Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones (Black) Reviews

• Very Good Audio Engineering, Pathetic Human Factors Engineering and an interesting stopgap measure.

  
  By A25LM23UM50GD on 2006-11-16
  This review is based on my owning my second set of Etymotic ER6-series IEMs (in-ear-monitors). The first set was the etymotic ER6B (headphones with worse base response than the ER6-i), different internal configuration and provided with a different set of earpieces. I got them on sale from a retailer and the experience was disastrous. The second set of ER6-iB ('B' for 'black') is very adequate, with great sensitivity (wonderful for the human voice), very good accuracy and a surprisingly roomy sound for such tiny drivers. Be that as it may, the things that you get with the sound when you buy either headphone are a pain in the neck and then some.
  
  Like all noise-blocking in-ear-monitors, the ER6-series, requires insertion deep into the ear canal to block outside sound and to deliver base-notes effectively and getting the ER6s into the ear is no problem: getting them out is a killer. Without tips, the length of each ER6-i driver-housing is a little less than the width of my thumbnail and while adjusting my first pair for optimal base, I ended up pushing them so deep into my ears that I couldn't get them out again without pulling on the very thin, very delicate cord attached them which Etymotic's manual specifically tells you *not* to do and with good reason. My brand-new, ninety-dollar headphones ended up dead on the right side within a day of my buying them.
  
  As it turns out, the damage to them was a lucky thing because in-ear-monitors aren't accepted for discretionary returns by retailers; because having gone into one a body-orifice as part of their function, they can't be resold and my retailer accepted mine only because the phones were 'defective.' I was embarrassed to get my money back on that basis, but it was better than eating a ninety-dollar loss to find out that Etymotic's dream headphones should come with the recommendation that you carry a needle-nosed pliers around with you so you can pull them out of your ears without destroying them.
  
  This brings us to my second pair, why I bought them, and what I did with them when I got them.
  
  I liked the sound of the ER6Bs I'd owned--that is, before I'd had to take them out of my ears--and I'd heard/read that the ER6-i's were better headphones than the ER6s--with enhanced base response to improve the awful sound that comes out of ipods. This meant that where the ER6 had good sound, the ER6-i's sound was better. I wanted to know how much better so I gave them a chance again, only this time, I knew about the extraction problem and I soon got an idea of what to do about it.
  
  The ER6-series monitors have a small, rectangular knob at the end, set atop a tiny flange of flexible plastic and not long after buying the second set and really liking the sound, it occurred to me that I could tie a one-way slip-knot in a piece of fishing line and then tie that to base of the knob on each headphone and then cutting off the end of the line about an inch from the body of each driver-housing after tying a small knot in it to provide a grip.
  
  The result is that using this simple idea borrowed from high-end, 'all-in-the-ear' hearing aids-lets me yank the ER6-i's out of my ears with no problem and with no strain on the ultra-delicate cords that hold the 'phones together and I'm very happy with their sound as 'walking around' headphones. I would certainly have given the 'phones an extra star or two if Etymotic had thought of and implimented this or some other simple solution. Shure E3s offer sound that is not that much worse than that provided by the ER6-is and they are better designed and far more robust.
  
  I hope you find this review and suggestion useful.
  
  

• Blocks the noise, lets the music sing through

  
  By A24J2Y1O22JYZX on 2006-02-09
  This is the black version of the popular Etymotic er-6i headphones, previously available only in white. Etymotic Research introduced this color to complement the iPod Nano and other new iPod models which are available in colors other than white. The ER6i's increased sensitivity over the standard ER6 makes them an excellent choice for an iPod or any other portable MP3 or portable media player.
  
  The er-6i is Etymotic's entry-level noise-isolating earphone. Unlike "noise-cancelling" headphones, which use electronic circuitry to cancel noise (and which can interfere with music and movie playback sound quality), "noise-isolating" earphones like the ER-6i work like earplugs. They are inserted all the way into the ear, forming a tight seal which blocks out external noise but lets pure sound come through the integrated ear-speakers.
  
  Because they reduce external noise levels, they make an excellent choice for frequent fliers. No longer must you crank up the volume to drown out the aircraft engine noise. Now you can simply insert the etymotics into your ears and listen to your music or movies at a comfortable level. They're also much smaller than bulky around-the-ear headphones and come with a compact travelling case for greater portability.
  
  All-in-all, an excellent value and a good choice for those who don't want to sacrifice quality for the sake of portability. For more details, check out the complete review on BigPictureBigSound.com.
  
  

• Big sound, very pleased.

  
  By A1SSNW9K00V9IH on 2006-04-04
  These headphones will not dissapoint unless you like your deep bass in classical or similar types of music. They don't really have the ability to reproduce sound under 45Hz all that well, but all in all, it's an excellent set of headphones for listening to an ipod or such at the gym.
  
  I have no problem hearing clear bass from Bob Marley reggae tracks, popular music like Black Eyed Peas, etc that are usually bass-heavy in the 50-80Hz range. Pop and dance music with bass in the 80-120Hz range is more then adequete.
  
