Etymotic Research has been manufacturing earphones, hearing protection, and hearing enhancement products longer than 50% of the Head-Fi crowd have been alive. The venerable brand has released the Etymotic EVO multi-driver IEMs and it’s shocking to learn that these are their first such product.
The $499.95 Etymotic EVO IEMs are a big departure from the well-known precision machined, anodized and laser-etched aluminum bodies look of their ER line. Metal injection molding has allowed them to take a different direction. Metal powder and resin are mixed together, then precisely poured into metal molding, heated and pressurized to craft geometrically complex curves.
Their engineers have pushed the boundaries with a custom joined triple balanced armature driver module. With a two-way crossover, superior eartip seal, and housed into a special acoustic module, the Evo contains Etymotic’s truest sound signature and a wider sound stage.
To improve performance, the Etymotic Evo comes with a high-end Estron cable. The Linum BaX T2™ reduces microphonics thanks to being extremely lightweight, while maintaining reliability and durability.
Etymotic engineers studied the shape of the ear and looked for the most comfortable fit for the majority of people. Etymotic landed on a design that cradled the earphone within the ear’s concha. Scientifically driven engineering and accuracy based design, continues to lead the way in sound innovation.
According to the press release:
The Etymotic Evo is the most accurate multi driver earphone on the market – the perfect earphone for audiophiles.
That’s a pretty bold statement in a market saturated with dozens of high-end IEMs from brands like Sennheiser, AKG, Audeze, Campfire Audio, and Noble who have spent the past decade developing the most “accurate multi-driver” earphones on the market.
How they plan on differentiating these from the aforementioned brands and other models from Tin Audio and KZ will be interesting to see. And the proof is always in the listening.
Etymotic invented insert earphones in 1984. The first versions were used for diagnostic testing and precision auditory research (ER-1, 2, 3). Etymotic engineer, Steve Iseberg, produced the first noise-isolating high-fidelity in-ear earphone using balanced armature drivers, the ER-4 (1991), which became the basis of all subsequent in-ear earphones and in-ear monitors worldwide.
Thus creating an entire category of consumer electronics, and established these speakers as the gold standard for high definition in-ear earphones. The ER-4 earphones are still produced and channel-balanced to within 1 dB in Etymotic’s labs in the US.
Innovation, education and hearing preservation are central to Etymotic’s mission. Etymotic’s products are used by university researchers, hearing practitioners, hearing-impaired consumers, professional and amateur musicians, and others who demand superior sound quality.
In 2018, Etymotic was acquired by Lucid Audio, effectively joining forces between two companies focused on innovating the best hearing solutions available. Lucid Audio has allowed for continued research and development to maintain the quality of our products. There are a variety of different brands under the Lucid Audio family with a single vision of furthering hearing healthcare advancements and developing quality consumer listening products.
For more information: Etymotic Evo
