Etymotic ER2XR VS Padsmith IEM

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

Home Ranking Compare IEMs

Etymotic ER2XR and Padsmith IEM use 1DD and 1DD+1Planar driver setups respectively. Etymotic ER2XR costs $100 while Padsmith IEM costs $120. Padsmith IEM is $20 more expensive. Padsmith IEM holds a decisive 1.6-point edge in reviewer scores (5.4 vs 7). Etymotic ER2XR has significantly better mids with a 1.3-point edge, Etymotic ER2XR has better treble with a 0.8-point edge, Padsmith IEM has significantly better dynamics with a 3-point edge and Padsmith IEM has significantly better soundstage with a 2-point edge.

Insights

Metric Etymotic ER2XR Padsmith IEM
Bass 6 7
Mids 6.3 5
Treble 4.8 4
Details 5 7
Soundstage 5 7
Imaging 4.5 7
Dynamics 3 6
Tonality 5.8 6.7
Technicalities 5.1 6

Etymotic ER2XR Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Average Reviewer Score:

5.4

Mixed to Negative


Padsmith IEM Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Average Reviewer Score:

7

Generally Favorable


Reviews Comparison

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 3.5 Reviewer Score
D+ Tuning
E+ Tech
Legendary iem. But I can't even.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: C+ Treble: E+ Dynamics: E- Soundstage: C+

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 6.3 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
C- Tech
Packaged like theiaudio iem... lol this hobby.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: C+ Treble: C- Dynamics: B Soundstage: A-

Etymotic ER2XR (more reviews)

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 7* * score rescaled + normalized

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Gizaudio Axel

Gizaudio Axel 6 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
B- Tech
Great tuning with natural vocals and safe treble. The fit.

Gizaudio Axel original ranking

Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 5.7 Reviewer Score
B Tuning
C+ Tech
Controlled bass and darker treble. Narrow imaging, but solid technicalities for a single DD.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: B Mids: A- Treble: C+ Dynamics: C+ Details: C+ Imaging: C+

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 5.5 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
B+ Tech

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 5.5 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
A- Tech
Great detail and solid tuning Intrusive fit

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Bass: A- Mids: A+ Treble: A-

Etymotic ER2XR reviewed by Nymz

Nymz 4.9 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
C Tech
Sub-100usd king. Great for the price, punching above, but fit is a major problem - I use it with comply foams. Lacks stage depth due to fit. Hard to drive.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

Bass: C+ Mids: C+ Treble: C+ Details: C+ Imaging: C-

Padsmith IEM (more reviews)

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Audio Amigo

Audio Amigo 8 * score rescaled + normalized
An EM6L, but with toned down top end. Gorgeous shells. Microplanar instead of Balanced Armature. Great Details and Imaging. Acessories are a little barebones

Audio Amigo original ranking

Audio Amigo Youtube Channel

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Kois Archive

Kois Archive 7 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A+ Tech
Rating: A- | Value: ⭐ | Gaming: 🎮 | Comfort: 9 nice planar micro details midbass a little much

Kois Archive original ranking

Kois Archive Youtube Channel

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Z-Reviews

Z-Reviews 6.8 * score rescaled + normalized

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Fresh Reviews

Fresh Reviews 5* * The score of this reviewer influences only the Gaming Score

Etymotic ER2XR User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Padsmith IEM User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!

Etymotic ER2XR Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

5.3

Gaming Grade

C+

Padsmith IEM Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

5.7

Gaming Grade

B-

Etymotic ER2XR Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B-
  • A mostly enjoyable signature keeps things listenable despite a handful of quirks. It handles most playlists without major complaints.

Average Technical Grade

C+
  • Overall technicalities are acceptable, delivering enough clarity for casual sessions. Imaging is serviceable though not immersive.
Bass B
The bass brings healthy impact, complementing mixes without overpowering them. It keeps up with faster passages cleanly.
Mids B
It offers engaging mid frequencies with pleasing clarity and layering. Details emerge without becoming harsh.
Treble C
Treble is adequate overall, though its texture can feel coarse. Longer sessions may expose grain.
Dynamics D
The presentation feels restrained, with transients arriving blunted and slow. Rhythms lack the expected drive.
Soundstage C+
Decent spatial presentation with noticeable width and a modest step forward in depth perception. There's a mild sense of width to enjoy.
Details C+
Decent detail retrieval that handles most textures while leaving some micro-information understated. Most textures come through cleanly.
Imaging C
Depth hints are present though they rarely extend far beyond the stage front. Movement effects are understandable.
Gaming C+
Fundamental left/right positioning with limited depth perception. Works for non-competitive gaming but lacks precision.

Padsmith IEM Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B+
  • The tuning leans easygoing, yet occasional unevenness nudges it away from greatness. A bit of EQ polish can smooth things nicely.

Average Technical Grade

B
  • An honest, middle-of-the-road performance preserves structure without chasing micro-detail. It's respectable for everyday listening sessions.
Mids C+
The mids are solid and dependable, though not especially remarkable. Vocals stay reasonably grounded in the mix.
Treble C-
Treble performance is average, audible but short on refinement. There's acceptable presence but limited finesse.
Dynamics B
Expect energetic dynamics that bring music to life without harshness. It injects enthusiasm into fast music.
Soundstage A-
Immersion steps up dramatically as width, depth, and height integrate into a cohesive hologram. Everything sounds naturally spaced.
Gaming B-
Moderate spatial presentation conveys general directionality. Suitable for casual play where precision isn't critical.

Etymotic ER2XR User Reviews

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Padsmith IEM User Reviews

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