I’ve not been happy with the results of “noise canceling” headphones. I find that while they do reduce the level of constant noises (like fans, hums, buzzing, etc), they don’t completely eliminate it, and the noise cancellation circuitry introduces its own annoying noise impurities. I started researching canal headphones, which sit in your ear canal, rather that in your outer ear. They act like ear plugs, actively blocking outside noise from reaching your ear. I settled on Etymotic Research’s hf2 headset earphones (MSRP $179 USD) because they have the great sound quality of Etymotic’s $299 ER-4 earphones along with a microphone for hands free use with an iPhone, Blackberry, or any phone with a 3.5mm headset jack.
The hf2 earphone came in a small elegant package, with high quality foam, custom cut to present the earphones. Included were three sets of insertion tips, an additional set of filters (with protect the drivers from earwax), a filter removal tool, and a handsome-looking small black zippered pouch for storing the phones and their tips.
The phones themselves are really handsome… not that it matters that much… no one will ever see much except the cords coming out of your ear! The white insertion tip you see in the photo above should be completely hidden inside your ear canal when worn properly.
Canal phones offer much better sound than their “in ear” cousins, but in order to hear the full range of the sound (especially the bass), they must be inserted properly. This is definitely a subjective thing (ergo the different insertion tips), and something that takes practice and intimate knowledge of they layout of your ears. The phones come with a handy insertion guide, and Etymotic has a video on their site with even more detail.
Here’s what I’ve learned. First, make sure your ears are clean and dry! This is a great excuse to start being an adult about ear cleanliness. For the flanged tips, it helps to slightly moisten the flange prior to insertion. Don’t get it too wet! While a drop of water may help the tip slide into your ear canal, too much will make it easily slip back out. Use as little water as possible. To insert, slightly open your jaw, and pull on your ear, to straighten and open your ear canal. Which way you pull your ear will depend on which way your canal goes or bends. For me, I grab in the back, slightly above the lobe, and pull down and back. Others may have to grab the top of their ear and pull up. As you’re pulling, slowly insert the earphone with a twisting motion. Experiment with your mouth open or closed, and try pulling your ear in different directions to see what works best. It helps to have music playing during insertion, when starting out. With a proper fit, your canal should be fully sealed. You’ll notice a distinct increase in the bass range of the music. If the earphones sound “tinny” or “far away” or “weak,” you’ve probably not sealed your canal properly. Try pulling on your ear in a few directions, and try pushing the phones up and in, instead of just in (or down — it all depends on your canal!) Don’t be shy. The phones aren’t long enough to reach your eardrum.
If you’re using the foam tips, use your index finger and thumb to squish the foam down on all sides. Quickly get the tip into your canal and hold it still. The foam will expand in a few seconds and (if positioned correctly), seal your canal. I found that I was able to get a good seal with these tips on my left ear, but not my right. You may have better results. I definitely found the foam tips to be much more comfortable.
Inserting the earphones feels strange, especially using the flanged tips. At times, they felt uncomfortable going in, but I was usually able to find a good position that gave me good audio quality with decent comfort and that wouldn’t have to be adjusted for a good 30-60 minutes. I wouldn’t recommend these for super long durations. My ear canals started to get a little sore after an hour or two. I found that taking a 15 minute break every couple of hours did wonders.
So how are they for noise isolation? Amazing. If you’ve ever used those orange foam earplugs at the gun range or any other place with excessive noise, you already know how much sound they can block. For everyone else, prepare to escape into your own little world. I couldn’t hear myself closing doors, I couldn’t hear the faucet running while I was washing dishes, and I couldn’t hear my wife talking to me from 6 feet away (had to read her lips!) These are the type of earphone to get for travelers, especially by plane. The upside to this noise blocking is that you don’t have to play your music at deafening levels just to overcome the noise. You can play it at a comfortable volume. But even if you like to blast it, you can do so without bothering others! My wife couldn’t hear my music even a foot away from my head while I was blasting it. These are not the phones for you if you need to listen for outside noises, or frequently need to be interrupted. If you need to talk to someone or listen for your subway station call, you’ll have to take one of the earphones out. Because inserting it isn’t as simple as other phones, these aren’t a good choice if you have to keep taking them on and off).
As for sound quality, the hf2 earphones are definitely very good. They’re miles ahead of any in-ear phones I’ve ever used, especially on the lower end (even though these aren’t bass-heavy phones by any means). The highs were crisp, and the middle was well defined. I heard a few things that I wasn’t able to hear with my $40 Sony on-ear headphones. They are not, however, going to rival a $600 (or maybe even a $300) pair of quality over-ear phones. That doesn’t bother me, because these earphones have a distinct use: travel and “moving around” — which just so happens to be all the place where having huge over-ear cans wouldn’t be practical.
If you’ve never used canal phones, you should be aware that they have their own distinct issues. Because they are so deep in your ear canal, the slightest movement of the cord travels up to your ears and sounds like it does when you put your fingers in your ear. The hf2 earphones come with a clip that you can clip to your collar to minimize this effect. I found it sufficient for walking around the house. I would not, however, use these earphones for running. Three reasons: cord noise is hard to manage when you’re moving that much, the shape of your ear canals changes with the impact of each step, changing the quality of the sound momentarily, and it is dangerous to be completely oblivious to other noises when you’re running on the side of a road, or crossing a street. For working out, in-ear or on-ear phones are probably your best bet.
The sound quality of the microphone was good — my wife heard me clearly and couldn’t tell I was using a headset. And she sounded great coming through crystal clear in both ears. The microphone is well positioned, and it includes a button for “answer/ignore” functionality when using the phone, and play/pause and track control when using a music player (I tested this on the iPhone 3G).
Worth the money? Probably. They’re very good canal phones, and the addition of the microphone and button makes them even more useful for Blackberry/iPhone users. Just be aware that they’re not the end-all of earphones. They have specific uses at which they excel (air travel), and specific uses for which they wouldn’t be well-suited (running, long duration wear). But if you’re in the market for canal phones and are an iPhone/Blackberry user, Etymotic Research’s hf2 earphones should be at the top of your list.
I love the Etymonics. The noise isolation is great and I found that the highs weren’t as harsh as other expensive in ear headphones when you turn the volume up. Great headphone for the price.