Luke Judge

In a tech world that prizes rapid change and flashy product design, it’s hard to believe a product like the Etymotic ER-4PT earphones exists. At $299 (direct), it’s one of the most affordable audiophile-grade products you can buy. its no-nonsense flat response offers superbly accurate bass, and the rest of the frequency range is equally articulate. From a design standpoint, the ER-4PT is as minimal as possible: lightweight, ultra-thin black plastic earpieces with no visual flourishes. Stethoscopes have more bling. the simplicity of the design forces the focus to the only fact that matters here: the Etymotic ER-4PT is the most accurate pair of earphones you’ll find that won’t cost you a small fortune.

Design

Visually, there is little to discuss: the ER-4PT, like its ER series predecessors, has slender cylindrical earpieces—one of them has a red dot to denote that it’s the right earpiece. That’s about it. a black braided wire leads from each earpiece down to a small black plastic piece that joins them into one cable. the earphones do look quite different depending on which eartip you choose—they come with two foam pairs, two “glider”-style pairs, and three pairs of 3-flange eartips. Also included: an airplane adapter, a carrying pouch, and a larger, hard plastic carrying case.

If improperly inserted into the ear, the flange tips can feel uncomfortable and unstable, delivering sound with almost zero low-frequency response. When inserted properly, they attenuate ambient noise as well as any earplugs can, they feel comfortable (or at least, not uncomfortable), and, most of all, they offer astounding audio performance with substantial bass response.

To that end, a very short tutorial is in order. When inserting the flanges into your ear canal, do so very slowly. Everyone’s ears have a different canal shape, but the trick with these earphones is to gently insert them without going too far. When I insert the flange tips at an increasingly upward angle, while slowly twisting them, the earpieces easily slide into place, creating a tight seal. They sit quite deep in your ear, which makes their fit supremely secure. Because they are so lightweight, you can wear them for hours without any strain. Everyone’s ears are different, and the flanges may feel uncomfortable for some, but using the other tip options is going to yield, in my opinion, a slightly lesser result.

Performance

Our HEAD Acoustics frequency response tests show you just how accurate the ER-4PT is. in our linear test, which measures the response of the left and right earphones and plots them against each other on a graph, the ideal is for the two lines on the graph to resemble one. a quick look at our test results in the slideshow reveals just how amazingly accurate the ER-4PT is. the only minor deviation on the graph occurs at very high frequencies. Nearly every other part of the graph appears to be showing only one line. this is literally the best test result we’ve ever had for linear response—to prove it, we show how it is just slightly better than our former standard bearer—the Etymotic ER-4S ($299.99, 4.5 stars). Basically, Etymotic spent years fine-tuning the response to best themselves, and they now make the two most accurate consumer-level earphones we have tested: the ER-4PT and the ER-4S.

A look at our diffuse field equalization response tests shows you an accurate picture of how you, the listener, will perceive the frequency response of the ER-4PT. what you see in the graphs is a smooth bass response, a minor dip between 1-2KHz, and more of a drop-off after 5KHz. Compared with a bass-heavy and treble-tweaked earphone pair like the same-price Monster Turbine Pro Professional In-Ear Speakers ($299.95, 3.5 stars), the ER-4PT’s response is incredibly flat.

And yet, the bass response is lively. the sub-bass thump of the Knife’s “Silent Shout” shines on the ER-4PT, as does the total range of an orchestra performing “The Chairman Dances” by John Adams. there is not a style of music ill-suited for the ER-4PT. Hip hop and heavy bass will still sound excellent—mixes sound balanced, not overblown with throbbing low-end. this is the most clarity you can get from a pair of earphones priced below $500.

If you consider yourself an audiophile and $300 is your limit, there is nothing else on the market that compares to the Etymotic ER-4PT. if you have more money to spend, the next step up is far more expensive—custom-made pairs like the Ultimate Ears UE 18 Pro ($1,150 direct, 5 stars) are well worth the investment, but they are literally the next level up. That’s a testament to how worthwhile your investment is in the top-notch ER-4PT.

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Small is beautiful, says music therapist Johanne Brodeur — especially when it comes to a tiny but enticing new room being created at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

A formerly humdrum studio is being turned into a jewel-box of a sensory space, with a star-filled ceiling that fades into infinity, thanks to the wizardry of art projection and mirrors. It will have a “vibro-music” recliner with speakers inside, a big interactive water tube filled with voice-activated bubbles that change colour, and long strands of pale, pliable fibre optics that kids can wrap themselves in like Christmas presents.

“We needed a place where children can relax — that’s calming, with soft music characteristics and low stimulation,” said Brodeur, who heads the music therapy department. “Some of the children we see are critically ill or dying. They are tense and very agitated.”

The new therapy room is being funded by a $30,000 grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“We’re very excited about this and eager to see what it’s going to look like,” said Glen Bishop, who owns the McDonald’s franchise on Pandora Avenue, across from the conservatory. He presented the cheque this week and met a couple of the children who will use the room. “I think it will be outstanding for them.”

The conservatory’s 18-year-old music therapy department has about 1,500 clients ages three months to 101 years. Many children enjoy the noisy, bright surroundings of existing therapy areas — but others are over-stimulated there.

“These are the children with chronic pain, or multiple conditions like Down Syndrome, heart problems and autism,” Brodeur said. “They need sensory stimulation to thrive, but they are also anxious and very fragile.”

In a bright, stimulating room they are passive recipients of therapy, but Brodeur wants to encourage active participation.

“It’s impossible to imagine what these parents go through with a child in constant pain,” she said. “They try to celebrate every day, but never know what tomorrow will bring. Anything we can do to decrease their anxiety and anguish, and celebrate their child, is very helpful.”

Amanda Tarling’s son Callum, 6, has a rare syndrome that has caused developmental challenges such as loss of the top of his right femur bone, vision problems and more. “He is the happiest child in the world, but in so much pain,” she said. “A room like this will be wonderful.”

Callum started music therapy when he was under a year and his mom says it’s better than all the other therapies combined, including occupational and speech language sessions.

“He is a non verbal kid, but through music he can express himself and his emotions,” Tarling said.

“It’s been an incredible building block in helping him communicate. And he loves it.”

She said the sensory room will give him a safe, calming environment to explore and have his senses stimulated, “by subtle, gentle things like chimes.”

“These rooms are incredible. I want one too,” she said.

The new space, being created with the help of Sky is the Limit interior designers, was previously a studio with grey walls, grey floor, grey ceilings.

“It looked like a cell. When it’s finished it will be beautiful, and help children learn to centre themselves and find peace inside,” Brodeur said.

“It will be a small environment to give the maximum experience — a magical environment,” and it will open this summer.

Conservatory therapy sessions also take place in hospitals, group homes, long-term care and independent living facilities, hospice, nursing homes and schools.

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