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Etymotic Research Hf5 Portable In-Ear Monitors
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Etymotic Research Hf5 Portable In-Ear Monitors
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Product Description
From Etymotic Research, one of the early pioneers of in-ear technology, the hf5 Portable In-Ear Monitors deliver best-in-class noise isolation—thanks to the deep, ultra-secure fit of its long, slender buds. Expect the brand’s signature accuracy and musical clarity in a sleek, understated package whose well-built construction promises extra durability Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downEdinNJ
271
Nov 24, 2015
I've had several Ety in-ear monitors over the years. Something about the ER4s seems to result in me losing them, but my HFs (and a very old, no longer sold set) seem to stick around. I strongly recommend getting custom tips once you've got the monitors, unless your ear canals are perfectly round. Mine are very tall oval, and for years I had to choose between snug fit and noise reduction and comfort. Custom tips, all in, will run you $100 plus or minus, and can be used with any of the Ety's with the same profile. I have two sets, have had them for probably six years now. You get great comfort, better bass, better sealing, and overall better sound quality from what's already a very good sounding product.
There will no doubt be people bashing the sound quality of Ety monitors, this being MassDrop. Every headphone and earphone enthusiast I know has at least one set of Etys, even people like me who have three sets of high end full custom earphones. Ety monitors aren't bass-head monitors, but are dead accurate, crisp, and fast. Not bright and grating, but not dull and rolled off. Some days it's exactly the sound I want. And for years, they were the only in ear monitors I used - tried others and kept coming back to the Etys.
There will no doubt be people bashing the sound quality of Ety monitors, this being MassDrop. Every headphone and earphone enthusiast I know has at least one set of Etys, even people like me who have three sets of high end full custom earphones. Ety monitors aren't bass-head monitors, but are dead accurate, crisp, and fast. Not bright and grating, but not dull and rolled off. Some days it's exactly the sound I want. And for years, they were the only in ear monitors I used - tried others and kept coming back to the Etys.
dashdsrdash
64
Dec 15, 2016
You can pay $6 more and have them from Amazon tomorrow.
(they're very nice, but this is a terrible discount for the wait that massdrop imposes)
(they're very nice, but this is a terrible discount for the wait that massdrop imposes)
wildcatgoal
16
Feb 2, 2016
Been listening to these. In whole, these really don't sound any better connected to an iPhone than the $39.99 set of Sony in ear seal headphones I got at the airport a while ago. Yes they're sealed to my ear, yes they are treble-happy and bass-weak, and yes I am listening to loss-less music. What a waste.
Opisthenar
6
Feb 21, 2016
Unfortunately, you're mistaken quite a bit. ALAC files by their nature are lossless, which is true, however the software capabilites on the iPhone cannot produce 24bit/192kHz sound, which is pointless even if you're using ALAC files. To be able to translate digital to analog is one thing, to to translate it 1 for 1 is another. iPhone can "play" ALAC, just not to what it's capable of. However, the hardware is natively capable of hi-res audio playback, and it's not hard to believe that they will update their OS eventually to allow their DAC to be used to its full potential. Current app solutions for high resolution playback still merely translate digital signal into another digital signal that the iPhone can comprehend at a much lower resolution, from my understanding.
Furthermore, CD's use PCM, not WAV, and are generally 16-bit/44.1kHz sound files. There is no technical difference between what iPhone is capable of and what a CD is capable of at this point.
To say that iPhone is "best in the business" is completely bogus as well. Especially when you have phones like Xiaomi and LG slapping on ESS Sabre DACs on their phones. And although HTC uses an undisclosed DAC, it also blows iPhone out of the water in sound reproduction.
TL;DR: iPhone will not compress your audio, but will not play your lossless files as intended. It merely translates and scales down to fit its maximum software capability.
Furthermore, CD's use PCM, not WAV, and are generally 16-bit/44.1kHz sound files. There is no technical difference between what iPhone is capable of and what a CD is capable of at this point.
To say that iPhone is "best in the business" is completely bogus as well. Especially when you have phones like Xiaomi and LG slapping on ESS Sabre DACs on their phones. And although HTC uses an undisclosed DAC, it also blows iPhone out of the water in sound reproduction.
TL;DR: iPhone will not compress your audio, but will not play your lossless files as intended. It merely translates and scales down to fit its maximum software capability.
