Macworld - USA (2020-02)

FEBRUARY 2020 MACWORLD 113

ears best. Etymotics also includes two pairs
of foam tips if your experience with the
comfort of the flanges doesn’t match mine.
The ER4 are modular, so you can use
any MMCX cable or Bluetooth adapter in
place of the stock cable. Etymotic doesn’t
offer its own Bluetooth adapter right now,
but the media relations contact told me
one is in the works.
A replaceable filter inside the unit
prevents ear-wax intrusion and also
balances the sound. A removal tool is
provided. Also in the box are a zipper
carrying case, those extra ear tips, a
shirt clip, and a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch
stereo adapter.

SOUND
For $350, any headphone had
better sound very good. The
ER4XR do. I A/B-tested them
with several other headphones,
plus several sets of speakers
and they came off very well—
better than I’d expected to tell
the truth, and as musical to my
ears as the best of my stuff. The
XR stands for extended range,
though the only thing that’s
extended compared to the
like-priced ER4SR is the bass.
And the range is extended with
taste—just a nice dose to get
the bass instruments more

involved in the mix.

If I had to be picky, I’d say I’d like a wee

bit more high-end sparkle, but that’s just a

matter of taste, and sparkle can get tiring

over the long run. The ER4XR are still

parked in my Focusrite audio interface,

which is rare when a review is over. I

normally switch back to my full-sized,

closed-back Sony MDR-7506 over-ear’s

almost immediately when a review is done.

But the ER4XR sound as good and take up

a lot less space!

BOTTOM LINE

If you hadn’t noticed already, I like

Etymotic’s ER4XR—a lot. They sound

nicely balanced throughout the frequency

gamut, with just slight boosts

where most people, including

myself, like them. And as I said,

I find the flanges far more

comfortable for the long haul

than memory foam—at least for

me. You could spend a lot more

and not get better.

You could also spend a lot

less and get almost as good,

something I feel compelled to

say about any headphones

priced more than a hundred

bucks. Money aside, Etymotic, in

my book, has pretty much nailed

sound and comfort with the ER4

series. ■

mmmmh

Etymotic ER4XR

PROS

• Nicely tuned, with slightly
  emphasized bass and
  mid-highs.


• Flange-style ear tips block
  most ambient noise.


• Very comfortable to wear
  for long sessions.
  CONS


• Wired connection only
  (though MMCX connections
  mean you could use a
  third-party Bluetooth
  adapter).


• Pricey for the average user
  response.
  PRICE
  $244
  COMPANY
  Etymotic