Review: Shure E2, Shure E3, and Ety ER-4P

[Havo]

Are the e2's that bad? I purchased them thinking they had mroe bass than the e3's or the ety's. I havent received them yet because I just ordered them recently. I listen to mostly rap and hip-hop but want something compact like earbuds. I have a pair of ex71's as well but find they aren't durable at all. Wuts a good upgrade that has good bass?

[elmoboy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Havo
Are the e2's that bad? I purchased them thinking they had mroe bass than the e3's or the ety's. I havent received them yet because I just ordered them recently. I listen to mostly rap and hip-hop but want something compact like earbuds. I have a pair of ex71's as well but find they aren't durable at all. Wuts a good upgrade that has good bass? [/QUOTE

if u consider muddy bass as more bass then it is..

[targa88]

I use E2 for everyday commuting,. I listen to all types of music, but adjust the EQ settings for the type. The E2 are adequate, and good value for the money

[120bpm]

I think some buyers of these earphones are missing the point. The biggest advantage of these is the noise blocking ability they provide. When fitted PROPERLY, these earphone will block out most ambient noise that interferes with the listening experience. I've found personally that the yellow memory foam the best. It is also very important to get these very far up into the ear canal, too far perhaps for some. When fitted properly, you will actually hear the foam expanding and then ambient noise significantly decrease. Similar to the sensation of yawning and noise reducing. This is also needed for and bass effect to be heard. Without this noise blocking seal, most bass will be lost and the earphones will sound tinny. Once you find this "sweet spot" you don't need to jack up the volume and you can listen comfortably. I've run on treadmills and only heard my feet (actually only felt the impact through my body). I've also used a snowblower and could barely hear the engine over "The Dandy Warhols" latest mp3's. Not for use in high traffic areas or driving. Also a bit of a pain it you want to casually listen to your ipod in a noise free area. Use you ipod phone for these. Everything else is great, including frequency response.

[sixfrost]

I dont know how you can say " The bass on the E2 is deep..."

I just a got a pair of them ... my god what a disappointment. Too much hype over not much performance. The highs are good, but thats about it. It's a weak headphone and too expensive.

I personally think that all the "performance" of these units come from so called external sound blocking design. Make a mold for your basic 9 dollar headphones so that they fit in your ear canal and you will have very similar results, probably even better.

Oh, the best feature of e2c is that shure offers money back guarantee. Try them - see how flat the bass is and send it back.

I have not tried the Sony MDR-Ex's i think they would be a much better value. I wll have to consider them.

[valvespin]

Sixfrost is right. Seriously people, if you out looking for deep boomy bass, the E2C wont quite cut it. It's too bad that where I am at, stores here don't take exchanges, returns, refunds like the US stores do, so I'm kinda stuck with my E2C. But, I must say that the E2C are really what Shure claims it to be, "noise isolating earphones". They do a nice job on the highs & mids, so if acoustics & vocals are what you dig, it'd be worth considering.

Can anyone suggest a boomy set of canal phones with reasonably good outside noise isolation? I've read some reviews that the Apple in-ears do a pretty good job if we replace the rubber ends with the foamies from the E2C... at least the E2C wont turn into a total waste. Also, I'm seeing here that the 71's are boomy as well. Any opinions on these?

I'm really in a fix coz I can't go thru the 'order--buy--return' cycle with stores here... I can't afford to make another 'mistake' so hope you folks can help throw me a stick.

[egokun]

I own a pair of Shure E3c. I've had them since last December and I'm very pleased with them. They're a perfect match for the iPod and they offer tremendous sound quality for the price. If used with the flanges, they offer almost total isolation and are perfect for public use (the "modified" flange offers better sound than the tri-flange, BTW, and it's much less bothering in your ear). The behind-the-ear approach is genius - makes the earphones much less visible and prevents them from getting out of your ear easily. Finally, the cable is thick and robust and produces almost no microphonics.

