Altec IM716
The Altec Lansing is the result of the good teamwork of Altec and Etymotic. And it shows! The IM716 ‘hears’ like the Etymotic ER6i and the ER4p. And that’s not all. Some state that the Altec IM716 is a proper clone of the (much more expensive) Etymotic ER4p although the Altec has more bass. The result is a warmer, less analytical sound.
Like most other IEMs the IM716 provides you with a perfect insulation against surrounding noise after you have reached perfect seal. Although you have to plug them deeply into your auditory canal, the Altec IM716 are comfortable enough to wear them for hours.
Like most other IEMs the IM716 provides you with a perfect insulation against surrounding noise after you have reached perfect seal. Although you have to plug them deeply into your auditory canal, the Altec IM716 are comfortable enough to wear them for hours.
The wire is equipped with a volume control with a switch for bass and HD. This provides you with a kind of equalizer setting: the bass switch makes the bass tones more prominent while the HD switch gives you a flatter and a truer-to-life rendering. So once again a parallel 
to the Etymotic ER4’s p/s converter.
to the Etymotic ER4’s p/s converter.
I prefer to color the sound as little as possible with equalizer settings. But I’m sure the bass switch is very attractive to a lot of people. It’s all a matter of taste.
As of its introduction the Altec IM716 has been widely discussed on Hi-Fi panel discussions. With good reason, because it is an excellent IEM for a very reasonable price. In case you find the Etymotic ER4p not musical enough and you’re looking for IEM with adjustable bass you might want to choose for the Altec IM716.