Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
 Outstanding value May 31, 2010
M&M (Boston)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have tried many in-ear headphones from ~$30 to ~$300, and these are IMHO the best combination of sound quality, comfort, and affordability. I wear them on my daily commute in Boston, and the noise isolation is exceptional. I use the cylindrical foam earpieces, and with those inserted properly I can barely hear the Red Line subway train when it approaches in the station--if you're not familiar with the Boston subway system, this is not a quiet event by any means. As others have commented, the headphones may seem a little weak in the bass department if you are used to artificially juiced-up bass. It was that way for me at first, but I quickly adapted, especially given the improvement in overall clarity. I sometimes use an EQ setting in my ipod that adds just a smidgen of additional bass, but with or without that, the sound is beautiful. I'm not one for the florid descriptions of sound gear that you can read in audio magazines, but I will say that I feel these headphones have renewed my music collection, which is mainly 190-kbps MP3. Everything I listen to sounds fresh--full of previously unheard nuances and emotional impact. As for comfort, I wore these for about 10 hours straight on a trans-Pacific flight, and if not for the music playing and the lack of jet-engine noise, I could have forgotten I was wearing them.
 Etymotic hf5 March 17, 2010
Joel Tunnah (Brooklyn, NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The HF5 is a vast improvement over other earphones I have owned, like the awful Sennheiser CX300 or default iPod earbuds. But, claims that these or any other tiny earphones are "reference quality" is an exaggeration, and there are also usage issues that need to be considered.
Using 320kbps mp3's in my Sansa Fuze, I compared the HF5 to my full size Sony MDR-V6 headphones. The HF5 does remarkably well in the mid-range - no complaints. But the highs are a little muddier and fizzier, and the bass is just not there - even when seated correctly. They really are superb for listening to audio books in noisy environments - but for music I can't give them more than 3 stars.
As for using the HF5's: I find it very distracting having something so far into my ear - at times they are downright uncomfortable. It usually takes several attempts to get them seated correctly. Earwax is a constant issue (nasty), especially in the ridged rubber flanges. The audio quality is very dependent on placement. The rubbery cord makes a lot of noise in your ear if you move at all (forget about jogging or walking with these in).
External sound isolation is what I would call excellent, although again it seems to me that people greatly exaggerate. I use these on the subway, and sadly you can still hear the train and everything around you. It's not at all like what you get with protective shooting headphones. Still, the isolation is much better than the MDR-V6's, and slightly better than the Bose QC15's I tried.
Build quality is excellent, cord length is perfect, and they are attractive units. Comes with a nice soft case.
Very Disappointing February 15, 2010
Jim Hammond (Bristow, VA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I just purchased these and spent several hours comparing them to my Sony MDR EX51LP earbuds using multiple songs containing subtle music qualities, and I tested them with the two devices with which I am most likely to use earbuds, which are my MP3 Player (the Motorola Droid), and my laptop.
My Sony buds are over five years old, and yet they sounded as good as the HF5 buds for one fifth the price, and the Sonys are a quick fit to insert and remove from my ears; whereas, the HF5 buds are cumbersome to insert and remove. The Sonys are also more comfortable.
I tried all tips multiple times, and I inserted them as deep into my ear canal as physically possible. I had a nice tight seal each time.
I am returning these, and I just ordered the Sony MDR EX500LP buds, which are $25 less than the HF5s.
 etymotic hf5 February 1, 2010
M. Bahcall
Good sounding and very accurate for the money. Not huge bass but the bottom is there. Using with 5G nano and the power output on the nano is a little weak. Great for classical music not the best but for $100 it is only a little worse then a westone um2 I heard which is 2-1/2 times the price , more even from top to bottom and not as much bass and lower output. The westone is much to warm sounding and not as accurate.
Great quality and noise isolation!!! January 30, 2010
GREGORY MCLEOD
The quality is much better than expected, and the amount of noise isolation is phenomenal! You definitely get what you paid for this one. One small issue is the cable noise you hear when you rub against it, although the clip helps and since I only use them when I'm sitting idle it doesn't bother me. If you are picky about this type of thing you might want to consider a cheaper alternative, however the amount of outside noise that is reduced is well worth it in my opinion.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
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