  In order to get the bass to sound well, you will have to experiment a bit with the various headphone plugs that come with it. I find the best bass to be from the foam earplugs. The other earplugs in the picture are more comfortable but do not isolate the sound as much, but still do a very good job overall.
  
  The vocals and general clarity of these headphones are fantastic, they are by far the best headphones I've ever owned. I'd like to try the models with the dual and triple drivers (bass/high or bass/mid/high) but they are in the $300+ price range so that's not in my budget.
  
  Overall I'm extremely pleased with these headphones and I'm looking forward to hitting the gym again.... (one less excuse now!) :)
  
  

• Great for the Gym

  
  By A2SUTZRQY7DOIN on 2007-02-14
  After trying many portable headphones for the last ten years, I've finally settled two: the Sennheiser PX100 (with the Koss Porta Pro a close runner up) and these Etymotic phones. The Sennheiser's are great for where you need a little sound to infiltrate the headphones, such as bike riding (not something I'd recomend to inexperienced bicyclists). But at the gym, where the machines are noisy, the spin cyclist class plays god-awful music at top volume and people talk (more on that later), these are the best. With the Sennheiser I had to turn the volume up so high that the batteries were quickly drained, not to mention the damage to my already fragile hearing.
  
  A few pointers. I almost returned them after the first listen. But then I remembered that headphones need to be "broken in" by playing them for awhile. I hooked them up to my stereo and played CD's all night. Big difference the next day. Also, try the different ear plugs. The plastic ones were absolutely horrible for my ears. The grey foam pads worked better. On the Etymotic website they have white ones that are smaller than the grey ones. These worked best for me (narrow ear canals I guess). Order extra filters. I had one plug up on me fairly quickly. Finally, don't wear these where you need to speak with people. You can't hear people talk with these in your ears and music playing. You can barely hear people with the music off. Pulling them in and out is a pain (and people probably don't want to see your ear wax).
  
  Oh, almost forgot. The sound. Great. With no outside noise, the sound comes through wonderfully. They may lack a bit on the bass, but compared to regular headphones at the gym, the improvement is astounding.
  
  Addendum: I originally wrote the review above two years ago. Still using the earphones three times a week. The rubbery coating on the outside has come off, but they still work just fine. The foam plugs get smooshed down and covered with earwax after a few weeks. Just takes the plugs off and put them in a covered jar with hot water, shake around for a minute, then take out and dry. The ear wax should be gone and they'll plump up. Don't use too hot of water or the glue that holds the plastic tube to the foam may dissolve over time. Finally, the noise from the cords rubbing against your shirt can be annoying during quieter music and more energetic work out. This can be avoided by wrapping the cords around the back of your ears. Enjoy!
  
  
  

• The Search Is Over...Maybe

  
  By A2I9IO15NUIIHJ on 2006-12-29
  I haven't had these for very long, so I should probably reserve judgment. However, I am notoriously picky about my earbuds. Being a daily commuter who doesn't go anywhere without my iPod, and a stickler for good sound, I've been through countless earbuds.
  
  After reading about possible hearing loss from iPod use, I switched to noise reducing earbuds. I tried Sony's model, and they worked alright, but eventually one of the buds went silent. So I switched to Phillips' slightly cheaper brand. The sound quality wasn't as good. If I used sound check on the iPod, I'd have to turn the volume all the way up to avoid hearing a lot of external noise.
  
  I finally got these, based on recommendations from a co-worker, and they're great. The flanged tips that came already on the earbuds were a perfect fit. When I followed the directions for inserting them, I got a perfect seal the first time.
  
  When a co-worker came in and spoke to me while I was using them, I couldn't hear her, even when I paused the music. I had to take them out to hear her. And I had no trouble getting them out by twisting them according to the directions. The true test was wearing them on the subway, and they passed with flying colors. I heard very little external noise.
  
  What's more, I have sound check on again, and I find I now actually have to lower the volume on the iPod where I had to turn it all the way up before. Now I'm getting great sound and I feel like I'm saving my hearing too. Plus I'm hearing details in my music that I hadn't heard before!
  
  
• Amazing sound quality, but if you are looking for bass - move on...
  By A3JXT4ZRQJPJT2 on 2006-11-25
  These headphones are WONDERFUL, they sound great - truly show you the poor quality of mp3 and m4p.
  
  So you understand, here is my benchmark...I own these, Bose Triports (give me a break, they are comfortable), Sennheiser HD497 (not so comfortable, great sound), and the Sony MDR-EX71SL (cannot compare to any of these now).
  
  PROS:
  1) Clarity is unmatched - THESE ARE BY FAR THE BEST CLARITY AND QUALITY.
  2) Comfortable to wear.
  3) Block out all outside sound - almost to the point that they are noise cancelling because of the seal created on your ear.
  
  CONS:
  1) To get a decent level of bass you need to get a good seal on the ear. I had to use the 2 bevel ear adapters that came with them to get some good sound quality - balance of bass to treble.
  
  This is really not some much a negative attribute, but my wife does not like to wear these because she doesn't like - for lack of better wording - the suction that they create when you get them in good.
  
  Overall - would buy these 10 times over, they are wonderful!
  
