Customer Reviews

Etymotic Research ER4-14F Replacement Foam Eartips for Etymotic Earphones (Black, 7 Pairs)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Of the 5 different ear tips that I have tried on my AL iM616, iM716 and Etymotic HF5 earphones, these are all around the best. The triple flange silicone tips seal a bit better and block more sound, but are uncomfortable after an hour or so. They also don't give as much bass response. The Comply T100 tips work as well, but take a lot longer to expand and are over 2X the price. I have to hold them in my ears for at least 30 seconds. The medium Ety foam tips expand quickly and stay in place immediately after insertion. I also tried the Ety small foam tips, but they are too small for my ears. The perfect size for me would be between the small and the medium, but the medium are nearly perfect. I like that I can remove them and put them back in with little effort, which is not true for the Comply. Even the triple flange silicone take longer to get placed correctly and I have to wet them to get them in comfortably.

I like Etymotic. They give a very good, clean sound without exaggerated bass. I actually love exaggerated bass, but it is nice to hear sound that is really balanced where no one range dominates.

I used to think that the triple flanged tips worked well, but they get uncomfortable pretty quick. I have large ear canals and I have to insert the canal phone so deep into my ear. With the sponge type tips, I do not have to insert the canal phone so deeply into my ear. For me, they work better than the Comply Comfort Tip because they are bigger. They expand quicky once inserted. On Amazon, the tips are really very inexpensive.

These replacement earbuds are excellent and provide a much better fit (and therefore sound quality) than what I was used to w/ the original foam tips that came w/ the er61 headphones.

As other reviewers have noted, these tips fit well and do an excellent job blocking outside sounds. However, they don't seem to last long. After several weeks, they lose some resiliency and the foam starts retracting around the central core, making them uncomfortable. I prefer the Shure tapered foam tips which work fine with my Etymotic HF2s and last much longer.

Update Oct 27, 2010:

These tips still perform great, for foam. However, I just received Klipsch X10i, which are the first earbuds with oval tips - the first tips that I could use without foam. What I've discovered is that the Klipsch renders a much crisper bass response. My interpretation is that the foam is muting a portion of the spectrum. Still get great bass with foam, but not as accurate. Can't do a decent A/B comparison because the Klipsch have a difference size spigot than Etymotic or Shure. But, I've now sworn off foam. See my review for the X10i for more details.

Old review:

After losing my ER-4s, I ordered the Shure SE530s, with optional microphone to use with iPhone. After trying all the Shure tips, I found these leftover Etymotics as the ideal combination of fit and comfort.

When the foam starts to wear out, I take it out, I trim a couple mm off with a pair of scissors and put it back on. In fact, am now in the habit of trimming new ones. The most extreme example is what I wearing, right now: was down to one tip so, out of desperation, I cut it in half and using both halves! A little too light, but still a lot better than anything else.

Of course, my ears are not yours. Mileage may vary.

I'm rating these eartips poorly because they are not an exact replacement for the foam eartips for my ER-6i, contrary to the product description. It's mostly my fault, however, since I saw one other reviewer mention the Comply tips which apparently are a more suitable replacement. The small diameter of the inner tube requires you to so carefully insert the end of the earpiece, while holding the end of the foam just right, or else risk detaching the foam and the glue from the inner tube. I threw away 3 tips before I could successfully replace my old ones. A waste of money.

I have used the Etymotic ER 6i for many years - great, well priced earbuds. But these foam disks are BAD. Etymotic used to supply Comply tips with their earphones, which are softer, seal better, last longer, more comfortable than these miserable foam disk things. The foam disks cost less per disk, but they don't last very long - 80 to 120 hours tops. The Comply tips last for hundreds of hours, so they are more economical in the long run. Plus, did I say they fit better and are more comfortable? Try the Comply!Comply T-400 Foam Tips - 3 Pair Pack

Having my Etymotic HF2's for about 6 months now, the original foam tips are starting to get a little hard and less form fitting from the usual wear and tear as well as the ear wax buildup on the foam. With rubber tips, all you have to do is wash and go, but ear canals are all different, so why would you want to put a generic rubber tip in your ear when you can have custom molded tips?
The foam tips are so comfortable to wear. I can leave them in for several hours with no problem at all. The tips are good for about 2-3 months of daily wear before they start to be less pliable, but that's why the pack comes with 7 pairs!

This product is a great way to continue the fantastic experience that I've had with my Etymotic HF2's.

These replacement eartips are a better fit than the molded, flesh coloured ones that come with the earphones. They are also much cheaper than buying the molded ones and the colour is more attractive.

The Technical Details clearly lists that these are for the ER6 and several other models of the Etymotic earphones. Perhaps there has been a revision since mine were made. Another reviewer stated that these did not work on his ERi phones either. The ER6 requires the ER6-14F foam tips (not the ER4-14F) according to Etymotic's website. Amazon does not have the ER6-14F listed for sale, however there is an option: Comply Tx-500 Foam Tips (Black) 3-Pair Pack, which looks a bit nicer- never did like the comfort of the original Etymotics.