Evo: Etymotic's First Multi-Armature

Etymotic Evo
Triple Armature
MSRP: $499
Evo was provided by Etymotic as a review loaner

In many firsts for Etymotic, they have introduced a triple armature, concha filling, over-ear fit IEM with a Linum BaX T2 cable. Makes me dizzy just typing all that out. This is a huge departure from the standard Ety formula and no doubt an exciting one for Ety fans across the globe.

The triple armature configuration is dual low frequency drivers and a single midrange/treble driver in a 2 way configuration. Impedance is listed at 47 ohms, so while not as power hungry as the ER-4S of old, it does take a good bit of volume, compared to average in-ears, to get to loud listening levels.

The housings are an anodized stainless steel in a very pleasing blue color with gold Ety logo laser-etched on the faceplate. The housing are very comfortable but do have the standard long Ety nozzles. I find that the fit is certainly deeper than average but perhaps not quite as deep as the standard Ety straight single driver shape, since the body of the IEM will limit you. With the supplied double flange tips, the Evo also inserts easier than the standard single driver shape. Pulling up on the ear as you insert isn’t a requirement, at least for me. If you’ve never tried Westone’s Otto-Ease with your Etys, maybe you should; it makes all Etys a little easier to fit.


Photo from Etymotic.com

Ety has opted for the Estron Linum T2 connectors, which Ultimate Ears also recently adopted. UE T2 cables should be interchangeable with the Evo. The stock Evo cable is a black 3.5mm BaX cable. These are super thin and frankly disappear in usage; they are particularly comfortable when wearing glasses. When I first heard they were going to use the regular BaX, I was concerned with tangling, as the original BaX was a bit of a tangle monster. However, it has been very pleasant to use; it seems Estron has worked out the twisting and tangle issues of old. Plus the black looks much better than the clear sleeving of old as well. While being very thin, the BaX should be fairly durable. All in all, the Ety BaX cable is very pleasant surprise.

This Head-Fi tour loaner did not come with retail packaging but did include the new stock metal round carrying case. The lid just kind of pops off; perhaps a twist off would be safer but only time will tell. It’s small enough size to pocket and has a removable foam insert that lets you wrap the cable around and safely place the housings into custom cutouts. If you opt not to use the foam insert, I would consider picking up something to line the inside of the case that adds more cushioning.


Sound

The Evo, while lightly colored from the standard Ety target response here and there, is still mostly a neutralish in-ear, particularly compared to most tunings things out there. This is most bass enhanced armature I’ve heard from Ety (I haven’t heard the 3 series but have all the other permutations), but it’s far from being bassy. This is also one of the more relaxed upper mid tunings from Ety I’ve heard, but it’s far from being a relaxed upper midrange; it’s still an Ety. Treble seems to continue to the Ety tradition of being somewhat relaxed with deep fit, although Evo seems to have much less lower treble in the transition area from upper midrange to treble. I hear small treble peaks at approximately 8k and 10.5k but they are very very tame with standard Ety brain-tickling fit.


Photo from Etymotic.com


Comparisons:
via Mac Mini >> Pi2AES (via AES) >> RME ADI-2 PRO FS R
Measurements taken with Chinese Clone 711 coupler, Apple Lightning Dongle, iPhone 12 Pro, Studio Six Digital AudioTools


Vs. Etymotic ER4XR
MSRP $299



The Evo bass is slightly fuller and deeper sounding than the ER4XR. While it’s not a large difference, it can make a large difference in preference. It rumbles harder and hits with more authority; it displays a more nuanced texture with ease. Listening to electronic music and rap is just more palpable and leads to more enjoyment on the Evo. The extra bit on the bottom is nice for all those thinner recordings.

The midrange is very resolving and transparent on both models, however the Evo has a slightly richer and smoother male vocal. While this comes at the cost of low level nuance and resolution, it does so without losing too much. The same follows suite with female vocals; they are more energetic and raw sounding on the ER4XR and slightly fuller, richer on the Evo. Think of vocals as slightly more transparent, nuanced and energetic on the ER4XR but slightly richer and smoother sounding on the Evo. The differences are minor but can certainly evoke stronger preference responses one way or the other. I love the vocal nuances on the ER4XR.

Evo rock guitar bite and crunch is a little smoothed compared to the ER4XR, which has a more energetic attack. On the other hand, Evo ads a little weight and body to rock guitars, whereas they sound a little leaner on the ER4XR. Since Ety treble, with deep enough fit is fairly easy going, neither have an airy presentation, so guitars don’t quite soar like they do on brighter sets.

Treble extension has always had a solid showing in the Ety frequency response for the most part, but a sense of airiness is not something I equate with the Ety house sound. While the ER4XR is brighter in lower treble, where the upper mid transitions into treble, the Evo middle treble is more present than the ER4XR, as well as a hair more defined. So at times, the ER4XR can sound a little brighter, yet the Evo more defined. For example, Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend is a splashy, messy recording, and the mishmash of cymbals and high-hats is slightly more defined and resolved on the Evo.

