Introduction

August 2017 saw the Etymotic brand first covered on TechPowerUp with the twin ER4 models, which impressed our editor with the feature set and audio performance. This continued in August 2018 with the ER3XR, a more budget-friendly model that provided the expected neutral tuning and accurate response at a lower price point. If all goes well, this review should be published in August 2021 and goes the other way with the company's first ever multi-driver set of in-ear monitors. Etymotic has relished a history longer than yours truly has lived on this planet, with an active research department that has developed some fantastic products for various use cases and has supported other researchers in the field. So when news came of the all-new Etymotic EVO, I was all the more curious to see the fruits of its R&D in action.


The Etymotic EVO is quite a departure from the company's previous retail offerings, which were the subject of many a meme considering the thin, long acoustic tube design which got quite intimate with your ear canals. That design was the reason behind the excellent seal and done neutral tuning achieving what was claimed to be the most accurate set of earphones at the time, and with the EVO, the company claims that title again. Gone is the tubular design that made Etymotic (in)famous, and we instead have a hybrid of sorts with a shell that is more reminiscent of other ergonomically designed IEMs that sit in the ear concha coupled with a long nozzle that should still involve some probing. Thanks to Etymotic for sending us a sample of the EVO as we aim to find out whether this is truly an Evolution of the brand in this review beginning with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications