The Etymotic Research HF5 are average mixed-usage in-ears, with a mediocre-at-best sound quality for critical listening. They do decently well as commuting headphones thanks to their portable design and unique in-ear fit that blocks an incredible amount of noise passively. Unfortunately, their mediocre sound pushes instruments and vocals slightly too forward on most tracks, which makes them sound a bit harsh and fatiguing during longer listening sessions.
Our Verdict
Average for mixed usage. The Etymotic HF5 have a simple in-ear design that isolates very well in noisy environments and is portable enough to make them a good option for commute and travel. They also have a decent build quality although they won't be as durable as some of the other in-ears we've tested with detachable and replaceable audio cables. They also do not have the best-balanced sound which makes them a mediocre-at-best choice for more critical listening.
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Great noise isolation.
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Portable and stable in-ear fit.
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Practically no leakage.
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Sub-par audio reproduction.
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In-ear fit may not be as comfortable for everyone.
Mediocre-at-best for neutral listening. The Etymotic Research HF5 have an overemphasized mid-range that pushes vocals and lead instruments to the front of the mix but could sound overly harsh and somewhat fatiguing to listen to for long sessions. They also do not have the most comfortable fit, and since they are very isolating in-ears, they do not have the most open sounding soundstage and won't be the ideal choice for more neutral listeners.
Decent for commuting. The Etymotic HF5 have one of the best passive isolations that we've measured. They block noise better than some active noise-canceling headphones and would be a good choice to use in the loud, noisy environments involved in commuting. They're also very portable but unfortunately have no control scheme, and their fit may not be the most comfortable to wear for the entire duration of a long flight or bus ride.
Above-average for sports use. They have a stable in-ear fit and many tip options to help you find the right fit. They're also very easy to carry on your person at all times. Unfortunately, they do not come with a cable that has an in-line remote so you will have to change songs directly on your phone or audio device. Also since they are wired headphones, they may get yanked out of your ears if the cable gets hooked on something.
Average for office use. They prevent a lot of noise from seeping into your audio and do not leak so you won't distract your colleagues even at higher volumes. Unfortunately, they have a sub-par sound and their unique in-ear fit may not be as comfortable for everyone during long listening sessions.
Sub-par for gaming. The Etymotic HF5 have a wired connection with no latency and will provide audio when connected to your console controllers. Unfortunately, they have no mic, no customization options, and they're not the most comfortable headphones to use for long gaming sessions. On the upside, they block a lot of noise and don't leak so you can be fully immersed in your game.
- 6.4 Mixed Usage
- 6.2 Neutral Sound
- 6.9 Commute/Travel
- 6.6 Sports/Fitness
- 6.7 Office
- 4.0 Wireless Gaming
- 5.8 Wired Gaming
- 2.5 Phone Call
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Oct 03, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Oct 01, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Oct 01, 2018: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 29, 2018: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Sep 25, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Etymotics HF5 are average in-ears for most use cases but a mediocre option for critical listening. They have unique in-ear tips that enter the ear canal more deeply than typical in-ears. This makes them a slightly better choice than some of the in-ears compared below for commuting in loud, noisy environments. It also makes them a decently stable option for sports, but unfortunately, they do not have in-line controls or a replaceable audio cable like some of the other in-ears we've tested. They also have a below-average audio reproduction that may sound a bit fatiguing during longer listening sessions.
The Etymotic ER4XR are better critical listening headphones than the Etymotic Research HF5. The ER4XR have a better more premium build quality with dense durable earbuds and a detachable, braided audio cable that you can replace if it ever gets damaged. They also have a slightly better sound than the HF5 with more bass. However, the HF5 are a better value for your money since they cost much less for a similar sound. They also isolate as much as the ER4XR in noisy conditions which makes them a great choice for loud noisy environments and for commuting.
The Shure SE215 and Etymotic Research HF5 are both wired in-ears. The Shure have a more comfortable design with angled earbuds that better fit the contour of your ears. The Shure also have a warmer sound with a punchier bass. They also have a thicker, more durable, and detachable audio cable. On the other hand, the Etymotic isolate passively slightly better than the Shure. They also have a more lightweight and straightforward in-ear design that some may prefer over the thicker cables of the Shure.
The KZ ZS10 are slightly better critical listening than the Etymotic Research HF5. They have a more comfortable fit despite their larger than average earbuds. The KZ also have a better-balanced sound quality with a stronger bass, a better mid-range, and a more balanced treble. They also have a more durable and eye-catching design with a detachable audio cable. On the other hand, the Etymotic isolate passively a lot better than the KZ. They're also more portable and come with a case and more accessories than the KZ.
The 1More Triple Driver are better critical listening headphones than the Etymotic Research HF5. The 1More are more comfortable and have a better-balanced sound quality that does not sound as forward and harsh with instruments and vocals. The 1More have better bass than the Etymotics. and have a slightly more durable look and feel with braided audio cables and denser metal buds. On the other hand, the Etymotic isolate much better passively than the 1More, so they're a better choice for loud, noisy environments. The Etymotic also have a lighter design that some may prefer, although the lack of inline controls makes them slightly less practical on the go.