  
• Unmatched isolation, great sound.
  By A1WZ9DQ6T4E383 on 2006-12-12
  I've had this product for about six months now. I've used them primarily for air travel. I generally use the included optional foam tips, while my wife uses the standard tips. It's generally a comfort issue - it's hard to predict which will be more comfortable for you, but both tips provide isolation comparable to top-notch earplugs.
  
  The sound quality is excellent - when I listen to music using these I notice elements of familiar songs that I have never heard before. And as I said, the isolation is great - I've used these as earplugs on the plane when not plugged into anything. No matter how much Bose spends on marketing, the simple reality is that "active" noise cancelling is far less effective than the passive noise blocking provided by in-ear phones such as these, and the noise cancelling hurts sound quality, too.
  
  The big difference between these and the other etymotic phones in this price range is that these are much easier to drive (i.e. get high volume output) using low power devices. My wife and I will often watch a DVD on her laptop during flights, and despite splitting the signal from a single headphone jack, we rarely have the volume up to half. I would strongly recommend the 6i's over the 6's if you intend to use them for portable use without a headphone amplifier.
  
  I'm not sure why others have had trouble taking these in and out. I can only assume they have narrower or deeper ear canals than I do. I have had little difficulty getting them in and out, or in getting a good seal. They do sometimes become uncomfortable (irritate my ear canal) if I am taking them on and off a lot, but this is more or less the same with any earplug. Also, I don't recommend using these if you are exercizing or moving around where ther are cars. I still use some standard earbuds when I go jogging.
  
  
• Work Well Under a Helment
  By A1NKATCTJII0II on 2007-06-12
  I bought these to use under my helment for long rides on the street. A recent 900 mile ride I was very pleased with them. They isolate the noise very well and the sound quality is very good. I was not looking for perfection in sound quailty since I am listening to my iPod at 65 mph. (For the CHP officers out there, I listen at a very low level and I am more aware of what is going on than 99% of the drivers of cars on the road). The only reason I could not give it 5 stars for is the discomfort I had if I had them pushed in too much. It is interesting balance between having them in far enough to kill the outside noise, but in too far in that can cause discomfort. Most of the time I had it right and it worked wellfor sound isolation as well as sound quality.
  
  The cords are a little thin so it is not clear how this well last. I interface the headphones to my Autocom motorcycle intercom which has a cord connecting to the system on the bike to my helment. The excess cable for the earbuds has to be stuffed in my riding jacket which is not a problem except I am concerned about it getting caught in the zipper.
  
  
• Excellent Pair of Earphones! 4.5 Stars
  By A3W5ASF40562R1 on 2007-09-12
  It was Christmas of '06, I saw these on sale, and after scouring the internet for reviews I thought I had struck audiophile gold! First, let me say that I have never bought a "real" pair of headphones (more than $20), so these were a big step up for me on the money ladder. Previously, I had been switching back and forth between a pair of Koss Sparkplugs and Sony over-the-ear headphones. I actually had to modify the Sparkplugs to reduce the thumping and muddied bass, so my ear was already attuned to the lifestyle of a basshead.
  
  The package arrived astonishingly fast, and came in a stylish small case. Unfortunately, the marketing department at Etymotic made an unforgivable boo-boo by choosing blister packaging over the logical clamshell style or even a simple box. After sustaining major battle wounds in opening said "container", I leapt for joy at sight of the sleek black earphones! A few minutes of rummaging around also revealed a compact black felt pouch, replacement filters, and an assortment of tips. Being new to this audiophile game, my eyes widened at the variety of tips; silicone or foam, big or small? Previously I had stuck phones in my ear with nary a thought, but Etymotic presented me with a bewildering variety of options. Eventually I narrowed it down to the large two-flange silicone tips and the medium-sized orange foam tips. Everyone's ears are different, so you may want to try the tips included in the package, but also call up Etymotic and ask for a sample pack of other eartips (FREE GOODIES)!
  
  At the time, I was sporting the slightly outdated Creative Zen Touch (20 GB), which was a decent audio player with good sound quality. My first thought after plugging these in was, "That's all?" But I kept an open mind, as I had just switched from a bass-heavy Koss to this pair. That turned out to be a good decision, as further experimentation led me to the conclusion that these earphones blow anything else out of the water!
  
  If you listen to the following advice then you will agree with the previous statement:
  
  First, for maximum sound quality you must use foam eartips; the flanged ones are good for casual listening, but will not bring out the best in these earphones.
  
  Second, roll up the eartip until it is very compact and stick it deep into your ear. For newbies like me, this may cause slight discomfiture, but for seasoned veterans this is a given for in-ear monitors.
  
  Third, use the provided plastic clip to attach the cord to your shirt. This will cut down on annoying background noise from the cable bumping against objects, like your body. It will also reduce the likelihood of the cord catching on some environmental hazard, like a doorknob, and thus rendering your latest purchase junk.
  
  Fourth, DO NOT RUN, BIKE, OR PERFORM SOME OTHER ACTIVITY where stoppering your ears might endanger you or someone else. These earbuds WILL block out nearly all external noise, and as such you should not be wearing these in a situation where you must respond to someone else's voice, because once that someone else resorts to hand signals to warn you, it will be too late. So find a quiet place like an airplane or lounge, and enjoy your music.
  
