In-ear headphones

Posted by: John Channing on 26 March 2001

After 18 months of hard use the in-ear headphones that came with my Panasonic SJ-MJ70 (minidisc walkman) have finally died. I listen to my walkman mainly on the tube and at work so I need something that doesn't radiate a lot of sound, is comformtable to wear for several hours and sounds pretty good. Can anyone recommend anything?
John

Posted on: 26 March 2001 by John Channing

Thanks Ross, the Etymotic ER4Ps sound fascinating. They look pretty ordinary for the price mind you! I can't find the Sony 888, are they the top of the Fontopia range (I can find a model 848)
John

Posted on: 28 March 2001 by Rico

Kans, some duct-tape, and an old coat-hanger should do the trick. You might look a little eccentric, but good dress-sense should counterbalance this.

Comfort? Dear boy, if your concerned about that, you're simply not flat-earth enough.

Rico - all your base are belong to us.

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Rockingdoc

Who make these Etymotics? Can't find a web-site.
O.K. got it now....Headroom.

[This message was edited by Rockingdoc on WEDNESDAY 25 July 2001 at 16:41.]

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Duncan Fullerton

Can't see that on their Web site, but I do see the MDREX70LP. I've had a couple of pairs and these are excellent. They have soft silicone ear pieces and get shoved right inside your ear. The first time you use them they sound really harsh until you realise they need to be shoved in until they are at your eardrum! They come with two sets of ear grommets (?) for small or large lugholes and cost around £40 - if you can find them. Deffo recommended. The knock spots of standard "resting in outer ear" 'phones.

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Rockingdoc

I strongly suggest that you don't shove anything in beyond your outer ear. The middle ear would be a serious mistake, and the inner ear probably terminal.

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by Duncan Fullerton

OK, so it was probably a bit or license on my part. My point was that until you get this grommet well seated to exlude external sounds and get the driver fairly well "internalised" they sound all fizz and no bass.

So best take an ENT specialist with you while you audition them!

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by JWinston

Another vote for Etymotics - absolutely superb. I use the 's' model. Never heard Stax, but heard almost everything else.

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by Rockingdoc

Me too.
I would also like to know of comparative battery costs. They are both active?

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by John Channing

quote:
Can't see that on their Web site, but I do see the MDREX70LP. I've had a couple of pairs and these are excellent. They have soft silicone ear pieces and get shoved right inside your ear.

They are the headphones I ended up buying for £35. They really are very good with incredibly tuneful bass, better than most speakers I have heard in fact. Initially they can sound a bit rough, but I found that this disappeared after a few days use. They are also very comfortable so can be worn for hours.
John

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by Simon Crosland

The home page for Etymotic Research is www.etymotic.com. They will happily deliver to the UK direct from the factory, and are a very helpful bunch of people.

The Etymotics are becoming quite popular in the pro-audio world with sound engineers often carrying a set of their plugs and a set (or two) of their earphones at most times.

All in all, thoroughly recommended.

Posted on: 27 July 2001 by Rockingdoc

Thanks Simon. I've just ordered some headphones, and the plugs are just what I've been looking for for band work.

Posted on: 27 July 2001 by Simon Crosland

I've just ordered some headphones, and the plugs are just what I've been looking for for band work.

Have fun with the 'phones! The plugs come thoroughly recommended by me - I use them for sound engineering when necessary (it's always better to do without if the levels are low enough). My wife on the other hand found that they didn't stay in her ear canal securely enough to be useful when playing guitar in her band, so she's using some from a company called "Ear-Os" or something like that.

Posted on: 03 August 2001 by Rockingdoc

earphones arrived very efficiently, too soon to report on sound. Very well packaged and lots of spares included.
Potential UK buyers need to be aware that the evil Customs took GBP52, which was more than I expected, and certainly puts the price in the Stax bracket.

Posted on: 07 August 2001 by Rockingdoc

First UK review for the 4P Etymotic earphones;
First impressions with either silicone or foam earpad options were poor. Too bright, lacking bass.
I thought they might need a bit of burn-in so connected them to Radio 3 via a nice headphone amp, and left them alone for 48 hours.
An unbelievable improvement. I now wonder if the improving effect of burn-in is indiectly proportional to the size of the transducer (which is miniscule in the Etymotics)
The sound now CAN be the best I've ever heard through anything. Why can be? Because the sound changes with the slightest movement of your jaw, which must be changing the skin tension or air pressure in the ear canal.
Even so the sound with a good source (CDS2 direct through Linsley-Hood design class A headphone amp with separate Hi-cap clone power supply) is superb. Worth the outrageous cost of the earhones.
With more portable sources (Sony Walkman pro) the limitations of the source are rather brutally revealed, but still sounds far more involving than through Senn. HD600s.

[This message was edited by Rockingdoc on TUESDAY 07 August 2001 at 14:42.]

Posted on: 12 August 2001 by Henry Cosker

John

After reading this thread I ordered some Etymotic ER4P's, costing about £202 direct from the US website. I am stunned by their sound quality (although as usual you should run them in overnight on a loud source to get them going).

Be aware that they suppress external noise to an amazing degree (could be dangerous!), and you might be put off by how far they have to be thrust into the jolly old ear canal (safe but scary).

In terms of sheer PRaT, involvement and neutrality (not things that always go together) they are truly devastating. Believe everything you have been told!

Nothing else I have heard comes close.

Kind regards

Henry