in-ear headphones

The name "Etymotic" means "true to the ear" and is pronounced "et-im-oh-tik." Mead Killion founded Etymotic Research in 1983 to design products that accurately assess hearing, improve the lives of those with hearing loss, and protect hearing. His first in-ear headphone designs--the ER-1, 2, 3--were used for diagnostic testing and precision auditory research. The company's first noise-isolating in-ear earphone, the ER-4, debuted in 1991. I remember hearing an early ER-4 and it was radically better than any other portable headphone at the time.

The original ER-4P, which was designed for use with portable cassette and CD players, came out in 1994, long before the iPod catapulted the headphone market into the stratosphere. It was priced at $330, making it a very expensive headphone for the time. The current ER-4 models go for a little less, the ER-4PT runs $299, but Etymotic also offers a broad range of less expensive headphones.

ER-4 headphones are still made in Etymotic's Elk Grove Village, Ill., factory, and the left and right drivers are hand-matched to within 1 dB of each other. The headphone comes with a two-year warranty, double the length of most high-end headphones. If an ER-4 is returned for service, factory technicians confirm the left and right channels still match within the original tolerances before the unit is returned to its owner. Also noteworthy: each ER-4PT is shipped with a "channel-matching compliance graph," signed by the Etymotic engineer who precision matched and custom tuned the balanced-armature drivers.

The ER-4PT is very similar to the ER-4P, but the new model comes with extra mobile adapters, a large plastic storage case, a small travel pouch, and accessories for travelers. The braided cable and earpieces look slightly different than my old ER-4P. I have unusually shaped ear canals and don't always have the easiest time getting a good, air-tight fit with many in-ear headphones, but Etymotic's Triple Flange ear tips work like a charm. True, they must be deeply inserted into my ear canals, but they never accidentally fall out. … Read more

The MEElectronics A151 balanced armature headphone ($75) is the best-sounding in-ear headphone for less than $100 I've heard to date. The headphone's very flexible, 47-inch-long twisted cable looks like the wires used on expensive custom in-ear models from Ultimate Ears and JH Audio, but the A151 headphone's build quality is otherwise average. Comfort was good, so the headphone was easy to wear for long periods of time. It comes with five sets of eartips (small/medium/large silicon; double flange; large triple flange) and a clamshell carrying case.

Listening to some of the quieter tracks from Miles Davis' "The Complete Bitches Brew" album, the A151 decoded the texture of the percussion instruments, every rattle and shake was crystal clear. There's a lot of atmosphere on this recording, and the A151 let me hear it.

Davis' trumpet cut through the haze like a knife, and switching over to the NOX Scout in-ear headphones the sound was different. I could hear a little more of what was going on in the bass, but the trumpet, percolating electric keyboards, and the shimmering drums were nowhere as clear. The A151's bass-to-treble tonal balance was better.

The A151 was almost magical in the way it made the strings on Peter Gabriel's orchestral "Scratch My Back" album sound. I could really hear Gabriel digging deep into the tunes' emotional power, and he really shined on "Heroes." The A151's refined sound didn't hold anything back.… Read more

I've reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed some of the very best custom in-ear headphones on the market, including the JH Audio 13 Pro headphones and the Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors, so I thought it was about time to check out an entry-level custom in-ear. The Ultimate Ears UE 4 Pro model retails for $399, and looks much like the company's other custom models. No surprise there; they all come from impressions made from the customer's ear canals, hence the "custom" part of custom in-ear headphones, from UE or other manufacturers. Each one is a unique, hand-built … Read more

Westone started out in the late 1950s making custom molds for hearing aids and ear protection devices. Once I learned that little factoid I wasn't surprised to hear Westone was the first to introduce custom-molded in-ear headphones in 1993.

This is my first Westone review, so I'm starting with its best headphone, the Elite Series ES5 Musicians' Monitor ($950). The company offers a range of more affordable universal-fit in-ear headphones, like the UM-1 ($109).

I hope to soon do a follow-up review with a universal-fit Westone to better describe the sonic differences between universal and custom-molded in-ear designs.

For now I will say that no universal in-ear headphone from Etymotic, Monster, Shure, Ultimate Ears, etc. has anywhere near the sound-isolating capabilities of custom-fit designs. I always hear more detail, overall clarity, and upper treble air and delicacy with custom-fitted in-ear headphones because those sounds aren't masked by noise. The ES5 is handcrafted at Westone's factory in Colorado Springs, Colo. … Read more

Steve's back for one more episode before we head out, but we'll be posting special Yuletide episodes throughout the holiday so you can still get your 404 fix.

