Audio, hi-fi and car audio

Audio Banter (https://www.audiobanter.co.uk/forum.php)

- uk.rec.audio (General Audio and Hi-Fi) (https://www.audiobanter.co.uk/uk-rec-audio-general-audio/)

- - Etymotic ER6 (https://www.audiobanter.co.uk/uk-rec-audio-general-audio/1471-etymotic-er6.html)

"Ian Molton" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 21:05:28 -0000
"Tim S Kemp" wrote:

_34.99

http://products.sony.co.uk/productde...?id=14_39_2638

Used to have a pair of these, left them on the coffee table and the dog
decided to try and eat them. Very loud, bit harsh and bass heavy and
not as
deep fitting or comfortable as the Etymotics. The ER-6 is the best value
headphones I've ever tried.

how well does it block noise compared to the et's 15dB ?

I would say you get about 6 to 10 dB attenuation (certainly in my ears) -
come with three sizes of silicone bud so a good fit is possible but the
finish on them has a bit of a ridge which could irritate (friend had a set,
same problem) - very good value though, but not as good as the etys.

I have no regrets about having paid 120 quid for the ER6s.

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 21:30:35 +0000, "Nick H (UK)"
wrote:

Olly Aitch wrote:
On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 18:08:56 +0000, "Nick H (UK)"
wrote:

Old Fart at Play wrote:

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

88ukp for earbuds? holy crap!

Listen, and you'll see....................

But where can we buy them at that price?

That's what I want to know:-)

--
Nick H (UK)

Sorry not been here for a couple of days -

http://headroom.headphone.com/layout...D=00201 00100

Thanks... So you were lucky and didn't get stung for duty/VAT etc?-)

--
Nick H (UK)

No, I was aware it could happen but decided to risk it

"Old Fart at Play" wrote in message

Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

88ukp for earbuds? holy crap!

Listen, and you'll see....................

But where can we buy them at that price?

US eBay lists a dealer that mails ER-6s out to US addresses for $114
postpaid. I suspect he'll negotiate with UK folks looking for a deal. Note
that the ER-6s are the low end of the Etymotic line.

While we're on the topic of In-Ear-Monitors (formal name for this product
category), here's a number of items I use, with US prices. They all may be
worth consideration, just pick a price point!

Koss "The Plug" $19.95 US$ I got a pair from Circuit City on a whim, and
they turned out to be easily worth twice the price. An unbelievable value.
I notice that there are UK sources pricing them at like £12.

Sony MDR EX-70 or MDR EX-71 $33-40. More bass and treble than "The Plug" but
that might mean that "The Plug" is smoother. A little less efficient. I
notice that there are UK sources pricing them at like £25-£35

Shure E-2 used to be about $80, now selling for more like $100. The E2c
differs from the E2 in terms of packaging. More highly robust than Hi-Fi.
Very smooth but rolled off at both ends. With a little equalization they can
be very nice. I notice that there are UK sources pricing them at £77.00 and
up.

Etymotic ER-6 about $120. I'll let you know what they sound like in
comparison when mine show up. I just bought them Monday and they are
supposed to be in the mail.

Generally, In-Ear-Monitors deliver the ultimate in "close-up" sound. Many
take advantage of the physical seal and tiny enclosed volume to deliver some
of the most ear-popping but non-boomy bass you've ever heard. The E-2s have
enough bass roll-off that this is not usually the case unless you apply some
eq.

They inherently provide considerable reduction of ambient noise, which is
both the good and bad news. If you are using them and someone wants to get
your attention...

"Tim S Kemp" wrote in message

Etymotic ER6s are all about treble and not about bass. They are also
not very efficient. If you want a bright, clear sound, don't like a
lot of bass, and have a source with some guts behind the headphone
jack (more drive than a Creative Nomad 3), they are worth a listen.
It strikes me that ER6s and those low-output European iPods could be
a match made in Hell for people who don't have utterly sensitive
ears.

Hmm, I find the bass quite natural, the problem being that you can't
feel it. Sound great off my sony minidisc and off the laptop (using a
USB sound module...). Certainly very deep.

This comment relates to a little lesson in IEM acoustics I gave myself this
afternoon. I know from other experiences that sealing with the ear is an
important parameter for getting the best IEM bass. I had tried various of
the earpieces that came with the ER-6 with no joy. I then pulled a pair of
foam pieces that came with my set of Koss "The Plug" and tried them. This
vastly improved the bass situation.

And this reminds me of another basic principle of IEM acoustics - being that
they are highly dependent on the structure of the individual ears - what
works best for you might not work well for me, and vice-versa.

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

It was a bit premature. I found my ER6's missing bass by fiddling with
foam
earpieces. The ones that work best for me came with my set of Koss "The
Plug" IEMs.

Important things are - getting a good seal (I find the foams sound better
but the silicones are more convenient) and getting used to hearing bass, sit
for ten minutes in silence wit them in your ears then bring the volume up
slowly on a good recording. At a certain volume level it seems to come
alive, you can hear everything yet it's not loud.

"Tim S Kemp" wrote in message

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...

It was a bit premature. I found my ER6's missing bass by fiddling
with
foam
earpieces. The ones that work best for me came with my set of Koss
"The Plug" IEMs.

Important things are - getting a good seal (I find the foams sound
better but the silicones are more convenient) and getting used to
hearing bass, sit for ten minutes in silence wit them in your ears
then bring the volume up slowly on a good recording. At a certain
volume level it seems to come alive, you can hear everything yet it's
not loud.

I agree that there seems to be some sort of effect with IEMs where the bass
sort of "comes in more fully" after listening for a while - several minutes
I don't know if it is physical or perceptual. Many is the time I've turned
up the LF eq at first, and then had to back it off.