13 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Growing on me!
Date of Review: Jul 12, 2005
The Bottom Line: Buy these with the right expectations, and reserve some time to get them fitting right and to learn to appreciate them. Doubt you can do much better!
Having only read positive reviews of these headphones, I had to give them a try. When I got them out of the package, I had great expectations. However, my first impressions were very disappointing.
First impressions :(
The the ear tips that ship on the phones were too loose or misshaped for my ears, so all I heard was tinny sound. No bass or detail, just tinniness. After fiddling for ten minutes, I knew something was wrong. So, I put the foam tips on instead.
They fit snugly into my ears, but I was still NOT impressed with the sound. Even with the phones properly inserted, there is NOT an abundance of bass, something I was accustomed to with my full size Sennheiser phones. A good low end not only adds a satisfying thump, but makes you feel more present in the material. I also found them to be "scratchy", were harsh in the higher frequencies, and that they distorted quite easily, in some music, at reasonable volumes.
This was the first few days. Since then, my opinion has changed greatly.
Later impressions :)
The isolation these phones provide is extraordinary, without even using fancy microphones and cancelling circuits... just simple foam. I can bang on my desk and not even hear it, with just quiet music playing, it's an odd sensation. Vacuum cleaner noise miraculously disappears. It's a mute button.
The sound quality is actually amazing once you get the ear for it. It doesn't feel as life-like and powerful as phones with more satisfying low end, and yes, it can sound a bit harsh and raspy. But the resolution of these headphones is incredible, and it has actually left me wanting better full sized headphones. The amount of detail I can hear in these cans is incredible... Seriously, go find a good recording, and get these headphones: you'll agree.
They're quite comfortable once you're used to them, too. I can leave them in my ears for quite a while, no problem.
Thoughts
The er-6i will never deliver the big full-spectrum loudspeaker-killing experience that a good full size phone will, so don't expect it to. They're designed for portability and isolation. With your expectations on the right track, you can really start to appreciate these headphones. They are FAR from being run of the mill.
Quibbles: they look easily broken, and they should include more foam tips, and be easily and cheaply obtained. Mine are starting to show some real classy wax marks.
Conclusion
The real trick with the er-6i is to give them a chance to grow on you! Out of box they might seem a pain to fit in your ears, uncomfortable and tinny. But once you've gotten comfortable with their fit and you've got the ear for their sound, they're an amazing product.
