Reviews

61

After reading a million posts about the Ety er-6i, I decided to order them. I had them shipped overnight so I should have them this tuesday (the 28th). I will post again on my impression and experience. Stay tuned in!

Posted by Toneaero in Minnesota on December 27, 2004 at 1:39 AM (PDT)

62

I simply adore all this bullpucky ###### stuff, but isn't there someone else out there who likes to kinda sing along with the music? These in-you-ear things deaden the sound and make me feel too alone in the world. I'm not asking for karaoke, but aren't there some cool pods that let me hear and sing?

Posted by Pragmatist on December 28, 2004 at 6:33 PM (PDT)

63

Ok...I finally got them in the mail and I have some mixed feelings about them. First impression is that they are kinda tinny and lack the bass I wanted. I never considered myself as a "bass head" before so I guess I woulda loved the sony's mx-81. BUT THEN....I decided to run them for 15 hours straight on my stereo to "break" them in. Now the music sounds better than right out of the box. I guess these bad boys needed a good break in. Now the bass is there. Getting them to fit in your ear canal is crucial. I highly recommend the Ety er-6i but not sure if its worth $145.

Posted by Toneaero in Minnesota on December 29, 2004 at 1:08 AM (PDT)

64

I was looking into these for a while and coincidently my Grado's SR-60's Just gave out ..argh Im not really accustomed to purchasing headphones over $10 ..lol run up to abc and go get a couple pair but I broke down and just ordered these w/ FeDex overnight shipping for $145 .. Pretty good deal huh? ill report back w/ a review when I recieve them which should b as early as tommarow.

Posted by shook2wice on December 29, 2004 at 4:49 PM (PDT)

65

How did you like your Grado sr-60s? I was thinking about picking that up as well. Either the sr-60 or the sr-80. You wouldnt know what retailer would carry those do ya? I would love to try them out before I dive in blind. Like what i did with these ety er-6i. At least im happy with the Etys.

Posted by Toneaero in Minnesota on December 29, 2004 at 6:26 PM (PDT)

66

The Grado sr-60's were great especially since they replaced the stock iPod buds but they preform great (headphone.com gave them 4.5 out of 5 stars, they are supirior for the price ) and is not to much of a burden when powered by the iPod the sr-80's however need a amp to really surpase the sr-60's ...they have that old school 30's look so Grado's will get attention. Since its an open ear-phone you will be able to hear others & they will be able to hear the music. The cord however is about 9 - 10 feet long and thick so I had to coil them up in a knot when using them. So all in all iI would recommend these to anybody looking for a great headphone that competes in the $200 range. I bought mine through a yahoo dealer for $59 came up to about $68 with shipping cost
to my knowlege thir is not retailer which has these since they are imported from Germany but if u purchase them from a reliable re-seller you can always return them in 30 days.

Cheers

oh yea and make sure you take caution with those small black covers which come ontop of the headphones ...I lost mine like a set of keys lol

Posted by shook2wice on December 29, 2004 at 7:59 PM (PDT)

67

Waiting for my Ety ER-6i's to arrive. Has anyone used these while wearing a motorcycle helmet? How is the fit for that use? I usually wear foam earplugs while I ride, so I'm used to the feeling of plugs. Is it possible to get custom earpiees made for these?

Posted by GC Rider in Wichita, KS on December 30, 2004 at 8:44 PM (PDT)

68

Hi, I just received my ER6i's today and thought I woud post by opinion. I paid almost £80 for these and as such I hoped that they would provide a significant and noticeable difference when compared to the standard earphones supplied with my iPod Photo.

Before I proceed to condem these headphones I will point out that I am by no means an expert. I have a nice home setup and another good install in my car so I would like to think I know enough to judge when something is crap or not.

In terms of conmfort I thought they were acceptable, ie not un-noticeable when in the ear but I could have lived with them.

With regards to the sound quality, these were terrible. I am not exagerating when I say listening to music from these headphones was an unpleasant experience! The bass was practically non existant and the overall sound 'tinny'.

I based my purchase on this review and the couple of feedbacks knocking these headphones I just put down to people ranting with no due cause.

