Etymotic ER-6i

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

Since April of 2005, I had been in search of a better set of earphones for my iPod. As everyone knows, the stock earbuds suck, so I figured the Apple In-Ear earphones would be worth trying out. Boy was I wrong. Pretty good sound quality, but they slipped out. Worst product Apple has ever made, heh. So anyhow to cut to the chase, I read online for some really nice earphones, a pair that wouldn't let me down so to speak. Everywhere I looked, I read about the Etymotic ER-6i as being a terrific choice. It had won numerous awards and scored excellent reviews. Seemed like a great choice. So I waited till Christmas and surprisingly they weren't under the tree, so I splurged and bought me a set. Retail is $150 American, but online, you can find them for under $100. I bought mine from Amazon for $83.

Features/Extras - 10/10

The ER-6i earphone package comes with two replacement filters (I'll get to those in a bit), two foam tips, a filter replacement tool, and a neoprene case that houses all of these and the earphones. I have yet to try the foam tips nor replace the filters but the case is very nice. The neoprene is nice and thick providing much padding and protection from the elements.

Construction - 8.5/10

This is where I have some issues with the earphones, non are major but are noteworthy. As I mentioned, these come with filters. These filters guard the drivers from ear wax that builds up due to the fact that these go very deep in your ear canal. The package comes with an extra set of filters which is good but after those go bad, you have to dish out some cash for another set. While that is okay for some, for others it is a turn off because this is a continual investment. A set of six is $13 dollars which should last a long time, but it is still extra money. For cheap people like me, this is an issue that I find particularly irritating. Its not major but still I wish Etymotic would produce reusable filters instead.

The other issue is very very minor but noteworthy non the less. The cords on these are rather thin, comparable to that of the stock earbuds. This doesn't really matter except that they get tangled easily considering the cord is 5 feet long. The cords though feel very strong and are secured nicely in the buds though the booklet says do not take them out by pulling on the cord which is very good advice, heh.

The overall construction though besides those two issues is impressive. The cord is strong although thin, the buds are very very solid feeling (though I wouldn't dream of stepping on them or something drastic like that), the plug is gold plated providing a nice boost in sound quality, and the overall feel is that of durability and strength.

Sound Quality/Isolation Abilities/Comfort - 10/10

This is where these earphones shine. If one word was to describe the quality, it would be detail. These earphones provide a depth and clarity that no other in the price range can reproduce. Every nuance is brought out in nice detail. In some cases the clarity is too much in that if there is a poor quality MP3, you can hear the compression aka the nasty watery sound. But if you have a good compression, the results are awesome. Listening to Dave Brubeck is a treat. With these, I can make out the subtle sound of the valves and keys working on his sax and the vibration of his bass players strings. In addition, texture, for lack of a better word, is brought out in recordings. For example (using Dave Brubeck again), you can hear the vibration of the reed and the thickness of the airflow, its truly amazing to listen to.

The range of sound is spectacular. Everything is very natural and flat, not the bad flat but meaning no enhanced heavy bass or treble. Everything is equal in volume and the sound is reproduced how the sound engineer designed it to be. To some this means that the bass is anemic which is what struck me when I first listened to them. However, this is the true nature of the bass, not the electronically enhanced and boosted bass that most are used to. You get used to the sound and now when I listen in the car, I have to turn down the bass because it is simply overpowering.

In addition to the clarity and quality, the sound isolation is equally amazing. The ER-6i is a canal type earphone. The triple flange or alternatively the foam type tip actually goes down in your ear canal. This effectively blocks out most sound even with the music not playing. When music or sound is actually being played through them, practically all sound is blocked out. I've tried the Bose sound cancelation type headphones and they don't even come close to the level of sound isolation these provide simply due to the fact that sound is physically blocked out instead of electronically. The results are spectacular.

To get those results however, you have to stick the entirety of the tip in your ear. This feels very weird at first but you get used to it. The result is actually rather comfortable and for the most part you can't even feel that they are in. The tips when inserted correctly create a air tight seal that is essential to hearing the full range of sound especially that of the bass.

Overall these earphones are simply amazing. The neutral, flat sound is awesome and really brings about a whole new sound and feeling to music that regular, lower priced earphones can't convey. And for $83 dollars on amazon, its a deal that is hard to beat. I recommend them to anyone that is thinking about a new set of earphones.

[chconline Veteran]

Nice. Ive been reviewing earbuds lately (Shure ones) Ill see if Etymotic can send me a review sample of something :D

[Elliot B.]

I don't understand how any earphones that aren't hooked onto your ears don't fall out.

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

Well these actually create an air tight seal that basically forces them to stick in your ear canal. It's actually kinda hard at first to get them out of your ear when pulling on the monitor housing cause the suction is so great. There is no chance of these things falling out, so great for jogging. But then again with the noise cancelation, you have to be careful cause you really can't hear a single thing besides the music with these things...

[IK47]

Those look really great. The review was good too.

Thanks, I think I will get these.

[SojIrOu]

i'm so gonna buy this after i get cash in the chinese new year. :laugh: great review :)

oh man its $160+ here. i might get it for $130 the cheapest.

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

Thanks! My first review actually I'm really happy to see you guys liked it, lol. They really are totally worth the price, I used them at school today and the only way I knew the bell rang for class change was that people started leaving. It really is like you are in your own musical bubble with no what so ever outside interference.

[jlmodell]

I bought a set of these a few weeks ago, and i agree, they are fantastic. I find myself babying them so much, b/c of the high cost lol, i don't want them to be damaged at all. Its worth to note that they have a nice 1 year warranty, if you fill in the warranty card (otherwise its 90 days).

I use these now when i jog, and i wonder if i should buy a separate pair, b/c all of the sweat.

Nice pictures, i was thrown for a second there lol, i havn't seen the 4g in a while.

[SojIrOu]

hmm i'm not sure if i should get them now cause of the filter thing. i don't think i'll be able to get replacement filters in my country and they can't be re-used or cleaned. how long do the filters last?

[MonkeyClaw Veteran]

I bought a set of these a few weeks ago, and i agree, they are fantastic. I find myself babying them so much, b/c of the high cost lol, i don't want them to be damaged at all. Its worth to note that they have a nice 1 year warranty, if you fill in the warranty card (otherwise its 90 days).

I use these now when i jog, and i wonder if i should buy a separate pair, b/c all of the sweat.

Nice pictures, i was thrown for a second there lol, i havn't seen the 4g in a while.

Hehe, yea I love my 4g, the classics are just so cool, lol. 3g is still my fav though.

Sojirou, you should be able to get them in your country, I think they do international shipping... As for the filters, it depends on how clean you keep your ears, lol.

[neoxphuse]

Well I have a pair of these babies for 3 months and still going strong. They have the perfect balance of bass and clarity for me. Good choice on them.