jon_b's Full Review: Etymotic Research MicroProâ„¢ ER-4P Consumer Headp...
This is a product that you have to try for yourself, rather than listen to other people's opinions. Some people will find them uncomfortable or won't have the courage to insert them deeply enough into the ear to get a really good sound. I tried them and I bought them on the spot. The sound quality is outstanding; good bass for an earphone, beautifully controlled treble, with no splashiness or sibilance as in cheap phones, and a lovely midrange which is great for vocals. I would say they are superb, and have a really nice, pure and non-synthetic sound that brings out the best in music.
ER4-P will grumble if presented with loud, complex tracks that have not been successfully compressed [MP3, AAC, ATRAC etc], so choose high bit rates when using your iPod or the sound will get congested and unpleasant. I have re-ripped a whole load of tracks for this reason and it made the world of difference. At a sensible bit-rate these phones will astound most people who had not realised how good their portable [or home system] can sound.
The price is a bit of a shock, but just one evening with them lashed up to the system at home and one journey on the train into London were enough to prove that they are worth the money. These phones do credit to what ever you plug them into, so there is no need to invest in separate phones for travel and home listening.
The only flaw is with the cables, which make a lot of noise if they rub on your clothes. Microphony is pretty near unavoidable in a product that fits so snugly into the ear, because the cable acts like the string on a child's tin-can telephone. Unlike other people who have reviewed these things in the past I don't think that softer, more supple cables would help, as they would transfer noise in the same way...possibly even worse because they would be more likely to flop onto clothing.
The actual cables, though tatty looking in the box, are nicely made and tough. The cable clip is therefore a must if you want to reduce microphony as you are moving around.
The ER4P MicroPro earphones are the next best thing to live music, with noise isolation far surpassing that of active noise-canceling earphones.More at PCNation
Noise isolation: 35-42 dB Maximum output: 122 dB SPL Weight: less than 1 oz. Response accuracy: 86% Frequency response: 50-10 kHz ± 2 dB; 20-16 kHz...More at Amazon
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