Dazman
12-28-2005, 01:08 PM
Ok, in this review im going to cover the Etymotic Er6i isolator canal phones and the Etymotic Earpod Er88 cable winder accesory.
Etymotic ER6isolator Earcanal phones
£100 - advancedmp3players.co.uk
Package Contains:
* 6i Isolator Earphones
* 5 ft. cord with 3.5 mm stereo plug
* Flanged and foam eartips
* 2 replacement filters
* Filter changing tool and filters
* Shirt clip
* Pouch
Background:
I have never actually owned a pair of canal phones before, i'm writting this review as a canal phone virgin (like most are) and so will be comparing these high end etymotic ER6i's to the standard ipod earphones.
Opening up:
On first getting the package you're initially surprised at the size, in a very small trapezoid shaped plastic pouch you have the earphones, a "sponge/leatherette" pouch, replacement flanges, foam tips, replacement filters and a filter changing tool along with the warrenty information and a fold out brief user guide. Everything is in there very tighly with zip ties to secure. Initial first impressions are of quality.
The phones (physical first impressions)
The phones themselves are smaller than you would first imagine, around the size of the eraser end of a pencil. they feel very tight and strong and have no little parts that could be easily snapped off. the wire protrudes from the bottom corner of the phone and is possibly the weakest area of the entire package, but even that feels strong enough for day to day use.
The phones are white in colour with plastic windows on all four faces. Through the transparent plastic windows the insides are visbable.
Build Quality Rating: 9/10 (although small, they feel strong)
Using the phones:
I'd read up alot about the issues on getting these phones sealed into the ears resulting in a lack of bass. I however DID NOT experience that. in fact i'd read so much about the issues that on putting them in correctly i assumed i couldn't have it right (it was too easy) :D ) To insert i simply moistened my fingers, rubbed the end and pushed them in. These phones are comfortable, they are a little weird at first though due to the depth that they go into the ear. Do not be put off by this though, they dont go anywhere near far enough to cause damage, (think perhaps the depth of a sponge earplug). You will know when they're in correctly because all outside noise will become distorted.
I do recommend Madpicts method though of putting them in lightly and then pullingback on the feshy part of your ear and pushing them in about 1mm more to open the canal and form a real seal. Thats when you get the best seal and you wont need them in so far either.
The cable is quite long and so to use the phones i ran it down inside my shirt to my ipod which is in my pocket (normal usage conditions). I had over a foot of excess, but thats about right considering the slack required for body movement.
Usage Rating: 8/10 (easy, was maybe a little hesitent due to size))
Sound Quality
This is the crazy part on buying these phones, the sound they produce is so crisp and clear that most mp3's on your ipod would probably not be good enough quality to appreciate the full quality of the phone.
To sample the phones a encoded from a new cd the Electro-classical Bond album "explosive" I did this at a bitrate of 320 KBPS for absolute optimum quality. I then started the track "explosive". Initially i was wowed by the lack of hum or background noise, the studio experience is very new and i havent ever had the noise isolation of this quality before. I was anticipating to be let down by the "lack of bass" i'd read about but then as the track picked up with heavy drums it was clear that the bass was not just fine, but very good.
I found these phones to excell in all areas, the highs are crisp and very tight. The mid range is very good, with clarity being the most obvious word to use and the Bass was undistorted, natural sounding and very pleasent. (I am a hip hop fan by nature, got over 1000 hip hop albums on ipod, was only using Classical for review purposes as Hiphop would not test the full range)
After listening to hiphop for a little while i could see were some people were coming from as these phones do not have the amplified artificial bass produced by most (including stock ipod phones) but the bass found on professional studio setups.
To test them further i went into the EQ section of the ipod and tested everything on the Bond track again. The phones did not fall down once, even with "bass Booster" turned on the bass was crisp and not distorted but after experiencing without i couldn't leave it turned on.
It's important to say that one thing i dont like about phones is that they're a little too loud. with an ipod its very easy to accidentally turn it up. I was conduction these tests with volume at about 75%, but with ipod at 100% there was no distortion but they were way too loud for my ears and had to be pulled out sharpish to avoid damage.
Quality Rating: 9/10 (very good)
The pouch
The Pouch the phones came in was of very nice quality. Built from a sponde/leatherette material and well stitched with a little net inside to seperate the buds from the cable (classy) with a velcro flap to seal them inside. Although not very practical it is appreciated that for the cost of these phones a carry solution is included (especially one that does its job very well)
Accesories rating 7/10 (well built just not practical)
Overall Impression and score
I can't really knock Etymotic, to me an unheard of manufacturer with a very high price tag, but they've actually convinced me these were not only a great purchase but a great value one (at £100 thats hard) They've totally opened my eyes to the potential of the ipod and what it can sound like. After you get over the initial weirdness you'll love em.
Just dont get mugged £220 for an ipod and £100 for the earphones is alot to lose.
My overall rating (which is not an average) is: 8.5/10
These things are so good i'd never go back to any other type of phone, i just wish the ER6i-88 earpod cable winder was included in the price tag (see next review) as its required to keep these in tip top shape.
