Etymotic hf2 Headset

Etymotic takes a very different stance from many other headphone and canalphone makers out there.  They've taken their sound technology in almost the opposite direction as everyone else.
Bose, for example, focuses on creating a large expansive sound with depth because many people like that sound.  They don't focus on sound accuracy.
Audio Tecnica and Shure like to pre-blend sound because if gives a warmer, woody sound.
Even the great Staxx, Krell, Grado focus on warm sound, some sound stage (spatial sound), and while great for open-air headphones to add more realistic sound, don't really focus too strongly on sound clarity.
And then there's many others who just expand bass for better rock and roll.
My problem is that i don't care about big bass, unnecessary expansion and depth, sound stage, and despise pre-blending sounds.
Etymotic may not be for everyone, but it's practically designed for what I want.  
So, what's important to me? - Sound clarity - Sound separation (opposite of blending) - Sound even strength across frequency band
And that's what the etymotic does, and does well.  Where the hf2 (and the ER-4P, ER-4S) really shines is in classical music, accoustical jazz, highly complex ensembles and similar types of music.
Sound expansion?!  Really?  Stronger bass?  Seriously?  Why?!?!  I don't get it.  Bass is fine for what it is, but it distracts me from the music to no end.  Frankly, it drives me nuts.  This is one of the main reasons that bose is not a favorite of mine.  There should always be some realistic component to speaker sound.  i don't mean it has to be perfect, that's impossible regardless.  But sound should have close to the depth and breadth of actual sound.  No more, no less.  And not every kind of music is designed like a huge stage.  Sorry....but....I'll take clarity over depth any day.
  Ahem.  That's not to say Bose is bad.  Bose is good for what it is.  And I would use Bose over many other headphones and canalphones.  But never when Ety's are handy.  For that matter, so are Shures.  I like Shures just fine, but i would never use them when Ety's are nearby.
I don't want the drivers to pre-blend music and decide for me what to focus on, that's what my brain is for.  My brain does blending in the real world just fine, and determines what sounds to focus on if so desired.  Audio Tecnica make some really great headphones, especially the W2002 series.  But warmth is only good for intimate music.  it's not that good for clarity and separation in larger ensembles.
When it comes to that very sound separation, Etymotic loses to no one.  Some people say that the sound separation is so sharp that it almost sounds artificial.  I can't argue with this at face value, because there is a significant effort to creative sound separation.  But then, that's what the real world is.  every sound should be distinct and with concentration, easily separated from other sounds.  With speakers that pre-blend, that's just not easy to do.  The Beats headphones that are popular this year?  ugh, they are terrible at sound separation.
And sound stage?  Well, Ety's have that too...it's just that the sound stage isn't perceptial projected to you from outside, but rather feels like a soundstage in your head.  This is a phenomenon that is in-line with any deep canalphones though.
One complaint that a lot of people have with the hf2 is the lack of bass.  And that's true, sort of.  That's not to say there isn't any bass.  there is, and even some added depth to the bass, enough to make listening to rock or house certainly doable.  but it's never an overpowering bass.  and that's the magic of it. With R&B and House, you can really focus on the various sounds as well as the incredible voice of such amazing singers.  
So with that said, some may consider Etymotic headphones to be less than ideal based on it's characteristics.  but for me, at any rate, all these characteristics are clear advantages.
What I don't like about them....well...really there's just one thing.  The physical design of the drivers makes the rear of each canalphone easily catch on things.  I've broken a pair because of this.  But, c'est la vie.  Compared to the ER-4s, which had problems with wire sound, and broke much more easily, the hf2 is much improved.
There is one other little problem with these headphones.  The clarity and separation is so sharp, that you can hear flaws in the actual content that you could never hear with other headphones.  sometimes to the point of annoyance.  little bits of noise in the sound content.  You can really begin to notice which flaws in the original recording.  And tiny things like woodwind musicians taking a nearly soundless breath become noticeable.  squeaks from a cello or violin become just a bit more pronounced when nearly invisible on normal headphones.  someone clearing their throat in the background...frankly, EVERYTHING that is in the content is clearly heard....so for some folks, that can be a bit distracting.  but when a recording is perfect....WOW.
Frankly, for what I want, I believe the the Ety's will never be beat.  
Let me add...."for the price"
Cuz, who am I kidding.  if a pair of Sony R10s or Denon AH-D7000s were to ever cross my desk...I sure as heck would use those over the Etys....  Barring that, not even $1000 headphones win over the Etys in my book.