But, some days ago I ordered a pair of Etymotic ER4-S. When I received them, I immediately tried them with my 3G iPod. I was surprised at how much you have to raise the volume level to have a satisfying volume - the S model is so much more difficult to drive than the P model for a portable player, and the isolation is sensibly poorer than with the Shures - in public, even with 90% volume I can hear people talking and cars passing by if the music playing isn't very loud. These are the main reasons I'm returning them - my primary use for earphones is with the iPod or a portable CD player, while the S model from Etymotic is clearly for use in quieter environments. I can only guess the P model can be used at lower volume levels and that it isolates better than the S model - in that case, I will consider buying it after reading some Shure E4c reviews
Anyway, the Etys' sound blows the Shures out of the water. Period. You can't really say the E3c are a better earphone. True, the Shure sound is much warmer to the eardrum and the bass is more pronounced, but the clarity and detail of the Etys are second to none. Listening to instrumental music through the ER4-S brought tears to my eyes, especially when listening to percussions and guitars (both acoustic and electric). The Etys will let you hear notes that simply aren't there with the Shures, and you will hear every single instrument as a separate entity; cymbals acquire a whole new dimension through the Etys, while they can barely be noticed with the Shures. The ER4-S truly are the best if you want to listen to instrumental music - which is the genre I listen to the most these days. On the other hand, the Shures are much better suited for rock, pop and rap music, as they have more bass and a warmer sound - I listened to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" through the Etys and the bass just isn't there, sorry.

So, as far as I can say, the Shure E3c is an excellent earphone for use with the iPod: it is elegant and comfortable, it offers excellent isolation, the sound is very balanced and optimal for listening to any kind of music, and it can easily be used with the iPod.

The Etymotic ER4-S is a totally different earphone for totally different purposes. It requires a quiet environment and can't be effectively used with the iPod without an external amplifier; isolation is much less than optimal for outdoor use, and microphonics are heavy and obtrusive (you will hear noise anytime you do as much as slightly turning your head sidewards). But, the sound quality of the Etys is beyond incredible for listening to anything that doesn't emphasize bass. I just hope the ER4-P is better for the iPod, but I will consider buying it only if the Shure E4c doesn't turn out to be the Ety killer everyone is hoping for.

[elmoboy]

i believe u didn't get a proper seal for the ER4S.. did u use the triple flange or the foam.. U have to push the ER4S quite deep into the ear canal.. I have tried both and the ER4S provide me an excellent seal then E3C which the seal is no different from pansonic HSJ50..

[Elithrar]

Looking at possibly getting some E2c's, but I'm not sure if they're worth the investment. Much like my sig, I'm after some portable 'phones that are around the same price as the E2c's, but with at least some half-decent isolation and accurate bass response. The muddy, boomy bass on my EX71's got tiring after a while.

[sixfrost]

I have grown to love my E2c's... While the base is not super strong, they do offer excellent sound quality. I'd recommend them - this is coming from a previously disappointed Shure user.

[Elithrar]

Might have to invest in them; that is, if I can get a refund on my EX81's. Nice sounding canalphones with horrible earclips and a cable-design that 'tugs' to irritation. Plus, the build quality and isolation (foamies) of the Shures' definitely has me onside.

[sky]

I bought the shure e3 about 5 weeks ago and they are absolutly fantastic the sound is more clearer and deeper.


They only problem is that my ears hurt after a while. (after 1,5 hour) Does anyone have a suggestion? The volume is not high at all, and the rest of the day i am rubbing my ears. These earbuds are so great i want to wear them more often but my ears can not handle them.

[Elithrar]

Takes a bit of practice to get used to the foamies and the fit, but the e2c's are damned impressive. Isolation is terrific, comfort is on-par (if not better overall) than the EX71's and the sound definitely has a warmth to it. Makes it quite suitable for rock/alternative, methinks. Bass is far from lacking; not 'in-your-face' like some other canalphones, but it's there and becomes part of the music, rather than overpowering it. Highs are nice and clean; not shrilly at all.

The cables are relatively thick, but you get used to them quickly; the included carry-case is well thought out and is unintrusive when slipped into a pocket.

Overall, great canalphones; definitely a marked step above the EX71's/81's I had before.

