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Product Description
Color: BLACK
From the Manufacturer
Etymotic Research set out to create the world’s most accurate noise-isolating headset + earphones under $100 for the cost conscious consumer. The mc3s deliver on this promise and provide consumers with the “Best-in-Class” performance benefits for their money.
The MC3 features 3 band equalized audio performance for the world’s most accurate noise-isolating earphone. Click here to learn more. | MC Series “Best in Class” Performance Benefits Best sound accuracy in its class
Best noise isolation
Best communication and control
Available in 4 different colors |
MC3 accessories include mc3 earphones, zipper storage pouch, shirt clip, an assortment of eartips, filter removal tool and extra filters |
Best style and fit
- High-gloss polished aluminum finish in 4 chromatic color options
- An assortment of noise-isolating ACCU•Fit eartips options to ensure proper seal and comfort
- CUSTOM•FIT option available
Best durability and warranty
- 2-year replacement warranty
- Kevlar®-reinforced cable for durability
- ACCU•Filter™ User-replaceable filters that protect the moving coil driver from ear wax
Selecting an Eartip
The eartip that is most comfortable is the likely choice, but it MUST SEAL well in your ear. If you can easily hear others when the volume is off, you don’t have a good seal. Twist it in deeper, or choose another eartip.
When changing eartips make sure the eartip fits securely on the stem of the earphone.
Proper Insertion
Important: Sound quality, full bass response and noise isolation all depend on a good eartip seal in the ear canal. View Earphone Insertion Video
- Carefully insert the earphone while pulling up and out on the back of the ear.
- Twist the earphone up into the ear canal while inserting, until outside noise is blocked out.
- 3-flange eartip: Moistening eases insertion.
- Foam eartip: Roll down or compress foam eartip before inserting. Hold the eartip in place for about 5 seconds while the foam expands to create a tight seal in the ear canal.
- Glider eartip: Simply push into ear canal.
Product Description
Etymotic's mc-3 headset offers best-in-class sound accuracy, noise isolation, fit and comfort and durability. Based on the breakthrough Etymotic ACCU-Technology platform, the MC-Series is the world's most accurate-sounding noise-isolating earphone series in its price class. The patent-pending, highly advanced ACCU-Chamber Acoustic Control Chamber technology modifies standard dynamic earphone drivers to perform at an accuracy response level equal to products costing twice as much. In addition, the MC-Series earphones are designed to be more comfortable for extended wear, and their high degree of noise isolation enables lower-volume listening, to help protect hearing. The mc-3 provides a 3-button micro-control pod with a noise-isolating close-proximity microphone, for easy control and superb call clarity - making it ideal for voice communications, conducting voice recording and iTunres memos as well as listening to music, videos, and other entertainment. The MC-3 earphone and headset, which is forward-compatible with the latest Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch products includes Made for ipod, Made for iPhone and Made for iPad certifications.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 49 people found the following review helpful
By a_recording
Color Name:BLACK
Note: This review is based on excerpts from a review I wrote on the earphone forum head-fi, the full review can be found by searching the same title. The review terms are a little technical, but googling an audio glossary might help :)
The review makes numerous references to a similar earphone, the obscure but excellent Head-Direct RE0 found here:
http://www.amazon.com/HeadDirect-RE0-HEAD-DIRECT-In-ear-Headphones/dp/B001MQ8BL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8=electronics&qid=1284009892&sr=8-1
I purchased the MC3's from Etymotic directly. Shipping was extremely fast (express international courier to Australia.)
What's in the Box- Spacer Laser Headset Pew Pew Pew!
The Etymotics come in a nice, easy to open and classy though understated cardboard box with a flip up cover that shows off the little space lasers inside. I haven't posted pictures of the unboxing, because I think the whole fascination with the unboxing process is a little unhealthy, but rest assured the unboxing inspires confidence considering the price of the product.
The accessory selection is relativey generous - you get a bag, filter changer and a pair of replacement filters, a pair of foam tips, the strange mushroom `glider' tips, and small and large silicone bi-flanges. The small tri-flanges come attached to the nozzle, which is surprising given how small they are. It does seem to be Etymotic's suggestion of how deep these are supposed to go in.
Build Quality, Cables and Microphonics - Bulletproof
This is probably the best part of the Ety's. The earphones are well built, and inspire a lot of confidence. The strain reliefs are meaty and thick, as are the cables which are supple with a nice texture, fairly tangle free and little memory effect. They are leagues ahead of any other earphones that I have - especially compared to the old style rigid RE0 cables. I'm not sure how much Kevlar is used in the product - I'm not even sure what the texture of Kevlar is - all I can say is that the cables are a high point. Microphonics/cable noise is average when worn down, and non-existent when either used with the included shirt clip or worn over the ear. With a 2 year warranty, I really couldn't be happier with the build quality of a 100 USD product.
