shure e2c

[reid]

anyone out there with shure e2c . are they worth ? please tell me what you think.

[dmarcus48]

I bought a pair of e2c's at Guitar Center, $80. They sound great, I mean really great. They are a little hard to get used to though, they fit IN the ear, you can't hear a thing with them in.

[reid]

thankyou for the feedback are they comfortable ? or do they hurt the ear after some time ? do they fit good, the part outside the ear canal? thankyou again

[dmarcus48]

Comfort that's the part I'm having problems with. They give you three different sizes of ear tips and three sizes of foam ear thingies. It took a little experimentation to get the right size. But eventually you get it.

[tntracy]

In the coming weeks, I'll be writing a review of the Shure E2c's for iPodlounge - keep an eye out for a link to it on the main page.

I'm not sure when the review will be ready (I haven't received the earphones yet!), but I'll try to remember this thread and post a message when the review is online.

Tom

[Dunbar]

I think they are an excellent mobile earphone. With the foam tips they are very comfortable. Sound quality is pretty good, an excellent match for the mobile Ipod user!

[dmt1]

Originally posted by tntracy
In the coming weeks, I'll be writing a review of the Shure E2c's for iPodlounge - keep an eye out for a link to it on the main page.

I'm not sure when the review will be ready (I haven't received the earphones yet!), but I'll try to remember this thread and post a message when the review is online.

Tom

Great, now you decide to do it, after I just ORDERED THEM!!!

Actually, ordered them a week ago...still waiting...impatiently....

[doboy]

I just got them over the weekend at Guitar Center and I am still having problems with comfort. I also have a Sony EX-51LP (similar to EX-70LP) and they are very comfortable for me, so I am used to the in-ear type of phones. The flex tips for the E2c are thick and stiff so they are very uncomfortable and doesn't fit right. Thus, I am using the foam. I started out using the large and now have switched to medium, but my ear still hurts (specifically the hole) after an extended time.

Also I was a little disappointed with the E2c. With the ipod, the high was bit soft and the bass was little lacking, but when I listened to them using my laptop and receiver, they were much much better and I am starting to like them much more. Now I just need to get comfortable with them.

[dmt1]

Ok, I am anxiously awaiting Tom's comparison of the E2's to the ETY4's, but in the meantime I have gotten my E2's, and here is my impression as compared to the sony EX's:

A little background on how I use my ipod: (mainly to help anyone reading this to determine wether my opinion will be worthwhile or not with regards to your own listening habits):
I play it all day at work, hooked up to a nice set of AltecLansing speakers with a subwoofer, hooked up into the headphone jack--the ipod drives them with no problem, and they sound fantastic. At home, I use Grado SR 60's, at the gym, I use portable earphones--until recently, EX70's, now E2's.

Sound: The E2's blow the EX70's away. Not even close here. The E2's are MUCH more transparent--music is crystal clear on the E2's; I didn't realize how muddled the EX70's sounded until I directly compared them to the E2's. The treble is much brighter in the E2's. The bass is less prominent, but MUCH clearer, as are the drums. The E2's are driven by the ipod much better than the EX's--I use 2/3's the volume on the E2's--I can turn the volume all the way up on the EX's, I'd blow my eardrums out if I tried that with the E2's. The E2's remind me very much of the Grado SR 60's; they're kind of like an earphone equivalent--if you love the Grado's, chances are you're going to like the E2's too.

Comfort: The E2's are not quite as comfortable as the EX's--but they're close. They are a little bit heavier, and it takes little time to figure out what gives you the best fit--I prefer the medium sized silicone sleeves myself--and seal is absolutely critical with the E2's, otheriwise you have no bass. One nice thing is though is once the E2's are in, they aren't going anywhere. They come over the top and then behind your ear; the cords to each earphone are equal in length from where they split from the main cord, unlike the EX70's (something that always bothered me about the EX's). I've had problems with the EX's moving or falling out at the gym; the E2's are so secure once properly in they don't move at all.

Isolation: They both do a good job at isolation, but the E2's are a notch better than the EX's. Bottom line, I wouldn't go bike riding or walking in the street with EITHER pair.

Cord noise: There is some cord noise during exercise with the EX's, slightly annoying, but tolerable. There is absolutely none with the E2's, probably because of the relatively thicker cord. They are simply fantastic for exercise.

Durability: Build of the E2's appears superior--the main cord is thicker than the EX's, and less prone to tangle. The earphones themselves appear sturdier, especially the junction of the cord to the earphones.

The EWB (Earwax Buildup) factor: It's recommended you use the included wax guards with the E2's--but the apertures are so much bigger, and the earphones so much easier to clean than the EX's, I haven't used it. They are easier to clean/take care of.

One note about the E2's: it doesn't have a short cord with an extension, like the EX's. This is not a major issue unless you like the remote--I do, but the E2's are so much better, I'm going without the remote.

Bottom line: E2's are now my pick for relatively affordable ($85.00) portable buds for exercise. They are IMHO DEFINITELY worth the extra money in comparison to the EX's. I also think they are fantastic buy as a portable earbud for those looking for an isolation type bud not necessarily for exercise.

