Drop + Etymotic - ER4SR

De preferência a coisa mais transparente e mais flat possível. Mas aí você começa a descobrir que tem engenheiro de som em certos álbuns que masterizou a coisa pra soar bem em alto falantes lixo, aí o cara enche de realce, compressores e taca o volume da gravação lá no talo. Gravações assim ficam soando horríveis em fones transparentes/flat. Algo bem transparente que eu tenho é recomendo é o Etymotic ER4SR (Studio Reference)

I just got my UE Reference Remastered Plus (UE RR+) from UE, and I think it might be good to compare the custom monitors with my daily driver Etymotic ER4SR. This comparison would be nice because I'm sure anybody looking for a "reference" sound would want to know how the legendary Etymotic ER4SR stacks up against the "reference" custom monitors. If you've seen [my old post](https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/1on77uh/show_this_to_her_if_she_dont_believe_you_like/), you probably remembered me as the dude who likes flat and accurate sounds. Before we begin, let's clarify that my UE RR+ is a very new model, and is completely different from the legendary UE Reference Monitor model. In fact, let's list out this "Reference" family and each's measurement along with ER4SR: * [Etymotic ER4SR](https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/etymotic-er4sr/) (2014) * [UE Reference Monitor](https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/uerm/) (UE RM, UERM, original legend around 2010-ish, quite flat) * [UE Reference Remastered](https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/uerr/) (UE RR, UERR, 2015, Capitol stuff. online people say its highs rolloff and not as flat as the original UERM) * UE Reference Remastered Plus (UE RR+, UERR+, mine, probably just released) You can find some ["marketing materials" about UERR here](https://audio-head.com/the-new-ultimate-ears-pro-reference-remastered/). I can't find any marketing materials or measurement for UERR+, but it should be pretty close to UERR. No one knows how the RR+ is different from RR. One comment on Head-Fi said it's about supply chain pressure, so UE needs to rework on the RR [to fit this new Knowles driver](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/knowles/GV-32830-000/7035240?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20243136172&gbraid=0AAAAADrbLlgLmo3UWGJxUekOa5yyFlzrm&gclid=CjwKCAjwravBBhBjEiwAIr30VGGYaEnkwDPw_f1lzI7dc-xXnk0-prfQLwR-yufaMyoLP1w8KqeAIhoCAZwQAvD_BwE). # Experience with the order * Order took 6 weeks. Ordered Sep 7 in Bangkok, received Nov 7 in Bangkok * Fit great * Minor cosmetic issues (scratch) * Very, very bad customer support. They just don't reply emails and direct me to talk to my Thai dealer instead They also missed deadlines and failed to notice any parties of the delay. They excused themselves saying they're busy in the states as they're moving production back to US, which I then asked them "aren't customs US made anyway?" and got no response. One pattern I recognized is they'll reply if you show signs of frustration. # Sound This would be compared against my ER4SR or HD600, which is kind of reference already. If you just look at the frequency response on Crinacle or somewhere else, you can see that the **UE RR+ is indeed the flattest of the trio**, on proper paper even. >*But* the ER4SR is more flat at the eardrum. I'll explain why later. # Frequency response Let's start with FR: * Nice, accurate bass. * Okay mids (a bit muffled/laid-back) * Nice highs. Not sure what to say here. The bass is good, though feels much more volumious than the ER4SR. I personally do think ER4SR's bass response has a wee bit better resolutions but less energy. The mids is only "ok" because UE RR+ mids do really sound muffled. By muffled I mean quieter, not inaccurate. Combine this with accurate bass, and what you get is a warmer sound compared to ER4SR. I opened up Crinacle measurements and found out that the UERR+ lacks the boost in the 1-5kHz region that must be there to compensate for the amplification effect of our ear. If you put a totally flat speaker inside your ear canal, you'll think it sounds muffled because your brain is more accustomed to the normal pathway of sound: source >> reflections (including our own ear) >> ear canal >> eardrum Etymotic knows this (they're audiologists) and so they compensate for that. UE doesn't, and now I have a very flat drivers directly inside of the canal. The result is the muffled mids, but otherwise the UE RR+ is still a good "monitor". # Headroom and separation Having 3 drivers gives UE RR+ more headroom compared ER4SR (1BA). That is, I can crank the volume up and the drivers will still be producing low distortion output. With low to inaudible distortion at high volume, you'll get "better separation and imaging". Not sure if placebo or less fatigue but I definitely enjoy loud chaotic rock music better with the UERR+. # Listening fatigue I can listen to UE RR+ without fatigue for a lot longer than the ER4SR simply because its more laid-back in nature. I think UE might even have tuned it this way for the mixing engineers who'll have to mix at the console for days on end. Also, maybe the laid-back mids are to mimick how studio monitors speakers or consumer speakers sound? (I don't know, I'm a programmer) # Comfort >Note: UE instructed my dealer to make impression with "mouth closed" method. The UERR+ is my first custom and ofc it fits like a glove. I can wear this for hours and not feel a single pain from air pressure buildup. # Isolation On paper the UERR+ provides -26dB of isolation. ER4SR on the other hand is rated to -30-40dB with the correct tips. And yes, the Etys feels are quieter when no sound is playing. But once music plays in normal environments they are roughly equivalent in the noise isolation department. # Summary: UERR+ UERR+ is a good custom monitor with acceptable reference performance. Like any other customs, it fits really well and provides great comfort. Though I personally feel like the UERR+ is less "accurate" in the FR department, I still think it's a great product for intended audience, i.e. the real audio engineers. Soundwise, it's a good fit for any listeners who wants uncolored sounds but find the Etys too dry. The engineers might want some portable monitors that allow them to mix on the move for hours and hours, and be able to hear everything comfortably during that time, which with ER4SR would prove to be tiring/fatigued. # Etymotic ER4SR vs UE Reference Remastered Plus The Etys are the clear winner, unless you need maximum comfort. If your listening session lasts less than 40-50 minutes, the ER4SR can cut it. If you need to spend a lot of time mixing/listening or want something that'd sound more like speakers, I recommend the UERR+, though I'd still advice you to have other references around (maybe the Etys) just to have something to cross check with. The Etys are also cheap now ($200-300, albeit made it Vietnam, vs $999 for the custom) and comes with superb support, FR certificate, and tons of accessories. UE only included 1 hard case and a cleaner tool. You also don't have to deal with UE customer support. # What's next? I still want to find a more accurate customs. I'll appreciate any suggestions. I've demoed the JH Audio and 64Audio customs within my price range and boy are they even warmer than the UE. Now I'm looking into **Alclair Studio4**. I've been talking with Alclair on Instagram, and the support seems great. But they wouldn't provide me with the FR graphs, but assured me that their Studio4 "is flat" and does not have the bass boost seen in Crinacle's graph for Studio4. They once assured me that their monitors have those 1-5kHz peak, which would eliminate the problem. But still, after Etymotic experience, I feel bad about Alclair not giving me some measurements for their "referencest reference studio monitors" that would be used by progressionals. I think the reason Etymotic is one of the very few to publish its *production* FR and THD+N complete with test parameters for every box of ER4SR is because they're very confident that the graph looks very good and they have nothing to hide. They still do, even when they'd moved production to Vietnam. It's as if Etymotic thinks this is the only way to sell reference monitors, which I agree. Other story about me is that I stopped looking into audio gear after I got my ER4SR 7 years ago, until I broke its cable 6 weeks ago. That led me back into the audio world, where I ended up buying another ER4SR and the custom UE Reference Remastered Plus (UE RR+). This time I want to just buy and forget until it breaks.