Comfort and Isolation- If You Find Brain on the Tip, You've Gone Too Far
Here was my first stumble with the Etymotics. The MC3's have a narrower nozzle then I have ever seen on an IEM, though I understand this is relatively usual with sets from Shure, Ety, etc. The tips are described as deep insertion, and they were not kidding - I have never put anything so far into my ear canal except for Q-tips to clean my ears. And if you've ever used Q-tips to clean your ears, the feeling is almost identical.
It took me a long while to adjust to the tri-flange silicone tips, and initially I found the tri-flanges desperately scratchy and uncomfortable. The flanges would scratch against my ear canals, the small tips were difficult to get a secure seal with, the big tips sealed but the flanges rubbed against my ears painfully. I found myself using the foam and glider tips more and more, which after intial insertion were comfortable. However, they did terrible things to the clarity, taking away so much sparkle that I went back to wrestling with the silicones. I preservered, given other Head-Fi members saying that as the silicone absorbed body oils, they would become softer and seal would be easier to achieve.
I can say, after a few days, that thankfully this is true. I've worked out a way to insert them so that they are comfortable, no part of the nozzle is digging into my ear canal, and I get a seal each time. Unfortunately, this way means that I have to wear them down rather than over the ear, which means microphonics are an issue. Also troubling, is that swapping out the foam tips so many times, the glue that attaches the rubber cores to the foam is coming apart. So I'm essentially stuck with the silicone bi-flanges.
Isolation is amazing, as expected. When music is playing you literally cannot hear anything else. This is dangerous in a way because not only can you not hear any screams if a dinosaur is going to attack your Jeep, but also because the lack of relative volume means that it's fairly easy to turn these up way too high.
An important thing to note is that Etymotic is running a program which means that you can go to an audiologist and have custom tips made for you from ACS, with a total price including impressions of $100 USD. This seems to me to be an extremely reasonable offer, though you have to like the MC's enough to more than double their price as a package. I'm considering this option, as the comfort of customs seems pretty attractive.
General Listening Impressions
Overall, the MC3 is a mixed bag for me. It has an accurate, transparent and detailed sound, with excellent reproduction of all frequencies. They certainly wouldn't be considered warm - it remains on the dry side of analytical. Because of its relatively etched sound, in my opinion it does quite poorly when coupled with a harsh source. On a badly mastered track, or even one that is mastered a little `hot', the sound signature can be sizzling. This means that on any track where they add a high pass filter to make the vocals sound a little more dry - an effect really frequently used in electronic music - the effect is actually doubled and it can be quite painful to listen to. This isn't the kind of usual "S" or "F" sibilance (though this can have that as well), but more of a general aggression to the tone. In those cases, you have to turn down the volume, though thankfully the isolation is good for that. If you don't mind a bit of EQing, then with a bass boost the MC3's are really fantastic sounding. Soundstage and instrument separation are nothing unusual for this price point - nothing that stands out as particularly great, but not poor either.
How much of this sizzling signature can be attributed to their hard to drive nature distorting the relatively low output on the iPhone headphone amp is hard to say. Certainly, it gets worse as you turn the volume up, which leads me to suggest not coupling the Ety with a weak source.
The suggestion that switching to dynamic drivers have significantly increased the bass on the Ety's is somewhat misleading - though not Etymotic's fault, considering that they never made the assertion themselves as far as I know. While these have good bass extension, and more bass than an unmodded RE0, they should still be considered bass light.
The sound of the Ety's can best be described as dry, with accuracy and extension on both ends - more bass extension than the RE0's and as much sparkle, but with less smoothness. This seems to match exactly with what Etymotic prides as their sound signature - tremendous accuracy and articulation. The signature is probably quite closed to a stock RE0 but fuller mids and better bass extension. Unfortunately, I cannot recall with 100% accuracy the sound of the RE0 before I messed with the foam.
For a $99 dollar iPhone headset, or a $79 headphone, considering the build quality and isolation, the MC5's are great for anyone who would like an analytical sound, and who is relatively immune to sibilance.
On another note, these are probably a great option for an iPhone headset at their price point, with the convenience of having music controls and a microphone really very useful. One amazing thing that I didn't consider is that the iPods allow for voice control for music playback with the microphone - for instance you can say "Play Arist The Flaming Lips" and it will do so, obeying your every whim. For anyone who is wondering if the headset version is worth the premium, the answer is yes, definitely.
