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While some may balk at earphones that cost more
than nearly every iPod, true audio snobs know that
high-quality ’phones are worth the price of admission
for producing crisp, detailed sound that lets you fully
appreciate every nuance of your music. Both the
professional-quality M-Audio IE-30 and the wireless
Etymotic Research ety8 In-the-Ear Bluetooth earphones
deliver quality construction and stellar sound.
The IE-30s use two high-definition armature drivers
in each earbud. The audio crossover network routes
each frequency of your music to either the low-range
or high-range driver, and each driver’s output is sent
though a separate acoustic channel to maximize detail
in the sound field. This is pro-level quality—dozens
of touring bands use this Ultimate Ears technology to
closely monitor their sound onstage or in the studio.
The IE-30 earbuds provide 26 decibels of noise isolation
to block out the outside world, and the 46-inch cable
bends at the top to wrap securely around your ears. The
sturdy cable is also detachable, so if it’s ever damaged,
you can replace it (price TBD at press time, but M-Audio
estimated about $25) instead of replacing the earbuds.
Simply put, the IE-30s sounded incredible. Music
from all genres reproduced clearly, and we could
hear every detail, even subtle effects that we’d never
noticed before. In fact, for listening
through an iPod, reproduction this
faithful could even be a slight
drawback—if your music
is encoded in lossy MP3
or AAC at relatively low
bit rates, you may be
able to hear the effects
of that compression,
especially in the high
end. We noticed some
muddying of cymbals
in 160Kbps MP3 files
and to a lesser extent
in 128Kbps AAC files,
but high-bit-rate AAC
and Apple Lossless
files sounded full and
clear, and music from
>>>72 M|L MAY•07
a stereo (a 1/4-inch stereo plug adapter is included) was
reproduced perfectly.
M-Audio includes four sets of tips (three rubber and
one foam), but the earbuds themselves are quite big.
Even using the smallest rubber tips, we felt like we
were stuffing about six Q-tips into our ears at once. We
got used to the fit after a couple of days of frequent
use (and the sound quality more than made up for the
temporary discomfort), but if you have small ears, you
may find them too large.
Etymotic Research’s ety8 earphones include an
8Mate adapter that attaches to your iPod’s dock
connector and uses Bluetooth to send audio to the
earphones. The adapter worked perfectly within a
25-foot range, and the right earphone sports tiny
buttons for play/pause, volume, and track forward and
back. After charging the earphones via USB (a full
charge took 2 hours), we got 10.2 hours of playback
at half volume—not bad, but USB is the only way to
charge the ety8 ’phones, so they may not be ideal for
notebook-less road warriors. Noise isolation ranging
from 35 to 40 decibels (using the plastic flange tips
and foam tips, respectively) effectively blocked all
outside commotion, and the balanced armature drivers
produced full, accurate sound.
The ety8s made our music sound great, especially on
the low end, but didn’t impress us sonically as much as
the IE-30s. When using an iPod nano or a fifth-gen iPod,
you can adjust the volume with the iPod’s clickwheel or
the controls on the right earphone, but if you’re using
a fourth-gen iPod or an iPod mini, you can only change
the volume with the earphone controls, not on the iPod
itself. Not a big deal since the controls are easy to use
even though you can’t see them, but we felt a little
silly tapping tiny buttons on our right ear. The ety8s
are comfortable (although the tips do extend pretty far
into your ear canal) but not exactly stylish, resembling
rectangular plastic earrings.
The bottom line. Both sets of earbuds sound great,
and the noise isolation lets you listen at lower volumes
and still hear everything. If you want to go wireless,
the ety8s work well, but you’ll look a little Star Trek. If
sound quality is paramount, the IE-30s will satisfy even
the pickiest audiophiles.—Susie Ochs
M - au d i o i e - 3 0 a n d e t y M o t i c r e s e a r c h e t y 8
HI-FI HEADPHONES
The high-def IE-30s sound like a concert hall inside your head.
The wireless ety8 earphones do have one string attached—to keep them together.
))) Listen All things audio
M-Audiowww.m-audio.comPrice: $299.95Requirements: Any device with a headphone jack
Dual drivers for excellent sound. Replaceable cables.
Large earbuds may be uncomfortable for some.
IE-30
Mac|Life R A T E D
A W E S O M E
Etymotic Researchwww.etymotic.comPrice: $299 Requirements: 4G or 5G iPod, 1G or 2G iPod nano, or iPod mini
Wireless. Good sound. Comfortable. On-ear controls are easy to use.
People might look at you a little funny. Requires USB charge.
ETY8
Mac|Life R A T E D
G R E A T