The Etymotic ER3SE ranks #98 out of 115 total In-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Etymotic
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#98 Etymotic ER3SE: $149.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A single balanced armature at 22 ohms and 102 dB/mW reaches comfortable volume from any phone or laptop without an amp. Its tuning lines up best with listeners who lean toward a neutral or warm taste rather than a bass-heavy one. It carries a higher rating than the pricier Westone W10.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement sub-bass sits 9.9 dB below target and falls 6 dB short as high as 67 Hz, so bass lines sound thin and lack weight. The treble drops 9.5 dB under target from 6 to 10 kHz with a 13.8 dB dip near 11.8 kHz, leaving cymbals and detail dull, and a preference score of 49 with 4.18 dB of deviation means most listeners hear it as colored. There is no built-in microphone for calls.
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.18 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 1 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 22 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 67 Hz (-9.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.73 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 7,528 Hz | +7.4 dB | 0.72 |
| Peak | 1,942 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.45 |
| Peak | 206 Hz | -1.6 dB | 0.65 |
| Peak | 837 Hz | +1.9 dB | 1.72 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,498 Hz | -1.8 dB | 2.74 |
| Peak | 1,388 Hz | -0.3 dB | 3.82 |
| Peak | 6,000 Hz | +0.9 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,933 Hz | -0.6 dB | 3.44 |
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