4, because I believe that other audio enthusiasts will able to use this benchmark to interpret my future earphone and headphone reviews.
It’s my opinion that this earphone is the epitome of what can be achieved with a single balanced armature driver. It does nothing wrong, and achieves a level of quality that puts many home audio setups to shame.
Most reviewers provide detailed reviews of Lows, Mids, and Highs. However, I think in the case of the ER4, this is pointless. Let me show you why:
Lows: same as mids and highs; somewhat amazing
Mids: same as lows and highs; really amazing
Highs: same as mids and lows; somewhat amazing
I think this pretty much sums it up. If you want something neutral, you just can’t go wrong with the IEM.
Competition
If you’re reading this review, chances are, you don’t own these IEMs and would like to know about the competition. Well, you may be disappointed to find that there isn’t much competition out there for these. Unless, of course, you relax your requirements for high levels of isolation and flat frequency response. With those requirements still in place, you’ll need to do a bit of a broad search to find adequate competition. Lucky for you, I’ve already done that research and have some of the best options I could find listed below. I’ve already listened to these as well, but only a time or two, so my memory of sound signature is a bit fuzzy. But let’s carry on and list the competition:
- Final Audio F7200. These are tricky to get a hold of outside of Japan, but if you can find them, you’ll be amazed at just how tiny and discrete they are. They’re absolutely gorgeous, and made of a beautiful stainless steel. I would describe the sound as slightly v-shaped, and ever so slightly sibilant. But I wouldn’t let that hold you back from a purchase.
- Etymotic ER3SR/XR. I know.. another Etymotic. But it has to be said that the ER3 is the best buy in in the audio world right now. I’m amazed that they could create 90% of an ER4 for almost 50% of the price. If you get these, you really can have your cake and eat it too.
- Campfire Audio Comets. These are definitely a budget friendly option, but it shows in their sound signature. It’s a bit messy and lacks in low and high extension. However, for the price, I think it’s reasonable, but not as good of a deal as the ER3SR/XR which is more neutral and revealing. I would look at the Comets if you’re a bit more interested in the looks and the wonderful cable that comes with them.
- Shure SE-846. I added these as a bit of a luxury pick. I personally still prefer the ER4, but the 846 does have a significant following. It’s beginning to show it’s age and costs about twice as much as it should, but I’m still very impressed by this IEM. I’ve almost purchased it several times, but could never commit to a purchase due to cost and quality of the competition. But, this IEM still offers an excellent dark sound signature with fantastic noise isolation. I would rate it second in isolation next to the ER4.
I’d also like to note that I didn’t consider IEMs that cost over $1,000 to be competition. I say this because at that price point, you’re going to start seeing very unit sound signatures and qualities that just don’t exist at the ER4 price point. This can be a post for another time, but for now, I’m limiting the competition to under $1,000, and to the products that I consider to be the most direct competition.
ER4 vs the ER3 (a more detailed look)
I’ve personally purchased three pairs of Etymotics, so I could reasonably be considered an Etymotic enthusiast. I’ve purchased the ER4XR, ER3XR, and lately I’ve been using the ER4SR the most. The XR (both the 3 and 4) have a very similar sound signatures, but differ in their construction and cable. While both are constructed of aluminum, leaving behind the plastic of past ER models, the ER3 has a matte anodized finished, while the ER4 has a glossy anodized finish.
The ER4 has a noticeably higher quality cable, with a braided cable above the lower Y split, but I should note that I’ve had 3 cable failures since owning the ER4s all of which were replaced under warranty, but I have yet to have the ER3 cable failure. That being said, I’d still take the ER4 cable due to it’s longer length, softer feel, high, and deadness. Protip: the ER3 and ER4 cables are interchangeable, so if you own the ER3 and want a cable upgrade, look no further than the ER4 cable available at online retailers. It’s a perfect fit, and if you use other MMCX cables, you may run into issues due to the alignment notch built into the earphone housing.
A Note on CIEMs (Custom In-Ear Monitors)
Some people are going to ask whether to get the ER4, or step up to some entry level IEMs. I would ALWAYS recommend the ER4, or any high end IEM over CIEMs unless you absolutely know with all of your heart that you need CIEMs. And of course, CIEMs do have their advantages, but I have several reasons for sticking with IEMs. In future posts, I will discuss the advantages of CIEMs, but for now, check out my opinions below on why you should stick with IEMs:
- Resell: If you’re like me, and like to buy and sell headphones as a hobby, then you’ll lose significantly more if you try to resell your CIEMs over IEMs.
- Acoustics: There are several companies that will re-shell used IEMs for you, but I generally don’t recommend this option because it requires more than just an acrylic shell and some drill holes to capture the original intent of the earphone. The number of bore holes, their diameters, their exit shape, their length, the acoustic dampers and their placement, are all part of the equation. Even a slight change will alter the acoustic properties of the earphones. (I would like to disclose that I haven’t tried a re-shell service, so my opinions my change on this topic).
- Diminishing Returns: To get equivalent quality from a CIEMs, you need to spend much more than sticking with IEMs.
- Fitment: I’ve have experience with CIEMs, and let me tell you; getting the right fit isn’t easy. You’re looking at possibly months of alterations made to these things to get a comfortable fit and a good seal.
Conclusion
I own headphones that cost 3x and 4x more than these, but 90% of the time you’ll find me wearing the ER4SR. It’s truly a headphone that’s more than the sum of it’s parts. When you combine the advantages of using these, they launch themselves ahead as great bang-for-your-buck headphones. Let’s quickly reiterate what makes these headphones so great.
- Neutral sound signature
- Unbeatable noise cancellation
- Variety of tips that practically guarantee a perfect fit
- Minimal occlusion noise
- Smaller and more portable than noise cancelling headphones
It’s up to you to decide what you find most important in a headphone, so I hope I haven’t led you to believe that the ER4 is the end-all-be-all of headphones. But I do think it’s worth a listen, and it’s easily my most recommended IEM.