Home > Consumer Reviews > Etymotic Research HF2 Earphones / Headset (iPhone Compatible) - Black

First I have to get a few things straight so people know what to expect from Etymotic products.
Etymotic does not make basshead earphones. They never did. I don't think they ever will. The HF2 does have bass, if you know how to insert them in your ears properly (which takes some time to get right, after which becomes a piece of cake) but the bass isn't heavy or overwhelming like some people prefer.
Etymotic DOES make earphones that have exceptional sound quality and detail across the spectrum. These are for people that enjoy every bit of music, not just heavy bass beats. Listening to these will allow you to hear sounds in music you have never heard before. Yes, this does include distinguishing one bass note from another.
The microphone in my experience so far has been superb. Nobody had any trouble hearing me and most people couldn't even tell I was walking down a busy street. Before I couldn't use any phone, headset or not, when walking down the street in downtown Manhattan because I couldn't hear the person on the phone and they couldn't hear me. This headset fixed that. Since the noises of NYC are so loud people do hear them, just not too loud to be obstructive and at least I can have a conversation on the phone.
Personally I recommend using the foam ear tips because they give the best seal. You have to use them properly as well, squish them as much as you can and insert them deep into your ears, then allow to expand. Those require replacement every few months so I also recommend purchasing a few replacement sets from etymotic.
Now that I rambled enough, I will say I am very happy with my purchase and I highly recommend these to anyone that can afford them!

I typically don't mishandle electronics - most of my headphones last for years with heavy use. This broke within three months of use - there seems to be a weakpoint near the plug, and lost signal in one of the speakers. I had to pay for the shipment for it to be "inspected" by etymotic. I had to email the company to get the reply after not hearing from them for over a week. I would have passed it as a common defect, but it turns out that my second pair broke in a few months, on the other side. The headset sounds pretty decent and the mic is excellent - but it is a bad purchase with such a high rate of failure. I'm going to give up on this product now - product this expensive should not break this easily!

I had owned my Shure E4c-n Sound Isolating Earphones for over a year when I tried the Shure SE530PTH with Push-To-Hear Control. The difference was so huge and I just had to have them. I use them mostly on airplanes (six flight segments last week alone) and I have been very,very happy with my purchase.

I recently got a chance to own the Etymotic Research HF2 earphones and I am very impressed. Here I will compare them to both the Shure E4c (which retails at about the same price as the Etymotic HF2) and the much more expensive Shure SE530PTH (around $500).

The first thing that I noticed was that the Etymotic is thinner and more compact that either of the Shure models that I own. While the Shure is more ergonomic, they require you to run the wire behind your ear in order to get the best fit (at least that is what I have found). I use the memory-type foam ear pieces on all of the models that I reviewed; they just work better for me and give me a nice, tight fit. I like the Etymotic case better. Although it is bigger, it is a soft case versus the Shure hard case and you can carry extra ear pieces in Etymotic case.

I listen to mostly classical, jazz and opera. I started this test with musical pieces that I was very familiar which; music which I've heard both recorded and live many times over the years. I first listened with some inexpensive earbuds, the kind that come included with iPods and other devices, then with the Shure E4c-n. The cheap set sounded like I was listening to the music from another room. I could hear it and recognize all of familiar parts, you just don't get anything close to the live music experience that you do with better buds. All of the exciting parts seem muted and dull. The Shure E4c-n made a huge difference. The high notes sounded crisp and pure. The violins sounded like the real violins that they were, not synthetically generated ones. Oboes, clarinets and tenor saxes had a clear, sharp sound to them (by the way, I have tried the $60-150 earbuds and, at least for me, I wouldn't buy anything less that the Shure or the Etymotic $150-200 models). Bass drums, violins and guitars stood out, had texture and shook you a little.

Next I tried the Etymotics. I have to admit that I liked them better, and not by a little margin. Tenors sounded more vibrant with the Etymotics as did jazz guitar rifts. Bass was a little better with the Shures, but not by much. Plus, the Etymotics have the mute and call-switching feature that makes them useful to iPhone users (I used an iPod Touch for my tests). They felt better and lighter in my ear.

