Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones (Black)
by Etymotic Research
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones (Black)
Customer Review: Works for me!
Summary: 5 Stars
Purchased the Etymotic ER6i Earphones about a month ago, mainly to be able to listen to music while mowing the lawn and other noisy activities. What brought me to this type of earphone was looking for ear PLUGS by EAR, that are similar with the three lobe design. These fit, work and insert easier (with practice) than foam, but are not often available in stores. Anyway, while looking for an online source for the earplugs I found out about the Etymotic product and decided to kill two birds with one stone.
The sound is great when the earphones are inserted properly. In comparison to the buds that came with my iPOD and a set of Philips I use(d) with a portable DVD player, they certainly perform as good if not better than the iPOD buds. Are there better sounding products out there, probably, but when considering such a purchase, I always take into account the actual use, the level of quality I am willing accept and the price. Etymotic has fulfilled those criterion.
No problem with bass response, the sound is clear and responsive. The function of blocking outside noise is great considering the fact that they achieve this without sound canceling technology, one less thing to go wrong.
Fit- you must insert them correctly to enjoy the full effect. People may look at you funny in public but here's how....
If inserting the RIGHT bud, reach over your head with your LEFT hand and pull up on the top of your ear as you insert the bud, this makes it a lot easier. Remember that your ear canal doesn't go straight into your head but is angled forward. Repeat with the left side. They go in a ways. A little lick for lube doesn't hurt either.
Second- if you need to get them out quickly? When I'm at my desk, I must say I use the iPOD buds because the Etymotics fit so well they don't like to come out ... if the phone rings, with the iPOD buds, I can basically shake my head and they fall right out.
I believe most of the negative reviews are a result of improper insertion or that this product (like all) may not be for everyone.
They work for me.
Customer Review: Wow! Great Price and Sound Too!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought these earphones to use with my 80GB iPod Classic (I reviewed separately). I would consider myself a mid-range audioFile. I know that there are people pickier than me, but I am pickier than many. I am not happy with the quality of sound through the standard earphones that shipped with my iPod. These are much better! I own a large eclectic music collection. Most of it is music recorded between 1960 and 1990 (my era). These earphones are so good they pick up sounds you were never supposed to in those older analog recordings. I can hear studio noise occasionally. I sometimes hear breathing or lip noise too. However, I also hear instrument subtleties and crisp high tones that make it sound like I am hearing recordings for the first time! I have owned high-end speakers in the past, but this is the first set of really nice earphones I have owned.
These phones really cancel out the noise around you as well. I am a stay home dad with 2 preschool age children. They often play in the same room while I exercise with these in my ears. Even when they get rowdy and loud, I seldom hear anything but my music. The "ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones" come with 2 sets of silicone cone fittings, as well as a set of foam fittings to best fit anyone's ears. They also come with replacement filters and this steel tool to replace them with. I like that. It makes these earphones able to be maintained over a long period of time. Etymotic Research also sells filters on their website.
Bottom line - You can buy higher end earphones for your media player if you want to spend a lot more money. However, you would be hard pressed to get better phones than these do for the money. Even in the $100 - $200 range, there is nothing available that is better than the "ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones" by Etymotic Research. They are comfortable. They do a great job at canceling out background noise. And most importantly, they sound great!
Customer Review: Music on the tractor
Summary: 5 Stars
My tractor is really noisy. Add the leaf vacuum and I've not been able to really enjoy the detail in my tunes until I started using these. I was using ear buds with construction quality ear protectors over them. That was working pretty well, but I was not getting the full range of sound, nor the quiet passages, as I would have liked. I discovered these in-ear earphones and am amazed at how much better the sound is--without the other head set at all. At first, I still put that over these earphones, but then found it wasn't necessary, which greatly pleased me because I wanted to wear a wide brimmed straw hat for protection in the summer.
