Etymotic Research ER3-XR Extended Response In Ear Isolating Earphones with Detachable Cable Black

Okay, so maybe not my life, but at least my hearing (what's left of it) and my reputation.TL;DR - incredible combination of precise sound reproduction and unbeatable sound isolation, with pro-level build quality at a very fair price. If you need in-ear monitors (IEMs) for mixing or performing you need to check these out. May not be what casual users are looking for, though.I'm a drummer and though I've played for ages I'm just starting to play live with a click track. I was using Audio Technica ATHIM-70 IEMs that had been fine in the past, but just weren't cutting it when I was in a 5-sided enclosure (plexi on all sides except the back)... no matter which tips I used I got too much bleed from the kit coming through, and I either had to really strain to hear the click track or have the volume so high that I felt like it was a sonic ice-pick into my brain. Neither option was a good one.I swapped over the the Etymotics and immediately felt more comfortable and in control and it had in instant impact on my playing. I could hear the click without straining mentally and without having excessive volume due to the combination of hugely better noise isolation and much more precise reproduction. I also tweaked the panning in my in-ear mix to get more things off-center, including putting the click a little to one side which makes it a bit easier to discern, but by far the biggest factor was the change in earphones. Don't let the single drivers scare you off: these provide far more resolution than my dual-driver Audio Technicas.I've used (and loved) Etymotic earphones in the past (the HF2 model) but they seemed to have a design flaw, and I had several pairs where the main body broke in two right where the cable joined the earphone. It was party unavoidable because the canalphone design means that they need to be inserted very deeply into the ear canal to work and sound as intended. When inserted, they create a vacuum and it takes a fair bit of pressure to get them out again, and since they're so small there are only so many places to hold on while you're pulling them out. The HF2 is made of plastic that, unfortunately, just isn't up to the task, so I abandoned Etymotic and bought the Audio Technicas so I wouldn't have to keep replacing them.These ones, though, have two important design changes: an aluminum body that won't crack in half, and removable cables so even when the next logical point of failure comes into play you can just replace the cables and not the full earphone. So they won't break as readily, but if they do they'll still be less expensive to get up and running again.What's great- Superb isolation- Very precise sound reproduction- Durable design and build qualityWhat's not- Fit can be finicky... if you're not using the right tips for your ears (triple-flange silicon provide the best mix of isolation and durability, if they fit for you), or they're not inserted correctly, the sound can be highly compromised or even seemingly blocked. It takes some practice to find the sweet spot.- The flip side of the "very precise sound reproduction" means that even the XR (extended range) variant isn't going to give you a huge, inflated bottom end. I love them for casual listening, but they may not be everyone's cup of tea.- Deep insertion may take some getting used to, and some people may never get used to it. I find it very comfortable now, but not everyone does.- They can go in fairly quickly, but because of the deep insertion, they're not quick to get out. It's important to give them a bit of a wiggle & twist to break the vacuum as you remove them so that your eardrums don't decide to try to follow. So if you're in a situation where you need to be taking them off frequently to talk to people they'll likely be frustrating.If you're in any situation where you need a high level of noise isolation you should check these out. For me, the build quality (aluminum body and detachable cables) of the 3-series makes them a necessary step up from the 2-series, even though the cost is higher. I haven't tried the 4-series, but from what I've read they aren't necessarily a huge step up in sound quality, so these are in the sweet spot in terms of features and price. Plan to take some time to get used to them if you haven't used canal-phones before, and try different tips if you have trouble getting the right seal. I'm absolutely satisfied with my purchase, even if they didn't save my life. They're still great.

Ich benutze den FiiO X5 3 als Abspielgerät und habe dort fast nur FLAC- und qualitativ hohe MP 3-Dateien drauf. Will sagen, da kommt schon ordentlich was auf die Trommelfelle zu. Jedoch nach dem Erwerb der Etymotics hat sich beim Hören der gewohnten Musik bestehend aus Rock, Metal, Klassik (Oper und Sinfos (kein Mozart)), sowie Jazz und Pop unterschiedlichster Coleur einiges verändert. Ich habe Bill Wymans Bassläufe noch nie so genau gehört wie mit diesen Teilen. Auch die Saxofone eines Coleman oder Parker kommen unglaublich präzise in den Gehörgang. Norma mit der Callas (uralte Aufnahme) ist das Nonplusultra. Pink Floyd in einer nie gehörten Räumlichkeit, fantastisch!Und meine Ohren sind immerhin 75 Jahre alt und haben schon etliches durchgemacht und -litten.Nach einem halben Jahr habe ich mir dann beim hiesigen Gehörakustiker meinen Ohren und den Etymotics angepasste Gehörschützer fertigen lassen, die sämtliche Umgebungsgeräusche abblocken und nur die Töne aus den Kopfhörern in die Gehörgänge lassen. Das geht auch mit den Hörern alleine, doch mir ging da der Sitz etwas auf den Keks. Nach 2 Std. Hören war der Druck im Ohr unangenehm. So habe ich dann fast 200 Euronen investiert und kann jetzt 2 und mehr Stunden ohne Beschwerden und störende Fremdgeräusche Musik hörenDer Sitz ist, da die Stöpsel wie auch die Kopfhörer allein direkt auf dem Trommelfell sitzen, wirklich gewöhnungsbedürftig und ich kann mir vorstellen, dass das einige Menschen von der Benutzung dieser Hörer abhalten könnte. Doch da entgeht ihnen dann einiges an Tonqualität. "Durchhalten und sich an den Sitz gewöhnen!", lautet meine Empfehlung, denn es lohnt sich wirklich.Zusammenfassend kann ich diese Im-Ohr-Kopfhörer wirklich jedem Musikfreund empfehlen. Ist zwar etwas teuer aber dafür sehr gut!