  Fifth, make sure you have a good mp3 player to drive these headphones. As I've stated earlier, the bass may seem lacking to some, but all you have to do is turn up the bass in the EQ settings to achieve a more than satisfactory result. I'm currently rocking a Cowon D2 on these babies, and can assert that these perform amazingly.
  
  In short, these earphones take a little while to adjust to, but that breaking-in period more than justifies the resulting beautiful sound. I would recommend this product mostly to those who listen to soundtracks, classical music, jazz, and vocal tracks, where these earbuds really bring out the nuances in the performances. Hip-hop, rock, and pop fans won't notice much of a difference because those genres are not high-quality audio anyway. These aren't made for everybody, but for me they've been an affordable yet quality alternative to the cheap headphones that come with every audio player.
  
  
• ER6i from a former ER4P Owner
  By A1583F2LN36VD3 on 2007-10-05
  For about 6-7 years I have been the very happy owner of a pair of Etymotic ER4Ps, which set me back about $350.00. I bought them for iPod listening on my Motorcycle, which was dangerous but proved to be a perfect solution for music at high speeds with lots of wind (BTW: I could hear pretty well with those in, as it seemed to limit wind noise but not sirens, etc).
  
  Anyway, I lost the headphones on a trip and in my 6-7 seven years of ownership, I managed to accumulate a wife and kids. This meant that even though the ER4Ps don't cost what they used to, they were out of the question.
  
  So, my review is more of a comparison between the ER6i and the ER4P with an iPod. Also, I'm not an audiophile. If you are the kind of chappie that can tell the difference between oxygen free speaker cables and 16 gauge generic wiring, look at someone else's review.
  
  The ER6i headphones provide excellent sound isolation, which I believe is much better than the Bose active isolation headphones that I've auditioned. If you're looking for something to put you into a cocoon, these (like the ER4Ps) will do the job perfectly. Do not bother with active isolation headphones. These are better for that purpose and for sound.
  
  The sound quality in the ER6i's is also very good. The purist in me knows that the ER4Ps are closer to the music, as the ER6i's bass response has been jacked up by a good margin. It's nice for rock and roll and it is generally pleasing. I think this may also come at the expense of some highs, but it is, overall, a very good sound and it's nothing that can't be corrected with a bit of EQ.
  
  The ER6i's are a notch louder than the ER4P's at any given volume. They show this on the Etymotic web site and it's evident to my ears.
  
  I like the construction of the ER6i better than the ER4Ps. The cable seems thicker and the buds seem less fragile. It's not a huge difference, however.
  
  Bottom line:
  
  Even if price were not a consideration, I would probably pick the ER6i headphones. I dig the increased bass response, even though it might sacrifice a smidge of purity. I use these things while I'm on flights or mowing the lawn. The added efficiency and more robust construction seem to be a better fit than the ER4Ps.
  
  Either way, you cannot go wrong with Etymotic. If you've had any time with the Apple headphones that come with your iPod, any Etymotics will be a huge breath of fresh air in terms of long term comfort, sound quality and volume. There is simply no comparison and it is almost criminal that there isn't a warning on every iPod: "This product comes with headphones that do not do this device justice. Get ye to Amazon.com where you can get a pair of Etymotic headphones and experience the full enjoyment that this device can offer."
  
  Look at it this way: you already over-paid for an MP3 player. You might as well take one more step into gross consumerism and get a pair of headphones that bring out the music!
  
  
• Outstanding earphones for true audiophiles only
  By ALUSNZATIXQQU on 2008-02-10
  Ok, I have to stick my two cents in beause some of these reviews are WAY off base. I've had these earphones for about 2 years now and they're outstanding. I think it needs to be said that if you're expecting bass that pounds your head and thumps like the kids' cars that blare music at 3 in the morning and makes windows rumble, then these earphones are NOT the ones for you. Etymotic is known for its impeccable clarity and clean, full, rich sound and designs its products for perhaps an older, more discerning crowd. I can understand why some of the mostly younger reviewers are disappointed because to them, bass is something you should "feel" and it should dominate the music rather than provide one of many complimentary layers in the tapestry of the music. So, in that sense, these reviewers are absolutely correct: these earphones do NOT thump or vibrate or shake or distort anything. These earphones simply provide absolute musical clarity and a crisp, clean, sound that enables one to hear details in songs that perhaps had never before been noticed. To me, THAT's an enjoyable music experience. To others, however, perhaps the view is that if it doesn't pound, there's something wrong with the sound...
  
