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

Product Information

Unforgiving and will slap you with the reality that a soundstage in an iem is all made up inside your head. With deep insertion you’re as good as deaf. But even with my relatively shallow insertion, we get very good isolation. And there is no leakage.

Arguably the brand when it comes to neutral tunings, Etymotic had always been characterised by their insistence on the single-driver formula. For the longest time, every single model from Etymotic had a singular driver unit, the ER series, the MC series, the HF series, every single one.

If you’re looking for a great sub-bassy sound, without too much mid-bass bloat, then FiiO FH3 is your best choice. With great noise isolation, these are very good IEMs, and quite comfortable. FH3s have a quite natural and neutral sound, with exceptional sub-bass and excellent and sharp imaging. Overall, remarkable IEMs, and arguably the best bass for the price. Highlights: If you enjoyed BLON but disliked the fit, or just want a step up, then HBB Mele might be an excellent choice for you. This is a great set that plays many genres well, especially drums and guitars, and is perfect for those looking for a warm-sounding set with a great timbre. 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.

But at this point you all probably know that I’m no believer in newer being better. In fact, it’s probably closer to a 50/50 tossup under IEF metrics. So while the average layman may assume the EVO to be Etymotic’s best work, you ask (and I answer) the question that no one else dares to ask: Clearly, the 4XR is superior and we can actually see how sheer speed helps in bringing out all the micro details. However, i still think i would reach for the ER2SE more than the 4XR, as the 2SE is also greatly detailed, and they do have the dynamic character which add some body and depth to the sound. In this aspect, the cheaper dynamic Etymotic will score a point against the big daddy ER4s. When i’m listening to my favourite blues or jazz albums i miss absolutely nothing with the 2SE. For this reason i think any owner of ER4s or ER3s should still consider buying the ER2s. The bass is there (XR set) and pleasingly solid, although a bit light for my personal taste – my primary set is the Sony XBA N3 – but the tonality is excellent. I can put up with having to Eq a bit to get the best sound, but I can’t stand sets like the 1More Triple Driver that just sound “off” tonally and need major work to get sounding close to accurate. 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.

Sound Quality​

AirPods Pro are decent for watching a movie, and their spatial audio is a nice addition. Their main advantage is in the seamless integration with Apple hardware. When it comes to sound quality, there are better options out there. Are IEMs better than earbuds? Designed to further improve the OH1, the OH10 comes with a dynamically superior driver from higher quality materials, with better performance overall. With a polished and slightly more accurate presentation, the OH10 brings a pleasantly warm sound, better defined, and impeccable sound quality overall.

The ER2XR 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 mids and highs, along with the emphasized bass of the ER2XR, will appeal to consumers and audiophiles who like a little more presence of bass. The ER2XR 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. Took a while to get used to the fit, although I have used deep fit tips before so I was prepared for the feeling. 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.

It just so happened that my ER4XR developed a problem on one side, so I had to return it. Since I wasn't getting any more listening time for now, I figured I might as well write this post as it is. Finally, the most important comparison. Against the ER4XR. I believe the dynamic bass of Studio Edition would be closer to the BA bass of 4XR, which is why i chose to buy this instead of the 2XR. The ER2XR is easily the best value of the three, being more lively than the warmer ER3XR, but more neutral and fun than the thinner ER4XR. Is there a small loss of clarity or detail in the treble when comparing the dynamic driver to the BA versions? I think so, but their exact treble response is not necessarily identical, so some of it may just be FR-related. In any case, I still think the ER2XR is quite detailed for its price. It does not sound grainy, congested or smoothed over, easily out-resolving cheaper IEMs like the Tin T2 and MH755 (I never use these since getting the ER2XR). As another point of reference, none of these IEMs is in the same tier as Stax SR-L500 in terms of detail. 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.

This frequency range in particular makes the ER2XR an optimal choice for musicians. No sharpness, no unnatural “crispness” with respect to percussion. This is a fatigue free listening experience, even for those who tend to listen at dangerously loud volumes. Careful kids! The highs don’t feel blunted or shamelessly rolled off. But let’s just say that Miles Davis is tolerable when listening through these buds. Soundstage Total harmonic distortion is on the higher side of average THD from all the IEMs that I’ve measured. The IE 40 Pro is saved partly because of their wider soundstage and lateral arrangement. If not for this we would have seen a lot more masking and bleed from bass to mids. The ER2SEs play in a (slightly) narrower stage, and yet have similar or even more breathing space between the details. Of course the ER2SE paid the price of bass-impact. And if your playlist reaches low frequently you will miss some juice with the ER2SE. These are Etymotics and they sound like it. However, the dynamic drivers have a rather strong character and differs quite a bit from the BA delivery of the ER4s. I will compare them to my ER4XR in depth in due time.Your first thought would probably be to describe the ER2 as a cheaper, dynamic driver version of the ER4. And honestly, that’s not too far off. While the dynamic drivers used in the ER2 doesn’t present notes as cleanly or as precisely as the ER4, the timbral improvements in the ER2 are much appreciated especially in the bass. The ER2’s bass isn’t endgame bass by any means, but the fact that it isn’t as one note-y and almost weightless like the ER4 is a huge improvement in my book, even in something that is basically identical on paper such as the ER2SE versus the ER4SR. You get the same great Etymotic tuning with slight sacrifices in raw technicalities, but with (in my own opinion) a much more pleasant and satisfying presentation. Even if it may lose a bit of its “reference” character in the case of the ER2XR. Very high passive noise isolation (35-42dB) from the deep insertion design. Essential as hearing protection for an on-stage performer. 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.