Etymotic ER2SE

Disclaimer:

• I bought this unit from the 2nd hand marketplace. Rest assured that this review will be free from any bias/es as much as possible.
• The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• Hidizs AP80
• Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• VE MEGATRON USB DAC
• Tempotec Sonata HD V
• Cyberdrive Feather DAC
• Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i, Samsung Galaxy On7)
• Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: Stock preinstalled tri-flange eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, both high and low gain, with and without extra amplification.

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Sound signature:

• Etymotic IEMs need no introduction. The Etymotic ER2SE follows the Etymotic’s Diffuse Field (DF) Target. As a result, the sound will be flat, uncolored, and unforgiving. This also reflects to the technical performance as well.

Lows:

• The lows here are linear, tight, clean, fast, and punchy. The subbass will only show itself when the track needs it. This will never be the basshead’s dream and maybe the ER3XR/2XR fits the title better if we’re talking about a “bassy” Etymotic IEM.

Mids:

• The mids here are still, neutral, uncolored, and clean. Everything has an “accurate” note weight and articulate. No instances of peaks or harshness are present here in nature unless the track itself is poorly recorded, mastered, or sibilant prone.

Highs:

• The treble here is also linear and has that usual accurate extension from an Etymotic IEM. Some people may find it lacking, unenergetic, or dry, especially for those people who loves elevated presence. Detail retrieval here is excellent in its class and can pick up nuances with ease.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• Etymotic IEMs are more on the realists side - which means they stick to their principle that the soundstage perceived will depend on how your mind or ear perceives it, and depends if the track is recorded widely, narrow, or compressed. Separation and imaging here is precise but again, depends on the track itself.

Pros:

• The most accurate-sounding IEM (according to them)
• Uncolored, true neutral, flat sound signature.
• Speedy,clean attack and decay for a dynamic driver.
• Excellent clarity and resolution.
• Top-class isolation in the UIEM form factor.
• Non-fatiguing sound.
• Excellent technical performance in its class.
• Excellent fit and comfort (when fitted properly).
• Has better value than the ER3SE.

Cons:

• Fit will not be for everybody.
• Cable microphonics is present when the chin slider and shirt clip are unused.
• Subbass might be lacking for some (but not me though, get the ER2XR/3XR for a bass boost)
• This needs an extra amount of power when compared to the ER3SE to fully shine.
• Semi-proprietary MMCX connection.
• Unforgiving and will slap you with the reality that a soundstage in an iem is all made up inside your head.
• A cable winder and a hard case would be a treat for everybody (nitpick).

The ER2SE is now my top recommendation when looking for an Etymotic IEM, particularly under the 100 USD category. It has better value than the ER3SE because it sounds 90% the same, without the BA timbre due to it using a speedy, dynamic driver. As long as you have a fairly powerful source, the Etymotic will sound good and may even replace your kilobuck IEMs.


Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: The ER2SE needs a decent amount of power to shine the most. A powerful dongle would be a must for me to unleash its full potential.
• Eartips: Etymotic has given you sets of eartips to test and fit according to your comfort. The triple flange preinstalled eartips worked for me well, but may not on your ears.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos here:

Previously I wrote a review on the Moondrop quarks, long story short I said they were all you will ever need.
That there isn't really an upgrade worth spending more on.

I was wrong, the etymotic er2se is worth upgrading to, er2xr if you need bass boost, Moondrop blessing 2 if you
want nothing to do with deep insertion.

The er2se are perfectly tuned to simulate high definition speakers in a room, and they do that better than
any other headphone, even Etymotic's other IEMs.

The deep insertion is something you can get used to.

The Moondrop blessing 2 and er2xr are basically the basshead version, theyre a fun listen but the bass masks the mids.
bass drops veil mids during a song.

Until someone makes a deep insertion IEM that follows the diffuse field target perfectly, these are
the best you can get.

Easy 5 stars.

A very nice sounding IEM. Totally recommendable (unless you are a bass-head, need a strong V-shape, or can't tolerate a deep fit construction). The good reputation/hype well deserved. Balanced, clean, euphonic sound.