View Full Version : anybody tried the shure e5's?
ugaguy2004
03-23-2004, 11:15 PM
i mean, for $500.00, i better hear beautiful woman whispering softly into my ears!
here's the review from earplugstore.com:
The E5 transmits wide-frequency stereo sound with great accuracy and isolation from outside noise.
E5c is named
'iPod Essential'
?Designed to help musicians hear their performances onstage, they?ll seal out obnoxious noise, including the guy in the next cubicle.?
?Playboy (Feb. 2003)
Along with their high fidelity, full-bandwidth transducers, the natural design of these stereo earphones allows them to rest comfortably in the ear canal, providing a tight seal for sonic isolation and a snug fit. The E5's dual drivers provide professional monitor-quality sound, and their compact design makes for easy care and comfortable use. Unlike other earphones in which a single driver must deliver the full range of sound, the dual drivers in each E5 earpiece means you get a dedicated driver for high and low ranges, a "tweeter" and a "woofer" in each ear!
Own them. Not worth the difference in cost over the E3's.
kauffee
03-24-2004, 12:58 AM
Search is your friend.
thedodgyguy
03-24-2004, 07:54 AM
In terms of how it performs sonically, HRAs right.
However there's nothing out there that's cheaper which does things like the E5 in an earphone factor. Headphones? A $200 semi-portable phone can outdo the E5 in terms of sonics, but not in terms of isolation from outside sounds.
So it depends on how much of a premium you place on portability and isolation while being a bit of a basshead.
That said, I have the Etymotic ER-4P/S, Shure E3c and the E5 isolating canalphones. My first choice to take with me when I need an isolating canalphone is nearly always the E5.
kauffee's also right too ;)
Spoonman
03-24-2004, 01:51 PM
Originally posted by thedodgyguy
A $200 semi-portable phone can outdo the E5 in terms of sonics, but not in terms of isolation from outside sounds.
Could you cite a few examples? My A900's at $195US are considered by most to be one of the best sounding closed phones available, and I don't feel they outdo my E5's sonically. In fact, my A900's have been getting much less use since my E5's arrived.
But as stated, you will pay a premium for great sound in a small package. I had the E3's for 3 weeks or so, and I do feel the E5's are a very significant step up from them, they're much more natural sounding then the E3's, which in comparison to the E5's sound thin.
thedodgyguy
03-24-2004, 06:17 PM
Originally posted by Spoonman
A900's at $195US are considered by most to be one of the best sounding closed phones available,
They're the best closed home phones for universally unamped use under $200. They are not the best closed phones under $200... IMO that award goes to the AKG K271 which is less bassy than the E5 with the levels of amplification we're talking about (iPod's not bad for that by the way) but more precise out of the iPod than the E5 while not being as 'boring' as the ER-4P. The difference is the response or flavour the E5 offers, which is probably more beguiling than the A900. While it all depends on your specific tastes, the Sennheiser HD25-1 and the Ultrasone HFI-650 all improve in certain ways to the E5.
irdca
03-24-2004, 09:18 PM
Can someone please explain what the difference is between the E5 and the E5c?Is the E5 like a grey market version of the E5c.The E5's are tempting @ $369 but what are you giving up by not getting the E5c?
aeromusek
03-24-2004, 09:54 PM
Identical. The E* and E*c are exactly the same except for color. Technically the E* is for musicians while the E*c is for consumers, but actually there is no practical difference :).
Spoonman
03-25-2004, 12:17 AM
Originally posted by thedodgyguy
They're the best closed home phones for universally unamped use under $200. They are not the best closed phones under $200... IMO that award goes to the AKG K271 which is less bassy than the E5 with the levels of amplification we're talking about (iPod's not bad for that by the way) but more precise out of the iPod than the E5 while not being as 'boring' as the ER-4P. The difference is the response or flavour the E5 offers, which is probably more beguiling than the A900. While it all depends on your specific tastes, the Sennheiser HD25-1 and the Ultrasone HFI-650 all improve in certain ways to the E5.
