Etymotic Research ER6i Headphone Reviews

Manufacturer Etymotic Research Model ER6i
Headphone Type Canal Headband Type None
Weight (g) 30 Driver Type Dynamic
Enclosure Material Plastic Isolation (dB) 20
Impedance (ohms) 16 Cable Length (cm) 150
Frequency Response (Hz) 20 - 16000  
Connector 3.5mm Street Price US$120
Buy from Amazon.com  
Average reviewer scores
Bass Extension 4.8 Bass Impact 4.5
Bass Quality 5.8 Mids Quality 6.8
Highs Quality 7.3 Soundstage 5.3
Detail 7.0 Portability 8.5
Isolation 8.8 Comfort 6.8
Durability 6.0 Improvement With Amplification 5.0
Value for Money 6.8    
Overall Score 6.5 Total Reviews 4

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Reviews by our members

Review by Senior Member pez on 25 Mar 08  18:56
Individual review
Bass Extension6
Bass Impact5
Bass Quality9
Mids Quality8
Highs Quality10
Detail9
Comfort7
Durability8
Value9

Will update this later.

Review by Senior Member Trager on 24 May 07  13:11
Individual review
Bass Extension4
Bass Impact4
Bass Quality5
Mids Quality7
Highs Quality7
Detail7
Comfort8
Durability5
Value7

Definitely not for the bass-lover, but as a first set of upgrade phones, these are just fantastic. They sound very good unamped and were very comfortable off the bat for me. Your mileage may vary, however... some people love the Ety sound and fit, some people absolutely hate it. If you are someone who tends to boost mids/highs on your EQ setting, these are perfect starter phones for you.

Review by Member anonymous on 17 May 06  13:31
Individual review
Bass Extension6
Bass Impact6
Bass Quality6
Mids Quality7
Highs Quality7
Detail8
Comfort8
Durability7
Value9

A friend of mine had these and I wanted them, but had to wait for the black version as I just can't handle a white cord. :p

I've had these plugged into a Nano for the past couple months. They sound MUCH better than my previous Sony EX71's. Whereas, the Sony's always gave me an uncomfy jarring effect from the overblown bass and lack of any definition...the Ety's can lose me in the music for hours.

Also, I can listen to these without any sort of eq adjustment whatsoever. They sound just fine. I keep them in a nice little felt lined "runts" tin. :D

-Paid $100 from pcnation

EDIT 1: I just wanted to add a few things.

FIT - Once I started putting the phones in at an upward angle, I found I could use the triple flanges without any pain whatsoever. The seal that way is quite a bit better and adds isolation as well as the much desired "bass."

BASS - It's not EX71 BOOMY, it's there. Just as the artist intended it. It doesn't overpower any of the other instruments and leaves vocals where they should be...front and center. It's imperative you obtain a good, comfy seal and this has taken me almost a month to perfect.

FLAT - It's definitely not -_- like some headphones. It's fairly flat, meaning all the proper freq's get attention. No one is robbing from the other guy. There was a time when I enjoyed MEGA bass, or LOUD. But after spending some time with a pair of Sennheiser 580's, I've found myself now prefering the sound of all the freq's in harmony. I almost always turn the eq's off of devices and rarely any sort of sound altering toy/tweak.

Anyway, if you do buy these...be prepared to invest some time into the fit and sound. After a couple of weeks, I'm sure you come to the same conclusion as I.

:D

Review by Member jonli on 19 Nov 05  12:05
Individual review
Bass Extension3
Bass Impact3
Bass Quality3
Mids Quality5
Highs Quality5
Detail4
Comfort4
Durability4
Value2

I bought these headphones as a replacement for my Sony MDR-EX71's. Instead, I ended up with more of a utility headphone as they only my choice when mowing the lawn or listening while flying.

The sounds from the headphones is flat. Rock, Classical, Jazz, and Electronic all sound dead without using a headphone amp. There is virtually no bass whatsoever. As these headphones are marketed for use with iPods (given their white color), I found it extremely disappointing that even with the bass boost turned on, there was still virtually no bass.

Isolation-wise, they are fantastic. The seal that can be created is unmatched in any other headphone that I've tried. This effect is caused by following their very detailed insertion instructions. But proper insertion puts the headphones so far into your ear that it almost becomes painful. If you want a good seal, don't expect to wear them for very long without discomfort.

Don't expect to be able to take them off very easily either. If I simply do the pull-and-twist, the interchangable head sometimes disconnects from the driver unit and I'm stuck with a rubber cone lodged in my ear. There have been some instances where I needed tweezers to remove them.

For the price I paid, they're just not worth it.

Etymotic Research ER6i
Etymotic Research ER6i