I’ve learned a few things from reviewing headphones and earphones over the years.
Everyone hears sound differently, and everyone’s ears are shaped differently.
I suppose the first earphones I can remember were attached to a Sony Walkman back in the 1980s.
Listening to a stereo with traditional speakers in your living room or even in a car is nice, but with earphones, I was always fascinated by how the sound seemed to be coming from inside my head.
I’ve said this before, but it seems people fall into two categories when it comes to earphones — they either stick with the pair they get for free with their smartphone or they seek out a better sounding pair.
I certainly started out using whatever pair I could find, but over the years, I’ve evolved to seeking out better and better sound.
I’ve been a fan of Etymotic products for more than a decade, and I was interested when they announced two new models of their flagship ER4 earphones.
Etymotic invented noise-isolating in-ear earphones, which means the earpieces fit in your ear, making a seal to keep out ambient noise.
The ER4SR and the ER4XR look like their earlier siblings, but the earpieces are now all metal, and the cables are now detachable and replaceable.
Etymotic says they offer 98 percent noise isolation. The noise isolation comes from the seal produced the ear tips.
Etymotic includes two sizes of three-flange tips plus two pair of foam tips.
You’ll want to take your time and try each tip to determine which will create the best combination of good seal and comfortable fit.
Specs
You’ll notice the specs on both models are identical.
Frequency response is 20 hertz to 16 kilohertz. Noise isolation is 35 decibels to 42 decibels. Impedance at 1 kHz is 45 Ohms. Sensitivity at 1 kHz is 98 dB and maximum output is 122 dB.
Each earpiece has a replaceable filter to keep ear wax from clogging up the sound. Each set of the new ER4s come with spare filters and a small wrench.
Etymotic also has partnered with local audiologists to offer custom-fit earpieces. You can find information and an audiologist locator on its website.
Etymotic also includes a deluxe zipper case that’s big enough to hold the ER4s plus an iPod and charging cable.
Which to buy?
So, why are there two models?
The XR and SR are identical with the exception of their sound profile.
Each costs $349.
The SR stands for Studio Reference, which offers “channels matched within an industry-leading 1dB across frequencies from 100Hz to 10 kHz.”
These are the ones to have if you want the most accurate music playback.
The XR stands for Extended Response.
According to Etymotic the XR, “is the earphone for music lovers and hi-fi enthusiasts who want uncompromising accuracy in the midrange and high frequencies, but appreciate a bit of extra presence in the lower end.”
If you look at the frequency chart for each model, it’s easy to see the sound signature is identical from the high end through the mid-range, but the XR signature starts rising gently through the low end.
I’d recommend the SR for audio purists and listeners of acoustic or symphonic music, but I’m personally partial to the XR, because the older I get, the more I appreciate a bit more bass.
I’m not talking the amount of bass in a pair of Beats, but the slight increase in the low end is very pleasing to my ears.
I keep a much cheaper pair of earphones on my desk to listen to everyday audio — usually with only one earpiece so I can still hear my officemates.
I put those earphones up against the ER4XR and the difference in what I could hear was startling.
I could hear the guitar pick strumming individual strings in Pink Floyd that just wasn’t evident to me before.
I also let my wife wear them out in the garden last weekend, and she came in singing along with Linda Ronstadt at the top of her lungs.
