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

I've been using the HF2s for about 4 weeks now and am very happy with them. I use them exclusively with my iPhone.

I upgraded to the HF2s from Ety ER6is after I broke them (4 years of almost daily use). The sound quality of the HF2's is excellent to my non-audiophile ears. The noise blocking on the HF2's is superior to the ER6is (I use the foam eartips on both). The flat response works well for the wide range of music that I like. I don't find that I'm missing the boosted low end that the ER6is had for rock/pop.

These headphones are excellent for a noisy office environment and working out. You need to be very careful walking around town with them in as you can't hear anything. Driving is right out. I have yet to fly with my HF2s, but the ER6is were just wonderful. I can only imagine that the HF2s will be even better.

The first set of Etymotic HF2 failed after three weeks... there was a loose connection in the jack that caused one earbud to not produce sound. Amazon allowed us to return the earbuds and replace them; we were hit about $20 in fees, but what are you going to do?

After losing my noise canceling Audio Technica ATH-ANC7 headphones on a trip, I was miserable. I was forced to turn my music up to turn the outside world down. After 3 months, I just couldn't take it. Did a few days worth of research and decided on the HF5s finally.

WOW!!!

These earphones are exactly what I've always wanted, just never knew existed--excellent music inside my earplugs. I'm bad at handling noise that is out of place (neighbors stomping upstairs, blasting TV downstairs, extremely loud individuals on the subway (+ the subway noise itself), car alarms...). These guys completely block all of it out. I can sit and study in the middle of a cafeteria and not hear a soul. I'm no longer that grumpy old guy (24 is the new 75) that asks everyone to "pipe down you noisy kids." The noise isolation is so good that my wife constantly surprises me even if she's trying to get my attention--I just don't hear her calling me--as she comes up to me.

As far as the sound quality goes, these are far superior to the AT (just like in the noise dept). There's no hiss of the noise cancellation and the music is just much more clear. So many little sounds are heard hat I just didn't know were part of the music or the show. I'm periodically turning around when I think someone's behind me--nope it's just the 3D sound that these things give off.

PROS:
*Sound Isolation. 10/10. I use extreme ear plugs and these are better (plus there's music inside).
*Small Package. 10/10. Completely fit inside pinna (outer ear), so there's nothing protruding. Can sleep in these comfortably if so inclined.
*Sound Quality. 9/10. I'm not at all an audiophile. I just hear much more detail in a lot of the music I have and the shows I watch. May seem a bit 'tinny' for some, but that's 'cause they're not dull and bassy.

CONS (small issues):
*3-flange earpieces. Will scrape ALL of your wax out if you don't really clean your ears. Get gunked up quick. Keep cleaning those ears.
*3-flange earpieces. May be a bit uncomfortable if put in dry or slightly off. Have to make sure to push in all the way (stop BEFORE it hurts).
*Rubbery cord. Kind of annoying. Grips tables, so it won't slide when you lean on it or try to push it over a bit with a textbook or something. Harder to untangle (not slippery).
*Cord transmits movement sounds unless wrapped around ears. Should be preshaped or stiffer at the ears to make wrapping easier. Not perfect as is.
*L/R designation written in least visible place on earphone--underneath, in thin white lettering. This is a pet peeve, the chords or phones can easily be marked by a tiny something to distinguish between them.

Conclusion:
These headphones provide me with complete noise isolation and excellent sound quality. They have been tested in cafes, NYC Subway, home, office. If you're looking for quiet, stop looking!!! Plus there's music inside!

I have had a set of Etymotic Research ER6i's before, so I knew the comfort and sound quality would be excellent on this pair of earphones. The triple flange design is both comfortable and secure, and gives a noticeable drop in ambient noise, even without the earphones playing music. The microphone seems to have good sound quality, with no one I talked to noticing any degradation in sound quality. Having a conversation wearing them takes some getting used to, as the sound from these earphones seems to be inside your head, but with time it feels normal.

I sent Etymotics two emails before i bought my pair of headsets and didn't get a response until a month later. Which was that no, the remote didn't work with the Ipod Touch. However, I bought these anyway and they work perfectly with the Ipod Touch, so really, customers support not only is slow but then not really interested in giving the right answers. Does not bode well for the day i'll have an isssue with these.

Other than that, the remote/mic is a bit heavy and dangles off the ear but it's really not that big a deal.

Sound is amazing, better than any other headset i've tried, and it's not even their high-end product. They improved the bass rendering significantly, it's now right where it should be I think.