# Meze Alba vs Etymotic ER4XR: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Meze Alba (Meze Audio) and Etymotic ER4XR (Etymotic) among in ear monitors. Meze Alba is the cheaper of the two at $159.

## Side by side

| Spec | Meze Alba | Etymotic ER4XR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $159 | $349 |
| Brand | Meze Audio | Etymotic |
| Released | — | 2016 |
| Driver type | dynamic | balanced-armature |
| Driver config | 1DD | 1BA |
| Impedance ohms | 32 | 45 |
| Sensitivity db mw | 109 | 98 |
| Frequency response (Hz) | 15-25000 | 20-16000 |
| Connector type | 2pin-0.78mm | mmcx |
| Cable detachable | Yes | Yes |
| Plug termination | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Shell material | zinc-alloy | aluminum |
| Weight grams | — | — |

## Key differences

- Driver type: Meze Alba dynamic vs Etymotic ER4XR balanced-armature
- Driver config: Meze Alba 1DD vs Etymotic ER4XR 1BA
- Impedance ohms: Meze Alba 32 vs Etymotic ER4XR 45
- Sensitivity db mw: Meze Alba 109 vs Etymotic ER4XR 98
- Frequency response (Hz): Meze Alba 15-25000 vs Etymotic ER4XR 20-16000
- Connector type: Meze Alba 2pin-0.78mm vs Etymotic ER4XR mmcx
- Shell material: Meze Alba zinc-alloy vs Etymotic ER4XR aluminum

## What reviewers say

**Meze Alba** — Both whitelisted hands-on reviews — SoundGuys (Apr 2025) and TechRadar (Sep 2025) — recommend the $159 Meze Alba as an excellent entry-level audiophile IEM with detailed sound, weighty bass, a comfortable fit and a bundled USB-C DAC adapter; both flag edgy/painful upper treble at high volume and the lack of a mic or in-line controls. Only SoundGuys ran lab MDAQS measurements (Overall 4.8/5, HEAD acoustics). All quotes and measured values were verified as literal substrings of the source text; no sources were dropped. (2 sourced reviews.)

**Etymotic ER4XR** — Three whitelisted testers (What Hi-Fi, TechHive, TechRadar) reviewed the ER4XR; TechRadar's is a joint ER4SR/ER4XR piece that discusses the XR trim explicitly. All three praise reference-grade midrange clarity, and two single out a tasteful bass lift over the ER4SR, but none ran lab measurements. Fit divides them: two call the deep insertion invasive or strange, one finds the flanges very comfortable. (3 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Meze Alba: https://mezeaudio.com/products/alba (mezeaudio.com, verified 2026-07-11)
- Etymotic ER4XR: https://etymotic.com/product/er4xr-earphones/ (etymotic.com, verified 2026-07-11)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/in-ear-monitors/meze-alba-vs-etymotic-er4xr/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Meze Alba ($159) vs Etymotic ER4XR ($349) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/in-ear-monitors/meze-alba-vs-etymotic-er4xr/
License: CC BY 4.0.