ER2XR way too dark?

Submitted by smalg2 t3_116sa05 in headphones

I just got a pair of ER2XR, and to my surprise, they sound very dark to my ears. So dark it almost feels like I'm listening to music sampled at 22kHz instead of 44kHz... There's definitely some treble, but it just sounds... muted? I tried several devices / DACs, without EQ, with the same results. Granted, I come from brighter IEMs (7Hz Zero, T3+, S12) but even the T3+, which are by far the warmest of the lot, sound a lot brighter than the Etymotics, much more than what FR charts would lead me to believe. Is this to be expected, or am I doing something wrong? I get pretty nice bass so I guess I'm getting a good seal (currently using biflange L tips, but same results with the triple-flange). Does it sound like there's a problem with my pair, or should I just try different tuning filters, maybe the brown or white ones? Thanks in advance!

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mcjasonb t1_j98ga04 wrote

Etys aren’t bright really. They are more mid-range focused.

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smalg2 OP t1_j98harn wrote

Well, at least I'm not crazy... I'll keep experimenting, thanks!

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mcjasonb t1_j98i65i wrote

A lot of people who have never heard an Ety associate them with being bright and bass light. Some are definitely on the bass light side, but none are actually bright. Etys have a really good mid-range though, that’s what they should be known for.

You may be able to add some brightness with a little EQ.

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smalg2 OP t1_j98jlfg wrote

Coming from the S12, the Etymotics surely taught me a lesson on the difference between bright and neutral! Although bass sounds really nice to me with the XR. I'm definitely considering EQ too (I basically only use the T3+ "stock") but only once I'm confident I got the hang of the "Etymotic ear insertion" 😅 Not totally there yet... Thanks again!

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mcjasonb t1_j98ka93 wrote

I have the ER4SR, but I enjoy the Hexa and Timeless AE more. I’ll keep them around though. I like having a few different flavors around.

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dimesian t1_j98g9a3 wrote

I find the ER2XR very neutral but everyone perceives sound differently. I tried their filter kit just out of interest and it works very well, I discovered that I don't enjoy listening to music with the ER2XR and that neutral isn't my thing so it was worth the modest expense.

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smalg2 OP t1_j98h692 wrote

Makes sense, it took me a bit by surprise honestly... I'll keep experimenting with different tips / insertion techniques. Next is probably EQ and different filters... We'll see. Thanks for your insight!

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Obvious-Concept8744 t1_j9bfyuh wrote

Man I feel ya, It happened exactly the same to me when I got my er2se this month, and after been using my koss ksc75 after several months using the etys felt so weird, now I'm also about to return them and just buy an hexa or a wangzu zentian. Also tried eq, it helped, but wasn't enough

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Obvious-Concept8744 t1_j9bg54s wrote

I used stock tips btw and both apple and 7hz dongle. Also please update!

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smalg2 OP t1_j9bkoly wrote

Ooh the 7Hz dongle, I was eyeing this one for a bit before settling on the iBasso DC03Pro (the hardware physical volume buttons sold it for me, looking at you Android). Can I ask what you think of the 7Hz one?

Also thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Etys, at least I know I'm not alone 😅 Crazy how reading reviews and random comments gave me totally unrealistic expectations about them...

After reading the reply of u/thatcarolguy in another thread I'm about to try a much more heavy-handed approach to EQing them, will definitely keep you updated. Thanks again!

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Obvious-Concept8744 t1_j9bzlmn wrote

About the 7hz dongle, it's good, I was also eyeing the Ibasso but I was short in money so I just went with 7hz lol, about the sound quality, its better than apple dongle, and u don't need UAPP to just use it like apple does, I can't compare it to other dacs tho since these 2 are the only ones that I own, but after reading looooots and looots of reviews in several forums, I'd say both 7hz and Ibasso 03 pro are among/are the best budget options.

Now about the Etys, yeah I had lot of expectations since I was able to get a good fit, but the sound just wasn't pleasant to even hear it for some minutes, If u are able to get a good EQ then, please share it, I would appreciate it a lot!

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smalg2 OP t1_j9ei42v wrote

Yeah these little dongles sure sound good for the money, I'm definitely happy with mine! Only issue with the iBasso is it requires you to use the buttons to set the volume even when using it on a computer, since it doesn't support volume control through USB at all. Strange design decision, and with 100 volume steps it can be a little tedious, but it's pretty much my only complaint. It sounds great, so that's what matters most!

