Etymotic ER-6i White

The iPod and its various brethren digital storage hard-disk players have probably done more for great portable audio than anything since the original WalkMan. Etymotic has kindly returned the favor and designed an earphone specifically for iPods & Mp3 players. Slightly 'warmer' tonally than the standard ER6, the ER6i model is an excellent earphone at this nice price; well-balanced and coherent-sounding, punchy and articulate, these cans provide good sonics for the money. And just because the cable is white doesn’t mean you must have an iPod to use them; the ER6i model has a lower impedance rating and is more efficient than the previous Etymotic ER6 editions so this ear canal headphone [ECH] very easily delivers clean, authoritative output from any portable player device or PC/laptop computer with great listening satisfaction especially in the upper mids & highs. Although the ER6i are naturally very lean in the bass response for bass-lovin' listeners, we've found their sonic detail and musical punch improve significantly, especially in the bass texture, when used with any portable headphone amp like one of our Mobile, Micro, or even our superb Portable Desktop series of HeadRoom head-amps.

Obtaining an intact ear canal seal with the Etymotics -- or with ANY earphone -- is crucially important. Please watch the Etymotic Insertion Video to learn more about proper in-ear headphone insertion techniques.

Although the ER-6i looks something like the basic earbuds given away free with portable udio devices, they're WAY better-sounding than what lowly 'earbud' designs can ever provide. These are basically miniaturized headphones that seal the ear canal thereby providing tremendous noise-blocking ability (isolation) along with excellent sound quality. The provided replaceable/disposable eartip sleeves (either a pliable 3-flanged silicon rubber 'x-mas tree' type or small expanding squishy foamies -- try both!) are inserted fairly deeply into the ear canal, thoroughly sealing it off and providing AT VERY LEAST minus -20dB of isolation from external noise. The earpiece armature on the ER6i is quite small and slim-profile, excellent for wearing under helmets or other headgear. The ER6i 'Y-cable' cord is about 4 feet long with equal lengths connected to each earpiece. The input impedance of these tiny micro-cans is an ultra-low 16 Ohms and the sensitivity is 108dB/0.126V, which means they are really easy to power properly from just about any portable player or computer source.