Etymotic ER23-HF3-BLACK HF3 In-Ear Headset with 3-Button Remote Control for iPod, iPhone, iPad (Black)

by Etymotic Research

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 2 x 6.5 inches ; 4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B003YTROIU
• Item model number: ER23-HF3-BLACK
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 12, 2010

Product Description

Color: BLACK

From the Manufacturer

A no compromise, high-performance noise-isolating headset + earphones that delivers best-in-class benefits and superior value, perfectly matched to the latest product innovations from Apple®. AccuDriver technology features a high performance, balanced armature driver specified for a response accuracy of 85% or better.

The HF3 comes in 3 different colors: Black, Ruby and Cobalt.

Best sound accuracy 85%+ response accuracy from 20 Hz – 15 kHz Achieves highest output sensitivity in its class with 105 dB SPL sensitivity at 1 kHz at 0.1 mV Accu•Driver™ high performance, precision matched, balanced armature driver Best noise isolation 35 dB - 42 dB of noise isolation An assortment of noise-isolating ACCU•Fit™ eartip options provide proper sealing of the ear canal Best communication and control Close-proximity high sensitivity microphone Made for Apple iPod®, iPhone® and iPad™ functionality Best style and fit Soft touch finish in 3 color options: Black, Ruby and Cobalt An assortment of noise-isolating ACCU•Fit eartips options to ensure proper seal and comfort CUSTOM•FIT option available

HF3 accessories include HF3 earphones, zipper storage pouch, shirt clip, an assortment of eartips, filter removal tool and extra filters

Best durability and warranty

• 2-year replacement warranty
• Kevlar®-reinforced cable for durability
• ACCU•Filter™ User-replaceable filters that protect the balanced armature driver from ear wax
  

Made For
iPod touch (2nd and 3rd generation), iPod classic, iPod nano (4th and 5th generation), iPod shuffle (3rd generation), iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, iPad

* The remote and mic are supported only by iPod nano (4th and 5th generation), iPod classic (120GB, 160GB only), iPod touch (2nd and 3rd generation), iPhone 3GS, and iPad. The remote is supported by iPod shuffle (3rd generation). Audio is supported by all iPod models. Requires latest iPod software.

Selecting an Eartip
The eartip that is most comfortable is the likely choice, but it MUST SEAL well in your ear. If you can easily hear others when the volume is off, you don’t have a good seal. Twist it in deeper, or choose another eartip.

When changing eartips make sure the eartip fits securely on the stem of the earphone.

Proper Insertion
Important: Sound quality, full bass response and noise isolation all depend on a good eartip seal in the ear canal. View Earphone Insertion Video

• Carefully insert the earphone while pulling up and out on the back of the ear.
• Twist the earphone up into the ear canal while inserting, until outside noise is blocked out.
• 3-flange eartip: Moistening eases insertion.
• Foam eartip: Roll down or compress foam eartip before inserting. Hold the eartip in place for about 5 seconds while the foam expands to create a tight seal in the ear canal.
• Glider eartip: Simply push into ear canal.

Product Description

The hf3 is the next generation of the multi-award-winning hf2 headset. The hf3 headset adds a 3-button remote control to a Made-for-iPod/Made for iPhone/Made for iPad version of the hf2 while maintaining all the design features, exceptional noise isolation and audio clarity of the hf2. The hf3 is designed to work with iPhone, iPad and all current iPod models. The main difference between the hf2 and hf3 is the added benefit of volume control. The hf3 features a 3-button remote control pod with a close-in proximity in-line microphone that makes it easy for iPhone users to pause music to engage in phone conversations, and for iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad users to adjust volume and navigate through music tracks while in motion or on the go. ACCU-Fit features provide best-in-class fit and comfort, with four noise-isolating eartips included and a small form factor for easy insertion into ears of all sizes. The hf3's attractive, sub-$200 price level puts it within reach of consumers who care about sound quality, and its choice of three soft-touch colors add a dash of style.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Highly Impressive In Ear Monitors., September 19, 2010

By 

Method2Madness "Alex" (Hampton Roads, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Etymotic ER23-HF3-BLACK HF3 In-Ear Headset with 3-Button Remote Control for iPod, iPhone, iPad (Black) (Electronics)

I am somewhat of a headphone/earphone junkie. I'm always getting new 'phones, in search of "perfection" and although I can't say I have found personal perfection with the HF3s, they are close.