I just shared a very simple EQ profile in another comment, if you want to give it a try. I do like the Etymotics tonality with the treble boost, but oratory1990's preset also sounds good, just different. I haven't tried his Harman preset though, usually not a fan of these. But the Etys sound great to me now, I'm definitely keeping them, hopefully it will work for you too!

Edit: here's oratory1990's USOUND1V1 preset with some treble boost on top, it sounds a little bit different, but oh so good:

Preamp: -7.0 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 180 Hz Gain 3.0 dB Q 0.710
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 300 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 1.000
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1000 Hz Gain 4.5 dB Q 1.300
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1370 Hz Gain -7.2 dB Q 1.000
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2500 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 2.000
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain 7.5 dB Q 1.000
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 11000 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 5.000

Hope this helps!

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RoyalBadger3665 t1_j98ojxn wrote

I just tested mine vs my Salnotes zero and I can see what you mean. I’d agree with others commenting that they’re neutral and the zeros have a warmer tuning that enhances treble. The XR version is also supposed to have more bass, in comparison to the ER2SEs (have not tested those).

Personally, my Etymotics are a special use case where I need best noise cancellation possible. I would rather have neutral sounding and hear no noise than have warmer sounding but be distracted!

If you find a good way to EQ them I would love to try, so please update!

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smalg2 OP t1_j98t9a2 wrote

Yeah it's really weird, I keep going back and forth between different sets, and everytime I put the Etymotics on, it feels like I'm listening through a tube... Not a tube amp mind you, but an actual tube 😅 Like some part of the upper frequencies were chopped off. Listening to some rock songs earlier, there was almost no treble at all... I can't believe I'm writing this given the praise they receive, but for now they're my worst sounding set, noticeably worse than the 7Hz Zeros, at least tuning-wise... Not giving up just yet though.

I haven't tried to EQ them yet, but oratory1990 made EQ profiles for them, and they do seem to boost the treble a good amount (look for "ER-2", he added an extra dash in the name). His EQ profiles were always a good starting point for me!

Edit: just tried his "oratory1990 target" preset and yes, it does help a bit. Still a bit "soft" though, despite +5dB at 8K. Oh well... Nevermind, it was a song issue. It's much better now.

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----_________------ t1_j98viwa wrote

hmm, while they are dark, it shouldn't be by that much. try different tips, because sometimes, your ear canal can sort of bend and close off the tips

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smalg2 OP t1_j99r3v7 wrote

> hmm, while they are dark, it shouldn't be by that much.

This is what I've been thinking since I've got them... Etymotics are usually described as very natural-sounding, but there's nothing natural with the sound I'm getting, unless you're listening to someone talk with a pillow over their face. I'm barely exaggerating...

I don't get it. I've tried all the included tips, and also gave CP100+ with inserts a try, but as long as they fit and seal, they all sound pretty much the same. Bass and lower midrange are fine, but at some point the upper frequencies just took a vacation and never came back. It sucks the life out of every song I listen to. EQ helps somewhat, but they still sound... "muffled"? Even my old Yamaha EPH-100 which have a big dip in the upper mid-range sound much clearer than that.

I'm honestly starting to think I got a dud...

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thatcarolguy t1_j9b14ea wrote

They are not natural sounding. They are very dark, especially if you insert them as deep as they are supposed to be which not all people who measured them and made graphs for us have done.

When I had an ER2SE it required a 10 dB boost of both bass and treble. Luckily it has very low distortion and can take EQ like a champ.

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smalg2 OP t1_j9biucu wrote

Thank you so much!! I was kind of losing my mind over this haha... The XR's bass isn't that bad, but the treble still sounds soft even when using oratory1990's preset with a 5dB boost at 8k. Even stronger EQ it is, then! For real, thank you 🙏

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thatcarolguy t1_j9b0uyx wrote

With properly deep insertion my ER2SE was even darker than Oratory's and required a 10 dB treble hump.

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lowpewpew t1_j9cf9yc wrote

u/smalg2, YES!! ! I have the same exact impression as you! My ER2XR also doesn't sound like the FR curves I found. "Muted", I'm not sure of, but Dark is definitely how I describe them.
However, as others have mentioned, their midrange is their strength, and I use them primarily when I want intimate vocals or quiet immersive instrumentals.
I do EQ a lot so I have a few profiles for them, but since the FR on internet is not helpful, I gotta do it mostly with my own ears.

