AppleInsider | Review: Shure E3c Earphones

Shure E3c Earphones

March 28, 2005 EST
By Logan Kugler

Company:
Shure, Inc.

Web site
www.Shure.com

Price:
Shure E3c Earphones
US $179.99

DISCLAIMER: Everyone's ears are different, so "comfort" and "sound quality" are subjective determinations. Recognizing this, we prefer that readers understand that our reviews of headphones are informed, but not conclusive opinions.

The iPod is more than a music audio player -- it’s a way of life. The E3c earphones from Shure enhance this way of life with incredible sound. But before you consider purchasing a pair of E3c headphones, you must decide what music you will be using them with. If you will be listening to more bass driven music such as drum and bass or trance, you will almost certainly want to pass on the E3c. However, if you'll be listening to rock, pop or vocal, the E3c is an excellent choice.

In-Ear Headphones (Earphones) – Background

In-ear headphones can be described as "earplugs that sing" simply because that is what they are. Assuming you have a good seal, earphones such as the E3c from Shure can sound just as good, if not better than, some $1,000 headphones. Why is this? Because earphones are inserted significantly into your ear canal and then channels the music directly into your eardrum. This can be uncomfortable for some, as it was for me. However after a few hours of initial listening you will almost certainly concede to their feel. After approximately five hours of non-consecutive listening the earphones became comfortable.

Another reason in-ear headphones have the upper hand on formal headphones is sound isolation. Sure, you can find noise suppressant headphones like Bose's highly touted QuietComfort2, but even those will produce only a 20-decibel reduction. The Shure E3cs with foam ear insets will almost flat out adjourn all outside noise, offering a 93% sound reduction of 37 decibels. To experience a similar effect, try plugging your ears using your fingers. This is about the degree at which the E3cs eliminate outside sound.

What’s Included:

Shure included the following items along with the E3c earphones:

A turtle-like hard shell zippered carrying case.
A "Fit Kit" consisting of three different sleeve types, each with three different sizes, for a total of 14 sleeves.
An instruction manual.
A two-year warranty card.
A registration card.

Build Quality:

Something you notice with the E3c is the build quality. Everything with the E3c seem solid and durable. The cord is thicker and feels of higher quality than many of its competitors. The drivers themselves appear very well built. Even the Y-connection (where the single cord separates into the left and right channels) is built rock solid and suitably tolerable towards usual or unusual jerking.

Design and Features:

The E3cs continue in the tradition of high quality canal phones from Shure. With an MSRP of $180 the E3c are mid-ranged earphones, priced between the company's $19 iPod ear buds and its high-end Ultimate Ears UE10Pro ($1000). At only 0.9oz the E3c is very lightweight and hardly noticeable while installed (in your ears). It features a single low mass/high micro-speaker energy driver with balanced armature technology for more efficient output, which Shure says is designed to deliver "tonal balance across the entire frequency range". The E3c's speakers are constructed with studio-grade components producing efficient output and exceptional audio clarity. They seemed to be designed to compliment the iPod, sporting a bright white plastic casing. The earphones themselves are extremely small and can hardly be seen once placed inside your ear.

The sound of canal earphones greatly relies on the type of seal you achieve when interesting the phones into your ear. Let me share my technique, which I feel is most popular:

First, you grab the top of your ear and pull upwards in order to "open" your ear canal. Next, place the earphone in your ear while turning it inward to try and get a good seal. Keep twisting slowly until it gets difficult to turn. At this point you should have a good seal. Finally, let go of your ear. Licking your fingers and then runnig them over the sleeves of the E3cs is the best way to achieve an optimum seal.

Comfort:

I found the E3c exceptionally comfortable after several hours of use. During the first few hours of listening I was not consumed nor impressed with the level of comfort. But as my listening experience continued I found the E3c's true comfort expanding exponentially. After listening to the earphones for a half-a-dozen hours, it seemed as if they just began to float into my ears whenever I inserted them. In addition, I love how the E3c stays secure in my ears and won’t fall out if I decide to jump around to the music. Keep in mind that I am basing these results off my experiences using the non-standard Tri-Flange sleeves, which can be purchased for an additional $15. I found the Tri-Flange sleeves easier to use, more comfortable and more secure than the sleeves included with the standard "Fit Kit". The foam sleeves that are included in the "Fit Kit" fit securely, but pale in comparison to the Tri-Flange sleeves, mainly due to the way they are constructed. I personally recommend purchasing a pair of the Tri-Flange sleeves with the E3c, but your ears may be different than mine.

Sound Quality:

Ah yes, the foundation in which earphones rest: the sound quality. I’ve got two words, it’s good! The E3c have extraordinary clarity and an honest bright sound. By "bright sound" I mean a more personal, upfront sound quality that you would hear in the front row of the concert and not sitting in the back with the concession stands. The E3c sport a sound preciseness that most midrange earphones do not have. The sound is very refined and instruments sound clear and distinctive.

As mentioned above, you may wish to look elsewhere if you are a bass enthusiast. However, the E3c does produce a comfortable amount of bass. I find the bass response fairly pleasing, personally.

I did find the E3c to be a respectable competitor to the Etymotic ER-4P’s (MSRP $330). Etymotic’s ER-4P would take the cake in a head to head test, but keep in mind, your going to pay $150 more.

Conclusions:

Shure’s E3c is for the serious listener and an unbelievable difference if you are upgrading from the iPod ear buds. This product is not for the casual listener. If you love music and want to hear great sound then these are for you. You simply won’t believe music could sound this good.

Pros: Excellent sound quality, Effective seal (incredible sound isolation), storage pouch, two year warranty, 30 day money back no questions asked guarantee.

Cons: Not for fans of bass-heavy music.

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