Etymotic Research HF2 Earphones Headset

I took the plunge and this is a very initial review, not even after a full day of use (only a few hours). Firstly, the stock rubbery tips (either pair) would not work for me; no matter what I tried. I guess my ears are strange. I was very disappointed in the lack of bass without good seals, and I gave it time, toyed with them, tried different things. When 'seated' they would provide decent bass (these are not bass heavy headphones, but more accurate 'phones), though using the rubbery tips the 'phones would always slip out and not stay seated properly. So, I had to try the foam tips, which do take some tinkering with. So far, they work much better for my ears. They keep external sounds more isolated, and the proper bass is now there. I believe I'll have some more tinkering and adjusting to do to get the foam tips to work properly, but overall a very good sound; and they stay in place, unlike Apple's earbuds (everyone has a different experience with these, depending on thei... Read more

I bought these earphones for my Iphone. They work well for me. They must be inserted into the ear canal for best results. The microphone works well. The switch on the microphone used to answer call is raised and easy to locate and push.

After using Etymotic's ER6 headphones for years, when I got my iPhone I sprung for the HF2s. Wow. It's like a layer of wool batting has been lifted from my music. Everything (except the worst recordings) sounds more detailed with deeper bass. Poorly recorded music still sounds poorly recorded, but unlike some high end headphones the HF2 does not make them sound worse. I've tried the foam inserts (the ER6 only had rubber flanges) and was surprised to find them more comfortable than either set of flanges included with the HF2s - and the foam inserts blocked more external noise to boot. These are the headphones to have for travel - much smaller, much better noise reduction, and better sounding than those nerdy "noise reduction" headphones from Bose, Sony, etc. And with the foam inserts, just as comfortable as conventional over the hear headphones.

The Etymotic Research hf2 headset is, perhaps, the best iPhone headset out there on the market. The price might be a turnoff for some, but the amazing sound quality is more than worth the price. The hf2 comes with three ear tips: a standard triple flange, a smaller triple flange, and a foam ear tip which blocks out even more ambient noise than either triple flange tips--which also block out an amazing amount of noise. The microphone and control are placed conveniently to the right of the user's mouth, making it easily accessible for either conducting voice conversations or controlling music playing on the iPhone. The sound quality is very bright, crisp and clear. Some complain about the so-called lack of bass response, but Etymotic Research's website has videos online on how to put on their earphones. Also, the ear tips definitely make the difference between a bad listening experience versus a good one. These are definitely not for bass lovers as the headset's drivers do not... Read more

These things are great. Awesome sound and very good noise canceling. It took me a few days to get used to them - really two ways here: 1. Since they are so quiet you can barely hear yourself talk, so you tend to yell into the mike. 2. The plastic headphones were too small, so I had to use the foam ones. At first they were annoying but after 2 days I was totally used to them. I'm actually pretty sure I'll always use foam from now on.