I have contacted the company who I bought these from and they agree that they are bad. I was also told that I am not the only person who has complained. Consequently I am paying the additional money and going for the ER4's which according to the company are a world apart, I only wish I had of known this when I bought the ER6i's but then again you don't get the opportunity to ask a lot of questions when dealing through ebay!

My advice in short, stay away from these. Unless you like your music with zero bass then these are not for you. I just cannot fathom how the reviewer could possibly come to the conclusion that these are worth a tenner mind neary £80!

Posted by Tommo1975 on January 4, 2005 at 10:48 AM (PDT)

69

Hi, I just received my ER6i's today and thought I woud post by opinion. I paid almost £80 for these and as such I hoped that they would provide a significant and noticeable difference when compared to the standard earphones supplied with my iPod Photo.

Before I proceed to condem these headphones I will point out that I am by no means an expert. I have a nice home setup and another good install in my car so I would like to think I know enough to judge when something is crap or not.

In terms of conmfort I thought they were acceptable, ie not un-noticeable when in the ear but I could have lived with them.

With regards to the sound quality, these were terrible. I am not exagerating when I say listening to music from these headphones was an unpleasant experience! The bass was practically non existant and the overall sound 'tinny'.

I based my purchase on this review and the couple of feedbacks knocking these headphones I just put down to people ranting with no due cause.

I have contacted the company who I bought these from and they agree that they are bad. I was also told that I am not the only person who has complained. Consequently I am paying the additional money and going for the ER4's which according to the company are a world apart, I only wish I had of known this when I bought the ER6i's but then again you don't get the opportunity to ask a lot of questions when dealing through ebay!

My advice in short, stay away from these. Unless you like your music with zero bass then these are not for you. I just cannot fathom how the reviewer could possibly come to the conclusion that these are worth a tenner mind neary £80!

Posted by Tommo1975 on January 4, 2005 at 10:49 AM (PDT)

70

OK, I have now got my ER4P's and I can confirm that they are far better. The bass from these is not going to blow you away by any stretch if the imagination but the sound is certainy much smoother than the scratchy ER6i's I had. In addition to the better sound the ER4's have a much better cable (the one on the ER6i's looked like it would be far too easy to break).

The price differential was about £55 so worth the additional money I think.

Posted by Tommo1975 on January 8, 2005 at 10:48 AM (PDT)

71

With all due respect Tommo, I have to disagree with your negative review of the ER-6i. As many readers have pointed out, ear-phones like these sound their best after a few weeks of usage. Sound quality is also determined by the fit of the earphone into your ears. Improper insertion will certainly make the sound "tinny" and "scratchy". Either of these two reasons could explain your dissapointing experience.

Now I am not trying to make you look gullible, but of course the company you bought the ER-6i from would tell you that they are bad if you were prepared to upgrade to a better model. The ER-4P earphones cost US $330 on Etymotic's web-site compared to the ER-6i's $149. Of course they are "a world apart" but for more than double the price that is the least you would expect from them. Personally I think that the ER-4P earphones are too expensive for an iPod peripheral.

Posted by Sol in Brisbane, Australia on January 8, 2005 at 7:28 PM (PDT)

72

I agree, the ER-4Ps are too much money for an ipod.

Has anybody experienced "distortion" from CERTAIN songs with the ER-6i? The volume isnt cranked up but only certain songs sound like a cracked paper cone on cheap car speakers. But the same song sounds great on my pc speakers. What gives? Are my ER-6i defective? But overall, acoustic music sounds the best on these guys.

Posted by Toneaero in Minnesota on January 8, 2005 at 9:22 PM (PDT)

73

I just got a new pair of the ER-6i earphones and I like them a lot. I think that most everyone agrees that the sound is a tremendous improvement over the standard headphones. I was concerned with several posts reguarding comfort though. I think the flanges are VERY comfortable. They are very soft and fit well. They are a bit like earplugs though and I can see how some people would need some time to get used to them. I work night shift at times and use earplugs to sleep. They feel to me a lot like very soft earplugs. I am very happy with them for the $118 I paid at earphoneSolutions for with free shipping.