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No-Context5479 t1_j99tt8y wrote

u/smalg2, well yes doing a side by side comparison of their FRs and you see clearly the ER2XR has a slightly better low mid and uppermids presence than the S12 right until roughly 2.9kHz, then it starts gliding downwards rapidly to around -10dB at 10kHz whilst the S12 keeps enough energy from the 3kHz to 10kHz region(and even gets peaky).

Yes going from the S12 to the ER2XR is a jarring switch. The Air Frequencies beyond 10kHz have the same intensity so trailing ends of violins, cymbal crashes will still be present but the meat and body of these instruments will be a bit lost...

Here's the comparison graph - https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/graphtool/?share=Harman_IE_2019_v2_Target,ER2XR_S3,S12_Shuoer

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smalg2 OP t1_j99w293 wrote

Thanks for your input! Yes I understand the S12 are quite bright, and I wasn't expecting the same brightness in the ER2XR, this is even part of why I bought them. However I now have the opposite issue: I find the ER2XR way too dark, even darker than my old Yamaha EPH-100, although looking at their FR it doesn't look like it should be the case... They're honestly the worst-sounding piece of audio gear I've ever owned, which doesn't seem right given all the praise they receive, hence this post. Faulty unit? Weird ear canal shape? I honestly have no idea, but after spending a day trying everything I could think of, I'm very close to returning them...

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No-Context5479 t1_j99wm00 wrote

Well from the graph your Yamaha has a worse case called having peaks because there's so much depression in a range... Makes the next highest point sound peaky... If you look at the ER2XR it's a gradual descent so it gradually gets dark whilst your Yamaha has that hole in the upper mids but gets increadly sharp at 7.9kHz approximately... Yeah that's dark but bright at the same time...

The Etymotic isn't that way it's gradual downward slope with zero peaks so there's no brightness sticking out from the dark. So yeah that can make the Yamaha sound dark and bright at the same time whilst the ER2XR will sound dark all the way to 20kHz because there's no unevenness in the treble... It's purely a slow glide

If you don't like the Etymotic get rid of it... And get another neutral set... The FATfreq Reference or the VSonic GR07 Classic is a good neutral set to get

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smalg2 OP t1_j99zezo wrote

What's puzzling me is that what I hear doesn't match those FR charts. My Yamahas sound a bit weird but are still fun, they were my only pair for almost a decade and I didn't feel the need to upgrade until they developed a channel imbalance. But to me the Etymotics sound bad, almost phone-like, and I have a hard time understanding how what I hear could get any praise, much less the cult following they seem to have... It feels like a lot of $20 chifi IEMs could do better, and the 7Hz Zero actually do, hands down. Which is why I suspect some ear canal shape incompatibility (given their unusual insertion depth), a faulty unit, or something along those lines. I'm seeing an audio nerd friend soon, I'll ask her what she thinks about them, but at that point it would take some "Eureka moment" for me to keep them. Thank you for spending the time trying to help me though...

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smalg2 OP t1_j9eg5nx wrote

Ok time for a little update. After a lot of experimenting, and to the surprise of probably nobody but myself, my ER2XR aren't faulty, Etymotics are just massively darker than what I had anticipated. That's what reading reviews of audio gear on the Internet gives you, I guess...

Nothing an EQ can't fix though, so I tried oratory1990's USOUND1V1 EQ preset with promising results, despite the USOUND1V1 target throwing the Etymotics' tonality out the window. What really did it for me was the 8kHz boost, although 5dB just wasn't enough for my taste, so here's what I settled on for now:

Preamp: -7.2 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain 7.5 dB Q 1.000
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 11000 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 5.000

What it looks like. Usual disclaimer, this is what I like, for the music I listen to, and may not suit anybody but me. However I can finally listen to music without feeling the need to push the volume to unreasonable levels just to hear some treble. The Etymotics now sound great to me too! I can finally understand where the praise comes from, and just witnessed myself bobbing my head to some music while writing this.

Huge thank you to everyone who took the time to help! You saved the Etymotics for me. I might give the tuning kit a try in the future, but for now I'm perfectly happy with this simple EQ profile. Cheers!

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