Etymotic ER6i iPod headphones: straight to your brain

By Andrew Lim on 29 August 2006, 11:38am

If you own an iPod or indeed any MP3 player then having the right headphones is essential to getting the best sound quality. Don't make the mistake of thinking that once you've spent over £150 on an MP3 player, any old pair of headphones will suffice.

Indeed, there are headphone manufacturers who are so aware of this problem that they're designing specific headphones for specific MP3 players. The Etymotic ER-6i headphones are designed for use with an iPod and produce fantastic audio quality even in loud environments. This is achieved by using sound-isolating technology and flanged ear tips (pictured) that almost touch your brain. You can use foam tips instead if the flanged ones scare you.

Quite why you'd want headphones that almost touch your brain only becomes evident when you push the flanged tips into your ears. They seal up your ear canal like a cork and the sound hits you like a herd of buffalo. The bass sounds like bass, not like a flea punching the inside of your ear, and the treble is clear and doesn't remind you of a dying cat.

When using the ER-6i headphones during our morning commute, Crave was pleased to hear almost nothing but pure music. The headphones are light and compact but the cable is very thin and we did worry that somebody would snag it and rip it out of the earpieces.

The ER-6i headphones don't come cheap, but your £100 buys you excellent audio quality. If you value your music, check them out. -AL