  
• Expectations not met. General disagreement with typical positive review
  By A1BZ7CTBNSIP45 on 2007-05-02
  
  If you don't feel like reading the in depth review below, I can't blame you. It was longer than I intended. Here is a shorter, more direct summary review of the ER6i's:
  
  Pros:
  1. Can easily be driven by an Ipod (I read this was a problem with the original ER6 model)
  2. Blocks out practically everything when you are listening to music. Very isolated effect
  3. clear, neutral sound
  4. handy case included
  5. Variety of fitting flanges and a nifty tool with replacement filters included
  6. Excellent for acoustic and jazz music especially
  
  Cons:
  1. It feels like you have something clogging your ears, much more so than other, less intrusive ear canal phones.
  2. Bass not quite strong enough for my level of desirability. Does not sound good with music that has tremendous levels of bass.
  3. Arguably overpriced. Better overall sound can be had for same or in some cases less money. (Ear canal Style: Cx300, Portable headphone style: Sennhieser PX 100, home use style: Grado SR60)
  4. Not ideal for walking in public when crossing streets or around cars for safety reasons(way too much noise is blocked)
  5. A bit painful at first if you are not used to a true IEM
  6. potential durability issues: The cord is quite thin, and it can be difficult to take the tiny unit out of your ears by the plastic when they are fully inserted in your ears. Tugging on the cord once too often to loosen them could spell doom.
  
  On to the full review:
  
  
  I purchased the Etymotic Research ER6i a couple weeks ago from Amazon when they were on sale for $64.99. I figured they would be a bargain at this price. It appeared the only people who did not like the sound from these buds either couldn't get a proper seal, or did not like the feel of an IEM shoved in their ears. Fair enough, I thought. I owned the Sony EX51's and then the Sennheiser CX300's and I felt I understood what was necessary to make a good seal. I knew that the Er6i's need to be inserted deeply into the canal, and the proper seal needs to be made in order to achieve the desirable bass response. That being said, I expected I would be able to endure the initial discomfort and the adjustments, and I would be able to find a fit with the included silicon plugs (Mine came with 3 different sizes of the rubber/silicon flangs, 1 triple tip pair and 2 double tip pair as well as 1 set of foam plugs) I thought that after achieving a seal, I would find the rated bass boost on this pair to be evident, though not far from neutral as other reviews would suggest.
  
  Well, when these IEM's arrived and I tried them out with my Ipod, I was initially left thinking: "I paid $65 for these?" The bass was almost non existant, and I needed to put the volume around half way to get a balanced sound across the spectrum. That was not the worst of it. The worst was the feeling that the triple flange tips gave my ears. They straight up hurt.
  
  Adjustments needed to be made. First, I let the er6i play overnight while I slept for a couple straight nights, I read through all the reviews and forums, and I found advice as to the best way to insert them. Use your opposite hand to pull the top of your ear up, open your mouth slightly, and push the IEM inside, it will slide in easily and you will not feel the built up pressure as much as you would when you force them in. I also fooled around with all the different fits. I found that the foam ones are the most comfortable as the silicon is a bit firm, but I get a more consistant seal from the larger Silicon ones. I also found that the pain i experienced initially just took some getting used to, as now they sort of tickle my ears instead of causing me pain. Compared to the other semi in-ear models I mentioned, these are not as comfortable, but do block out the most noise of the bunch.
  
  On to the sound. Now that I am sure that I do in fact have the ER6i correctly inserted with the proper, painless fit and allowing over a dozen of burn in hours, it was time to re-evaluate my purchase. I feel that the bass response did improve (though only slightly) with my new-found, foolproof technique of insertion. I came to the conclusion that if you are truly interested in a flat, possibly more accurate response, with increased clarity, and will not be impacted by the loss of hearing the outside world, these could work for you. The bass is mild and very quick, but possibly more accurate than most other headphones. Sure, you can hear nuances in music you might not otherwise hear, but without the bass extension and oomph, it really seemed to negate this benefit in my experience. I personally like a definitively present yet not boomy bass, but I found that these lack the punch for tracks with hard, low bass lines. I honestly expected the bass to be nearly as strong or almost equal to the Senn. Cx300, but the CX300 (though not as clear) sound much better across the different musical genre's and are a much better value in my opinion. For the fact that there are better sounding and equally priced to much cheaper IEM's and cans out there, I cannot rate this product above three stars. Subjectively speaking, I would give it only 1 or 2 as I am still dissappointed with the comfort and the lack of bass and the ear fatigue that I experience with any extended listening of over half an hour. I am giving it three because they are very clear, and if accurate, neutral sound is what you are looking for, and you really do not care for any sort of exaggerated bass (even though these do boast an increase of 8db bass boost) then you may find these to be viable.
  
  Personally, I favor the sound of the CX-300's, the fact that they are easier to insert and remove. (believe me, when you have the ER6i's sealed in tight, they can be a bit tough to remove quickly) They also have better bass response. They certainly are not as clear as the ER6i's, but much more so than the Sony's and the fact that they are easier to take in and out and block out a favorable amount of sound makes them a better value. (they can be found on sale from time to time for $40-$50)
  
  
  
• Best Headphones out There
  By A19ROSFOYCMYJI on 2006-11-10
  I have very small ears and could not find anything in the way of headphones that would fit or had very good sound. These ER6iC earphones are unbelievable! I love them and won't listen to my ipod without them!
  Kristin Kirkpatrick Lancaster CA
  
  
• Excellent with reservations
  By A36AJK777986NE on 2007-09-19
  People who don't like the sound are undoubtedly not inserting them properly. I know - it took forever for me to get them to work. I never did get the plastic plugs to seal properly. The foam plugs work, but it takes several minutes for them to expand and seal, and of course if you have to take them out to talk to someone (they do a really good job of sealing out the noise) then, well, you have to start over. What a pain. That said, once they're working properly they sound excellent and they block more noise than my Sony or Phillips noise-cancelling over-the-ear phones. They are going with me on all my plane flights. And perhaps I'll spend the money to get a fitted earpiece so I can take them in and out more easily.
  
