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Etymotic HF3

Based on 12 reviews

Excellent:

7
Good:

5
Average:

0
Bad:

0

Pros

Well featured iPhone friendly earbuds.
Optional custom eartips make them a unique, "perfect" fit.
Decent performance for the cost.
Stellar noise isolation.
Impeccably clear, detailed, balanced, and accurate sound.
Comes in three flavours of varying smartphone functionality.
Available in black, red, or blue.
Custom-fit option.
Play/pause/skip button.

Cons

Strained trebles at high volume.
Insufficient bass at any level.
Custom fit tips enhance performance but add $100 to the cost.
Deep-insertion form factor can take time getting used to.
Neutral and balanced sound won’t appeal to everyone.
Volume controls only work with newer devices.
Buttons all same size on control.

By Macworld UK on October 18, 2011

It’s strange that Etymotic is not more widely recognised, as it was the company to devise the canalphone – an earphone that slips so intimately into the ear that it forms an airtight seal and shuts out practically all outside noise. More...

80
By PC Advisor on August 26, 2011

The Etymotic Research canalphone was the original and the Etymotic hf3 sits easily among the very best earphones available at any price. With the hf3, Etymotic Research is offering a superbly balanced earphone/mic combination that will bring out music...

90
By Whathifi.com on August 18, 2011

seems to have garnered a reputation that’s both ‘hi-fi’ and ‘cool’ – two things that aren’t easy to combine. The hf3s are the earbuds that most embody this.They're available in three flashy, luxurious...

100
By ConnectReviews on January 25, 2011

TweetShareEmail I, like some iPhone and iPod touch users, ditched the stock Apple earbuds the second I opened the box. The white buds, while a culture statement, do not have a great fit or stunning sound quality. I needed a good set of earbuds to use...

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By E-Gear on December 01, 2010

What is it?Like other writers here, I tend to use headphones quite often. Unlike our editor Robert Nelson, I don’t mind spending a relatively high price for good headphones. I have gone through several pairs of higher-quality earphones because I...

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By Big Picture Big Sound on November 24, 2010

That "rock star status" is hard to resist, as the notion of a pair of quality headphones made for you and you alone should likely justify the significant bump in cost. There's a definite bump up in performance too, but whether or not these sound...

75
By Top Review Shop on November 19, 2010

A very well-known name in the audio world, Etymotic Research has always stood for accuracy and fidelity. Their latest budget-priced model that we recently reviewed - the MC5, successfully extends the company’s philosophy to a lower-end market but...

90
By Beatweek Magazine on November 03, 2010

Not everyone is in a position to spend as much on earbuds as they did on their iPhone or iPod in the first place. But there’s a balance between price tag and audio quality, and the pinpoint of that equilibrium in 2010 is Etymotic’s hf3...

100
By Mac|Life on September 23, 2010

If you’re looking for a great pair of noise-isolating earbuds that do double-duty as a phone headset, Etymotic’s hf3 are the new gold...

100
By Gadgetell on September 10, 2010

The Etymotic Research hf3 headset + earphones are a great set of earphones, hands down. The price is a bit up there, but they definitely seem worth it to me. If you don’t feel as if you need, or can’t use the microphone and control buttons...

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