DrBob
61
Mar 13, 2016
OpisthenariTunes can play 96/24 files but the iPhone is limited to 48/24. You can use iTunes to create a 48/24 version of your 96/24 file. Ripping a CD results in 44.1/16 files from the original PCM files. These are reasonably high resolution for a DAP in a portable environment where other sounds are likely to intrude. If you want to play 192/24 or 96/24 files buy a FiiO X1/X3/X5/X7 and better headphones than these and listen in a controlled environment. I rip CDs twice, MP3 at 256VBR for the iPhone and ALAC 44.1/16 for my X3. On the subway it is difficult to hear the difference between the two.
EdinNJ
271
Dec 20, 2016
Big difference between noise cancelling and noise blocking. These, with their standard tips and your near average ear canals, will damp noise more than anything other than custom IEMs in full concha silicone. I have one of these and one of their flagship IEMs. I also have full concha and small ear tip custom tips for the Etymotic Research earphones from ACS in New York. With those custom tips, which go WAY deep into my ear canals, and deal with the oddness of my ear canal shape, make these Etys sound way better than anything in the price range.
I don't know any earphone enthusiast who doesn't have two or three Ety ear rigs. Anyone I've connected with has said, if you (separately) get the custom tips, these rise to the level of thousand dollar CIEMs. I've got two sets of them (my job means that most of the time, I have to listen to music on the road) and my Ety earphones, with custom tips, are what I use equally with my CIEMs. And, I listen to these next to my ER4 whatever earphones, and frankly, the difference is in favor of the HF5. Just note - get custom tips. It makes these sound better than hundreds of non-custom IEMs. And will make you into a schemer for more CIEMs.
I don't know any earphone enthusiast who doesn't have two or three Ety ear rigs. Anyone I've connected with has said, if you (separately) get the custom tips, these rise to the level of thousand dollar CIEMs. I've got two sets of them (my job means that most of the time, I have to listen to music on the road) and my Ety earphones, with custom tips, are what I use equally with my CIEMs. And, I listen to these next to my ER4 whatever earphones, and frankly, the difference is in favor of the HF5. Just note - get custom tips. It makes these sound better than hundreds of non-custom IEMs. And will make you into a schemer for more CIEMs.
mtcicero
32
Jul 1, 2017
I have another pair of etymotics and I nearly got detained at the airport because they thought the metal tool that comes with it was a detonator or something. Was a little exciting trying to explain it to the TSA
mtcicero
32
Jul 3, 2017
lollll yeah I had to bring up a picture of the headphones on amazon to show them that it was a legitimate thing. I don't understand how after opening up the pouch and showing that it was a pair of headphones and not a bomb or something they still were freaking out.
TKneeland
8
Nov 24, 2015
I've been using the HF5's for a few years now; stellar sound and clarity for the audiophile, great low end and full dynamic range. I highly recommend these! The foam earbuds (not pictured) work great for airplanes and noise isolation and for all the travel I do for work as well. It's great to have multiple options on the ear fit. Also they have a repurchase/discount policy if you want to upgrade to the ER4's anytime after buying.
stephen.scharf
55
Jul 6, 2017
*"*The best* IEMs with mike and voluime control I've ever used."*
Absolutely, 100% agree. They are even better than my Westone W40s, IMHO.
Absolutely, 100% agree. They are even better than my Westone W40s, IMHO.
UnaSalusVictus
58
Jul 6, 2017
the hf2 is android/winphone/anythingbutiphone the hf3 is iphone only(both will work as headphones but the buttons wont work, apple decided they had to be different and swap a pair of wires so you wouldnt be able to use headsets from/for non-apple products and actually get full features..
i wish somebody would bring out a set with a switch in the control u could just slide over to change between phone types...
or that phones would all auto sense like a hand full of windows and android phones can, and actually work with apple headphones and have the controls work.
