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Etymotic Research ER4SR Studio Reference Earphones

Ultra-high-accuracy Single-driver In-ear Monitors for Critical Studio Monitoring, Mixing, and Music Production
5 Write review Item ID: ER4SR
$299.95

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Pinpoint Accuracy for Critical Mixing

When you really need to dive into your mix, Sweetwater is more than happy to recommend Etymotic Research ER4SR in-ear monitors. With a steady 1dB or lower tolerance from 100Hz to 10kHz, ER4SRs will let you hear aspects of your mix even top-quality studio monitors will miss. We're talking about accuracy well beyond the sort of sonic surgical precision diehard audiophiles dream of, along with a mind-blowing 42dB maximum acoustic isolation, all courtesy of Etymotic's latest balanced-armature drivers.

Related Videos: ER4SR Studio Reference Earphones

The original name in IEMs

A little known fact about Etymotic Research is that they take the credit for developing the original balanced-armature receivers behind today's top in-ear micro-drivers. The original ER4 earphones are considered by many to be the original isolating in-ear because they were the first to employ this technology, which ultimately revolutionized the world of personal monitoring. As this legacy has continued, few IEMs today can boast the kind of isolation and accuracy you'll get from these updated ER4 series models.

Complete accessory kit included

When you buy a nice set of high-end in-ear monitors, it's nice to know that you're getting the complete package, and Etymotic Research wants to be sure you know you're getting it. That's why they ship their ER4 models with more than just the standard 1/4" headphone adapter. For starters, you get a very nice zippered storage case for you IEMs and accessories. These accessories include a couple of pairs of Etymotic's standard 3-flange eartips, two pairs of large 3-flange eartips, and a couple of pairs of large black foam eartips. You also get replacement filters to keep your IEMs clean and a shirt clip. Lastly, you'll get a performance certificate indicating that your in-ears met and passed the high standards Etymotic holds their products to.

Etymotic Research ER4SR In-ear Monitors Features:

  • Ideal IEMs for professionals who need absolute-precision monitoring
  • A perfect in-ear choice for mix engineers and producers
  • Over 92% response accuracy from 20Hz–16kHz
  • 1dB tolerance between 100Hz and 10kHz for total accuracy
  • Enjoy your sound in up to 42dB of acoustic isolation
  • Includes detachable 5' cord, 1/4" adapter, flanged and foam eartips, filter removal tool, replacement filters, shirt clip, zippered storage case, and performance certificate

Additional Media

In-Ear Monitor Buying Guide

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Wired
  • Connectivity: 1/8" plug, 1/4" adapter
  • Fit Style: In-ear
  • Noise Attenuation: 35dB-42dB, Passive Noise Isolating
  • Impedance: 45 ohms
  • Frequency Range: 20Hz-16kHz
  • Sensitivity: 98 dB SPL
  • Max SPL: 122 dB SPL
  • Detachable Cable: Yes
  • Cable Length: 5 ft.
  • Color: Black with clear ear tip
  • Case/Bag: Soft Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: AMS-ER4SR

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Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5

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No-nonsense clarity

I use in-ear monitors for field recording, often in high-wind and noisy ambients. My oldest (12yo!) Etymotics died in the field just recently, so I was looking for a step-up replacement with high noise isolation and as flat a frequency response as possible. Seeing these are still the choice of folks who want a "spare" sound with a lot of midrange clarity, I took the gamble. Glad I did.

If you want to really hear what you're recording, with no added coloration, these are for you. As others have noted, there's not much low end, so if you want enhanced bass and "warmth" for recreational listening, choose something else. But for reference purposes, I'd say these are a close match to the open-back phones I usually use in the studio. Lately, I've been using these for everything!
by David Ayer from Campbell, CA on
Music background: Field recordist, sculptor, videographer

Mind-blowing detail

I rate these 5-stars because I am, quite literally, blown away. I've listened to these for a few weeks now, and today I put them through Sweetwater's own Mitch Gallagher's reference playlist. From the homepage insync/best-songs-test-speakers-headphones/. These headphones excelled against his listening criteria on all but one song, "Lotus Eaters", as I expected. IEMs in particular, and headphones in general, tend to fall behind speakers on spacial imaging. However, while a little flat, these IEMs fared better than my ATH-M50s and AKG 612s on that particular song. My JBL LSR305s struggled on that song, too, but that's more due to my room than the monitors themselves, I suspect.

Notable "wow" moments: Realizing just how low the synth on "I love you" and "Sk8ter Boi" actually goes. The exceptionally subtle ambiance on "Gaslighting Abbie". The definition, in spite of the wall-of-sound loudness, found in "Living Dead Girl".

In short, these IEMs opened my ears to a dimension of music I've not experienced before. Though some fault Etymotic for "not enough bass", I disagree. These get low enough for me to feel it in my stomach. Expensive, but worth every penny and more.
by Kyle Jackson from Quitman, TX on
Music background: Musician, producer

Awesome!

I purchased these from Sweetwater when one of the buds broke off the stem on my older trusty Etymotic ER4S. I recently got the fully reconditioned ER4S back, and while i always found them to be extremely accurate for mixing and designing sounds on my Helix, even my rock & roll guitar player ears notice more detail with these new SR's. I own several pairs of high-end over-the-ear headphones, but I simply can't go back to using them after listening to these!
by Sweetwater Customer on

Great on-the-go reference iem’s!

I am no audiophile, but I generally prefer a "flat" or "neutral" sound. I purchased these buds for mixing and referencing on tour, and am pretty happy with them for that purpose. There was an assortment of tips to use with these, and while the foam tips are definitely the most comfortable, the triple flanged tips give the least distorted and most accurate sound. I had to get use to the tips being deeply inserted into my ears, but after a few minutes of not messing with them they settled in good. If you are looking for a more bass heavy iem, look elsewhere. I"d say these iem"s have the most clear mid-range I"ve ever heard. These present what ever material you are listening to just as it is, with no hype. Bottom line, if you are looking for iems with a studio-like flat sound, these are a great choice. I would, however, recommend getting custom molds made for these as the deep insertion tips can be uncomfortable at times.
by Doug P. from Macon, Georgia on
Music background: Studio Enthusiasts, Touring Musician

Meh

I am a musician, audiophile, and audio engineer. I planned to utilize these as a daily driver and to help give me the accuracy needed to building detailed IEM monitor mixes for my clients. Unfortunately the first day I received the headphones the cables were already broken. They have nearly completely failed. The cable and headphone design makes it cumbersome for live usage because they don't loop around the top of the ear and the westone ear/cable guides aren't a permanent or even reasonable solution because they will fall off as soon as you remove the earpiece from the ear. I went all in and purchased a custom sleeve for these headphones and while it does help the fit. I can't recommend these headphones if you work in any sort of live setting.
by Ian Buss from Virginia on
Music background: Audio Engineer
See also: In Ear Buds, Etymotic Research, Etymotic Research Earphones
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