Also important to note is that the MC5s do offer an upgrade path in the form of the relatively cheap custom tip option. I can't say how much that would change the sound, but if I do take Etymotic up on their offer I will write updated impressions in the second post.
If I had to choose between the MC5 and the RE0, it would be a harder question - depending on how important build quality and isolation was to the equation. The Ety's are more transparent and as long as nothing flips the sibilance switch, they sound detailed and balanced. For me, with the amount of electronic/filtered music I listen to, I think I personally still prefer the sound of the RE0's by a small margin - and only after I tweaked the RE0's to my taste. Your mileage may vary, as may it vary with the comfort and fit.
Despite all this, it's good to keep in mind that the RE0's originally retailed at over two hundred dollars, and are still heavily recommended by people on head-fi as an excellent first choice at their price point - they are giant killers with a few flaws. In the same way, the MC5's have a mix of good and bad, but with their build quality the best I have ever seen, and great sound for the price, I would not hesitate to recommend them for someone with around that much to spend - as long as they are aware of the caveats.
The review makes numerous references to a similar earphone, the obscure but excellent Head-Direct RE0 found here:
http://www.amazon.com/HeadDirect-RE0-HEAD-DIRECT-In-ear-Headphones/dp/B001MQ8BL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8=electronics&qid=1284009892&sr=8-1
I purchased the MC3's from Etymotic directly. Shipping was extremely fast (express international courier to Australia.)
What's in the Box- Spacer Laser Headset Pew Pew Pew!
The Etymotics come in a nice, easy to open and classy though understated cardboard box with a flip up cover that shows off the little space lasers inside. I haven't posted pictures of the unboxing, because I think the whole fascination with the unboxing process is a little unhealthy, but rest assured the unboxing inspires confidence considering the price of the product.
The accessory selection is relativey generous - you get a bag, filter changer and a pair of replacement filters, a pair of foam tips, the strange mushroom `glider' tips, and small and large silicone bi-flanges. The small tri-flanges come attached to the nozzle, which is surprising given how small they are. It does seem to be Etymotic's suggestion of how deep these are supposed to go in.
Build Quality, Cables and Microphonics - Bulletproof
This is probably the best part of the Ety's. The earphones are well built, and inspire a lot of confidence. The strain reliefs are meaty and thick, as are the cables which are supple with a nice texture, fairly tangle free and little memory effect. They are leagues ahead of any other earphones that I have - especially compared to the old style rigid RE0 cables. I'm not sure how much Kevlar is used in the product - I'm not even sure what the texture of Kevlar is - all I can say is that the cables are a high point. Microphonics/cable noise is average when worn down, and non-existent when either used with the included shirt clip or worn over the ear. With a 2 year warranty, I really couldn't be happier with the build quality of a 100 USD product.
Comfort and Isolation- If You Find Brain on the Tip, You've Gone Too Far
Here was my first stumble with the Etymotics. The MC3's have a narrower nozzle then I have ever seen on an IEM, though I understand this is relatively usual with sets from Shure, Ety, etc. The tips are described as deep insertion, and they were not kidding - I have never put anything so far into my ear canal except for Q-tips to clean my ears. And if you've ever used Q-tips to clean your ears, the feeling is almost identical.
It took me a long while to adjust to the tri-flange silicone tips, and initially I found the tri-flanges desperately scratchy and uncomfortable. The flanges would scratch against my ear canals, the small tips were difficult to get a secure seal with, the big tips sealed but the flanges rubbed against my ears painfully. I found myself using the foam and glider tips more and more, which after intial insertion were comfortable. However, they did terrible things to the clarity, taking away so much sparkle that I went back to wrestling with the silicones. I preservered, given other Head-Fi members saying that as the silicone absorbed body oils, they would become softer and seal would be easier to achieve.
I can say, after a few days, that thankfully this is true. I've worked out a way to insert them so that they are comfortable, no part of the nozzle is digging into my ear canal, and I get a seal each time. Unfortunately, this way means that I have to wear them down rather than over the ear, which means microphonics are an issue. Also troubling, is that swapping out the foam tips so many times, the glue that attaches the rubber cores to the foam is coming apart. So I'm essentially stuck with the silicone bi-flanges.
Isolation is amazing, as expected. When music is playing you literally cannot hear anything else. This is dangerous in a way because not only can you not hear any screams if a dinosaur is going to attack your Jeep, but also because the lack of relative volume means that it's fairly easy to turn these up way too high.