[CookieFactory]

Originally posted by egokun
I own a pair of Shure E3c. I've had them since last December and I'm very pleased with them. They're a perfect match for the iPod and they offer tremendous sound quality for the price. If used with the flanges, they offer almost total isolation and are perfect for public use (the "modified" flange offers better sound than the tri-flange, BTW, and it's much less bothering in your ear). The behind-the-ear approach is genius - makes the earphones much less visible and prevents them from getting out of your ear easily. Finally, the cable is thick and robust and produces almost no microphonics.

But, some days ago I ordered a pair of Etymotic ER4-S. When I received them, I immediately tried them with my 3G iPod. I was surprised at how much you have to raise the volume level to have a satisfying volume - the S model is so much more difficult to drive than the P model for a portable player, and the isolation is sensibly poorer than with the Shures - in public, even with 90% volume I can hear people talking and cars passing by if the music playing isn't very loud. These are the main reasons I'm returning them - my primary use for earphones is with the iPod or a portable CD player, while the S model from Etymotic is clearly for use in quieter environments. I can only guess the P model can be used at lower volume levels and that it isolates better than the S model - in that case, I will consider buying it after reading some Shure E4c reviews
Anyway, the Etys' sound blows the Shures out of the water. Period. You can't really say the E3c are a better earphone. True, the Shure sound is much warmer to the eardrum and the bass is more pronounced, but the clarity and detail of the Etys are second to none. Listening to instrumental music through the ER4-S brought tears to my eyes, especially when listening to percussions and guitars (both acoustic and electric). The Etys will let you hear notes that simply aren't there with the Shures, and you will hear every single instrument as a separate entity; cymbals acquire a whole new dimension through the Etys, while they can barely be noticed with the Shures. The ER4-S truly are the best if you want to listen to instrumental music - which is the genre I listen to the most these days. On the other hand, the Shures are much better suited for rock, pop and rap music, as they have more bass and a warmer sound - I listened to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" through the Etys and the bass just isn't there, sorry.

So, as far as I can say, the Shure E3c is an excellent earphone for use with the iPod: it is elegant and comfortable, it offers excellent isolation, the sound is very balanced and optimal for listening to any kind of music, and it can easily be used with the iPod.

The Etymotic ER4-S is a totally different earphone for totally different purposes. It requires a quiet environment and can't be effectively used with the iPod without an external amplifier; isolation is much less than optimal for outdoor use, and microphonics are heavy and obtrusive (you will hear noise anytime you do as much as slightly turning your head sidewards). But, the sound quality of the Etys is beyond incredible for listening to anything that doesn't emphasize bass. I just hope the ER4-P is better for the iPod, but I will consider buying it only if the Shure E4c doesn't turn out to be the Ety killer everyone is hoping for.

It really doesn't sound like you got a good seal with the ER4S since with a good seal (with either the foam or the triflanges) it isolates to the point where a bus passing me is just a slight sound of air. Etys are supposed to isolate a tad more than Shures due to the transducer shape as well. However you do say the sound is amazing, which is a sign of a good seal so I don't know what's going on here. Perhaps if you had a better seal the sound would be even more amazing, imagine that

Anyway I just got the ER4P with a P to S converter. The ER4P is amazing in it's own right, but the ER4S amped by a little cmoy is almost akin to a spiritual experience! I'm rather difficult to impress but seriously these are just incredible.
Upgrading from EX51 to the Etymotic ER6i I felt was a good upgrade, but the ER6i never left me literally amazed at the sound quality. Moving from the ER6i to the ER4 is huge, it's an entirely different animal. I did find the ER6i to be detailed but I also felt it was a little over-analytical and thin. However while the ER4 is even more detailed, I also found it to be much more musical.

[sky]

Jipeee! problem is solved with the hurting of my ears! I bough different earbuds from "alpine", took out the filter, cut them a little bit so it would perfect fit the shure's and no more pain, they are perfect, not expensive and last for a long time, they are very soft they seal of better then the other earbuds. you can get them in different types: SleepSoft, MotoSafe, SwimSafe and TravelFit. I am using the TravelFit.

The sound of the e3's are FANTASTIC! and no more pain!


This is how the earbuds look like: they are about 7 dollars a pair.
[IMG]earbuds.gif[/IMG]