Etymotic Research ER2SE Studio Edition High Performance In-Ear Earphones (Detachable Dynamic Drivers, Noise Isolating, High Accuracy, Studio Grade Accuracy)

Product Information

Present-day ER4 and ER3 models use balanced armature-type drivers, while the ER2 models introduce new high performance dynamic (or moving coil) type drivers. While the ER2XR was touted as a more "bassy" ER2SE, I found it to be only a slight tilt in the bass region that was noticeable but not dramatic. ER2SE also excels in timbre and sheer detail retrieval, and are able to carry enough warmth with lesser bass quantity. This contains a netted pocket for securing any of the ear tips or whatever else you want to toss in there.

They are a bit shorter, particularly recommend for the folks who are not comfortable with deep insert. It lacks extension on both ends of the of the frequency range, but the compromises here are well judged.If you are someone who cares about audio quality deeply, you'll want a pair of earphones/IEMs like these. We also get a little Certificate of Performance slip with the official measurements, which is not provided with the ER2SE. What my words perhaps do not convey is the extent to which the ER2 models are sonic overachievers of the first rank. Rocket is still a league ahead of 2XR in terms of comfort, but the 2XR does have a bit more extension in the sub region and more colorful timbre with a less microphonic cable. This is an area that really separates the higher end IEMs from the more "budget" ones in my opinion.

If you’re in a more fun mood, you would pick the IE 40 Pro, which will also deliver great treble details with a wider soundstage.I would like to get some feedback especially on the reshaping of the upper mids to treble region of the frequency response.

But IEMs are much more finicky and user dependent so YMMV, but I think it is still important to reference. The Etymotics have always been somewhat known for having a flat soundstage that doesn’t offer great depth or a sense of space. The ER2’s carry forward Etymotic’s traditional deep-insertion ear tip and earpiece design motif (more on this later), but they introduce slightly revised (and nominally more comfortable) versions of the firm’s signature triple-flange ear tips. I used the brown 1500 Ohm filter and it makes ER2XR a better in ears: bass level is touch lower with better definition, improved macro details without affecting the enjoyment of listening to ER2XR. Then, on ‘Cecile I’ observe the deft way that both ER2 earphones define and delineate differences in textures and timbres between the bowed cello and pizzicato acoustic bass heard on the track (there is enough overlap between the ranges of these instruments that their voices can become muddled through some earphones, but this was not a problem at all for the Etymotic ER2’s).We can see the 8-9kHz resonance peak might be slightly different in frequency between different couplers. While I do think the bass quantity was not where I wanted it, the overall presentation felt more crisp and precise with the SE. So while these earphones may not ooze fashion and style, they look clean, and they have a real sense of confidence and competence to them.