Is it worth upgrading from ER2SE to ER4SR?

[sushi2020]

After reading some @JohnYang1997 's posts, I bought Etymotic ER2SE two months ago.
Isolation and detail are amazing. I often use it for critical listening.
I admit that I like it.

Recently, I wondered how much the experience would evolve if I upgraded it to ER4SR.

Is it worth paying the extra $160 (price at Adorama + shipping fee to my country) for getting ER4SR?
In other words, what are the advantages of ER4SR over ER2SE?

 

[blse59]

The sound is just a higher class. I had them both and eventually sold the ER2SE even though it was still a good iem. The ER2SE is good enough for most people IMO. I would only upgrade if you are a fanatic and very discerning. For me the $160 is worth it because you could buy it and listen to it forever. Headphones don't really go obsolete like other electronics gadgets. A good sounding headphone is still a good sounding headphone twenty years later.

 

[Chyżwar]

I have ER4XR and ER2SE. I think these headphones sound identical after some equalization.

 

[Chyżwar]

I've had both, The ER4SR beats out the ER2SE for detail/speed/etc on EDM while the 2SE sounded like It was trying hard to cope. The 4SR responds very well to bass EQ and sounds much better on fast music, Which is why I find the "lol Single BA" memes on Reddit pretty cringy.

What does detail and speed mean? Can you explain it? Is there any way to measure detail and speed? Or maybe you can give me an example of a detail (in some tracks) that can be heard in the ER4SR but not in the ER2SE?

 

[o7_brother]

Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk is more balanced than then anemic-sounding ER2SE and ER4SR. I've owned a few Etymotics, but I prefer Moondrop's IEMs easily.

 

[Slapo]

What does detail and speed mean? Can you explain it? Is there any way to measure detail and speed? Or maybe you can give me an example of a detail (in some tracks) that can be heard in the ER4SR but not in the ER2SE?

I'm not the OP, and I only have an ER2SE and an ER3SE, and to me, the difference is a bit difficult to describe, but I can hear it in e.g. vibratos, where the ER3SE seems better defined. Audibly, the difference is a lot like someone trailing off at the end of the sentence a little (ER2SE) and finish a sentence without trailing off (ER3SE).
I'd thought maybe time to steady state after a pulse/tone could be used to measure it, but I haven't looked into it, so it's more of a guess.

 

[Slapo]

Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk is more balanced than then anemic-sounding ER2SE and ER4SR. I've owned a few Etymotics, but I prefer Moondrop's IEMs easily.

What tips do you use with the Etys?
I have found I can only really use mine with the Comply P series tips (the hard plastic of the nozzle presses against my ear canal with Ety's silicone tips too much), and with those, even the SEs haven't sounded anemic to me. I do find the SEs to roll off a bit too early, so I don't necessarily get the deepest rumble in Hans Zimmer soundtracks, but the ER3XR and ER4XR have been fine there and ER2XR almost too much fun.

 

[o7_brother]

@Slapo I have large ear canals and can fit all of the stock Ety tips, even the large triple-flange ones.

 

[sushi2020]

The sound is just a higher class. I had them both and eventually sold the ER2SE even though it was still a good iem. The ER2SE is good enough for most people IMO. I would only upgrade if you are a fanatic and very discerning. For me the $160 is worth it because you could buy it and listen to it forever. Headphones don't really go obsolete like other electronics gadgets. A good sounding headphone is still a good sounding headphone twenty years later.

Thanks.
Maybe I am one of the "most people" you said. In fact, I'm quite happy with ER2SE now.
However, I also think that if IEM with better SQ than ER2SE's costs only $160, it is incredibly high value.

Hmm...I have to spend some more time to think about whether I should buy it or not.

 

[sushi2020]

I have ER4XR and ER2SE. I think these headphones sound identical after some equalization.

Thanks for your replying.
BTW, which stock sound do you prefer?

 

[sushi2020]

Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk is more balanced than then anemic-sounding ER2SE and ER4SR. I've owned a few Etymotics, but I prefer Moondrop's IEMs easily.

