FREE Shipping On Orders Over $49, or $4.95 Flat Rate!  |  800-828-8184 

Headphones

Etymotic ER-4S

Your Price: $186.99
MSRP $299.99
You Save: $113.00 (38%)
  • Availability: In Stock
  • This Item Ships Free
HeadRoom 30 Day Guarantee
best price guarantee

One of the first and still remaining of the very best in-ear audiophile headphones, the ER-4S delivers outstanding sonic performance and ultimate clarity at this price. These earphones are exquisitely flat in their frequency response and have been used by professional location recording specialists for decades with little sign of their popularity declining. Somewhat inefficient and power-hungry at a stiff 100 Ohms impedance rating, you should consider a headphone amp for best use with iPods and portable players -- or select the low-impedance, slightly warmer-sounding ER-4P model for non-amped mobile applications.


compare this product

Product Features:

  • Exquisitely neutral, with pristine and well extended high frequencies.
  • Ear canal headphones provide the best isolation of any can.
  • Wide variety of tips ensure you'll find a good fit.
  • Surprisingly durable with replaceable filters for long use life.

What's In The Box:

  • hard case
  • travel pouch
  • 1/4" adaptor
  • 3 pair silicon tips
  • 5 pair foam tips
  • 2 pair replacement filters
  • filter removal tool
  • shirt clip

Frequency Response for the Etymotic ER-4S

It's hard to imagine that such superb sound can come from such tiny objects, but trust us: these ER4S ear canal headphones [ECHs] are a traveler's best friend. "Extremely detailed across the entire musical spectrum", "well-balanced", and "amazing highs" are just a few phrases used around here to describe the audiophile sound of the Etymotic ER-4S. A lovely sonic check-out from the hectic & noisy 'real world' is what the Etys promise—and they will deliver. The minimum -23db of isolation leave the ER-4S unrivaled by any closed/sealed headphone or by active "noise-cancelling" headsets. Wearing comfort with all in ear headphones depends solely on your ear canals—85% of people find the design fairly comfortable to wear—and if you find the stock eartip sleeves too uncomfortable to deal with, one can always get audiologist-customized ear molds made exclusively for you by the good folks over at Sensaphonics or Westone Labs. The ER4S delivers a very well-extended midrange & ultra-clear treble response that might qualify as one the very best in the ear canal headphone category. However, funk-loving listeners who enjoy a big, full bass presence might find the Ety sound signature a tad lean in the bottom-end for their tastes. The ER-4S are one of the few earphones that require a dedicated portable headphone amp to sound their best. Their very stiff 100-ohm impedance rating makes them slightly hard-to-drive--and thus somewhat 'flat-sounding' and undynamic--when plugged directly into most portable audio players (iPods, Mp3 players) or laptop computers, unless you use a quality portable head-amp like one from our HeadRoom Mobile, Micro, or Desktop series! Please consider the nearly-identical Etymotic ER-4P model for non-amped use.

The high-impedance, single microdriver Etymotic ER-4S provides excellent sound quality while remaining small enough for total traveling convenience. Contrary to popular belief, the chances of hearing damage are actually lessened with the Etys and other ear canal headphones because of their amazing isolation properties—you don't need to turn them up as loud to overcome external ambient noise in order to get full musical clarity and impact. The ER4S come with two different types of variously-sized earpieces: black foam-material tips and white flanged flex-silicon 'X-mas tree' type eartips. If you find that neither of these tip types works right for your particular ear geometry, you can have a custom ear-mold made by specialists like Sensaphonics or Westone Labs. The ER-4S also include a shirt clip that serves dual functions: to keep the tension from the cord off the ears, and to deaden that annoying microphonic "thump" sound made by accidental rubbing/body contact with the earphone cable. The Etys are terminated to a 1/8" (3.5mm) mini-plug with a 5-ft cord, and come in a nice, plastic storage/maintenance case that contains the following: 3 pairs of white flanged rubber tips; 5 pairs of black foam tips; 2 green internal filters; a filter-changing tool; a shirt clip; a hard-shell carrying pouch; and a handy 1/4" inch adapter to a full-size plug.

Obtaining a good ear canal seal with the Etymotics--or with ANY in-ear earphone--is critically important for best sound quality. Please watch the Etymotic Insertion Video to learn more about proper in-ear earphone insertion techniques.

Specifications:

  • Coupler Size: Small
  • Cord Type: Straight Y
  • Manufacturer Warranty: 2 years
  • Weight: 1 oz.
  • Cord Length: 5 ft. (1.5 m)
  • Detachable Cable: Yes
  • Driver Type: Dynamic
  • Ear Coupler Type: IEM
  • Noise Cancelling: No
  • Wireless: No
  • Microphone: No
  • Connector Type: 1/8"
  • Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
  • Headphone Type: In-Ear

Additional Resources:

Frequency Response for the Etymotic ER-4S

Frequency Response for the Etymotic ER-4S

Frequency Response for the Etymotic ER-4S

Reviews At A Glance
5 Reviews
None
1 Reviews
None
None

Average Rating 
(Showing 3 of 6 reviews)



Very neutral IEMs...which is what they should be
Posted by crispy98007 from Bellevue, WA on 2010-07-12

Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Still the industry standard
Cons: Can be uncomfortable after long periods, long break-in period, keep spare filters handy!

