Etymotic Research ER2-XR Extended Response - In Ear Noise Isolating IEM Earphones with Detachable Cable

Product Information

The ER2XR is easily the best value of the three, being more lively than the warmer ER3XR, but more neutral and fun than the thinner ER4XR. Is there a small loss of clarity or detail in the treble when comparing the dynamic driver to the BA versions? I think so, but their exact treble response is not necessarily identical, so some of it may just be FR-related. In any case, I still think the ER2XR is quite detailed for its price. It does not sound grainy, congested or smoothed over, easily out-resolving cheaper IEMs like the Tin T2 and MH755 (I never use these since getting the ER2XR). As another point of reference, none of these IEMs is in the same tier as Stax SR-L500 in terms of detail. The ER2XR is ideal for musicians, audiophiles, and consumers on a budget, who are looking for in-ear monitors that are easy to drive, and prefer the added warmth in the bass frequencies. The ER2 takes a significant departure from the ER3 and ER4 in that the ER2 utilises a proprietary dynamic driver, but do note that they are not the first dynamic driver IEM from Etymotic (that honour goes to the original MC lineup). And of course, the significant price cuts compared to the ER3 and ER4 makes the ER2 a much more enticing offer for the masses. Etymotic’s target frequency response graph represents a “perceptibly flat” frequency response. Our goal is to have a flat frequency response curve when the music notes hit your eardrums. To achieve that, we need to account for the resonance inside the average ear canal, since IEMs bypass the outer ear structure. The result is the need for higher SPL in the 2-5k region (lower treble) for compensating said resonance. That is the reason for the “hump” in that region. The target curve that Etymotic is using for tuning our IEMs differs slightly from the Harmon preference curve. It was developed in-house more than 20 years ago, leveraging on our human hearing expertise and acoustics research. Etymotic’s target frequency response graph represents a “perceptibly flat” frequency response. Our goal is to have a flat frequency response curve when the music notes hit your eardrums. To achieve that, we need to account for the resonance inside the average ear canal, since IEMs bypass the outer ear structure. The result is the need for higher SPL in the 2-5k region (lower treble) for compensating said resonance. That is the reason for the “hump” in that region.

Unforgiving and will slap you with the reality that a soundstage in an iem is all made up inside your head. Compared to universal IEMs, custom IEMs (CIEMs) isolate better than most universal IEMs (UIEMs) and headphones as well. If comfort and isolation are the most important to you, then CIEMs are the way to go They also generally look better than OEMs. No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review. Good day! After 5 days of casual and critical listening, here’s my written review for the Etymotic ER2SE. Speedy realist!​With a bright and clear sound and a good amount of soundstage, KZ SZ10 Pro is one of the best budget IEMs out there. A bit heavier on the bass, but overall nicely balanced. If treble is a bit too sharp for you, then you can tone it down with a different ear tip. Highlights: Like the higher priced and more famous ER4 models, there are two ER2 versions: the SE and the XR. While the ER2SE sports a flat balance (designed for critical listeners/audio professionals), the XR has a little more bass oomph. So, the ER2XR will probably be the more fun choice for casual listeners. And, of course, especially if you’re a drummer of bass player, the XR is a more suitable option for stage use than the SE. These are a Korean Single Dynamic earphone that are tuned to be very neutral close to the Harman target response. This earphone has a bump in the sub-bass below 100 Hz, otherwise super neutral. The IE 40 Pro is saved partly because of their wider soundstage and lateral arrangement. If not for this we would have seen a lot more masking and bleed from bass to mids. The ER2SEs play in a (slightly) narrower stage, and yet have similar or even more breathing space between the details. Of course the ER2SE paid the price of bass-impact. And if your playlist reaches low frequently you will miss some juice with the ER2SE. On tonality, to add a slight bump around the 4.5kHz treble area to improve perceived clarity, and to increase the overall upper treble response to improve perceived transparency and spaciousness.

Took a while to get used to the fit, although I have used deep fit tips before so I was prepared for the feeling. The ER2XR sports a single driver. And like the other Etymotic models, it has detachable MMCX connectors, which is a huge selling point for the company. As we all know, cables are the first thing to break. And if longevity is a concern, then ER2XR is a great option at this price point.IEMs generally have better isolation and sound in general because they are transmitting directly into your ear canal, rather than diffusing. This means that the bass response will be tighter with less sibilance. The soundstage can be better with some earbuds, but they also have worse imaging. Comfort is subjective, some people prefer IEMs, others prefer earbuds. Are Headphones better than IEMs? The ER2XR shells are made of anodized aluminum, CNC machined with extremely tight tolerances. Using a single dynamic driver allows for a very accurate IEM without the added complexity of crossovers, and helps keep the aluminum body small and slim. Included is a user-replaceable cable. The bass is there (XR set) and pleasingly solid, although a bit light for my personal taste – my primary set is the Sony XBA N3 – but the tonality is excellent. I can put up with having to Eq a bit to get the best sound, but I can’t stand sets like the 1More Triple Driver that just sound “off” tonally and need major work to get sounding close to accurate.

Highs: Pleasant to the ears, and super clear. The highs are smooth and detailed, and they never touch sibilance. Detail retrieval is not BA level, but the dynamic drivers squeeze every bit they can. Cymbal hits carry some weight to their notes and sound well rounded. There are some improvements to be noted, for instance the in-your-head congested feeling of the ER4s now sound like average IEM imaging instead (it’s an improvement, but it’s not amazing either) and the bass response is a little better as well. Though if you’re looking for proper bass, the ER2 would run circles around the EVO in terms of realism and actual weight. The IE 40 Pro, released end of last year, is a great monitoring IEM that has seen a lot of unanimous praise in these circles. Designed for stage monitoring use, they impressed me with very good clarity and usability for the price. The target curve that Etymotic is using for tuning our IEMs differs slightly from the Harmon preference curve. It was developed in-house more than 20 years ago, leveraging on our human hearing expertise and acoustics research.

If you enjoyed BLON but disliked the fit, or just want a step up, then HBB Mele might be an excellent choice for you. This is a great set that plays many genres well, especially drums and guitars, and is perfect for those looking for a warm-sounding set with a great timbre. But the ER2… the ER2 is an anomaly. There is absolutely no point in benchmarking similarly-priced IEMs against it because of how unreasonably highit would set the bar. Now, this doesn’t mean that the ER2 becomes the automatic, default option in its price range because there are absolutely reasons why you would not like it. It is not the perfect, do-everything IEM and there may be others that suit your own personal tastes better than it ever could. Very high passive noise isolation (35-42dB) from the deep insertion design. Essential as hearing protection for an on-stage performer.