If price were no object, which IEMs could beat the Etymotic Research ER4SR for neutrality and detail?

[Blake Klondike]

It seems like the ER4SR are among the most highly-recommended IEMs with folks at ASR. Just wondering if anyone has models they prefer for neutrality and detail? Would be using for mixing and serious listening.

I remember when Paul Newman was on Letterman promoting "Road To Perdition", Letterman said "There are just too many damn movies all the time-- Hollywood should just make 4 really good movies per year, and call it good." That's the way I feel about speakers, headphones and IEMs. Fortunately, Amir's measurements have removed the guess-work from DACs and amps!

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Consider the Penon Audio Volt.

 

[BillG]

QDC Anole VX:

https://www.amazon.com/qdc-Earphones-Professional-Headphones-Changeable/dp/B07L77KLJK

I've tuned an IEM that I own to closely match FR of the VX and it signature sounds very good to my ears.


Any of the others ranked "S" on this list are highly worth considering as well:

https://crinacle.com/rankings/iems/

 

[briskly]

Define neutrality.
If you mean as a competitor to the Etymotic ER4SR(excluding old ER4 clones), the only model I can think of is the Hidition Viento, with switches off. There aren't many competitors that pursue a similar sound, for one reason or another. It has a couple of advantages over the ER4, in particular, the rare response to 20kHz. As I described it a couple of years ago:

One really nice thing about the Viento is that it has some air to it. Not the ventilated earpieces, but that it has an unusually extended treble response, better than almost any other IEM I can think of. Flyback transformer noise (~15.7 kHz) is fairly easy to pick up here, as are other really high-frequency content.

Any competent speaker will sound nasty with NTSC/PAL flyback noise if you can hear that high. Most IEMs do not reveal this well, ER4 included. Equalization will open up more options, but mobile devices don't always have flexible PEQ to adjust response deviations.

Crinacle has measured the Viento, here is a different measurement of the Viento with the bass switch on.

 

[cookiefactory]

I used to own the ER4P with S adapter and for the longest time considered it the pinnacle of ear/headphone performance. Among the IEMs I have now, the Shure KSE1500 trumps the ER4P/S in detail, however the neutrality call is a bit more relative/subjective.

 

[Chromatischism]

QDC Anole VX:

https://www.amazon.com/qdc-Earphones-Professional-Headphones-Changeable/dp/B07L77KLJK

I've tuned an IEM that I own to closely match FR of the VX and it signature sounds very good to my ears.


Any of the others ranked "S" on this list are highly worth considering as well:

https://crinacle.com/rankings/iems/

I'm shocked to find my IEMs in the C+ category even though after a little bit of EQ I think they sound excellent. What would something 1, 2, or 3 tiers higher sound like, I wonder?

And what is his "note weight" factor?