Now I am 100% sure that the Etys sound better than the E2's (although I haven't had the opportunity to check the Etys' out). But the Ety's are not a good earphone for strenuous activity; otherwise I would have considered forking over the $270.00 for them. But I am very interested to see Tom's direct comparison...

[dmarcus48]

Chris,

Thanks for your review. I have a pair of the e2c's and while it took awhile to get used to them and figure out the best way to place them in my ear, I really enjoy their sound. The only problem that I have is that the sound isolation is so good, I can only use them in situations where I'm sure no one is going to talk to me!

[Clive]

I have earphones and headsets kicking around all over the place here, and I have to say that I dig the Shures, no question; I only have minor quibbles with them.

--The Sony EX70s are great in a quiet environment--I use them every day for transcribing in my office--but they don't cut it out in the real world. You have to blast your ears to walk through NYC while listening to music, plus you get an annoying 'howling wind' noise from the cord if you walk while wearing them.

--The Bose Quiet-Comfort headphones--you know, those noise-reducing headphones they advertise in all the airline magazines--are pretty sweet, but you don't want to walk down the street with them on. Also, their bass response is a little odd. Great for a train- or plane ride if you're not self-conscious about their big look.

--Future Sonics Ear Monitors. These are great. I wore them a lot until I was given the Shures, and I'd still recommend them to anyone. They do a great job of blocking out the outside world; you could listen to the foulest Yoko Ono screech-a-thon on the bus, hear every skull-shattering noise and no one will be the wiser. They're less bulky than the Shures (the cord is much thinner) and I found the sound to be about the same. Don't like the pouch they came in (it's flimsy and the cushions get grubby in there pretty fast), but that's about my only issue.

--The Shures. Love 'em--they sound great, especially on the street; you can hear all the lows without blasting your iPod, thus saving your precious hearing. The cord is bulkier than I'd like, but it wraps up neatly in the cool zip-up hockey puck case that they come in. My major problem is that you have to wear them so that the cord runs down your back, which is fine in the winter when you are just burying it under your jacket or coat. Now that it's summer though, I feel like a dope walking along with a cord hanging off the back of my head for all the world to see. I'm just waiting for some wiseass to yank it and rip my ears off in the process.

Regardless of what you choose, upgrading from the iPod earphones is a smart move. Using monitors that fit into the ear canal may be initially worrisome, but providing you turn down your volume (and you'll want to, believe me), you'll be taking better care of your hearing and you'll reduce ear fatigue. Congrats on a smart purchase!

[kikimus]

These are really a lot more along the lines of the Ety ER-6's, they are not even close to being considered a "bargain" ER-4.

These things have NO high end.

Bass is fine (slightly heavy for my taste, but not bad).

Mid-range is excellent.

High frequencies are non-existant. Cymbals, violins, etc, have no detail whatsoever. It sounds worse than muffled. It's muted completely. I tried different foamies, silicone (including the Ety E-20 plugs), different sources (Ipod, receiver + META42m, etc). Different music, nothing helped at all. I kept switching back and forth with my EX-70's, and couldn't beleive what I was hearing. The E2's certainly provide more isolation, and a more detailed, full sound in the low and mids, but the cut off high range make these phones unwearable for me. They are extremely tiring to listen to.

I also own both the ER6, and the ER-4p, and would reccomend the ER-6 for sound over the E2C's if you cant spring for the ER-4's (which may be borderline overkill for an Ipod, but I use them elsewhere also)..

I would also reccomend the Senheisser MX-500 ($20) well over the Shures. A also think the Sony 888's ($65) are much better than the Shures if you don't need the isolation.

[Dunbar]

I had the ER-6 and returned them for the ER-4, I also own the E2. I would recommend the E2 over the ER-6. I found the ER-6 high end to be somewhat shrill. It's interesting to swap between the E2 and ER-4. The Ety's sound topheavy initially after listening to the E2. Anyways, I do think the ER-4 is the best earphone available but they suck if used while moving and are pricey. I think the E2 is a much better mobile earphone and obviously is a better value (at $80.)

[dmt1]

Have to agree with Dunbar here...Not even going to touch the Ety4's vs E2's, I've checked alot of audiophile sites, and there is not a single one that hasn't said the Ety 4's were superior. The Ety6's however are another matter--seems to be a matter of debate, and personal preference. But again, I was after the best earphone I could find for strenuos activity, and IMHO the E2 is the best in that category--at least for me. The Ety4's are I'm sure significantly superior; in fact I was going to get them, until I read that they are not all that great for working out because of cord noise (and several people have confirmed that both here and on several headphone sites.). So, on an airplane, or bus, or whatever, the Ety4's are going to be the hands down winner. But for working out, IMHO, from what I've read, and now having used, the E2's, I would wholeheartedly recommend them--especially for the price.

[clintb]

I just picked up a pair from Guitar Center today. They sound fantastic compared to what I was using, which was some Sony in-ear MDR-A30's. They do take some getting used to for comfort, but I'm sure they'll wear in. I do wish that Shure would offer the tri-level ear things like what Etymotic has. The included plastic earpieces are way too stiff and even the small ones made my ears hurt in just a few minutes. Now I'm using the small foam ones and that's much better. I'll definately be keeping these, but probably will get some ER-4P's as well.