I'm getting great sound with all the nuances I enjoy and without having to turn the sound up to ear splitting levels. I also enjoy the less bulky arrangement. Because these are far more noise canceling than any headsets, I've also enjoyed being able to sit at the car dealer during service with their TV blaring and not be at all disturbed. In fact, on one occasion I found I'd forgotten my iPod, and just used these earphones attached to nothing (!) to eliminate the noise that distracted me from my reading. The service manager had to come tap me on the shoulder because I didn't hear him call me. That is a good thing.
I've used the earphones a lot at this point and have no problem keeping them clean. The cord is too long for me (I'm 5'4") which can be a pain so I've added a tiny soft reel to wrap up part of the cord. When doing yard work, I thread the cord up inside my shirt to keep it out of the way and appreciate the attached clip that helps secure the cord in case I pull on it accidentally. The in-ear units are very soft and do not bother me even after long wearing.
I'm easily distracted and think these earphones are terrific, not only for giving me a pure listening experience with my music, but even to serve as comfortable ear plugs in noisy environments.
Customer Review: Best Noise Isolation I've Found
Summary: 5 Stars
If you need to drown out your surroundings, I have found nothing better than these earphones. I owned a pair of ER6's for years. Then recently, I bought a pair of the ER6i and a pair of the Panasonic RP-HC55-S Noise-Cancelling Earbud Headphones (Silver). Even without any noise cancelling electronics, the ER6i does a better job of blocking out surrounding sounds, including airplane noise AND people talking. DO NOT USE WHILE JOGGING OR DRIVING OR ANYTHING ELSE WHERE YOU NEED TO HEAR YOUR SURROUNDINGS. These things will stop you from hearing an approaching car or dog or screaming crazy person.
Pros
- They work like earplugs to block out surrounding noise.
- They include a variety of earbud types to find what works best for you. I found the foam to work best.
- No batteries required, so you can wear them the entire plane ride without harrassment from flight attendants
- Sound quality is crisp and well balanced. Make sure you get a good seal, and you will get surprisingly good bass for such a tiny earbud.
Cons
- They go into your ear canal, which can be a little uncomfortable. It took me a month to get used to my old ER6's. But because I was used to those, I had no trouble adjusting to these new ones.
- They do acquire a little bit of waxy ear gunk if you wear them a lot
- On long trips (2+ hours), your ears sweating may cause them to get slippery and start slipping out. This is more of a problem with the silicone buds. Switch to the foam to reduce this problem.
Recommendation
Buy these if you take a lot of long trips by train or airplane, need to drown out surrounding noise, and can acclimate to having something stuck in your ears. Do not use in situations where being deaf to your surroundings could be a safety hazard.
Customer Review: Nothing better
Summary: 5 Stars
These earspeakers are the best thing ever created. It took a while for me to learn how to properly positioned them. At first I would put them on as though they were ordinary earphones, and they stunk. Tinny sound, no bass, and very little noise isolation. I monkeyed with the different attachments and got marginally better sound with the foam. But I was getting really disappointed, as they were not living up to their rep. Then I saw that someone recommended lubing the tips with a bit of saliva. I admit being somewhat grossed out at the thought of giving myself a wet-willy, but I really wanted these to work, so I did. Once they were lubed (I had to use more than just a little bit of lube), the slid right inside the ear canal, and holy moly! Suddenly all exterior noise disappeared. And I mean really went away. I plugged it into my Sansa and about blew my ears out with the volume at half mast. I learned that with all outside noise being isolated, I enjoy the music at level 2 or 3 (of 10). I wear these while motorcycling. And even though I ride a naked, unfaired bike on the freeway full of traffic, I can still enjoy the subtleties of classical music. I wear them when I mow the lawn, and can hardly hear the lawnmower. Yes, they're that good.
I can understand why some have posted bad reviews. I'm convinced they are people who gave up on getting the correct fit and technique. Have patience, learn how to properly use them, and you will never, ever be able to listen to your MP3 player with regular earspeakers in a loud environment.
Now, I don't use these for certain activities, mainly those that require a lot of moving around, like jogging. First, the safety factor. I'd like to hear the car that's about to run me over. But just as important is that they do have somewhat of a stethoscope effect when the wires get rubbed or bounced around. Otherwise they are perfect.