Posted by kiddoc on January 11, 2005 at 7:32 AM (PDT)

74

I just got a new pair of the ER-6i earphones and I like them a lot. I think that most everyone agrees that the sound is a tremendous improvement over the standard headphones. I was concerned with several posts reguarding comfort though. I think the flanges are VERY comfortable. They are very soft and fit well. They are a bit like earplugs though and I can see how some people would need some time to get used to them. I work night shift at times and use earplugs to sleep. They feel to me a lot like very soft earplugs. I am very happy with them for the $118 I paid at earphoneSolutions for with free shipping.

Posted by kiddoc on January 11, 2005 at 7:33 AM (PDT)

75

was a little dissapointed in the bass but the dynamic response from the mids - highs is KILLING that of the standard iPod bundled headphones. Ears hurt during my attempts to insert the er-6i's but now they slip right in only agitating my ears speradically. A vaccum cleaner sounds like a refridgerator ..when these Er-6i's are inserted you can only hear what you are directly near (if you focus) but everything about 15ft away from you admitting sound will cease to exist. Great headphones still waiting for them to completely "brake in" but I wouldnt hesitate in ordering these but I would reccomend just saving up and splurging for the er-4ps

Posted by shook2wice on January 15, 2005 at 1:57 PM (PDT)

76

I have had these for about a week, and after some initial reservations, I have really started to love them! I wanted to pass on my observations, to help others who might be disappointed initially.

When I first got them, I tried the full 3-flange tips, and I think I scratched my inner ear or something - my ear hurt for about 12 hours. So then I cut the first flange, like others suggested. I got a good seal, esp. with water, but I found two things: 1) my sinuses started to ache after a few hours and 2) the highs and detail were incredible but the bass was too thin. I have started to lose my love affair with Bose-style bass, as it obscures the detail of the mids and highs, but I still felt like these were two low - the music felt too thin. I tried the foam a few times, but never got a great fit and thus thin bass.

So I called up Etymotic's customer service, which I HIGHLY recommend if you are initially disappointed! First, he confirmed the ache as a common effect - the flanges put pressure on your ear, which you feel in your sinuses. Then, he explained the right way to use the foam tips. I tried it out, and it totally worked! Now, I get incredible noise isolation and very good bass (not booming, but smooth and rich), and they are so comfortable I can wear them for 6 hours w/o barely noticing them. Plus, he's going to send me, for free, a few other tips to try out. I really applaud Ety for wanting to make sure people get the most out of their cans.

The basic lesson is that if you're initially disappointed, first understand that getting a good seal really does take over a week of trial and error, and second, give Ety a call to get help! These are now the best cans I've ever heard.

Posted by smessvader in Cambridge, MA on January 16, 2005 at 12:22 PM (PDT)

77

Quick follow-up question: does anyone have good advice on keeping the foam tips clean? I'd like to only replace them when absolutely necessary.

Posted by smessvader in Cambridge, MA on January 16, 2005 at 12:23 PM (PDT)

78

OK - last comment. I also put in my 6i's upside down, with the cord facing up, so that I can hook the cord over and behind my ears. Between this and the shirt clip, I get a minimum of microphonics. The thin cord help with this as well, I think, based on my experience with the shure e3c's, which have a thick cord and a lot of microphonics.

Posted by smessvader in Cambridge, MA on January 16, 2005 at 1:25 PM (PDT)

79

> Maybe you should check out the
> Sumajin Smartwraps

I bought three pair of Sumajin Smartwraps a few months ago. They're ideal for cord management. I put one on the Apple remote cord and one on the cord of my ER-4s's. They do the trick. It's easy to wind up or let out cord as you need it.

The only drawback is that if you leave the cords wound for a long period of time, they become permanently twisted in a spiral. Since I use them constantly, this hasn't been a problem. I think spiraling would happen with any winding device, Sumajin Smartwraps or not.

Posted by Clev in Ottawa on January 17, 2005 at 8:15 AM (PDT)

80

Well. I've had mine now for two weeks and love them. Very comfortable flanges, and I have some sensitive ears. Anyway - I recommend them!

Posted by BizPod in Phoenix, AZ USA on January 18, 2005 at 12:13 AM (PDT)

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