Hope this review was helpfull to any potential purchaser.
Thanks
Daz
Etymotic ER6isolator Earcanal phones
£100 - advancedmp3players.co.uk
Package Contains:
* 6i Isolator Earphones
* 5 ft. cord with 3.5 mm stereo plug
* Flanged and foam eartips
* 2 replacement filters
* Filter changing tool and filters
* Shirt clip
* Pouch
Background:
I have never actually owned a pair of canal phones before, i'm writting this review as a canal phone virgin (like most are) and so will be comparing these high end etymotic ER6i's to the standard ipod earphones.
Opening up:
On first getting the package you're initially surprised at the size, in a very small trapezoid shaped plastic pouch you have the earphones, a "sponge/leatherette" pouch, replacement flanges, foam tips, replacement filters and a filter changing tool along with the warrenty information and a fold out brief user guide. Everything is in there very tighly with zip ties to secure. Initial first impressions are of quality.
The phones (physical first impressions)
The phones themselves are smaller than you would first imagine, around the size of the eraser end of a pencil. they feel very tight and strong and have no little parts that could be easily snapped off. the wire protrudes from the bottom corner of the phone and is possibly the weakest area of the entire package, but even that feels strong enough for day to day use.
The phones are white in colour with plastic windows on all four faces. Through the transparent plastic windows the insides are visbable.
Build Quality Rating: 9/10 (although small, they feel strong)
Using the phones:
I'd read up alot about the issues on getting these phones sealed into the ears resulting in a lack of bass. I however DID NOT experience that. in fact i'd read so much about the issues that on putting them in correctly i assumed i couldn't have it right (it was too easy) :D ) To insert i simply moistened my fingers, rubbed the end and pushed them in. These phones are comfortable, they are a little weird at first though due to the depth that they go into the ear. Do not be put off by this though, they dont go anywhere near far enough to cause damage, (think perhaps the depth of a sponge earplug). You will know when they're in correctly because all outside noise will become distorted.
I do recommend Madpicts method though of putting them in lightly and then pullingback on the feshy part of your ear and pushing them in about 1mm more to open the canal and form a real seal. Thats when you get the best seal and you wont need them in so far either.
The cable is quite long and so to use the phones i ran it down inside my shirt to my ipod which is in my pocket (normal usage conditions). I had over a foot of excess, but thats about right considering the slack required for body movement.
Usage Rating: 8/10 (easy, was maybe a little hesitent due to size))
Sound Quality
This is the crazy part on buying these phones, the sound they produce is so crisp and clear that most mp3's on your ipod would probably not be good enough quality to appreciate the full quality of the phone.
To sample the phones a encoded from a new cd the Electro-classical Bond album "explosive" I did this at a bitrate of 320 KBPS for absolute optimum quality. I then started the track "explosive". Initially i was wowed by the lack of hum or background noise, the studio experience is very new and i havent ever had the noise isolation of this quality before. I was anticipating to be let down by the "lack of bass" i'd read about but then as the track picked up with heavy drums it was clear that the bass was not just fine, but very good.
I found these phones to excell in all areas, the highs are crisp and very tight. The mid range is very good, with clarity being the most obvious word to use and the Bass was undistorted, natural sounding and very pleasent. (I am a hip hop fan by nature, got over 1000 hip hop albums on ipod, was only using Classical for review purposes as Hiphop would not test the full range)
After listening to hiphop for a little while i could see were some people were coming from as these phones do not have the amplified artificial bass produced by most (including stock ipod phones) but the bass found on professional studio setups.
To test them further i went into the EQ section of the ipod and tested everything on the Bond track again. The phones did not fall down once, even with "bass Booster" turned on the bass was crisp and not distorted but after experiencing without i couldn't leave it turned on.
It's important to say that one thing i dont like about phones is that they're a little too loud. with an ipod its very easy to accidentally turn it up. I was conduction these tests with volume at about 75%, but with ipod at 100% there was no distortion but they were way too loud for my ears and had to be pulled out sharpish to avoid damage.
Quality Rating: 9/10 (very good)
The pouch
The Pouch the phones came in was of very nice quality. Built from a sponde/leatherette material and well stitched with a little net inside to seperate the buds from the cable (classy) with a velcro flap to seal them inside. Although not very practical it is appreciated that for the cost of these phones a carry solution is included (especially one that does its job very well)
Accesories rating 7/10 (well built just not practical)
Overall Impression and score
I can't really knock Etymotic, to me an unheard of manufacturer with a very high price tag, but they've actually convinced me these were not only a great purchase but a great value one (at £100 thats hard) They've totally opened my eyes to the potential of the ipod and what it can sound like. After you get over the initial weirdness you'll love em.
Just dont get mugged £220 for an ipod and £100 for the earphones is alot to lose.
My overall rating (which is not an average) is: 8.5/10
These things are so good i'd never go back to any other type of phone, i just wish the ER6i-88 earpod cable winder was included in the price tag (see next review) as its required to keep these in tip top shape.
Hope this review was helpfull to any potential purchaser.
Thanks
Daz