Etymotic ER-6i Review

If you have a portable audio player like the Apple iPod, then the Etymotic ER-6i canal phones are the perfect companion and offer plenty of bass for the audiophile in you.

Summary

Etymotic is one of ‘the big two’ in the arena of canal phones. Known mostly for the high end ER-4S cans, Etymotic decided to throw their hat into the iPod popularity ring with the ER-6i. This is slightly confusing because the company also offers a black ER-6 model, and consumers’ first impressions would make them believe that the ‘i’ is just a marketing gimmick aimed at wooing the iGeneration. But, there is a different driver used in the 6i that outputs stronger bass, and is easier to drive. This makes them perfect for mobile device use, and particularly Apple iPod and Sony PSP use. As with all canal phones, external sound is almost completely blocked, so use only when it is safe to ignore the rest of the world.

Features and Design

The Etymotic ER-6i comes in a nicely compact plastic box, and includes the earphones, a soft case, earwax removal tool and foam sleeves. The cord measures 5 feet from buds to plug, and features a clip to lock down the cord to a piece of clothing or other items. One common problem with canal phones is that when anything brushes or taps the cord, the sound is carried up to the ears and produces an annoying thump. Clipping down the cord helps reduce this phenomenon greatly. We were struck by how thin the wires are, which makes these canal phones feel the most fragile of any we have tested. It also increases the tendency for the wires to tangle.

Picture courtesy of Headroom.com

Our first pleasing surprise was that the ER-6i are actually very comfortable to wear. The tips, which are inserted into the ear canal, are made of a very soft rubber, and have a flange design. The flange design allows the wearer to essentially use only one set of sleeves for any size, with the adjustment coming from the various stages of insertion. In other words, insert only to the first flange flap if your ears are small, and further for larger ears. There was no pressure on the inner ear, and we could wear them for hours at a time. The only downside to the driver housing design is that they tend to be difficult to remove. The housing for the drivers is very tiny and partially covered by the flange tips, and we found ourselves having to use our nails to get a decent grip on them. We wonder how long the tips will last, since the flanges tend to invert when the buds are removed. Also, while we here at Designtechnica have immaculately clean ears, the choice of white for something that will eventually accumulate some earwax was probably not a good one. Also, it would have been nice to have a tactile method of telling the left from right bud. A faintly painted ‘L’ and ‘R’ are the only distinguishing marks.

Conclusion

The Etymotic ER-6i are a great all around addition to the canal phone options on the market. The sound signature was a little odd, with strong emphasis on highs and lows, and mids that drifted a little more than we liked, but they are easily driven from any portable device, fit extremely well, and produce excellent sound overall. Sound it very accurate and tight, and while they were great for PC gaming, they really shined on the PSP.

Pros:

-          Fit very comfortably

-          Strong emphasis on high and low frequencies

-          Matches the Apple iPod d