Our guest today is CNET's audio expert, Steve Guttenberg, and he brings a list of the most significant inventions of the early 20th century with him.

Wilson will probably be disappointed to see that the electric washing machine isn't included on that list, and neither are antibiotics like penicillin, so you'll have to tune into today's episode to hear the whole story; you might be surprised to hear about which invention changed Steve's life, for better or worse.

Steve also has plenty of suggestions for the top gifts to buy for the audiophiliacs in your life. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get top-quality sound from your devices, and Steve's list of gifts under $100 includes an affordable in-ear headphone from NOX, a pair of bookshelf speakers that can produce audiophile-quality sound for just $29/pair, and a small amplifier that'll add 15 watts of power to your music.

Also be sure to check out Steve's other list of audio devices for the more affluent gift-givers, and have a great holiday, everyone!

Ultimate Ears' new Reference Monitor in-ear headphone is a very different take on the state of the art. UE collaborated with EMI Music's Capitol Studios to design this headphone for recording, mixing, and mastering engineers. The UE engineers submitted a number of prototypes to Capitol and other beta testers for feedback before arriving at the finished Reference Monitor. I'm no engineer, but I think the Reference Monitor is the best, most accurate-sounding in-ear headphone I've heard to date.

Right, I know some of you must be thinking, aren't all headphones designed to be accurate? Once you … Read more

I think we're entering the golden age of headphone design. Over the last few years the competition's heated up and at nearly every price level, headphone performance standards are improving at a fast and furious rate. For example, the TDK EB900 in-ear headphone I heard at the CNET office a few weeks ago were pretty amazing for around $100, but the all-new NOX Audio Scout is better, a lot better. Headquartered in City of Industry, CA, NOX Audio was founded in 2009.

The superlightweight design is extremely comfortable, and while my ears are sometimes very fussy about getting a tight seal for best bass response, I had no trouble with the Scout's silicone eartips.

The design features "balanced armature technology," which is rarely seen in headphones in the Scout's price class (I don't know of any others). The Scout's cable has an inline omnidirectional microphone, and according to the Scout press release, "the world's smallest send/end button, making it an ideal device for cell phones, portable media players and gaming handhelds." Best of all, the Scout's flat cable was the least tangle-prone headphone wire I've ever used. Jumble it up any which way, shove it into your pocket, and it'll never tie itself into knots. That's a first! … Read more

Etymotic invented the in-ear earphone in 1984 for use in diagnostic testing and auditory research. The first consumer model, the ER-4, debuted in 1991. I remember that when I heard it the resolution of fine detail was far ahead of any dynamic headphone I'd heard at that time. The ER-4 earphones are still in the line. I still use my ER-4P and love it.

The MC5 is a new model, and priced at $79, it is the most affordable in-ear design ever offered by Etymotic. The company claims its headphones produce superior isolation from external noise, and I agree. The MC5 did a better-than-average job blocking out the sounds of the NYC subway. Etymotic headphones tend to sound more accurate (or less hyped) than most under-$100 in-ear headphones. I didn't have any budget in-ears on hand to compare them against, but the MC5's sound was more naturally balanced than Monster's standard Turbine in-ear ($150). That was especially obvious with acoustic music like the Avett Brothers "Emotionalism" album. The brothers' soaring harmonies and chiming guitars really shined over the MC5; the Turbine sounded more immediate and brighter, but lacked the MC5's warmth.

Gil Scott-Heron's "I'm New Here" album's sound mix, with its buzzy keyboards and rumbling basslines sounded fabulous over the MC5, though the Turbines had deeper bass that made more of an impact, but its more upfront balance added an edge that detracted from the music. They are very different-sounding headphones, and, as always, selecting a winner is very much a matter of personal taste. Etymotic's MC3 ($99) headset model offers the same sound as the MC5, but adds a microphone and volume controls for iPods. … Read more

We weren't fans of Bose's first in-ear headphones, but maybe Bose will make a better impression with its new line of in-ear headphones, which include the IE2 audio headphones and the MIE2 and MIE2i mobile headsets, which are designed "specifically for music-enabled mobile phones." The company says each is engineered with proprietary Bose technologies for improved audio quality and feature new StayHear tips for "greater stability and a comfortable fit."

None of these models are noise-canceling or noise-isolating. While the IE2 headphones don't feature an in-line microphone for receiving cell-phone calls, both the … Read more