Er-6i & v-Moda Vibe, which one?

[super7668]

I found them are almost same price on Ebay, which one is better value?

I read someone's reviw, said Er-6i has flimsy cable; some others said Vibe has harsh voice compare to others in this calss, what's your opinion?

Or should I pay $30 more to E3-C?

Thx!;)

[Jokieman]

I found them are almost same price on Ebay, which one is better value?

I read someone's reviw, said Er-6i has flimsy cable; some others said Vibe has harsh voice compare to others in this calss, what's your opinion?

Or should I pay $30 more to E3-C?

Thx!;)

If you like bass then definitely skip the E3C, as it doesn't have enough to suit some people's needs.

[super7668]

If you like bass then definitely skip the E3C, as it doesn't have enough to suit some people's needs.

Thanks and yes I love bass, so how about the rest two?

[Jokieman]

Thanks and yes I love bass, so how about the rest two?


I really cannot say for sure as I haven't listened to the Vibe yet, but I have read that the Vibe has better bass response than the ER6's, if that helps any. If you go for the Vibe you'll probably need to order through Apple as I believe V-moda is out right now.

[super7668]

Thanks Jokieman, just wondering if ER-6i has better reputation than Vibe(maybe Vibe released later)?
Personally I prefer white cable more and Vibe don't have this option.

[Jokieman]

Thanks Jokieman, just wondering if ER-6i has better reputation than Vibe(maybe Vibe released later)?
Personally I prefer white cable more and Vibe don't have this option.


The Vibe is brand new, it's only just now started getting into people's hands. However they are reputed to have excellent customer service so even if there is an issue with the IE's they can be sent in for repair easily enough.

With that said it's kind of hard to say what their reputation will end up being like, some of the initial reviews I've read seemed a little bit gung-ho, but I'm starting to see more objective reviews pop up here and there. I probably should have bit the bullet and asked Val for a loaner pair to review but I don't work that way, so I'll just have to wait until they start making it into the local retail outlets so I can go test a pair out for a bit.

[Jackonicko]

I own both, and I've been listening to the Vibe for a week now, and have been comparing it back to back with the Sony EX90 (wins for comfort), the Shure E2, E3 and E4, the Sennheiser CX300, the Etymotic ER6i, the Panasonic HJE70, the UM2 and the UE Super Fi 5EB.

You could not get phones that are further apart than the ER6i and the Vibe. They are chalk and cheese.

The ER6i is all about accuracy, and balance, and gives the best possible reproduction of the original CD, with a flat profile that has been described as cold and clinical.

It's certainly not a phone for bass heads!

The Vibe is deliberately designed not to be balanced, but to accentuate particular frequencies in order to give a 'club like' 'fun' sound.

It's certainly not a phone for the accuracy nerds!

I don't want to appear to be advertising either phone, but it's fair to say that both phones succeed in what they set out to do, but that they set out to do quite different things.

With regard to cable colour, the gunmetal Vibe has a black cable, while the chrome version has a silverish cable.

In my view, the Vibe is one of a new generation of phones that do a better job than older, more established and higher priced equipment - like the EX90 and the HJE70, and like the SuperFi 5 at a slightly higher price point.

To do better than these phones you need to spend a great deal more money, in my view, and I'd reject the E2C, the E3C, the UM1 and UM2, and other old stagers. These all represented the cutting edge a few years ago, but I find them unimpressive by 2006 standards.

[super7668]

WOW, Jackonicko, what a nice review! exactly what I need!

Gues I'll go for the Vibe then, someone selling this on Ebay for $89

[Jackonicko]

DON'T take my word for it. Research it properly. I don't want anyone accusing me of advertising.

[super7668]

DON'T take my word for it. Research it properly. I don't want anyone accusing me of advertising.

of course I will, thanks

[bobb-mini]

Excellent review Jacko! a breath of fresh air from "I like it alot - STOP" or "Recommended - my friends say it's good!"

If I want accuracy but am looking for another alternative than the 4p (cosmetic objection mainly), what are my other choices?

[Jackonicko]

I don't know what you use now, but I wouldn't want to give the impression that the Vibes are terribly distorted, indeed the accuracy of the high end (sharp cymbals, etc.) is awesome, and I'm increasingly coming to the impression that phones praised for accuracy are actually accurate-but-with-inadequate-bass, while the Vibes are accurate-but-with-really good-bass.

That said, if you like the clean, rather bass light Sony E888/Ety ER-6i signature then alternatives to the ER4p would include the Altec Lansings.

[Jackonicko]

Having recently received retail Vibes, I can confirm that the retail phones are entirely representative of the prototypes that impressed me.

I would, however, add that there is a key difference between the Gunmetal Black model and the Flashback Chrome. The Gunmetal Vibe has a thin, black, rubbery cord, while the Chrome model has a braided silvery-whitish blue cord inside a transparent sleeve. The latter is remarkably tangle resistant, while the black cord is just like that on the HJE70/EX90 and will tangle. The black cord is also slightly more prone to microphonics.

[bobb-mini]

alternatives to the ER4p would include the Altec Lansings.
Thanks! any Altec? particular model?

I love my old 4p, I am in love to hear notes clearly as I never heard them b4. As for bass, I either sit in my car with my 8" sub or go home and turn on my 5.1.

[Jackonicko]

Go and listen to the Vibe. Go and listen to the SuperFi 5 Pro. I think you'll have just the same wow at hearing detail, and a bit of glorious bass, too. And if not, the AL IM716s might be good for you....

[Jackonicko]

Go and read up what others say.

I'd say that the ER6i is famously accurate and balanced, and that tends to mean with a very flat response curve - and that most would admit that that also means weak on bass.

Certainly if you want good strong bass, the ER6i is an odd choice.

Go and do a search on Head Fi for reviews of the Vibe.

Depending on your budget you might also care to consider the SuperFi 5EB, or at the cheaper end of the scale, the Bass Freq or the CX300.

[Trager]

I wouldn't say that the 6i have less bass than iPod stock phones, but if that's a priority for you, they probably aren't the phones you want. The Vibes have a fairly strong bass and an extremely warm color to the sound -- for some of the songs I played, they sounded awesome. Others, not so much. I really couldn't get past the harsh (to my ears) highs. Just posted a more detailed review in a separate thread, though, with a song list so you get a feel for what I was listening to.

[Jackonicko]

Go and search - you'll find that the vast bulk of people would acknowledge that the ER-6is are harsh and screechy, and that they have weak bass.

There are lots of better, cheaper options, not just the Vibe, if Trager's views (which are so far off base that I seriously wonder if he's heard them) have dissuaded you.

[Trager]

What do you want, a video of me listening to the vibes? Can we stop with the aspersions already?

I think it's funny that you claim that the majority of listeners dislike the Etymotic sound. Last I checked, Etys were among the few headphones that manage A ratings here on iLounge. There are a certainly a devoted group of head-fi listeners who enjoy the ER-4P (many of whom started with ER-6 or ER-6i phones). There is no question that they are bright. I would not say that they are harsh (unless an overly warm sound like the the Vibes is 'natural' for you), and they certainly don't have the uneven upper end response that I associate with the word screechy.

[Jackonicko]

If someone says that they want bass, the ER6i is among the worst choices for them. The ER6 has less bass than virtually all of its competitors, and while it might be right for some classical and jazz fiends, anyone looking for good bass will find it disappointing.

It has less bass than the E2C or E3C, the EX90, the HJE70, the CX300, the SuperFi 5 Pro, etc.

[Trager]

I would never suggest the ER-6i for someone who prefers bass. In fact, I said that if strong bass is a priority, I would not recommend them. However, I do agree with Jerry that if you want accuracy, the ER-6i is a good choice. Particularly compared with the Vibe, which is (by design, if you look at the V-moda site) a very colored set of phones.