Introduction

Etymotic was one of the first companies to produce a really great-sounding in-ear with the ER4S. That was over 20 years ago and now, they have released a new "baby" ER4 dubbed the ER3. Last year, we had the pleasure of reviewing the new ER4XR and ER4SR which both lived up to their name and then some. The ER3 is Etymotic's attempt at creating an ER4-type in-ear at a lower price. Where the new ER4 models retail for around $349, the new ER3 models will retail for just $179.

Since Etymotic has never been much for lowering their quality standards in terms of sound, they had to look elsewhere. The ER3 ships with a smaller bundle which depending on your ears and needs might go by totally unnoticed. In order to get ER4 tech down in price, some of the less essential things have clearly either been omitted or had their acceptance criteria reduced.

The ER3 is available in two different versions. The Extended Response (XR) we will be covering today and Studio Edition (SE). Like with the ER4, the XR has a gentle bass boost, while the SE has a flat frequency response when you diffuse field correct it.

Specifications

• High performance, balanced armature micro drivers
• 20Hz-16kHz frequency response
• 35-42dB noise isolation
• Detachable 4 ft cable with MMCX connectors
• 120 dB max output
• Impedance of 22 ohms

The Package

Etymotic ships the ER3XR in a neat little box. Despite being a less expensive version of the ER4XR, everything is still of really high quality, which is really impressive.


The area where you get the impression that it is a cheaper pair of high-end in-ears is in the bundle. The ER4 ships with a huge bundle with multiple sets of each tip and a semi-hard clam-shell case, whereas with the ER3XR, you have to make do with a small carrying pouch, which admittedly is quite handy. The ER3XR uses the same metal housings as the ER4, which makes both quite durable.