Before I start on the meat and potatoes of this review, I want to make a statement. A disclaimer, if you will. Sound quality is HIGHLY subjective and what sounds great to one listener, may sound like trash to another. It never ceases to amaze me how different it can be. Now, moving on.

PROS
-Sound Quality and Accuracy: These little guys are incredibly detailed and precise, if a bit bright. I am noticing things in my music that I never noticed with my previous earphones (SuperFi 4s, MetroFi 220s, Klipsch S2s, Klipsch S4s, V-Moda Bass Freqs, Multiple Sony EX series, V-Moda Phazes, Phillips SHE9700s, etc., etc., etc.). In fact, on the few songs I have encoded in a lower bitrate (128kbps), it clearly brings out the compression artifact so much that I have since deleted them off my iPod/MP3 player and found higher bitrate replacements.

-Build Quality: Build quality seems to be top notch. There's not much to note in this area, as you either have a solid piece of gear or you don't. These feel as if they will give you years of enjoyment. The cord is of high quality and restrains microphonics (Noise introduced into the ear canal by bumping or moving the cord) nicely. The buds themselves are solid plastic and have sort of a rough texture to them, making them easy to hold and insert/remove.

-Mic Quality: These are effectively the same 'phones as the hf5, but with a mic and iPod control (And are also the same as an hf2, but with a better mic and iPod control). I find the mic to be top quality and use it daily via Skype on my iTouch Second gen with compliments on my clarity. I don't use the cord-mounted iPod controls very much, as I have found, when listening to just music, these 'phones work best with my Sony S639F due to the iTouch's flat bass response (See cons). But the times I did use the controls, they worked perfectly.

-Fit: Etymotic includes 3 different pairs of tips. 2 sets of flanged tips (small and large), a set of "mushroom" tips and a set of foam tips. I have weird ears, so the only ones I could get to work, were the foam tips. But from what I have seen, most people prefer the flange type, although they have to go in the canal pretty deep and feel a bit odd at first.

CONS
-Bass Response: Bass response is a bit anemic, although quite accurate. I'm not a bass-head, but to me, the bass could stand to be boosted 3db or so. Don't get me wrong, it's not like some of the Shures with almost non-existant bass, but it could definitely stand to be a bit more pronounced. ESPECIALLY with the iTouch, which is engineered for a flat freq response. I've tried these with the iTouch, a Sandisk Fuze, a Sandisk Clip, and a Sony NWZ-S639F and found the Sony, paired with a Fiio E5 and these HF3s to be the perfect marriage. Clarity with just enough bass to be satisfying and not overpowering.
-Price. These command a premium over the regular hf5's just for the addition of the iPod controls and mic. Had I known I wouldn't be using these for music listening as much on the iTouch, I would probably have bought the hf5's instead. But for those that want an all-in-one solution to use with their iPod/iPhone products, this is a nice upgrade from the hf2's single button controls.

That's about it for the cons. I really love these phones and from what I've read, the transducers in these benefit greatly from burn-in, so I'm sure they'll warm up a bit over time and sound even more impressive. When I'm not actively listening to them, I have them breaking in using an awesome app JLab Audio has on their website. It runs various test tones and white noise to help with break in.

Unless you're a total bass-head concerned more with booming bass than accuracy and clarity, or are not as sensitive to a flat low end frequency response, I can definitely recommend these.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cold, somewhat clinical sound - but it may grow on you, December 26, 2010

By 

Chambolle (Bainbridge Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Etymotic ER23-HF3-COBALT HF3 In-Ear Headset with 3-Button Remote Control for iPod, iPhone, iPad (Cobalt) (Electronics)

I am admittedly a johnny come lately to the iPhone/iPod music movement, one of those oldies who refused to use my iPhone as a music device until just a short while ago, skeptical that real sound could come out of this little thing. Having recently tried listening with the cheapo earphones that came with my iPhone - and being somewhat surprised by the reasonable fidelity I could get with them -- I decided to step up to the very well-reviewed and regarded Etymotics, despite a number of naysayers who complain about the lack of a low end. I cannot say I am unreservedly thrilled with these phones, but having given them some time to warm up - and for me to warm up to them - I have to say they do provide impressive clarity and accuracy, albeit in a cool, glossy sort of way.

