The Etymotic ER4SR ranks #138 out of 148 total In-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Etymotic
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#138 Etymotic ER4SR: $299.99 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: For listeners who prefer a flat, studio style sound, the midrange from 200 Hz to 3 kHz stays within about 1 dB of target and its largest upper range peak is only 1.6 dB, so vocals come through clear without any glare. It is rated level with the Audio-Technica ATH-E70 and Mackie MP-360, which cost more.
Cons: Sub-bass sits about 11 dB below target and falls 6 dB short at 75 Hz, so bass heavy music sounds lean and lacks impact. Treble about 6 dB low from 6 to 10 kHz and a 9 dB dip near 11.7 kHz take away air and shimmer. Its 98 dB/mW sensitivity is on the low side for an in ear, so it needs more volume than most.
| Released | 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.26 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 | 45 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 45 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 75 Hz (-10.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +1.38 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.0 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 | +6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,470 Hz | -3.7 dB | 0.94 |
| Peak | 7,389 Hz | +6.4 dB | 1.15 |
| Peak | 77 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.20 |
| Peak | 1,450 Hz | -1.8 dB | 2.27 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +2.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 269 Hz | -0.5 dB | 1.17 |
| Peak | 745 Hz | +0.5 dB | 2.09 |
| Peak | 7,552 Hz | -0.8 dB | 4.20 |
| Peak | 9,634 Hz | -1.0 dB | 5.99 |
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