I'm also interested in Blessing2 Dusk, but unfortunately it's beyond my budget...

ER2SE didn't sound anemic to me.
I have EQ'ed ER2SE to oratory1990 target, but I felt it to have too much bass.

 

[2M2B]

I'm also interested in Blessing2 Dusk, but unfortunately it's beyond my budget...

ER2SE didn't sound anemic to me.
I have EQ'ed ER2SE to oratory1990 target, but I felt it to have too much bass.

I've tried the ER2XR it way too bassy and can bleed into the mids on fast/complex genres like metal. The ER4XR doesn't do that and the bass isn't as crazy.

 

[Chyżwar]

I'm not the OP, and I only have an ER2SE and an ER3SE, and to me, the difference is a bit difficult to describe, but I can hear it in e.g. vibratos, where the ER3SE seems better defined. Audibly, the difference is a lot like someone trailing off at the end of the sentence a little (ER2SE) and finish a sentence without trailing off (ER3SE).
I'd thought maybe time to steady state after a pulse/tone could be used to measure it, but I haven't looked into it, so it's more of a guess.

There are some differences, but I think mainly dependent on FR. I really can't hear more details on the ER4XR, can't hear the timbre of the armature drivers and other things that people are talking about

Thanks for your replying.
BTW, which stock sound do you prefer?

ER4XR are my favorite headphones.

 

[2M2B]

There are some differences, but I think mainly dependent on FR. I really can't hear more details on the ER4XR, can't hear the timbre of the armature drivers and other things that people are talking about

Think it is the other way around the ER2SE sounds more coloured than the ER4 does. It struggles with minor details, Bass lingers after notes longer, etc.

 

[Slapo]

@Slapo I have large ear canals and can fit all of the stock Ety tips, even the large triple-flange ones.

I have ear canals that go from large to quite small quite quickly, so for me, the large tri-flange tips hurt yet didn't seal very well. The Comply P series (https://www.complyfoam.com/products/p-series/) are a little fragile around the inner plastic tube, but if I use the large ones, I can get them as deep as the triple flanges, but without the pain and with a better seal.
If you still have some Etys around, it might be worth a listen.

 

[sushi2020]

Thank you all.
It appears that there is a difference between ER2SE and ER4SR, but the ability to hear it seems to vary from person to person.
Honestly, I don't know if I have that ability.

However, I will buy an ER4SR in the future because I'm still interested in "the highest reproduction accuracy".
I'm also looking forward to @amirm 's official review of ER4SR.

 

[JJB70]

Yes and no. The ER2SE is excellent and tremendous value. You don't need to spend the extra for the ER4SR (though strictly speaking outside of a studio or production environment nobody genuinely needs to spend much on audio gear) but if you can afford it then I think it is marginally superior technically and a nicer product. The technical differences are very minor in my view and if listening to music as opposed to listening to music I find the experience of the ER2SE pretty much just the same as the ER4SR. Both are excellent, even the ER4SR is great value while its cheaper sibling is a steal. I have the ER4SR and would recommend it to anyone but if you're on a budget then don't worry about going for the ER2SE.

 

[Fregly]

I have both and prefer the E2. I don't see why the E4sr would be technically superior, as the freqency graphs are close and the E2 in fact has the lower distortion.

 

[Chyżwar]

I have both and prefer the E2. I don't see why the E4sr would be technically superior, as the freqency graphs are close and the E2 in fact has the lower distortion.

I think people find ER4SR better because they are more expensive. But it could just be a placebo effect.
Both headphones have a THD below 1%, which means that this distortion is inaudible.

 

[sushi2020]

Hi all. I ended up buying the ER4SR and received it 5 days ago.

I did a level matching (added -2.7db of pre-gain when using the ER2SE) and compared them.
Subjectively, I felt that there was a slight difference.
I think the ER4SR is more suitable for listening to details. I was able to discover sounds that I had never noticed before.
However, when listening to female vocals, the ER2SE sounds a bit more pleasant to me.

I will keep both, but I still find ER2SE to be an amazing value.