Owned these for years until they went overboard on a boat. Bought a new pair, and just like really good speakers, I realized they need a long break in period. If you get these put your CD player on repeat for several days before critical listening. What a difference after that. You need to insert these well into the ear canal to get the bass response, but if you do, they are NOT bass shy. No they don't have a boost in the midbass, they are just flat to very low frequencies. I use them with an Ipod 160GB Classic on travels and they are superb, all my music is ripped from CDs in .wav. No MP3s here. Extremely low coloration, very accurate (although maybe a little less 3D than say the Grado RS-1, but just as smooth), and none of that "metal dome" treble. For a portable phone, amazing. A steal at the price. I've owned ER-4Ps too, and I agree with another reviewer, these are smoother (better). Efficient enough for me, personally, without a headphone amp. When there is no ambient background noise, you don't need 110 dB in your ears (nor should you have for anything longer than a few seconds). No I have not tried the JH 13 Pros or the Shure 530s but I have my reservations about the time-alignment of multiple drivers fractions of an inch from your eardrums...fractions of a millimeter will likely degrade the sound, but I can't say for sure since I haven't owned them. Keep extra fliters and some alcohol wipes handy, there will be wax buildup eventually that causes loss of treble and channel imbalance. Superb phones. The very best-in-class? They're right up there for sure! Oh by the way EVERYBODY should carry ER-20 earplugs for loud environments. $12/pair and worth every penny. I buy them by the dozen and give them away.


Sound Quality
Comfort
Look & Feel
Durability

Did you find this review helpful?


9 years old and still going strong!
Posted by Scott from Rancho Murieta, CA on 2010-04-04

Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: comfortable, excellent noise isolation, very accurate
Cons: same lack of low end everybody else complains about

My ER-4S are 9 years old and I still love them as much as the day I bought them. I have evolved from driving them with the original Airhead amp and a CD player to the original 5gb iPod and now with my iPhone. Over the past several years I have gotten rid of the Airhead and I still very much enjoy my ER-4S even without the amp.

The reviews others have done on the audio quality are accurate so I am not going rehash them. Let me say this; Again mine are 9 years old and have probably 1000's of hours on them 95% of which is in an airplane. They have never failed me, never fallen apart, the cord is original, and they still sound fantastic.

Folks these are some of the original consumer ear buds and they work great. I do not think the ER-6's were even available when I bought these! Anyway I still have 'em and I still love 'em. By the way Etymotics customer service is 2nd to none. You can all a speak to a live person anytime you wish. Though I will clarify that I have never called them about anything to do with my ER-4's. I am also an Ety Com user which I initially had some problems with when I used with my first iPhone hence the customer service comment.


Sound Quality
Comfort
Look & Feel
Durability

Did you find this review helpful?


Better Sound Quality than the ER-4P
Posted by VinnieVidi from NYC on 2010-01-24

Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: sound, fit, isolation, durability, extras
Cons: not suited for portable listening

The only Etymotic model that trumps the ER4P is the ER4S. When used with a headphone amp. the S model proves wrong the claim that Etymotics are bass deficient. The only downside to the ER4S is that they are not efficient enough for an iPod. Because of this, the ER4P with the impedance adaptor is—in my opinion—a better buy. Otherwise, these are fantastic IEMs for just about any one except maybe for dance and rap fanatics.


Sound Quality
Comfort
Look & Feel
Durability

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you?


Show All Reviews

Recommended Accessories

Amps

Product 1
our price:
$99.00
sugg. retail price:
$99.00
add to cart more info

HeadRoom Total AirHead

Put a Total AirHead between your portable player and a pair of high-quality headphones-- your head will be oh-so happy.

Product 1
our price:
$159.00
sugg. retail price:
$159.00
add to cart more info

HeadRoom Total BitHead

You'll be totally amazed how good your computer and iPod can sound!

Product 1
our price:
$399.00
sugg. retail price:
$399.00
add to cart more info

HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp

Sixteen cubic-inch portable listening room that runs on rechargeable batteries!

Product 1
our price:
$1,199.00
sugg. retail price:
$1,199.00
add to cart more info

HeadRoom Portable Desktop Amp

Perfected & beautifully refined over five generations, the Portable Desktop Amp/DAC is like having a high-end listening room in your briefcase.

Replacement Parts

Product 1
our price:
$18.00
sugg. retail price:
$18.00
add to cart more info

Etymotic ER-4 Glider Eartips

Extra-Comfortable 'Glider' Eartip Sleeves for ER-4 models. 3 pairs

Product 1
our price:
$18.00
sugg. retail price:
$18.00
add to cart more info

Etymotic ER 4 Small Frost Rubber Tips

Lovely new soft silicon tips for your Ety ER4 earphones.

Product 1
our price:
$18.00
sugg. retail price:
$18.00
add to cart more info

Etymotic ER-4 Rubber Tips

Replacement white/grey silicon-rubber eartips for the Ety ER-4 series. Package of ten.

Product 1
our price:
$16.00
sugg. retail price:
$16.00
add to cart more info

Etymotic ER-4 Filters

If you note distortion or dropout in your Ety ER-4s, it's likely time to change these tiny green filters.

Product 1
our price:
$11.00
sugg. retail price:
$11.00
add to cart more info

Etymotic ER-4 Filter Removal Tool

Pricey yes, but will easily snag the tiny replaceable filters in ER-4 earpiece nozzles.