anyway, wear the cable over your ears, it takes a bit to get use to but, it fixes that problem fully and makes them stay in alot better to, i wish they would make a version shaped like the PL50 honestly, would make them alot easier to wear in bed, and the shapes designed to wear over ear....(they are the most comfy iem's you will ever find if you try some decent tips...like sony hybrids, shure, and even ETY tips...(lostearbuds on ebay, check him out for a WIDE tip selection at very good prices with an excellent rep ;) )
anyway, yeah, i like the hf5's, but, personally if im gonna trade mine in, im gonna get the er4pt, sure they cost a decent bit more but, they also have longer warr, replaceable cables, and are and have been the ETY flagship since the 70's, and are still one of the best iem's on the market, bar none...i have even considered grabbing a set of ety kids and using my e3 or e5 amp with them, im told they sound great once you amp them..(cheapest ety, dynamic with like 300ohm resistance....) since i could use them and then trade them in for the upgrade discount, without waiting for these hf5's to die....(rma'd them once because one driver died, then once on the other set i had when it died at the 3.5 jack strain relief, both times ety replaced them and tossed in a new set or 2 of small tri flanges...if you rma just make sure to request the size of tips you would like, they rep even said she would have sent me a little baggie kit of various tips so i could try them, i kinda would like to try their small foamies...but either way....i like ety, sure i had a couple fails, but the first one was within days of getting them, the 2nd was caused by leaving them plugged into the player in my pocket all the time, stopped doing that and havent had a set of any iem's fail at the plug since...i ended up with 2 because amazon messed up my order 3 times, and eventually in all the back and forth, they sent me an extra set of the color i wanted that they went out of stock on....(i ended up with black when i wanted blue, now i have both..but the other set are still brand new in their baggie i tested them for a couple hours and then put them back and went back to the set i have been carrying around daily for years now...)
i do recommend heading over to amazon and looking up sets of tips for ETY Shure and Klipsch you will find some kits of dif types/styles of tips for reasonable prices, i actually find the 3rd party tri-flange cut down to a dual flange(remove largest flange) to be most comfortable and isolating for me...(the 3rd flange for me and 3 friends just ends up wrinkling and causing discomfort rather then better isolation...)
the fact ety stand behind their products, and even replaced a friends set after the nozel broke off as he tried to pull the tip off to swap it with some comply foamies he had gotten...and admitted to them and everybody it was probably his fault for not being more careful....they replaced them no extra cost and even tossed him a full retail box replacement because they didnt have any ziplock bag replacements in stock at the moment...(that impressed me...they sent me extra filters and an extra tool each time though..without me asking funny enough..)
i wish somebody would bring out a set with a switch in the control u could just slide over to change between phone types...
or that phones would all auto sense like a hand full of windows and android phones can, and actually work with apple headphones and have the controls work.
anyway, wear the cable over your ears, it takes a bit to get use to but, it fixes that problem fully and makes them stay in alot better to, i wish they would make a version shaped like the PL50 honestly, would make them alot easier to wear in bed, and the shapes designed to wear over ear....(they are the most comfy iem's you will ever find if you try some decent tips...like sony hybrids, shure, and even ETY tips...(lostearbuds on ebay, check him out for a WIDE tip selection at very good prices with an excellent rep ;) )
anyway, yeah, i like the hf5's, but, personally if im gonna trade mine in, im gonna get the er4pt, sure they cost a decent bit more but, they also have longer warr, replaceable cables, and are and have been the ETY flagship since the 70's, and are still one of the best iem's on the market, bar none...i have even considered grabbing a set of ety kids and using my e3 or e5 amp with them, im told they sound great once you amp them..(cheapest ety, dynamic with like 300ohm resistance....) since i could use them and then trade them in for the upgrade discount, without waiting for these hf5's to die....(rma'd them once because one driver died, then once on the other set i had when it died at the 3.5 jack strain relief, both times ety replaced them and tossed in a new set or 2 of small tri flanges...if you rma just make sure to request the size of tips you would like, they rep even said she would have sent me a little baggie kit of various tips so i could try them, i kinda would like to try their small foamies...but either way....i like ety, sure i had a couple fails, but the first one was within days of getting them, the 2nd was caused by leaving them plugged into the player in my pocket all the time, stopped doing that and havent had a set of any iem's fail at the plug since...i ended up with 2 because amazon messed up my order 3 times, and eventually in all the back and forth, they sent me an extra set of the color i wanted that they went out of stock on....(i ended up with black when i wanted blue, now i have both..but the other set are still brand new in their baggie i tested them for a couple hours and then put them back and went back to the set i have been carrying around daily for years now...)
i do recommend heading over to amazon and looking up sets of tips for ETY Shure and Klipsch you will find some kits of dif types/styles of tips for reasonable prices, i actually find the 3rd party tri-flange cut down to a dual flange(remove largest flange) to be most comfortable and isolating for me...(the 3rd flange for me and 3 friends just ends up wrinkling and causing discomfort rather then better isolation...)
the fact ety stand behind their products, and even replaced a friends set after the nozel broke off as he tried to pull the tip off to swap it with some comply foamies he had gotten...and admitted to them and everybody it was probably his fault for not being more careful....they replaced them no extra cost and even tossed him a full retail box replacement because they didnt have any ziplock bag replacements in stock at the moment...(that impressed me...they sent me extra filters and an extra tool each time though..without me asking funny enough..)