Got these recently to use primarily for monitoring camera audio without using over ear headphones (usually need both hands free to put them on gracefully and that involves putting the camera down, gets annoying). Quickly tested them at home with some familiar music and was horrified at how they sounded, tinny, thin, awful. Of course, I've got big ol' ear holes so I switched out the stock tips for the with the biggest that are provided in the package and I'm genuinely surprised how good such small headphones can sound. Would recommend.

Very detailed listening experience. You can hear every instrument. Soundstage is not very wide but is present. Not for bass heads. These are not designed to rattle your head but rather provide an enjoyable listening experience. Etymotic has definitely made a valiant effort at creating an affordable entry level audiophile grade IEM. Do not expect $500 or $1000+ quality though. It's just not possible at this price point. If you are used to run-of-the-mill headphones by makes like Sony, JBL, Phillips, or any of the Chinese brands, you may not like these. I would say these are more of a fit for someone with a very discerning ear. Someone who is looking for a more "detailed" listening experience. Those who pair these IEM's with high definition audio files and a decent DAC will be rewarded with much enjoyment out of their listening sessions.These go DEEP into your ear canal, nothing like standard earbuds or most other IEM's. It will take some getting used to if you are new to the way these are inserted into your ears. Once you find the right tips and become acquainted to the feel of them though you will see the benefits to this design. The biggest plus being excellent noise isolation. Once the music starts to play every other sound just disappears. A blessing if quality music was your goal, a curse if you need to hear what's going on around you. I can't stress enough how important a proper fit is for these. Incorrect fit will result in mediocre sound reproduction. If you listen to these for a while and they sound terrible still you most likely do not have them fit properly. For me, the memory foam provided the best seal in my ear. I actually purchased the Comply tips that are made for deep insertion buds like these.These are wired earbuds, so keep that in mind before you buy them. If you are used to wireless buds and prefer the convenience of them these are probably not for you. If you are going to be moving around a lot or working out these are probably not for you. The wires simply rubbing against your shirt will be heard through the earbuds.Also, these will need some burn-in time. After about 5 hours they started to sound better. The longer you burn them in the better they get. After about 15 to 20 hours they were excellent. I have put well over 100 hours on my set and the sound is phenomenal now.

Une sacrée paire d'intras.Tout d'abord au niveau qualité d'écoute, la réponse fréquence très plate permet une fidélité remarquable, difficile de trouver mieux ailleurs de côté-là. Les aigus sont à leur place, les médiums ne débordent pas, et de même pour la basse qui se trouve être très naturelle pour la version XR. La précision reste du jamais vu de mon côté, le niveau de détail est le gros point fort de cette paire.Seule la largeur de scène reste à désirer, avec un rendu assez intimiste : mais le placement reste hautement précis, il est très facile de se concentrer sur un instrument. La réactivité des armatures équilibrées est un sacré atout face à ses concurrents équipés de drivers dynamiques, ce qui contribue aussi au niveau de détail ressenti.L'ergonomie par contre reste très particulière, la "première fois" avec ces écouteurs reste un souvenir assez désagréable. Pour bénéficier de la meilleure isolation du marché intras (on est ici à -37dB avec les triples flanges inclus), ils doivent être enfoncés assez profondément dans le conduit auditif. C'est donc assez déplaisant au début, il faut s'y habituer afin de profiter pleinement de ces Etymotics. Vous serez avertis. La possibilité de changer le câble est rassurant quant à leur durée de vie, et il reste possible de placer le câble au-dessus des oreilles afin de ne pas entendre les vibrations de celui-ci lorsque vous marchez/bougez.En conclusion nous avons ici une paire exemplaire venant d'une marque mythique, vous ne retrouverez nulle part ce degré de précision en terme d'écouteurs. A vous de voir si vous êtes prêt à surmonter leur ergonomie fâcheuse, et leur manque de largeur de scène. Pour ma part ils ne me quittent plus !