I listen mostly to jazz and classical music, with a smattering of rock/pop, and I loathe the boomy muddy bass that comes out of a lot of speakers, subwoofers and even headphones these days. So I'm definitely not looking for exaggerated, thumping bass. However, I definitely am looking for sound with warmth, presence and body. I found the Etymotics phones to be accurate -- perhaps to a fault. The problem is they come up somewhat short in the warmth and body department; although as noted below, you should give them some time to break in before passing judgment on them, because they will richen up some with use, and you may warm up to their sound as well. I also urge you to get a pair of quality foam tips for these phones - for comfort and sound quality, in my book they can't be beat.

Yes, the HF3 seems to deliver sound that is relatively uncolored and 'flat.' That might be an unmitigated virtue if the source material itself were not the cold, clinical digital output of a computer or an iPod/iPhone - the very devices the HF3 is meant to match. On some of this digitized source material, I think you will find yourself hankering for a bit more "tube amp" style warmth than these phones are able to provide.

On the plus side, the sound has clarity, precision and 'cut.' Listening to popular music that is mixed and layered to a fare thee well, you will be amazed how well these phones reveal all of the detail. For example, on the Cranberries "Dreams," I could hear instrumental lines I had no idea were there. Ditto Elvis Costello's "Coal Train Robbery." Even here, however, the lack of a bottom end is evident.

But -- and this is an important "but" for me -- listening to ensemble pieces, like Eddie Gomez, Mick Goodrick, Jack DeJohnnette and John Surman on the classic "In Passing," you may at times be left with the sense these folks are playing out on an ice floe in subzero Arctic air. The sound is clear, crisp, detailed, bright for sure -- but it can seem cold and hard as a block of ice, brittle as a sheet of glass. The low end is clean and there is no lack of detail. But there is little warmth, resonance or volume (and by that I do not mean "loudness"). The lush tone and drive that makes Eddie Gomez's prodigious bass playing such a delight is attentuated. He could be playing a synthesizer -- it simply does not sound like a large instrument made of wood with plucked strings that can fill a room with sound. Using Rhapsody and its equalizer, no amount of 'bass boost' could warm the music up enough to please me. Before ample break-in time, on Gary Burton's "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly," Abraham Laboriel's electric bass -- one of the signature sounds on the New Quartet album -- sounds like a rubber band on a cigar box, not the punchy fuzz bass I know it to be. The highs are clean and almost supernaturally bright and clear -- DeJohnette's cymbals never sounded more present and pristine. But the low end and the midrange are too attenuated to give a satisfying listening experience. This same music, from the same Rhapsody source, with the equalizer set flat, and played over the M-Audio BX-5a nearfield monitors sitting on my desk, certainly lack the detail and surgical precision of the Etymotics. However, ultimately the sound from the monitors also has warmth, depth, body and realism the Etymotics do not match.

This, by the way, is my listening impression using the foam tips that come with the Etymotics, after a few days of using these phones and some trial and error to try to get the best fit, comfort and sound. Those cool looking 'triple flange' silcone things? Forget 'em. I tried the phones with those to start, as they are mounted on the HF3s in the box. They look cool -- and absolutely do not work, at least not for me. With the silicone tips, the HF3s sound like a five dollar pocket transistor radio, circa 1959; tinny, metallic and cheap -- far worse than the relatively listenable earphones that come with Apple devices. It appears you can jam the darned silicone things all the way through your eardrums if you wish -- but you still won't get a good "seal" and decent sound.

When I purchased the HF3s, I was spring loaded to get fitted for the $100 custom fit silicone buds you can buy through Etymotics. Now, having experienced the vast improvement in quality with the slightly clunky Etymotics stock foam buds, which naturally expand to fill your ear canal, I have fitted a pair of the "Comply TX 100" foam replacement buds with built-in filters (ok, let's get graphic, the "filters" keep ear wax out of the business end of the phones). At least for me, foam tips that will expand to fit each time you put them in your ears seem to provide the very best sound you can get with these Etymotics phones. I am skeptical that any silicone tips, custom fit or not, can provide the same comfort and fit required to optimize the listening experience. The foam tips may look dorky and they may wear out and require reasonably frequent replacement. It still seems well worth using them. They are comfortable, stay put and provide really good noise cancellation and sound quality.

I've had the HF3s a short while and cannot comment on their longevity. However, they seem well made and robust and I expect that with careful handling they will be with me for a long time. The molded and angled plug looks robust -- especially well designed and executed.