Difference of opinion I guess, I don't agree that either the Senn or the Ultrasone universally improve when compared to the E5's some aspects may indeed be better, while others are worse. As for the AKG's, they are said to be better then the A900's, but anything that needs an amp fails where portability is necessary.
thedodgyguy
03-25-2004, 11:31 AM
I guess. I bought one of the first A900's off the production line and am well acquainted with it's sound, and I happen to have the HD25-1 and the HFI-650 right now as well as the K271. I've also taken the two (650/25) travelling recently, with the 25's joining me today. The HFI-650's are sonically equivalent or superior to the E5 in practically all respects to me, except if you don't like brightish phones. (I don't mind them.)However even though they fold I don't really consider them really portable... and that's when the E5 comes into it's own.
MikeM
03-25-2004, 11:51 AM
Where am I? Is this head-fi.org? I'm looking for iPods...
:D
I personally am trying to remain happy with my e2's [which I currently am] and I like reading statements like "Not worth the difference in cost over the E3's." Now I only have to worry about buying the e3s!
thedodgyguy
03-25-2004, 11:57 AM
I think the point that I may be trying to get across and failing is that sonically it's not worth it but you will not find the E5 sound in it's form factor anywhere else.
So basically not worth it, but an essential purchase nevertheless.
doctorjuggles
03-25-2004, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by MikeM
" Now I only have to worry about buying the e3s!
Mike, do yourself and favour and just take the advice of everyone on headfi. They always say "just go for the best one", which in your case means skip the E3 and go straight for the E5. You'll only end up there anyway. ;)
On a similar note, I was going to buy the E2, but now I'm speaking to iDealSound and I'm going for the E3s. I can't wait for them to arrive
I'd ditto that. Save up for the E5's; hold off on the E3's unless there is no way you're going to pay for the E5's. In which case, I'd strongly consider Ety 4P's instead of E3's, if you already own the E2's--go with something that has a different sound signature, you might like it...Otherwise I don't think the E3's are going to be a huge step up for you (if you didn't own the E2's, then it would be a tossup between the Ety 4Ps and the E3's, depending on the sound you're after, although I personally feel that the Ety 4P's are more comparable to the E5's (although I haven't heard them) than the E3's (Which I have listened to.). I really need to try the E5's...
doctorjuggles
03-25-2004, 02:15 PM
I'm worried that this will be an inevitable eventuality for me too. Much like gravity cannot be argued with, the purchase of the E3 seems to lead to further investment in the E5.
Yeah, true, but that's IMHO a more reasonable jump, going from the E3 to the E5; more so than going from the E2 to E3...
I wish someone would just close headfi.org down; it sure would save me alot of money and headphone induced mental masturbation....
AndyH
03-25-2004, 03:39 PM
Originally posted by aeromusek
Identical. The E* and E*c are exactly the same except for color. Technically the E* is for musicians while the E*c is for consumers, but actually there is no practical difference :).
While that may apply to the Shure E3 & E3c, that doesn't apply to the Shure E5 & E5c.
The E5 & E5c are the same "color"...in this case they are both a clear plastic.
The other differences are as follows:
1) Case - The E5's come with a soft "velvet" case to carry the earphones in. The E5c's come with a harder clamshell zip case. This clamshell case can be purchased from Shure for $15.
2) Box - The E5's come in a short hard-plastic storage box. The E5c's come in a cube-shaped metal storage box.
3) Volume Attenuator - The E5c's come with this accessory, the E5's do not. It can be purchased from Shure for $10.
rextrade
03-25-2004, 05:38 PM
Originally posted by dmt1
I'd ditto that. Save up for the E5's; hold off on the E3's unless there is no way you're going to pay for the E5's. In which case, I'd strongly consider Ety 4P's instead of E3's, if you already own the E2's--go with something that has a different sound signature, you might like it...Otherwise I don't think the E3's are going to be a huge step up for you (if you didn't own the E2's, then it would be a tossup between the Ety 4Ps and the E3's, depending on the sound you're after, although I personally feel that the Ety 4P's are more comparable to the E5's (although I haven't heard them) than the E3's (Which I have listened to.). I really need to try the E5's...
Agreed. The e5s are lightyears ahead of the e3s. I think the e5s are definitely comparable to the ety 4 series, and I prefer the etys for most types of music that does not involve visceral bass. And, by comparable, I mean comparable in sound quality--in terms of actual sound they're polar opposites. The etys have great highs and mids and stunning clarity while the e5s have a good low end and nice color that can make certain type of music more fun.