Etymotic ER4XR

Etymotic ER4XR

The ER4XR is Etymotic's in-ear monitor for those who demand nothing less than the highest reproduction accuracy in the midrange and treble frequencies, but prefer a tasteful added bass presence. The ER4XR right and left channels are tuned to an industry-leading 1dB for frequencies from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.

The ER4XR is the best performing single driver in-ear monitor. The IEM shells are made of anodized aluminum, CNC milled to extremely tight tolerances. The use of a single Balanced Armature (BA) driver provides an extremely accurate IEM without the added complexity of crossovers, and helps keep the aluminum shell small and slim. The included high-quality, user-replaceable cable is reinforced and twisted to improve longevity and durability. IEMs from Etymotic are known worldwide for their industry-leading passive isolation, with an attenuation of 35-42 dB (depending on the earbuds used and insertion depth). By comparison, most custom-made IEMs offer about 25-28 dB of attenuation, and foam earplugs attenuate up to 32 dB. The ER4XR is a must-have for audiophiles and consumers looking for highly accurate in-ear monitors with a touch of extra bass, for a more "fun" sound signature.

Which ER4 is right for you?

Both ER4 models, the ER4SR and ER4XR, use the same Balanced Armature (BA) drivers. The only difference is the tuning of the lower (bass) frequencies. The ER4SR, the "reference" model, is tuned as precise and flat as possible. The ER4XR, the "fun" model, is tuned with extra bass. As you can see in the frequency response graphs, the ER4XR adds 1-2dB to the mid-bass frequencies (below 200Hz) and 3-4dB to the bass and sub-bass (below 100Hz). The rest of the frequencies are almost identical. The ER4SR is ideal for sound engineers and mixers who need accurate sound reproduction across all frequencies. The ER4SR is the IEM of choice for audiophiles and consumers who enjoy listening to their music exactly as recorded. The ER4XR with its tastefully added bass is a favorite of audiophiles and consumers who want a little extra bass with their music. This model is by no means bass heavy.

Frequency response graphs and Etymotic's purpose:

Etymotic's target frequency response graph represents a "perceptibly flat" frequency response. Our goal is a flat frequency response curve when the musical notes hit your eardrums. To achieve that, we must account for resonance in the average ear canal, since IEMs bypass the outer ear structure. The result is the need for higher SPL in the 2-5k range (lower treble) to compensate for that resonance. That is the reason for the "bump" in that area. The target curve used by Etymotic for tuning our IEMs differs slightly from the Harman preferred curve. It was developed internally over 20 years ago based on our expertise in human hearing and acoustic research.

Accurate reproduction of earphones

When tuning in-ear monitors to accurately reproduce a recording of a live performance, our goal is for the sound hitting the eardrums to be identical to that of the original performance. To achieve this, the acoustic properties of the ear must be taken into account. The acoustic resonance and hearing effects of the ear transform a flat sound signal entering the open ear into sound with a (2700 Hz) high-frequency amplification, which is the same response heard at the eardrum of a typical ear. This is the reason for the "hump" in the frequency response graph, which ensures that the eardrum perceives a perfectly flat frequency response for all frequencies.