Are Shure E2C as sensitive as apple ?

[penbat]

I have seen some good reviews of the Shure E2C earphones and i think they are more sensitive than the Sonys i tried; See:

http://www.shure.com/earphones/eseries_e2c.asp

I have the dreaded Europe cap so the Shures will certainly give me better sound than the Apples but are they at least as sensitive as the Apple earphones ?

[penbat]

And are the Etymotic Er-6 more sensitive than the Shure E2C ?

[dmarcus48]

I can only reply with regards to the shure e2c. You will hear things that you don't even know exist with the shure's over the apple. A little hard to get used to (in the ear), take time to find the right size and type of seal, foam vs silicone.

[dmt1]

Dmarcus is dead on. The Shure E2's are a major step up in quality over the apple buds. I'd highly recommend them.

[Randy_M]

Just picked up a pair at my local Guitar store. Can't wait to get home and give them a listen...

According to Shure, the E2 and E2C are identical, except for the packaging.

[penbat]

Thanks guys. I may go for the Shure. But i have also read that the Etymotic ER-4P (http://www.etymotic.com) beat the Shure for quality and also maybe sensitivity. Mind you, they are about 3 times the price so I would have to feel rich to go for them.

[dmt1]

I don't think anyone will argue that the Ety4's are a step up from the Shure E2's (they oughtta be at that price).

If you're going to be sitting down--ie not doing any physical activity such as exercising, and you can afford them, go for the Ety's. I ALMOST bought them--but then I read several reports about how the Ety's aren't so hot for exercising--the cord noise can be pretty annoying. So, I went for the Shure's instead--and they are absolutely fantastic for out and about activity. I have Grado SR60's for at home, which are also fantastic, and at $69.00, and even better value than the Shure E2's--but they're headphones and aren't suitable for portable use...

[penbat]

Yes that point bothers me about the Etymotic Er-4P. I would do quite a lot of walking about with them so do you think they would be OK for that ?

[dmt1]

I'd go with the E2's for that. I am too concerned about the cord noise; cord noise drives me absolutely nuts--I personally would be bigtime irritated if I spent $270.00 for a pair of phones I'd never use. In a quite setting, I'd go with the Ety's. I was oh so close to buying them, until I saw all the concerns with cord noise--the Ety's IMHO are the best overall, but for physical activity, my vote goes for the Shures. The Shure E2's are fantastic for working out--and they are well built, very durable.

One word of caution--if you're walking, I wouldn't use either pair to walk outside--indoor is fine--because the isolation is so good, you won't be able to hear a thing. Kinda dangerous in this setting....

[tonicboy]

I have owned both the Etymotic ER-6 as well as the Shure E2C. After demoing each for a month, it was an easy decision for me to return the Ety's. Here are some points of comparison:

Etymotic ER-6
- Sound can be better, but it's hard to get a good fit. You have to moisten the tip to really get a good fit, and try a few times. The sound really depends on how the tip fits in your ear. I found that if I just sit there tweaking the tip, I can change the sound quality. Needless to say it's a little annoying to never be able to get the same sound results twice.
- The cord is very microphonic compared to the Shure's. Sometimes this is cool - if I'm listening to hip hop or something with heavy drums and I feel like playing drums along with the song, I can tap out a rhythm on my cord and hear it my earphones :D
- The cord is the conventional type which just droops from your ear. The style you prefer is up to you.

Shure E2C
- Better bass than the Ety's, I thought
- Choice of tips - foam or silicone
- Cord is barely microphonic
- The foam tip does get dirty easily. This has become annoying for me because I prefer the foam tips but they get dirty after a month or so and prohibitively so after a couple months. I currently have about 8 extra pairs I bought from Shure but it does add up!
- I really love the cord. It takes some getting used to, and takes a few seconds longer to put on than your typical earbuds, but it is very convenient for sports. The way they wrap around your ear and fall down your back with the cord fastener, you could go rock climbing hanging upside down and they wouldn't fall out. The fact that the cord hangs down your back keeps them out of your way if you're biking or rollerblading. Of course, you can drape the cord along the front of your body as well if you like.
- Cool nifty case which protects your earphones very well

[bthall]

Which gives the best environmental isolation:

The Etys ER-6 or the Shure E2C?

thanks,
barryt