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Re: Etymotic Research ER-4s Headphones

I strongly disagree with Mr. Linkwitz's findings.
I bought the Sennheisser 600, Shure and Sony in-the-ear phones.
Maybe my ear canals are different, anyway I found both in-the-ear phones to sound wiry, bass light and peaky.
The Shure model has a VERY pronounced peak that makes it basically unlistenable for more than 5 minutes IMO. There is a strong tube-like resonance in the upper midrange, maybe caused by the long plastic tube between the transducers and the sound outlet. Think of Ella fitzgerald singing through a long water pipe, the effect is similar.
The Sony model has no real bass to speak of and has an uptilted frequency response.
The Sennheiser 600 headphones do sound very musical, IMO quite similar to a pair of Quad ESL63 speakers: light bass; fast, uncolored & nimble midrange, clean treble. Of course, being headphones, they lack imaging and soundstaging when compared to speakers.
I do not understand how one can compare the Sennheiser phones to the Shure and Sony in the same page. They are worlds apart IMO.
The above opinions are subjetive and strictly what I heard in my system (Audio Aero Capitole CDP, TVC preamp, Sony WM6DC Professional Walkman as headphone amp).
YES, my hearing has been checked recently, and NO, I do not listen to electronic or rock music.

Just a moment to don my flame-proof suit. :^)
OK, now I can press the Submit button.


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