I have not yet tried the microphone feature of the HF3s, and in retrospect think it is unlikely I will, as I have a couple of jawbone icon earbuds that do an excellent job. I really am not the kind of person who wants to stop listening to music (or working, or eating, or paying attention to my driving, or to my dinner companion) to pick up every darned call that comes in on my mobile. If it's important, they'll leave me a VM and I can call back when it is appropriate. So if you feel the same way, save yourself $30 to $50 and buy the HF5, which appears to be the same model without the remote volume control, microphone and automatic muting to take phone calls.

My bottom line conclusion: for traveling and casual music listening, these are compact, light but well constructed and provide crisp and uncolored sound. But they may fail to satisfy if you are expecting sound that is honeyed, warm, deep and rich, with the kind of coloration that one expects from even the best speakers and over the ear phones. What you will get is somewhat cold, aloof and clinical precision that at times seems to lack richness and depth and, dare I say it, that can on some material strike you as somewhat lacking in low and low mid-range output.

If these are among the best "in the ear" phones one can buy, as others are saying, then I'm not about to abandon real speakers and real on the ear headphones when I want to really listen closely to recorded music. However, having spent a few more days letting these phones break in and getting used to the very particular 'voice' these phones project, I feel they DO warm up quite a bit after 15 to 20 hours of playing time. And perhaps it is just a matter of getting attuned to the Etymotics sonic universe, but I'm willing to admit that I'm getting more warmed up to listening with these phones. On recordings that are relatively flat, you may still find them wanting, and you will hunger for a delivery device that will richen up the mix. However, I've just given these a listen -- Charles Lloyd's new "Mirror" album. You're still not going to be blown away by the volume at the low end, but there is definitely some honey in the sound, to go along with the crystal clarity from bottom to top of the response curve. And, returning after break-in to listen to Burton's "New Quartet," ol' Abe Laboriel's thwacking fuzz bass seems to have grown some cojones it did not have on my first go through with these phones.

Dare I say it, I'm growing to like them a lot more. Although I cannot say they are a five star, unmitigated pleasure, there's a lot of very clean sound coming out of these teeny buds.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Isolation that plays nicely with iOS devices, September 23, 2010

By 

Mitchell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Etymotic ER23-HF3-BLACK HF3 In-Ear Headset with 3-Button Remote Control for iPod, iPhone, iPad (Black) (Electronics)

Alright, so these are my first pair of decent headphones. I was previously rocking a pair of Sony 7506's, but decided to invest in a pair of isolating headphones for use in a dorm.

==First impressions: Packaging was solid and there was no chance it was going to be harmed in the mail. It came with several different ear pieces; personally I liked the small flanges (pictured on Headroom), but there were large flanges and then two foamy ones (tear drop and cylindrical). The foamy ones seemed to be made out of a slightly better material then standard disposable earplugs. There's also replaceable filters (woo!) and a little shirt clip.

==Everything but the sound:
-The cord is pretty flexible and I really appreciate the 45° plug, but I being in ear, when the chord brushes up against something like a collar, the reverberations travel straight up to your ears. It's not horrible, but I would recommend using the included shirt clip if you're going to be bouncing around a lot.
-The remote is pretty ligament -- buttons are nice and responsive and do all the same things as the Apple remote. Gotta say though, Apple's buttons are easier to use. Etymotic's buttons are great (very "clicky", easy to use without looking, rarely accidental double press), but the design is certainly a step down.
-Ascetically wise, these things look sweet. They're not as flashy as some of the other ~$200 in ears, but frankly I prefer this subtle, classy, refined look. Feels like these will last a good long time.
-Comfort. Well, it took me an hour or so to get used to having something shoved so deep into my ear. After a month of heavy use, it seems as if they slip in and out super easy and I can wear them for hours on end without irritation. For the level of isolation, they seem fantastic. That being said, these aren't a padded pair of open back cans.

==Sound: Well, I'm not the best person to ask, but here's my best attempt.
-Volume off of an iPod sounded great. Slider is usually right around the middle for older tracks more dynamic tracks, while new pop songs are in the lower 1/3rd.
-Compared to the Sony MDR 7506s they have a WAY better low end response and everything seems "clearer" in general.
-Listening to "Providence" from King Crimson's Red, every instrument seems to have "it's place". Acoustic tracks from Sleepy Sun's Fever sounded extraordinary - minute reverberations of the strings, tiny reverbs, and the main part was gloriously delivered to me through these headphones.
-The microphone was equally exceptional. I only played around with it using "Voice Notes", but I was thoroughly impressed with it's clarity.

==Conclusion: If you're looking for isolation and a sleek pair of buds that interfaces with iDevices, Etymotic HF3 does a great job.

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