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Some of the typical headphones/IEMs used for audiometric purposes are Telephonics TDH49, Etymotic ER3 or Beyerdynamic DT48A. I've been given Telephonics and Etymotics (though not those exact models) during hearing tests, for example.
I bring it up because these are considered good enough to do clinical research of thresholds, masking and so on. So they must have exceptional characteristics, right? Not really.
The manufacturers don't post much data. What seems typical is flat response over the mids and falling response at either end, although Etymotics are flat in the lows as well.
Innerfidelity has measurements of the 5 ohm DT48S, similar to the audiometric version, and for 90dB SPL the THD is around 0.1% or -60dB. Not at all different from other kinds of headphone transducers.
I bring it up because these are considered good enough to do clinical research of thresholds, masking and so on. So they must have exceptional characteristics, right? Not really.
The manufacturers don't post much data. What seems typical is flat response over the mids and falling response at either end, although Etymotics are flat in the lows as well.
Innerfidelity has measurements of the 5 ohm DT48S, similar to the audiometric version, and for 90dB SPL the THD is around 0.1% or -60dB. Not at all different from other kinds of headphone transducers.