Canal Phones: An Overview

[PorradaVFR]

I can see why people would think poorly of the ER-6i sound - but in my experience it would be due to user error. Having been used to inserting earplugs for years, here's my tip:

1. Have clear ear canals (disgusting, I know - but it's true).
2. Use the opposing hand (i.e. left hand for right ear) and tug your ear UP - this will line up your ear canal for insertion.
3. Gently, but firmly, insert the earphone. If you're not used to it, it will feel WEIRD, like your ear is plugged up. If you still hear ambient noise normally you have not done it right. Also - try the other tips. I like the rubber ones, but other people swear by the foam ones.
4. If you seat it in correctly, the bass response is FAR better, as is the sound. I use them at the gym and on the bike and aside from the need to clean them off every once in a while, they're great.

The bottom line is personal preference. My wife hates the feeling of in-ear earphones across the board.

[warpdrive]

I think the ER6i's are still the best canalphones under $100 USD. properly inserted, the bass should be punchy but not fat, the midrange should be smooth and linear, and the highs are fairly crisp with just a touch of veil, with some loss of the highest highs relative to a neutral reference.

The problem with them is that the supplied tips don't work for everybody. For me, the rubber tips were completely useless, and the foams are much better, but also cause the highs to be slightly more muffled. Call Etymotics up and have them send you extra sample tip. The have large 2 flange, and slightly different foam tips. These can make a big difference (for me, the 2 flange are very easy to use, provide a good seal). You can also try (cutting off the smallest flange from the 3 flange tip.

Also, try inserting them with the tips pointing a bit upward, some people find that this makes the seal more consistent.

[signmeuptoo]

Personally, I can't believe anyone would rate the stock Apple earbuds highly, they are muddy has all get out to me. Sure, it feels like lots of bass, but not good punchy, clear bass, and it overrides the mids to where they aren't visible and the highs are very diminished.

Maybe two things have been happening:

1) Different people respond differently to the phones, partly because of how they wear them, but also because of their different hearing.

2) A quality product can decline over time, because a manufacturer can choose to rest on their laurels...

[scottyd]

omg you have to be joking.

shure base heavey- the opposite not enough, why soon i shall get the e5c woowowowow yay.

they are so comfortable just use the foams, they are so unique, sound quality is amazing.

i would rate them as the best and i have had boose etc, amazing earphones

[etherealbeats]

Also, people go on that the Ety's are ##### because they only have a single driver. Whats a dual driver gonna do. It's gonna give them more volume, NOT more bass. There is no point in a dual driver model of the ER-4's.

[thedodgyguy]

Originally posted by etherealbeats
Also, people go on that the Ety's are ##### because they only have a single driver. Whats a dual driver gonna do. It's gonna give them more volume, NOT more bass. There is no point in a dual driver model of the ER-4's.

Dual driver phones have drivers of different sizes to allow for a more full frequency response. One of the limitations of the Etys is that (although they get around it very well) the limitations of the single driver is apparent in a) the reduced low end and b) the unnatural, somewhat scratchy high-end response.


The Etys are far from #####, but they do have their limitations. Many dual and triple-driver phones are tailored to provide a more natural sound, as well as a fuller low end by mixing and matching drivers of varying ranges of optimum frequency response.

[NBrownie09]

Originally posted by ctakim
If you find that the Apple stock phones are better sound quality than the Ety ER-6i, then there is a serious problem with your equipment. I would start out by examining what you are putting between the earplugs.

OH SNAP SON!!!!

nice one, and i also agree!

[ldelo]

I see no one is talking about the UM2s.

They are spendy (around 3 bills), but not that much more than some of the single driver canal phones.

I have a pair of the UM2s and love them. I've not listened to other mid-level to higher-end canal buds. I just can't afford a collection of them the way I could buy several each of different lesser buds/phones in my search.

Nonetheless, I can't imagine a single-driver bud/phone coming close, and I can heartily recommend the UM2s. They are just awesome.

Many people apparently have troubles getting canal phones to fit, and after reading around on the web it appears that is common. I'm accustomed to wearing the tri-flange silicone hearing protectors for a variety of reasons, so I just went with the tri-flange silicone "tips" for the UM2s/Shures, and they work fine.

[mark754]

There are a couple of newer models that seem to be getting positive reviews and should be considered:

Panasonic RP HJE-70
Sennheiser CX 300

[aznballer2k4]

where can u find either in the us?

[Sennova]

I bought a pair of Sennheiser CX300's ($75 AU from BestHeadphones.com.au) last year after my stock headphones broke, and they're incredible. Using regular earbuds feels weird now, and they sound pathetic.

[radamo]

I just picked up a pair of Ety's ER6i's this weekend. All I can say is WOW compared to the included apple buds... Not sure why some of you don't like these but they are fantastic... Makes my new Ipod video a keeper for sure. When used with the apple buds I was going to return the whole unit.... Now I take it everywhere...
RA

[dmt1]

Wow, I can't believe how much the canal phones have changed.

My recommendation to anyone looking to upgrade is go with a custom fit--UE (ultimate ears, which I own), senaphonics, or westone. The difference is amazing, and I haven't bought another set of phones since I bought the UE's. But you're looking at 500 to 900 dollars for these.

The price is prohibitive, however, and if you're looking at lower cost phones, and your'e restricted to universal fit, I'd take a look at he UE superfi. 5 PRO or Superfi 5 EB if you're a basshead--these run about 250.00 (admittedly I am very pro UE--they're products are nothing short of fantastic, as is they're customer support). These are less harsh than ety's, better bass, but at the expense of slightly less detail. I love the Ety 4P's, but these sound better--they're just better balanced than the 4P's, and the loss of detail is outweighed by this IMHO. But they should be better, with dual drivers (And I believe dual drivers make a substantial difference in both highs and lows--a single driver just can't do both ends of the spectrum well, although it can do one end of the spectrum very, very well, as the Ety 4Ps do).

If price is REALLY and object, I'd go with Altec Lansing iM716's, for under seventy bucks. These were developed for Altec Lansing by Etyphonics (I believe they have the same drivers as the Ety 4P's--in fact many phones have the same or identical drivers, it's the tuning that's different), and are sort of a poor man's Ety 4P's--a very good phone for the bucks.

It's kind of fun to listen to new phones, but I have to say, none of the universal fit phones come anywhere near the custom fit (I've read some reviews that argue this, but they just leave me scratching my head).

[cyclist14]

Originally Posted by dmt1

This is a wonderful article I stumbled across the other day:

Overview of Canal Phones


Shure E2's--Single driver; MSRP $99.00, but easily found for $75.00-80.00.

I've seen these on eBay for $60 or less ( without shipping)

[cyclist14]

Originally Posted by radamo

I just picked up a pair of Ety's ER6i's this weekend. All I can say is WOW compared to the included apple buds... Not sure why some of you don't like these but they are fantastic... Makes my new Ipod video a keeper for sure. When used with the apple buds I was going to return the whole unit.... Now I take it everywhere...
RA

Yeah, the Apple earbuds really make the iPod look bad sometimes, when I first plugged in some non-apple in ears it was amazing. The iPod puts out high-quality audio, but the Apple Earbuds don't really carry it over that well.