I wouldn't use the ER2XR but I mixed an EP on the ER4SRs on a tour bus once. Obviously I checked it in the studio after the tour was done, but it came out great. In general, using IEMs with a Harman tuning will result in bass-light mixes if you are used to working on nearfield monitors that are anechoic-flat. You will want to use something with much more restrained low end.

No offense, but "soundstage" is a meaningless audiophile term. It's not like these IEMs have any crosstalk to speak of. The ER4SR is advantageous because it is actually accurate, like a good nearfield monitor. It has lower distortion and flatter frequency response than the ER2XR. Since it has no bass boost, you won't be tempted to mix the bass lower than you would otherwise. I suppose if you're used to massively bass-boosted sound, they might cause you to mix bass-heavy. In my case, I am used to working on Neumann KH120s for dialogue editing, and Genelec 8351Bs for mixing. Being used to those references, the ER4SRs gave me the information I needed to make good mix decisions.

It could be because the ER2XR has \*relatively\* recessed mids compared to the ER4s. It has the biggest bass boost of any of Etymotics' IEMs, and pretty sizzly treble too, so it could be that those boosts masked what you needed to hear in the mids (where flutter echo from small rooms typically causes the most problems). I have used the ER4S or 4SR for years as my monitors while working as a boom op or location recordist. They have always given me a very clear picture of what the room is doing to the recorded sound.

What’s wrong with the Etymotic ERxSR series? It’s really exactly what they’re designed for.

When traveling, Apple Airpods Max if I can spare the space, as they are very comfortable on a 12+ hour flight, otherwise Etymotic ER4-SR in-ear monitors. The Sony WH-1000XM series are pretty good, with the XM3 and XM4 folding down very compact, sadly the XM5 no longer does, but the imminent XM6 might go back on that regression. EDC, I can never get Airpods Pro to stick in my ears, so Noble Fokus Mystique true wireless in-ear monitors. Very good sound quality and sufficient isolation to not require active noise cancellation.

I would suggest getting a single DD IEM for stage, something like the Kiwi Ears Cadenza. Personally, I use the Etymotic ER4SR, but the Etymotic ER2XR would work just as well for $100. Insane isolation with their foam tips, great if you play an instrument where you don't need to move much i.e. keyboard. The reason is because the output impedance of random gear you plug in on stage might mess up the actual tuning of your IEMs. You can read the technical reason here if you want to learn more: https://headphones.com/blogs/features/the-most-important-spec-you-re-not-paying-attention-to-output-impedance-explained-11

Totally right about a lack of true neutral these days, everything has boosted subbass. People don’t even know what neutral actually sounds like unless they’ve heard old sets or… …Etymotic ER4SR are the most neutral around your price range, $225 on Drop. Or could get the ER3SE/XR or ER2 for even less. edit: my faves that would be considered neutral are the HiFiMan RE600. Only ~$70. https://i.imgur.com/PBeCdF3.png

Any of the the Etymotics (in order of cost): ER2SE, ER2XR, ER3SE, ER3XR, ER4SR, ER4XR. SE/SR models have less bass, XR models have a small bass lift (the ER2XR has a larger bass lift, but is close to Hexa for bass amount). These are extremely neutral, and all very detailed with fast (albeit not heavy) bass attack. Soundstage is tiny though. 

Etymotic ER4SR is your answer, it's objectively the most neutral iem in the market, it's the IEM used to calibrate the measurements rigs, yeah, it is the BASE, where everything revolves!

If you want to revisit Etymotic and their neutrality then the Er4SR is their most detailed sounding in ear monitor.