Nachi
63
Jul 1, 2017
I once bought a pair of these for $80 at the JFK airport. That was 8 years ago. Only recently did the cable begin to wear out after some super heavy usage carrying them around in my pockets on a backpacking trip. One of my favorite single driver IEMs. Recommend for those who like neutral frequency responses and clarity. The tips go in very deep into your ear and for some people it might not be comfortable. Pick up Shure olives or Comply tips.
UnaSalusVictus
58
Jul 6, 2017
try F4 tape, it only sticks to itself and similar materials, i use it to fix alot of cords because it never gets sticky or comes undone once its stuck to itself its stuck to itself.. :)
you can find it on amazon ;)
you can find it on amazon ;)
UnaSalusVictus
58
Jul 6, 2017
thats what he linked, click it, you can buy a bunch of them at a very nice discount trade in cost, why we both want to grab er4 models, they are ety's flagship, and have been since..like, the 70's...and are still one of the best iem's on the market...more then a few people i know got ACS tips for their hf5's then upgraded to er4pt's (Because with the impedence adapter they become er4s's but, without it, you can easily drive them with just about any decent player or cell phone..)
dmm108
11
Dec 15, 2016
Hi - the HF5 is the earpiece only version of the hf3, which has a m ic built in. Audio quality is the same for both. I've used the hf3 for years and would love another, since I lost my last pair. The best part about them was that i had a high fidelity headphone that doubled as a headset which was very useful when driving in my non-bluetooth car. Maybe someone could explain the choice of the hf5 over the 3. I'd buy one in a second if it was the headset version. By the way, the sound is excellent and well worth the money.
Also, the list price for the hf5, the actual price you can buy them for from etymotic themselves, is $129, not $149. Why does Massdrop inflate the MSRP of their products? Isn't the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price what they themselves sell the product for?
Also, the list price for the hf5, the actual price you can buy them for from etymotic themselves, is $129, not $149. Why does Massdrop inflate the MSRP of their products? Isn't the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price what they themselves sell the product for?
hoodafukisalice
99
Jul 2, 2017
dmm108Massdrop wants to portray how big a favour it is when you do business with them :-)
Welcome to the world of (unrealistic) marketing!
Welcome to the world of (unrealistic) marketing!
UnaSalusVictus
58
Jul 3, 2017
dmm108probably because they would need to do multi listings for the hf2, hf3 and hf5 since the hf2 and 3 are for apple or non-apple phones, the hf5 works on all, so no dealing with fuckups or multi listings, since most companies i have delt with only give the best discounts when buy more units of the same sku/model rather hten just based on total units.
i agree i would like to see the non-apple ver on sale but, amazon puts them on sale for prices like this a couple times a year at least... no wait... so..yeah... the pl50's where a great buy though ;)
i agree i would like to see the non-apple ver on sale but, amazon puts them on sale for prices like this a couple times a year at least... no wait... so..yeah... the pl50's where a great buy though ;)
pablo8
2
Sep 14, 2016
I've had these earphones nearly 3 years and I would highly recommend them, with one of the main advantages being the incredible isolation from external noise. They have an accurate yet 'punchy' bass response, which complements a lot of my rock/metal music well, whilst not being overly heavy with edm/electronic songs. Also they recently survived being in the washing machine and somehow survived (nonetheless these are not rated as water proof).
Only slight negative I'd have to point out is that the initial use of them can be a touch painful due to the deep insertion of the iem's, however now I use them daily (5+hours minimum).
Feel free to ask any questions.
Only slight negative I'd have to point out is that the initial use of them can be a touch painful due to the deep insertion of the iem's, however now I use them daily (5+hours minimum).
Feel free to ask any questions.
pablo8
2
Sep 19, 2016
Sorry about such a late reply. I haven't experienced any cord damage or any significant wear and tear at all. I'd also note that I've never used the carrying case that comes along with it either, usually just shove it in my pocket with my phone when not using it.
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