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

Product Information

With an impedance of 15 ohms and a sensitivity of 96dBm these buds are reasonably easy to drive, and you should get more than plenty of volume from even your mobile device. In fact, Etymotic now sells an iPhone compatible version. Since the model I’m testing has the regular 3.5mm termination, and I forgot my damn iPhone dongle, I’ve paired the ER2XR with my trusty Astell&Kern SA700 DAP.

Now I've been in the possession of a real ER4XR for a while, now it's time for some impressions on the whole family. The ER2SE offers Etymotic’s renowned passive isolation, providing 35-42 dB attenuation. You will hear all the details in the music with lower volume levels that are safer for your hearing. The flat frequency response of the ER2SE will appeal to sound professionals and audiophiles alike. The ER2SE 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 soundstage has decent width and a bit of height. Not very wide but i wouldn’t say they are overly constricted. Although similar in dimensions to the ER4XR, the ER2SEs don’t suffer from a very monitoresque presentation. They sound a bit more cohesive. With respect to comfort, don’t expect a particularly forgiving experience. You’ll always feel them in there. And for folks who are not used to this kind of fit, it can feel rather intrusive. But if you have an itch deep in your canal that you just can’t scratch, these buds should provide you with some relief. I’m not kidding. Earwax accumulation is such a serious concern that Etymotic even provides an extra pair of replacement stem filters for if and when the original ones become clogged.Mids: The ER2SEs are neutral and detailed with just enough warmth in the mids. Voices are perfect, and carry the right amount of warmth and detail. The notes also have enough body to them and do not sound thin. They sound very true and correct. There is a tint of organic quality to them that is missing in the BA models 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.

Only slightly more expensive than Aria, ER2XR blows most other budget IEMs out of the water through their focus on detail. With superb balanced tuning and isolation, the sound quality is incredible compared to other competing IEMs at a similar price. Highlights: With a better bass than the original, the Tin T2 Plus is a bit more broadly appealing and controlled. Easy to drive and a good set, with their pleasant tone they offer an outstanding value for the money. Super comfortable, with clear treble and strong but controlled bass. Highlights: At this point you might be groaning: “oh great, another Moondrop single-DD in a metal shell!” An understandable sentiment considering that with this new release, Moondrop currently has four models in this similar vein: Unforgiving and will slap you with the reality that a soundstage in an iem is all made up inside your head.

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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: That's pretty much all I had to say. My ideal blend would just be the ER2XR with the ER4XR's cable and accessories. Good day! After 5 days of casual and critical listening, here’s my written review for the Etymotic ER2SE. Speedy realist!​ Moving to the ER2SE, i see a great drain in bass as if a tap was suddenly open. It takes a couple of seconds to adjust to the missing bass thumps. As a result, the bass and midrange clarity increases tremendously. Voices come up front, and more vocal details pop up front. We see a lot of hidden details come to light.

The ER2SE is ideal for sound engineers, audiophiles, and consumers on a budget, who are looking for in-ear monitors that are easy to drive while offering accurate audio reproduction. A while ago, I wrote a post comparing the ER2XR to my makeshift "ER4XR". What I mean by that is if you add a 20-30 ohm impedance adapter to the ER3XR, you get the sound of the ER4XR, as detailed in this post. There are some exceptional budget IEMs out there, with earth-shattering bass, wide soundstage, and crystal clear treble. Whatever your preferences, you can’t go wrong with any of these from the list, as all these entry level IEMs are at least good, if not superb. Timbre: The dynamic drivers retain the natural and organic character of the percussion instruments. The timbre is on point and perfect. It’s a pleasure to listen to them. In this aspect, i think they sound a bit more natural than the ER4XR. Violins and guitars sound clean and have the perfect amount of bite and brightness to them. They are also very cohesive, and have a certain fluidity in them which makes them lean toward musical than monitoresque. This is a very special earphone tuned in the right signature. 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.Let's get one thing out of the way first: the modded ER3XR sounds the same as the ER4XR. I already knew the FR was identical, but there might have been some difference in detail since they use the same type of driver but to a different tolerance. I didn't notice any difference at all, honestly. So the 4's advantages over the 3 are: nicer cable and more accessories, no need to mess around with bulky adapters. With an excellent price to performance ratio, BLON BL03 is a balanced all-rounder, musically coherent IEM, and very fun to listen to. A great entry level IEM, though it may take a few things to really make it good, such as new tips, cable, or a portable amp, which makes a big difference. For those venturing into the world of IEMs for the first time, KZ DQ6 provides a reliable entry point without the anxiety of overspending. Its performance per dollar spent truly stands out. Highlights: Both ER2 models, the ER2SE and ER2XR, use the same low-impedance dynamic drivers. That means they are easy to drive, and no amplifier is required. The only difference between the 2 models is the tuning of the lower (bass) frequencies. The “Studio Edition” ER2SE is tuned to have a flat frequency response. The “eXtended Response” ER2XR is tuned to have an emphasized bass, adding 1-2dB to the mid-bass and 3-4dB to the sub-bass. The rest of the frequencies are practically identical to the ER2SE. In a direct A/B comparison, the ER4 (XR, because it’s closer to the EVO in terms of tonality) actually comes off as slightly cleaner with better clarity around the notes. In terms of resolving ability I’d be splitting hairs, but considering that the EVO is nearly double the current street price of an ER4 it’s not exactly a good look.

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.

Engineering Quality​

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.