Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt)

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

detailed, add bass in EQ w/precut for amazing bass

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I've bought that pair of headphones because I travel a lot by plane and I always had to crank up the volume to hear part of the music. They are astounding! I now not only hear all the details of the music, but I don't even hear the plane and the flight attendants... oups! I don't even hear the lawnmower now!

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I've purchased both Etymotic mc-series and hf-series earphones at B&H. Their sound quality is astonishingly good, with a level of detail better than any of my circumaural (and often more expensive) headphones. In fact, the only comparable sound I can think of is that of my long-departed Koss ESP9 electrostatic headphones. As you might have already guessed, I listen almost exclusively to so-called 'classical' music.The two series are very similar in sound; the mc-series seem a little cleaner in louder/denser passages, but the hf-series seem to reach a little deeper into the bass frequencies. However, these differences are of a more subtle nature, at least to my ears.I will reiterate what others have said: a good ear seal is critical to both the sound quality and isolation; obtaining it requires some experimentation. For me, the 'glider' versions have proven most effective. In fact, the sound isolation with them is so complete that it takes some getting used to, especially on airplanes! Their only negative is that they make my ears itch over a period of hours.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

Have happily been using these day in day out for extended periods of time. Great sound & quality. Extremely happy.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

Pretty good IEM with solid, neutral sound. Someone would say it's not boomy or bright but I prefer more balanced sound.

Small size and noise isolation feature ia a bonus.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I bought the hf5's to replace the ER6i's that I'd loved using with my iPod for a number of years. The hf5's are not designed to emphasize bass like the ER6i's, but I don't miss it (and can boost bass with an equalizer app if I want). The sound is crystal clear and balanced - great for all types of music if you don't expect booming bass. The gray foam eartips are more comfortable to use than the ER6i's orange ones and do an equivalent job of blocking outside noise.
These are not for use walking or running outside - they're too isolating. It's also true that movement of the wires against your clothing or skin creates noise that's transmitted to your ears (is this typical of all in-ear isolating phones?). They're best, therefore, for sedentary listening.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

Great product, easy to wear, offers great noise cancellation even in a plane. Try the different ear buds until you feel the one that offers the best comfort and you will be ready for a great experience ;-)

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I have purchased about 6 different brands of ear phones, and these are the best sound by far. I use them when flying, and for the first time I am able to hear the music over the jet endgine noise. Because they cancel out outside noise so well, I am able to listen at a lower volume which protects me from ear damage from too high volume.I love these things because I now have noticed instraments in the music I did not hear well with my other head and ear phones.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I been searching for another pair of earbug for a while. This earbug are pretty good and fit very well. Very well build with this price will not go wrong.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

...if you sit still and don't move a muscle. The microphony created by your own footfalls, the wire bouncing against your body or wind blowing on the wires or your ears is quite annoying and accounts for most of the bass frequencies you will hear. If you intend to wear these only while sitting on a plane or in a chair at home, by all means get these - they sound great with excellent imaging. If you actually move while listening to music, you have been warned.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

Fly as much as I do and you will see a lot of Sure electronic noise cancelling headphones. But as a convert from such headphones these Etymotics offer *much* better sound and *much* better isolation from background noise. Plus the HF5s cost less and are much smaller, the only time they leave my backpack is to go in my ears! I found that the Sure *foam* ear tips (EC3 etc) were more comfortable and sealed better than any of the Etymotic tips. The Sure foam tips are a pefect fit for the HF5s and are cheap and readily available.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

I bought these as a replacement for my 5-year-old Etymotic ER6i's. Although I really loved the sound of the ER6i's, these sound even better -- more bass, and an all-around more natural sound. They also feel sturdier, and the silicone tips fit a little more comfortably than the old ones.

As with the ER6i's, these earbuds go deep into your ear canal, which can take some getting used to, but they block outside sounds beautifully as a result. They're great when flying and also when mowing the lawn, not just when sitting at home. They're not great in an environment where you need to pull them out frequently to talk to people since inserting and removing them takes an extra couple of seconds compared to traditional earbuds.

My old ER6i's still work, BTW, but I lost some bits and pieces and decided I was ready to see how earbud technology had improved since I bought them.

Comments about Etymotic Research hf5 In-Ear Stereo Headphones (Cobalt):

Owned a pair of Etymotics for years and loved the passive noise isolation. Just plug them in and the noise goes away especially the low frequency drumming on plane flights but time reduced the volume on one side (you need to be careful when removing them and not just pull on the cord) so I thought I'd upgrade.
Couldn't be happier. Very balanced. Not punchy or overbased (but if you want more base just dial it in on your iPhone/iPod). Clear clean highs, good tight seal with a good range of earpieces to ensure the buds seat snuggly in your ear canal.
Only reason they don't get 5 stars, not sure, maybe if they were free...