Etymotic ER4XR VS Etymotic ER2SE

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

Home Ranking Compare IEMs

Etymotic ER4XR and Etymotic ER2SE use 1BA and 1DD driver setups respectively. Etymotic ER4XR costs $200 while Etymotic ER2SE costs $80. Etymotic ER4XR is $120 more expensive. Etymotic ER4XR holds a decisive 1.4-point edge in reviewer scores (6.5 vs 5.1). Etymotic ER2SE has better bass with a 0.5-point edge, Etymotic ER4XR has better mids with a 0.7-point edge, Etymotic ER4XR has slightly better treble with a 0.3-point edge, Etymotic ER4XR has significantly better dynamics with a 2-point edge and Etymotic ER4XR has significantly better details with a 1-point edge.

Insights

Metric Etymotic ER4XR Etymotic ER2SE
Bass 5 5.5
Mids 7 6.3
Treble 5 4.7
Details 6 5
Soundstage 6.5 4
Imaging 5 5
Dynamics 5 3
Tonality 6.4 5
Technicalities 6.2 5.1
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough Etymotic ER4XR reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

Etymotic ER4XR Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Audionotions Precogvision
Crin
Super* Review

Average Reviewer Score:

6.5

Mixed to Positive

Etymotic ER2SE Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Jaytiss
Jays Audio Precogvision Tim Tuned
Super* Review

Average Reviewer Score:

5.1

Mixed to Negative

Reviews Comparison

Etymotic ER4XR reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 8* * score rescaled + normalized
check links for more info:

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Etymotic ER2SE reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 7* * score rescaled + normalized
check links for more info:

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel

Etymotic ER4XR reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 5.3 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
C+ Tech
So. Darn. Boring. But yes, it's the BA benchmark.

Precogvision original ranking

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

Etymotic ER2SE reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 5.2 Reviewer Score
B- Tuning
C+ Tech
See ER2XR but with less sub-bass.

Precogvision original ranking

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

Etymotic ER4XR (more reviews)

Etymotic ER4XR reviewed by Crin

Crin 7 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
A- Tech
A more mainstream tuning of the ER4S/SR with slightly boosted bass.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Etymotic ER4XR reviewed by Audionotions

Audionotions 5.5 Reviewer Score
Three words. Detail. Boring. Intrusive.

Audionotions original ranking

Website (Audionotions)

Etymotic ER2SE (more reviews)

Etymotic ER2SE reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 5.5 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
B+ Tech
Great detail & clarity. Fit took a long time to get used. Very clear and natural mids and treble. Lacks lower-extension, and couldn't handle bass notes on Time by Hikaru Utada (0:40+).

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Etymotic ER2SE reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 5 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
A- Tech
Great detail Intrusive fit

Tim Tuned original ranking

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

Etymotic ER2SE reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 2.8 Reviewer Score
D- Tuning
E+ Tech
Old, Treble for days.

Jaytiss original ranking

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

Etymotic ER4XR User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Etymotic ER2SE 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 ER4XR Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

6.2

Gaming Grade

B

Etymotic ER2SE Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

5.1

Gaming Grade

C+

Etymotic ER4XR 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

B
  • Overall technicalities are acceptable, delivering enough clarity for casual sessions. Imaging is serviceable though not immersive.
Bass C+
Expect a balanced but ordinary low end that avoids both extremes. Slam remains moderate and controlled.
Mids A-
Midrange performance is excellent, with natural timbre and great detail. Vocals feel lifelike and full-bodied.
Treble C+
The top end is tidy and serviceable, adding air without overdoing it. Extension is decent for casual listening.
Dynamics C+
Expect solid impact overall, even if finer gradations feel a touch smoothed. Micro-details could still be sharper.
Details B
Finer gestures snap into focus without sounding clinical or forced. Layering holds strong across genres.
Imaging C+
Stereo cues lock in more reliably, even if depth mapping remains approximate. Panning transitions smoothly across the stage.
Gaming B
Decent spatial awareness for fundamental positioning. Creates satisfying atmosphere in story-driven games while handling basic directional cues.

Etymotic ER2SE Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

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

Average Technical Grade

C+
  • The presentation is steady if unspectacular, holding onto essential details when the music stays simple. Fine details occasionally slip through the cracks.
Bass B-
It delivers adequate punch and texture, though nothing stands out. Sub-bass presence is hinted rather than delivered.
Mids B
The region sounds composed and expressive, giving vocals a natural spotlight. It keeps vocals front and center nicely.
Treble C
Highs are present enough yet carry a bit of grain and splash. Busy mixes can still feel a bit splashy.
Dynamics D
Dynamics sound noticeably compressed, muting contrast between quiet and loud. Transients feel blunted and slow.
Soundstage C-
The mix opens sideways while remaining vertically compressed and front-to-back shallow. You'll notice crowding on busy tracks.
Details C+
Decent detail retrieval that handles most textures while leaving some micro-information understated. Most textures come through cleanly.
Imaging C+
Complex mixes stay organized thanks to the improved spatial discipline. Complex passages stay intelligible.
Gaming C+
Fundamental left/right positioning with limited depth perception. Works for non-competitive gaming but lacks precision.

Etymotic ER4XR User Reviews

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Etymotic ER2SE User Reviews

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