  
• Saved my marriage!
  By AI07TFY8R3YPK on 2007-06-15
  My lovely and talented wife of 22 years unfortunately snores quite robustly, and I found I could not sleep in the same room, which was not good for our relationship. I listen to audio books every night going to sleep, both to relax and to block out as much as possible of my wife's alter ego.
  
  I have purchased and tried out a half-dozen sets of both "noise isolation" and "active noise canceling" ear phones, attempting to find a way to cohabit in peace, with little success until I popped for the ER6i's. It took a while to adjust to them, but, wow, they DO WORK! Hurrah!
  
  The sound quality is very good, they are comfortable to wear with my head on a pillow (not so with headphones) and block out very nearly everything. With the volume on my mp3 player at zero, I hear only my own breathing. With the volume at 20%, I enjoy a good book until falling asleep. In peace and quiet. With my wife by my side.
  
  Cheaper and more effective than counseling!
  
  
• Incredible Sound and True Bass
  By A3ILBM48JP35BG on 2007-08-26
  Etymotic Research ER6 Isolator Earphones (Black)
  
  I originally bought a pair for myself a year ago. They were so wonderful that I bought them for a friend. His reaction was the same as mine, "Wow" listen to all the music I was missing!
  
  It is VERY important to follow the instructions to insert them fully; and it takes some practice (at least with the foam tips, which I prefer) to get them inserted just right. And when you do, everything but the music disappears.
  
  Great product that lives up to its advertising promise. I use them with an IPod Nano
  
  
• Amazing sound
  By A3F2VX6771P0B5 on 2007-01-31
  The sound in these iem's are amazing.
  
  Pros:
  1 clear, well-defined and crisp sound
  2 they block out almost all external sound
  3 it comes with a leather carrying pouch
  4 also comes with several different ear plugs including the 3-flanged ones usually pictured, 2 smaller 2-flanged ones and a fourth type that is very much like ear plugs, the ones meant for hunting
  5 cord length is a good length at about 5 feet
  6 well worth the price
  7 bass is well defined, but not strong, which for in-ear-mics is darn good!
  
  Cons:
  1 I've only had these things for a couple weeks, but I'm not sure how durable they are, I often snag the cord on something (I do it with all headphones) and I'm a little worried how the cord will hold up (though I have nothing to substantiate this fear yet).
  2 uncomfortable, though only when they first go in the ear. after about 5 minutes the ear gets used to it, and you can always switch out the ear plug for another.
  
  other thoughts:
  I have to clean the ear wax off of these often, though this is really unavoidable considering how far in the ear these mics go. these are far better than the garbage they bundle with most mp3 players.
  
  
• No bass(unless you shove them into your hypothalamus)
  By AOL56KWUSYOS7 on 2007-04-15
  Seriously. I had to shove these little things so far into my ear to get any sort of bass response out of them that I thought I would lose them. Fortunately the wires held and I was able to get them out. Despite the vertigo after removing them, they worked great as Q-Tips. I've decided to return them as I don't need a $70 pair of Q-Tips.
  
  
• Etymotic Research ER6i tested....
  By A3K2F9QLQ20FAB on 2008-10-06
  I purchased the ER 6i's to wear on a recent motorcycle trip and on short Saturday morning rides. I'm aware of the damage extended exposure to the decibel levels experienced while riding that can occur and want to avoid it with full plugs rather than ear buds. These plugs, while effective at diminishing ambient noise to a safe level, give only a partial spectrum of frequencies found in music. That which is missing, is the bass. Many tunes with bass solos, seem absolutely quiet during the solos. it's like it isn't on the track. Listening to these plugs while on an airline flight is adequate. Therefore, high ambient noise levels experienced while motorcycling (and probably other noisy activities) seem to over tax the ER's ability to reveal a full musical spectrum.
  
  
• Great value
  By A1KVGZQHW38057 on 2007-01-12
  The noise reduction on these earphones are excellent. The sound quality is very good. The extended battery life that you get out of your iPod, because you don't have to have the volume cranked to play over the background noise, is an added bonus. My only complaint is not really a complaint, just an observation: if you've got smaller than average ear canals, these are probably not going to be completely comfortable. They come with multiple fit ear fittings, but even the smallest are a tad too large for me. Still the discomfort can be almost completely aleveated by reducing the number of times that you take the earphones in and out.
  
  Definitely a better buy than the over-ear or on-ear, battery using, limited sonic spectrum headphones.
  
