Most powerful, yet detailed sounding headphones you have heard.

[maxxevv]

Oh, it's *that* Raal.

As for listening in person, that would be tricky, as their nearest dealer is an 18 hour drive from me.

That's quite a pain if its the case. But I would still stick with the audition suggestion though.

Headphones are very personal in my opinion.

 

[Julf]

Resolution, on the other hand, can be testing, both via listening and measurements in isolation, how quiet of a signal can be perceived at a given gain.

Isn't that simply signal-to-noise ratio?

 

[Julf]

You can not show all of that with a single line on frequency response chart. Because it is like trying to desribe a whole 3 minute song with a signle avaraged line showing what frequencies in this song are most present.

Imho frequency response graphs should also be... lets say a few seconds lasting recording/animation of how certain headphones are reproducing the same test-audio-file.

Have you ever seen waterfall diagrams (showing amplitude as a function of frequency and time)?

 

[donpablo]

@Julf Looks similar to the price candles on stock market chart, interesting.

 

[Julf]

@Julf Looks similar to the price candles on stock market chart, interesting.

https://www.gikacoustics.com/understanding-decay-times/

 

[Earfonia]

From my experience:
RAAL SR1a (tried in Canjam, need speaker amp)
Hifiman HE-6 (Own)
Hifiman Susvara (tried in Canjam)
Abyss AB-1266 (tried in Canjam)
Abyss Diana (tried in Canjam)

I have other headphones like HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1, but dynamic wise not as lifelike as the above headphones. Kennerton Odin first edition is also good.
RAAL SR1a is probably most natural sounding, and sounds like listening to a pair of excellent near field monitor:

 

[BillG]

RAAL SR1a is probably most natural sounding, and sounds like listening to a pair of excellent near field monitor

One would have what is essentially a near field monitor on their head with those. So I'm not surprised...

 

[solderdude]

Not that the below measurements can be trusted but if they are true distortion is kind of high (100dB SPL)

25% 3rd harm. distortion around 90Hz and 3% around 1kHz.

 

[Roasty]

Abyss 1266 TC Phi wins it for me.

 

[pwjazz]

Not that the below measurements can be trusted but if they are true distortion is kind of high (100dB SPL)

25% 3rd harm. distortion around 90Hz and 3% around 1kHz.

Wow! I wonder how that compares to speakers...

 

[donpablo]

From my experience:
RAAL SR1a (tried in Canjam, need speaker amp)
Hifiman HE-6 (Own)
Hifiman Susvara (tried in Canjam)
Abyss AB-1266 (tried in Canjam)
Abyss Diana (tried in Canjam)

I have other headphones like HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1, but dynamic wise not as lifelike as the above headphones. Kennerton Odin first edition is also good.
RAAL SR1a is probably most natural sounding, and sounds like listening to a pair of excellent near field monitor:

Thank you for your list!
I have HE-560 have you heard them? If so is how would you compare HE-560 and HE-6?
Also I have noticed that on market there is a new model HE-6SE. Is it completely new model or just refreshed HE-6?

 

[yikky900]

Etymotic ER4 IEMs are very detailed and revealing yet have a neutral signature. Many headphones perceived as detailed and revealing hype the highs. A very detailed and revealing headphone which is not expensive is the Audio Technica ATH MSR7, it is a bit bright but not excessively so and is an excellent bit of gear. For soundstage type stuff, if you don't want to spend the earth then the AKG K712 does it very well.

The ER4 doesn't sound like a £300 headphone, every mid tier IEM/Full size i had the ER4SR & ER4PT out did them on detail. Shame so many see "Single BA" then assume they must be bad and it doesn't help when reviewers like Crin fuel the myth that IEM's need multi drivers to sound good.

 

[MediumRare]

I have Audeze LCD-3 as they are super accurate down to well below 20 Hz. You can find them barely used at a healthy discount.

 

[Frank Dernie]

The ER4 doesn't sound like a £300 headphone, every mid tier IEM/Full size i had the ER4SR & ER4PT out did them on detail. Shame so many see "Single BA" then assume they must be bad and it doesn't help when reviewers like Crin fuel the myth that IEM's need multi drivers to sound good.

I have used ER4S for well over 20 years and been pleased.
I did understand the cable contains an equalising network and in the case of the S model improves its linearity extremely well but reduces its efficiency so many portable devices are on their limit driving them. Hence the later addition of other more sensitive less linear models.
I understood that the different models of ER4 only differed in the cable equalising network and/or filters. Was this wrong?

 

[yikky900]

I have used ER4S for well over 20 years and been pleased.
I did understand the cable contains an equalising network and in the case of the S model improves its linearity extremely well but reduces its efficiency so many portable devices are on their limit driving them. Hence the later addition of other more sensitive less linear models.
I understood that the different models of ER4 only differed in the cable equalising network and/or filters. Was this wrong?

The ER4SR has everything inside the IEM shell, It's pretty much a better ER4S that's easier to drive. There also the ER4B that used a high pass filter/capacitors to give that +5db treble boost. I think Etymotic said if they did a ER4BR it would have everything in the cable and use the same one on the SR but with 5db treble.

Yeah the ER4 on the old ones tuning was mostly just the cable which hurted it being used a high end portable headphone. When i used the cable to turn the PT into a ER4S, The ER4PT sounded veiled/muddy in comparison.

 

[JJB70]

I love my ER4SR's, although not cheap I honestly consider them to offer excellent value for money as the sound quality is superb and they feel like a quality product. I use them a lot when flying and find that the passive noise isolation does a better job than most noise cancelling headphones. I really can't see any reason to spend any more on IEMs.

 

[yikky900]

I love my ER4SR's, although not cheap I honestly consider them to offer excellent value for money as the sound quality is superb and they feel like a quality product. I use them a lot when flying and find that the passive noise isolation does a better job than most noise cancelling headphones. I really can't see any reason to spend any more on IEMs.

What i love is how BA's put dynamics to shame on clarity/detail. Because every ER4SR review was how it buried the HD600/650 on that aspect. The IEM market is pretty weak nothing but them hyping 2 to 12 BA's while ignoring the limitations on that, cohesion is very poor on them which is why there so many dips/peaks and more going on.

 

[cookiefactory]

I used the ER4P/S for years and loved every minute. Personally the lack of bass, ergonomics, and my tendency to “analyze” the music (rather than enjoy it) led me to retire them in favor of the Shure E500, which was then upgraded to the SE846 a couple of years ago.

I’ve always maintained a soft spot for Etys though, and I’ve been intrigued by the ER4XR, especially with their recent price drop. Sadly with the Shure SE846 and KSE1200 I can’t really justify another set of IEMs.

Edit: To answer the OP’s question, I would personally say the Sony Z1R.

 

[bigjacko]

There is a lot recommendations on er4sr, is it the best iem? What other iems are good? Does iems have different image and sound stage with headphone and speaker? Is it worth getting iem if I already got over ear or speaker?

 

[yikky900]

There is a lot recommendations on er4sr, is it the best iem? What other iems are good? Does iems have different image and sound stage with headphone and speaker? Is it worth getting iem if I already got over ear or speaker?

There the ER4XR if wan't warmth but yeah the ER4 is really good can even come close to some TOTL by 95%. I had the SR for a year its sounds 3D/Wide but not forced mainly depends on the music. But DSP that use HRTF work well with the ER4 which is why might get ER4B.