Review: ER4SR

Bought these at the end of last year, when Amazon Global had them on sale for a little over 1200 — the lowest price they’d ever hit, and way cheaper than buying domestically.

I already had a long-serving ER4P, but I still went for these. The biggest reason: the detachable cable. I’m always worried the cable on my ER4P will give out, and as the upgraded model, the ER4SR’s replaceable-cable design is obviously a lot safer.

Surprisingly, the overseas order didn’t get hit with customs, and it arrived safe and sound. The only downside was the long wait for shipping from the US.

I’ve been listening to these for a while now — nearly half a year — so I figure it’s about time I gave my impressions.

• First, build quality: much better than the ER4P. It’s the upgraded model, after all, and the rough edges and burrs are gone.
• Then the detachable cable. Anyone who knows, knows. You can even rewire it for balanced yourself. For cables I’d recommend buying FiiO’s pre-made ones — the reason being they’re cheap.
• The packaging is pretty over the top, but then again, whose packaging isn’t these days?
• Accessories are still plentiful, but the quality is so-so. I already broke the included cable clip, and that stupid clip doesn’t grip at all — it falls off at the slightest movement. I’d suggest swapping in your own.
• Still the traditional triple-flange tips. Those who know, know.
• Finally, the sound. How should I put it — the ER4SR’s sound is basically the ER4P with a bit of “pop” flavor added. The highs aren’t as forward as before, the bass is a little richer, and that’s about it. Personally I think these headphones suit “non-electronic music” — the kind made with traditional instruments and recording. If it’s got a heavy electronic flavor, they don’t do as well. Of course there are exceptions, like nayuta’s new album 《透明な君を掬う》 from this M3. The whole album is “traditional music made with electronic mixing,” and almost every track follows a “build up then release” structure, ending with a big-soundstage high note to set the mood. Luckily nayuta magically didn’t go off-key this time, and her singing has improved a lot — no idea if it’s because the mixer they hired was that good or her own hard work, but either way, songs like these sound really good through the ER4SR. If you like R&B or Future bass, including the City Pop-tinged stuff common in Japanese music, these headphones aren’t a great fit. Not that you absolutely can’t listen to it — it’s still much better than the ER4P.

All in all, after half a year of listening I’ve decided to put them away for now and switch back to my personal favorite, the UE299. These headphones really have no flavor to them, and for someone like me who listens to “a bit of everything,” a pure monitoring sound is more suitable.