  
• Great sound, but take getting used to.
  By A26HN4UMQCFF6U on 2007-02-03
  These earphones offer great sound. You'll hear layers in your music that you've never heard before. That said, they aren't for bassheads. You must get a good seal in your ear to enjoy the sound (especially bass), and that can be tricky. Also, the triple-flange eartips can take a little getting used to; they are pretty uncomfortable at first, jammed into your ear canal as they are. Initially I cut off the first flange and used them that way for awhile, but eventually I went back to the 3-flanges as I found they offer better sound that way and now they are perfectly comfortable even after hours of constant use. It just takes a little patience.
  
  
• ER6i's are great for motorcycle riders
  By AG61NAWO975IJ on 2007-03-22
  Bought these specifically for my long rides (NEVER listen to White Zombie while in the twisties...). Needed sound isolation and wanted to hear some tunes. The various earbuds/foam bud sizes are a great way to tune the ER6i's for your ear. I tried them all just to see. The default earbud blocks ALL sound, but take some getting used to. I opted for the small size as it allows some noise in and were easier to get out fast. As it turns out, these are so good I carry them around all the time. Great for the office so I cannot hear all the other distractions. Kind of earie though. I cannot even hear myself typing this. Also Amazon's price was awesome, plus buying from them is far more preferable that Billy's pseudo-eBay site.
  
  
• Follow Instructions for noise reduction and staying put
  By A2IT7S59GSASN7 on 2007-04-20
  When I first got the headphones they fell out and did not reduce ambient noise.
  
  Then I found this little card in the earphone pouch that has instructions. I put my comments in parenthesis.
  
  1. Flanged eartips: Moisten before insertion (I am not sure how to do this when out and about, certainly not spit, yuck.)
  2. Foam eartips: Roll eartip between fingers and thumb; place in ear canal and hold for 5 seconds. (Kinda a pain and then you put finger skin and oil into your ear, yuck.)
  3. Use a twisting motion as you slide eartip in you ears. (This is what I tried to do intuitively, and it doesn't work without the next step.)
  4. Pull up-and-out on the side of your ear to open up the ear canal. (This is what did it for me, and better a way to write the sentence: Use one hand to pull your ear lobe up-and-out as you insert the flanged eartip with the other hand.)
  5. Open your jaw slightly while inserting the eartip. (Makes no difference to me)
  6. For some ears, insert in-an-up, not just straight inward. (I did this intuitively once I tried step 4. and it worked.)
  
  4 Stars and not 5 because base response is not as good as many of the other headphones that I have tried. But they work great for audiobooks.
  
  
• Good Headphones
  By A11PLRK2DKXN12 on 2007-05-15
  I went into the market to find some replacement headphones for my Ipod. I found two pairs of headphone ER6i and the Shure210B. These out performed the Shure in the tests so I went wtih these.
  
  These are good headphones but I would like to see the cables heavier.
  
  
• Great but....
  By ALDM6DH1HFZE3 on 2007-05-17
  These truly are great headphones, and I've tried them all. I'm on my second pair of them and I am going to have to get a third pair. IT's not because I want a third pair, it's that these headphones just don't seem to last more than a year.
  
  Even with the proper maintenance of replacing the filters (yep, you're going to have to buy more from the company if you want them to stay sounding great), the sound has degraded to nearly nothing in the right earbud. Once I could understand but two pairs, each of which I had for a year, failing is a bit much.
  
  I recommended these to a good friend who had the same problem of of the right ear going dead over time. Obviously I can't in good concience reccommend these anymore to friends.
  
  They are expensive but well worth it. Even with this flaw I'll be ordering another pair. They are that good.
  
  
• not as expected
  By A3E1B9HDD7MITM on 2007-08-08
  I bought this product with high expecations. I read all the reviews and used it accordingly.When I tried it, it had no bass response whatsoever and the overall quality was substantially less than the Apple earphones furnished with my Ipod. Other people tried them without my comment and also thought they were distinctly inferior. In fact they were so awful that I wondered if somehow I had gotten a dud pair. I returned them for refund and Amazon was great about that. Really amazed and disappointed.
  
  
• Noise reduction plus clear sound equals the perfect travel ear buds
  By A34VVDZQULBLV on 2007-12-29
  As a musician in loud rock bands, I've use Etymotic's ear plugs (ER-10's) for years and love them. I'll admit that the process of inserting things deep in my ear canals and the feeling of having them there takes a little getting used to, but the results are worth it! For listening to music (or watching a movie or whatever) in a noisy environment, Etymotic's ER6i's are perfect. The design is basically a combination of an ear plug (to keep outside noise out) and an ear phone (to deliver sound to your ears). It's a wonderful combination: all but the loudest outside noises are kept out and clear, beautiful, detailed sound is delivered right where you want it. The result is that you can hear what you want to hear clearly without a lot of volume. Some reviewers have said that the ER6i's don't relay bass frequencies well, but I haven't found that at all. My experience is that they relay a very clear and balanced sound that is very true to the original sound source. Normal ear buds, by contrast, pump up bass frequencies, creating a muddy sound that results in ear fatigue pretty quickly. These are perfect for travelers! You can listen to music (or the movie) on your flight (or in a noisy airport or train or bus) without pumping the volume to sky-high levels and they fit easily in a shirt or pants pocket (I recommend the Sumajin Smartwraps Earphone Cord Manager). Also, the price can't be beat! For much less than the cost of a decent pair of noise-canceling headphones, you get a product that is much more compact, that delivers much better sound, and that radically reduces (instead of just "filtering") outside noise.
  
