Etymotic Research ER2-XR Extended Response - In Ear Noise Isolating IEM Earphones with Detachable Cable

Product Information

Eartips: Etymotic has given you sets of eartips to test and fit according to your comfort. The triple flange preinstalled eartips worked for me well, but may not on your ears.

I make this comparison to show that, within the realm of Etymotic’s own lineup, pretty much the only reason to “upgrade” would be for more technical performance. So, does the EVO have better resolution than the ER4? Better imaging? Wider soundstage? The ER2 takes a significant departure from the ER3 and ER4 in that the ER2 utilises a proprietary dynamic driver, but do note that they are not the first dynamic driver IEM from Etymotic (that honour goes to the original MC lineup). And of course, the significant price cuts compared to the ER3 and ER4 makes the ER2 a much more enticing offer for the masses. Compared to universal IEMs, custom IEMs (CIEMs) isolate better than most universal IEMs (UIEMs) and headphones as well. If comfort and isolation are the most important to you, then CIEMs are the way to go They also generally look better than OEMs. If you enjoyed BLON but disliked the fit, or just want a step up, then HBB Mele might be an excellent choice for you. This is a great set that plays many genres well, especially drums and guitars, and is perfect for those looking for a warm-sounding set with a great timbre.Both ER2 models, the ER2SE and ER2XR, use the same low-impedance dynamic drivers. That means they are easy to drive, and no amplifier is required. The only difference between the 2 models is the tuning of the lower (bass) frequencies. The “Studio Edition” ER2SE is tuned to have a flat frequency response. The “eXtended Response” ER2XR is tuned to have an emphasized bass, adding 1-2dB to the mid-bass and 3-4dB to the sub-bass. The rest of the frequencies are practically identical to the ER2SE. There are some exceptional budget IEMs out there, with earth-shattering bass, wide soundstage, and crystal clear treble. Whatever your preferences, you can’t go wrong with any of these from the list, as all these entry level IEMs are at least good, if not superb.

No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review. Cinema: LG 65" C9 OLED > Denon x2400h > Q Acoustics 3050 (x2), 3090Ci, AudioPro Sa-2 (x2), BK XLS200-DF Mk2 (x2) The ER2XR is easily the best value of the three, being more lively than the warmer ER3XR, but more neutral and fun than the thinner ER4XR. Is there a small loss of clarity or detail in the treble when comparing the dynamic driver to the BA versions? I think so, but their exact treble response is not necessarily identical, so some of it may just be FR-related. In any case, I still think the ER2XR is quite detailed for its price. It does not sound grainy, congested or smoothed over, easily out-resolving cheaper IEMs like the Tin T2 and MH755 (I never use these since getting the ER2XR). As another point of reference, none of these IEMs is in the same tier as Stax SR-L500 in terms of detail.Highs: Pleasant to the ears, and super clear. The highs are smooth and detailed, and they never touch sibilance. Detail retrieval is not BA level, but the dynamic drivers squeeze every bit they can. Cymbal hits carry some weight to their notes and sound well rounded. IEMs generally have better isolation and sound in general because they are transmitting directly into your ear canal, rather than diffusing. This means that the bass response will be tighter with less sibilance. The soundstage can be better with some earbuds, but they also have worse imaging. Comfort is subjective, some people prefer IEMs, others prefer earbuds. Are Headphones better than IEMs? For my own tastes, i thought the ER2XR might just add a little too much bass. I would have preferred if they kept the bass completely linear as opposed to downward slope of the SE and the upward tilt in the XR series. I really hope they put out another iteration with dynamic drivers trying to further increase the speed, etc. Initial impressions, measurements, and non-audio opinions of the highly anticipated collaboration between Drop and Sennheiser: the HD8XX. Etymotic’s target frequency response graph represents a “perceptibly flat” frequency response. Our goal is to have a flat frequency response curve when the music notes hit your eardrums. To achieve that, we need to account for the resonance inside the average ear canal, since IEMs bypass the outer ear structure. The result is the need for higher SPL in the 2-5k region (lower treble) for compensating said resonance. That is the reason for the “hump” in that region.