Staging has never really been something Ety in-ears have excelled at and while the apple doesn’t fall too far form the cart here, the Evo does sound incrementally bigger than the ER4XR. I do hear it as both a wider and deeper, as well as a bit better at imaging and layering; there is more space around the instruments and placement is more precise. The Evo is pretty competent here, and dare I say, satisfying in these technical aspects.



Vs. Moondrop Illumination
MSRP $799



I’ve previously written a comparison of the Illumination with the ER4XR and much of those difference apply here, so I’ve massaged those previous thoughts with how they apply to this Evo Comparison:

Bass on the Illumination is fuller and denser than the Evo. It has a bit more impact as well as rumble. The Evo bass is quicker, more nimble, and while more elevated than previous armature based Ety’s, it misses the more natural feeling of decay and air movement of the Illumination. The Illumination bass really makes me think this is what a a high-end Ety tuned dynamic driver might sound like.

Male vocals are wonderfully intimate and forward on both, however, Illumination sounds more intimate and brighter through the upper midrange. Before, I thought the ER4XR out resolved the Illumination a bit through the midrange, but in this comparison, I’m no longer hearing the increase of midrange resolution with the Evo. Instead both are pretty smooth and neither have the slight hint of speaking into cupped hands effect of the ER4XR, that brings small nuances to the forefront. Moving to female vocals, the Illumination is both a little brighter and more full bodied, and surprisingly, a little more resolving of female vocal nuances. The Evo comes across as more mid-centric and relaxed in direct comparison.

The Illumination has more lower and mid treble presence, so it sounds modestly brighter, in a good way. The Evo, like the ER4XR sounds fairly tame in treble, even a bit relaxed in comparison. For the most part, Illumination does a better job of letting me delineate between cymbal crashes and hi-hats, but on occasion Illumination glosses over treble details that the Evo picks up on a little better. That being said, the Illumination treble timbre is ultimately more natural and realistic; brass just sounds brassier.

Evo, while sounding bigger and more competent in staging than its single armature predecessors, still doesn’t sound as big as Illumination. Illumination sounds noticeably wider, deeper and taller. Illumination is simply more dynamic and spacious.

The Illumination is about the closest in-ear we have to a dynamic driver ER4 variant, at least of those I’ve heard. It’s much easier to wear, thanks to its shallower insertion. This is an important factor if you take your monitors in and out quite often to talk to someone. That being said, Evo narrows this gaps considerably from previous Etys in-ears.



Vs. Moondrop Blessing 2
MSRP $319



The Blessing 2 hits with harder mid bass impact and punch, as well as feeling richer in upper bass, while both rumble pretty similarly. The Evo bass is cleaner, yet just as textured, at least in low and sub bass. The Blessing 2 bass is just ok in texture for a dynamic driver; while delivering some of that dynamic driver naturalness, it sounds a bit over damped and stuffy in comparison.

The Blessing 2 strong suit is its midrange. It’s pretty neutral, it’s transparent, and it’s very resolving. All descriptors that typically apply to an Ety as well. I find the Evo midrange to be slightly smoother, as the ~2.5k peak agrees with my ears a bit better than peaks at 3k and beyond but the difference here is pretty tiny. I’ve got to say, the Blessing 2 goes toe to toe with the Evo for midrange transparency and resolution. On male vocal, perhaps the Blessing 2 has touch more upper mid brightness and lower mid fullness. Whether this is better or not is purely up to your preference. In the vocal tracks I tested with, the biggest difference between the two is how they handle sibilance- the Evo seems to de-accentuate some recorded sibilants and the Blessing 2 seems to accentuate it just bit. Female vocals do have a bit more energy and brightness with the Blessing 2; Lzzy Hale sounds a bit more raw and emotional with the Blessing 2 and a little more reserved on Evo.

Treble is pretty dramatic between the two, particularly in timbre. The Blessing 2 definitely sounds off after switching from the Evo. The treble peak of the Blessing 2 sounds oddly tinny and wispy thin when comparing. While I’ve picked at the the treble peak of the Blessing 2 in other comparisons, its never previously come across so dramatically off putting. Conversely, the Evo sounds fairly laid back up top next to Blessing 2, lending towards a more mid-centric sound when going back and forth. I suppose you could say treble resolution is better on the Blessing 2, as its brighter presentation pushes many sounds more up front. The same details are there on Evo, it’s just more relaxed about serving them to you, while also sounding more natural.

While the Evo has taken a significant step forward in presenting a bigger sonic image within the Ety house tuning, it’s still just average when comparing to other models outside the Ety brand. Here the Blessing 2 sounds a good bit wider and deeper with more overall room to breathe; as a result, imaging and layering get a bump over the Evo as well.


Wrap Up

As an Ety fan, I’m glad to see them take all these leaps they’ve made with Evo. In particular, I really appreciate the concha filling, over-ear fit. The housings are comfortable and easy to fit and the T2 BaX is practically invisible feeling in use. I’d love to see them migrate to this cable for the other series as well.

It’s hard to imaging an Ety fan not liking the Evo but also not hard to imagine them still preferring this or that model. Ety has taken great care in tuning their first multi-armature, somehow balancing a new tuning, while still being recognizable as an Ety family tuning. The improved rumble and texture down low is sure to create a new wave of Ety heads in the months and years to come.