  
• Not a bad investment
  By A15QOLYNLDDIXF on 2007-01-29
  Overall, I think these are excellent headphones; I do think, however, they have their flaws. I'll try to provide an in-depth review.
  
  Upon first use I was somewhat dissapointed. I thought the sound quality was awful and was almost ready to go back to the store and return them. I guess I didn't initially understand the concept of "in-ear" headphones. In order for these to work, you literally have to jam them deep into your ear canals. For me, this feeling was very awkward and took awhile to get used to.
  
  After experimenting with the different ear pieces (I finally found ultimate happiness with the foam tips) and becoming comfortable with the new feeling, these earphones really do deliver. The sound quality is great, and they do an incredible job of blocking outside sound. I find acoustic songs to sound absolutely outstanding and somewhat better than songs with heavy distortion.
  
  Overall, I highly recommend these earphones for those who are absolute sound nuts and want to experience their music in an incredible way. However, these earphones are NOT for convenient listening. They really do block out almost all outside noise, and should not be used for many activities (jogging, walking, etc.).
  
  I give these earphones a 4 becuase while they offer outstanding sound quality, which was my ultimate goal, they are not convenient. I find myself having to clean them after almost every time I use them, and they are somewhat annoying to put in. If you're looking for great sound quality though and a chance to hear your music in a new light, then go with these.
  
  
• Great sound and isolation for the price.
  By A1AH2LUILXACMJ on 2007-04-11
  Yeah, there are earphones that will sound better and there are earphones that isolate more noise, but you don't get something for nothing. I sport tour a naked street bike and at 70MPH, the wind and buffeting noise in my helmet is deafening. These little guys do a great job of isolating out the wind noise. They are also tiny and fit great under my helmet. I have sensitive ear canals and can feel a lot of pain real quick when something isn't comfortable. I can't even feel these earphones! They don't isolate noise quite as good as a set of Hero earplugs, but are better than most other earplugs I've tried. I can hear the entire frequency range at a suprisingly low volumn level too. Don't expect booming bass, but I heard all the low tones very nicely. I would buy these again.
  
  
• Not worth the money
  By A18EILJG66TFSM on 2007-04-25
  I got these earbuds from Amazon as I've already been spoiled by Sony MDR-EX71SL's. Well since I didn't have the Sony anymore.. I needed a pair and this time I decided to go a step up.
  
  These earbuds are not worth the money I paid for them.
  They work GREAT in blocking out outside sound if you insert them properly. There is NO question of them 'falling out' of your ears (they're in-canal earphones please!)
  
  The sound quality though does NOT deliver.
  People say there's no or very less bass - and that's true. The bass is DEFINITELY lacking. I've tried these for the past 3 days and have tried using each kind of tip. Have inserted them so far up my ears I was afraid they'd get entangled with each other when they meet inside my head. Result being - External sound blocking is EXCELLENT! No questions about that. The BASS response is MINIMAL at best.
  The sound overall is not the cleanest either. I can get this kind of sound from any $10 earbuds. The only advantage THESE give me is that they seal out the noise from outside.
  
  I am not an earbud-expert. The only other in-canal earbuds I've tried are the Sony MDR-EX71SL. THOSE earbuds sound much MUCH better!
  Accepted - they don't do AS good a job of sealing your ear as the Etymotic 6i Isolators, but they can produce MUSIC! The bass response is EXCELLENT (a TEENSY bit over the top sometimes). Overall sound is a LOT cleaner than the Isolators. Even if the price of Etymotic 6i Isolators and the Sony MDR's were swapped...i'd go for the Sony's.
  
  I'm not the most eclectic person when it comes to music, but I dont really listen to heavy metal or hard rock. Even so - One thing I found is - Bass MATTERS! I read the reviews before buying 6i's and they said the bass response wasn't THAT great, but I figured how much of a difference would they make anyway? I thought they'd still deliver decent bass..they're $70 earbuds for crying out loud!
  but they don't!
  and the sound is not so clean either.
  
  That kills them.
  
  

• Etymotic Research ER6i-18 5 Pair Replacement Gray 3 langed Eartips for Etymotic Earphones
• Etymotic Research ER6i-14SM 5 Pair Replacement 3 Flanged Eartips for Etymotic Earphones (Baby Blue)
• Etymotic Research ER4-14F 7 Pair Replacement Foam Eartips for Etymotic Earphones (Black)
• Kensington FM Transmitter/Auto Charger for iPod (White)
• Philips HL150 Lightweight Stereo Headphones

• Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones (White)
• ETYMOTIC RESEARCH ER20BP High Fidelity Ear Plugs ( Clear )
• Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds (Black)
• Etymotic Research ER6 Isolator In-Ear Earphones (Black)
• Etymotic ER-4P Portable In-Ear Earphones