Introduction

August 2017 saw the Etymotic brand first covered on TechPowerUp with the twin ER4 models, which impressed our editor with the feature set and audio performance. This continued in August 2018 with the ER3XR, a more budget-friendly model that provided the expected neutral tuning and accurate response at a lower price point. If all goes well, this review should be published in August 2021 and goes the other way with the company's first ever multi-driver set of in-ear monitors. Etymotic has relished a history longer than yours truly has lived on this planet, with an active research department that has developed some fantastic products for various use cases and has supported other researchers in the field. So when news came of the all-new Etymotic EVO, I was all the more curious to see the fruits of its R&D in action.


The Etymotic EVO is quite a departure from the company's previous retail offerings, which were the subject of many a meme considering the thin, long acoustic tube design which got quite intimate with your ear canals. That design was the reason behind the excellent seal and done neutral tuning achieving what was claimed to be the most accurate set of earphones at the time, and with the EVO, the company claims that title again. Gone is the tubular design that made Etymotic (in)famous, and we instead have a hybrid of sorts with a shell that is more reminiscent of other ergonomically designed IEMs that sit in the ear concha coupled with a long nozzle that should still involve some probing. Thanks to Etymotic for sending us a sample of the EVO as we aim to find out whether this is truly an Evolution of the brand in this review beginning with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

I went back to those older TPU reviews to have a look at the packaging and unboxing experience from Etymotic in 2017 and 2018, and they were clearly on the function-first train. With the EVO, things are fancier as we begin with a larger box that comes with a plastic seal around it and a retail hang-tag. On the front is a render of a single ear bud with the smaller Ety logo and EVO printed in large letters underneath. The collaboration with estron is highlighted as well, with the inclusion of the Linux BaX cable. More branding is seen on the sides, with a closer look at the case and a note on how the EVO came about greeting us on the back. We now see that Etymotic is using a two-piece packaging, with the inner box sliding out of the sleeve from the side.


This box is fancy, with Ety and "Precision meets Audio" all around it, but nothing is as cool as when you open it in the middle to reveal the Etymotic EVO all wrapped up inside the carry case front and center. It is inside a plastic blister inlay which lifts up to reveal the accessories in the layer underneath. We get a multi-page manual that goes over the setup of the EVO, including the proper use of the ear tips for the best-possible seal. This is so important you even get a second note on this very thing! There is a branded hook-and-loop strap for cable management, and then we get a soft fabric drawstring bag that protects the earphones and cable when carried around. The other accessories come inside a nondescript black cardboard box.


This smaller box opens up in a similar way as the product box itself, which is a nice touch. We see a foam-lined set of two compartments where Etymotic stores ear tips and a couple of other things. No one takes ear tips as seriously as this company in my opinion, with the use of multi-flanged silicone tips the default option itself. Etymotic includes a set of memory foam tips, two sets of triple-flanged silicone tips in different sizes and colors, as well as four sizes of double-flanged silicone tips (S/M/L/XL). The foam tips are absolutely massive, and I struggle to see how this exactly works to the same extent as the far more purposely designed flanged tips. The double-flanged ones are wider and shorter than the triple-flanged ones, which result in a variety of fit options depending on your specific ear canals. Remember that these will get in there, so do experiment with different ear tips. Etymotic also includes a set of two replacement filters and a screw tool to remove installed ones, which is nice to see given the ear bud nozzle will be deeper inside the ear than most.


The two pieces making up the storage case of the Etymotic EVO come packed separately and combine to make a closed metal cylinder with the Etymotic logo on the top. Inside is more foam, which is shaped with cutouts to host not only the ear buds but also the attached cable going around in the middle for cable management before the terminating end goes back up top. There is a very good reason for this cable management, but more on that separately. As it stands, I would recommend using this case if you can, and it just about fits into the soft bag as well.


Here are the earphones completely removed from the case, with the cable pre-installed and giving us the first proper look at the Etymotic EVO. In order to examine the cable separately, we need to separate the connectors, and these are the best IEM connectors I have used to date. Just tug carefully similar to an MMCX connector and the cable separates from the buds.