Finally I tried the SE530PTH. Yes, they are better, but it takes a picky ear to hear justify the $300+ price differences. Plus, the Shures have a device with a built in microphone that lets you listen to someone talking without needing to pull your earbuds out (although I don't use it with my set, it's too bulky). If you have an iPhone, the Etomotics are a better choice as they have phone-useful features that the Shure doesn't.

If I had the Etymotics first, I might not have bought the Shure SE530PTH. Still, I am glad that I have all of them and I will certainly recommend the Etymotic to friends who are looking for a great set in the under $200 price point.

Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones with Push-To-Hear Control

Shure E4c-n Sound Isolating Earphones (Black)

i've tried the vmoda, ultimate ears, maximo, rivet, and they are all of so-so sound quality and extremely poor reliability. None of them lasted more than a few weeks, most of the jack connectors can take no stress, and eventually the wires come loose and you loose sound in one earbud. The HF2s provide amazing sound clarity, never thought i would pay so much for a pair of headphones but its definitely worth it. It takes a couple of days to get the right fit though. Watch the video on their website on how to put it on properly, otherwise there will be no bass. So far, I love it.

Update:

After a whole month of use, I can say that I like these even more! I love my iPhone and can't wait to get the 3G. I use my iphone all the time for music and calls, and these are just perfect. I am not sure how they could improve the sound anymore, i find myself listening to songs that I have heard for years as if I am hearing them for the first time. You feel like you are in the same room where the music is recorded. Simply amazing. I have never been an audiophile and never understood why someone would pay more than $50 for a pair of earphones but now I don't think i can use anything else. I was planning to use my other headsets with my shuffle at the gym and I find the sound quality so poor in comparison that I can't even use them anymore.

To be fair, I have not tried the Shures, but they do not make a one piece mike/earset for the iPhone.

For those of you who are complaining about the sound, I am pretty sure you are not putting them in properly or getting the right fit. It took me a week to get the perfect fit. I tried the foams, the different silicone ones, and I find that as long as I pull my ears up and out while inserting, they fit really easily and well.

Sometimes they do get too deep in my ears and that is a bit freaky but besides that the only room for improvement is a smaller mike (its very light though) but that might compromise sound quality.

My mike button got stuck and their customer service was top notch. They sent me a replacement in 2 days. Highly recommended if you can afford it. I thought it was really expensive at first but for the sound quality, I think it's actually a good deal. It may cost 2-3 times more than others, but the sound and build quality is 5-6 times better.

Having recently purchased an iPhone 3G, I wanted a pair of headphones with in-line microphone to round out the experience. To be honest, I'm not thrilled with iPhone's sound quality on busy streets nor were the people on the other end of the line able to easily hear me. These headphones change the ball game. I can't really imagine using iPhone without them. Here's why.

1. Sound isolation. This is most of the magic. The in-ear headphones all isolate outside sounds quite well with a few caveats. One, the cable does transmit some sound as it hits against clothing. Nothing deal breaking to me. The only other sound I hear is a muffled wind noise under very windy conditions. The other aspect of sound isolation is that the microphone does an excellent job of filtering out extraneous noise to deliver a very clear sound to the person on the other end of the line.

2. Sound reproduction. Without a doubt, these headphones produce clear, precise and accurate sound. They don't do big bass, which is appropriate because you can't get big bass out of tiny drivers. No perceivable distortion either. I feel the sound from Etymotic is superior to my previous pair of Shure earphones.

3. Size and Design. Discreet! Unlike the Shure models, these are minimalist in design and don't require the user to awkwardly drape the cables over the back of his ears. The plastic's quality is high and I was satisfied with the fitting of the standard flange attachment. The microphone also has a button which allows one to answer incoming calls, pause music and also advance to the next track. I can tell you it is seamless in operation.

4. Value. Why buy an iPhone and use the standard Apple headphones? You'll hear barely anything in heavy traffic, the mic is lousy and because there is no sound isolation, the necessary higher volume levels will damage your ears. I expect these Etymotic HF2 to last a good number of years so over time, the per year price will be relatively low. I learned to invest in quality products and keep them. Hopefully both these and iPhone will meet that standard.

UPDATE: Almost one year on, I'm still extremely happy with the HF2 headset. No issues with build quality and they are as useful and appreciated as ever. Highly recommended.