Test Results
The Etymotic HF5 have a pretty straightforward in-ear design that looks decently well made but does not feel as high-end or as durable as the more premium ER4XR. The HF5 have decently dense plastic buds and a relatively thick audio cable. They also have the somewhat unique tips of the Etymotic lineup that sets them apart from more other more typical in-ear designs. Unfortunately, the cable is not braided or detachable like the ER4XR. The earbuds also look much cheaper in comparison. Overall they should look good enough for most but won't stand out much when compared to flashier looking in-ears with more varied color schemes.
The Etymotic Research HF5, like the ER4XR, have an in-ear fit that goes deeply into the ear canal, which may not be as comfortable for all listeners. On the upside, they also come with multiple tip options including foam and silicone tips of different sizes that may help mitigate this issue although they do not have as many tip options as the ER4XR. They're also very lightweight, so once you get the right fit, you won't notice them as much. They won't be the ideal headphones for everyone especially if you're not a big fan of in-ears, but with the various tip sizes, you can find a combination that works for you.
These headphones do not have any controls.
Like most in-ear headphones, the HF5 are very breathable. They fit deeper into the ear canal than most in-ears, which leaves your outer-ear cool in all conditions, and makes them a decent choice for sports or extended listening sessions. They trap a small amount of heat within your ear canal but it's negligible at most and won't make you sweat more than usual when exercising.
These headphones, like most in-ears, are very portable. They have a small footprint, and you can fold them to fit into almost any pockets. They're super easy to carry around on your person and come with a simple soft case that's also very portable.
These headphones come with small and simple soft case that will easily protect the earbuds from scuffs and getting tangled with the items in your bag or pockets. The case will also offer mild protection from impacts and water damage.
The Etymotic HF5 have decent build quality but do not look and feel as premium or as durable as the ER4XR. They have a decently thick audio cable and dense plastic buds that should last you a while. However, unlike the more high-end model, their audio cable is not detachable, so you can't replace it if it ever gets damaged. This makes them less durable than some of the other in-ears we've tested at a lower price range like the KZ ZS10.
These headphones do not have any stability tips but go in deeply into the ear canal which makes them stable enough for most activities. Once you get the right fit, they will rarely slip out of your ears even during more intense exercises at the gym, unless the cable gets hooked on something. Unfortunately, since they are not wireless, this may happen occasionally. However, unless you physically pull the buds out of your ears, on purpose or by accident, they will not fall, which makes them a good option for sports.
- Etymotic HF5 Headphones
- Earbud tips (x4)
- Carrying case
- Carrying clip
- Earbud cleaner
- Manual
The frequency response consistency is excellent. If the user is able to achieve a proper fit and an air-tight seal using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones, then they should be able to get consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones. However, if a proper and air-tight seal is not achieved with these headphones, the user will experience a significant drop in bass delivery.
The bass is about average. LFE is at 88Hz, which is not good. Also, low-bass, responsible for thump and rumble common to bass-heavy music and film scores, is lacking by more than 7dB. Mid-bass, which is responsible for the body of bass guitars and the punch of kick drums, is underemphasized by about 3dB. High-bass however, responsible for warmth, is over our neutral target by about 2dB. Overall, the bass of the HF5 lack sub-bass, and is a little shy on body and punch.
The mid-range is good. Low-mid shows 4dB of overemphasis. This is actually the continuation of the high-bass bump and adds a bit of muddiness and clutter to the overall mix. High-mid is over our neutral target by about 6dB, which adds excess projection and intensity to vocals and lead instruments.
The treble performance is decent. Low-treble is overemphasized by more than 5dB, which makes vocals noticeably bright sounding. Mid-treble, mostly responsible for sibilances (S and Ts), is relatively well-balanced.
The imaging performance is excellent. The weighted group delay is at 0.1, which is great. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (instruments, voice, footsteps), in the stereo image.
The soundstage is poor. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the pinna (outer ear). The design of in-ears and earbuds is in such a way that fully bypasses the pinna and doesn't interact with it. Also, because these headphones have a closed-back enclosure, their soundstage won't be perceived to be as open as that of open-back earbuds like the Apple AirPods (1st generation) Truly Wireless or the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless.
The isolation performance of the Etymotic HF5 is excellent. These in-ears don't have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system but are able to provide great isolation passively. In the bass range, where the rumble of airplane and bus engines sits, they achieve about 16dB of isolation, which is good. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, the isolate by about 22dB, which is very good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, they achieve more than 51dB of isolation, which is outstanding.
It should also be noted that these headphones were measured with their silicone tips. Their comply foam tips provide significantly better isolation.
The leakage performance is excellent. The Etymotics basically do not leak, so there's no need to worry about disturbing people around with your music, even if you listen at very loud volumes. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 20dB SPL and peaks at 28dB SPL, which is roughly as loud as a quiet whisper.
The Etymotic HF5 Pro do not come with a microphone. For a wired headphone with a good in-line microphone, check out the Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II, the QuietComfort 25 or the Apple EarPods.
The Etymotic HF5 do not have a microphone so the recording quality has not been tested.
These headphones do not have a microphone so the noise handling has not been tested.
They are passive headphones and do not require a battery.
The Etymotic HF5 have no compatible app support.
The Etymotic HF5 are wired and do not have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a versatile wireless Bluetooth headphone for around the same price, consider the Beats X.
The Etymotic HF5 have negligible latency since they're wired, so they are a suitable option for gaming and watching movies.
These headphones do not have an in-line remote or microphone on their audio cable. This means they are not OS-specific and will only provide audio when connected to your console or PC.
The Etymotic HF5 do not have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, then consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7.