An important thing to note is that Etymotic is running a program which means that you can go to an audiologist and have custom tips made for you from ACS, with a total price including impressions of $100 USD. This seems to me to be an extremely reasonable offer, though you have to like the MC's enough to more than double their price as a package. I'm considering this option, as the comfort of customs seems pretty attractive.
General Listening Impressions
Overall, the MC3 is a mixed bag for me. It has an accurate, transparent and detailed sound, with excellent reproduction of all frequencies. They certainly wouldn't be considered warm - it remains on the dry side of analytical. Because of its relatively etched sound, in my opinion it does quite poorly when coupled with a harsh source. On a badly mastered track, or even one that is mastered a little `hot', the sound signature can be sizzling. This means that on any track where they add a high pass filter to make the vocals sound a little more dry - an effect really frequently used in electronic music - the effect is actually doubled and it can be quite painful to listen to. This isn't the kind of usual "S" or "F" sibilance (though this can have that as well), but more of a general aggression to the tone. In those cases, you have to turn down the volume, though thankfully the isolation is good for that. If you don't mind a bit of EQing, then with a bass boost the MC3's are really fantastic sounding. Soundstage and instrument separation are nothing unusual for this price point - nothing that stands out as particularly great, but not poor either.
How much of this sizzling signature can be attributed to their hard to drive nature distorting the relatively low output on the iPhone headphone amp is hard to say. Certainly, it gets worse as you turn the volume up, which leads me to suggest not coupling the Ety with a weak source.
The suggestion that switching to dynamic drivers have significantly increased the bass on the Ety's is somewhat misleading - though not Etymotic's fault, considering that they never made the assertion themselves as far as I know. While these have good bass extension, and more bass than an unmodded RE0, they should still be considered bass light.
The sound of the Ety's can best be described as dry, with accuracy and extension on both ends - more bass extension than the RE0's and as much sparkle, but with less smoothness. This seems to match exactly with what Etymotic prides as their sound signature - tremendous accuracy and articulation. The signature is probably quite closed to a stock RE0 but fuller mids and better bass extension. Unfortunately, I cannot recall with 100% accuracy the sound of the RE0 before I messed with the foam.
For a $99 dollar iPhone headset, or a $79 headphone, considering the build quality and isolation, the MC5's are great for anyone who would like an analytical sound, and who is relatively immune to sibilance.
On another note, these are probably a great option for an iPhone headset at their price point, with the convenience of having music controls and a microphone really very useful. One amazing thing that I didn't consider is that the iPods allow for voice control for music playback with the microphone - for instance you can say "Play Arist The Flaming Lips" and it will do so, obeying your every whim. For anyone who is wondering if the headset version is worth the premium, the answer is yes, definitely.
Also important to note is that the MC5s do offer an upgrade path in the form of the relatively cheap custom tip option. I can't say how much that would change the sound, but if I do take Etymotic up on their offer I will write updated impressions in the second post.
If I had to choose between the MC5 and the RE0, it would be a harder question - depending on how important build quality and isolation was to the equation. The Ety's are more transparent and as long as nothing flips the sibilance switch, they sound detailed and balanced. For me, with the amount of electronic/filtered music I listen to, I think I personally still prefer the sound of the RE0's by a small margin - and only after I tweaked the RE0's to my taste. Your mileage may vary, as may it vary with the comfort and fit.
Despite all this, it's good to keep in mind that the RE0's originally retailed at over two hundred dollars, and are still heavily recommended by people on head-fi as an excellent first choice at their price point - they are giant killers with a few flaws. In the same way, the MC5's have a mix of good and bad, but with their build quality the best I have ever seen, and great sound for the price, I would not hesitate to recommend them for someone with around that much to spend - as long as they are aware of the caveats.
44 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By Handyman
Color Name:BLUE|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased 3 different in-ear earphones for use with my gixxer 600 sportsbike. I have repeatedly tested them using the same songs on my iPhone 3GS, same helmet and gloves for about 1 week. Here is how I would rate them (considering price):
Klipsch S4i >>> noise isolation C, bass response A, remote A, ear canal comfort B. Cost $99
Etymotic M3 >>> noise isolation A, bass response C, remote B, ear canal comfort C. Cost $99
Eytmotic HF2 >>> noise isolation A, bass response B, remote C, ear canal comfort A. Cost 159
The Etys were best at noise isolation (really blocks out engine and road noises). But there ENDS the similarities between M3 and HF2.
The problem with M3 is its tiny 3-button remote is barely usable unless you have really tiny fingers (it gets worse when I am wearing gloves while riding, it is impossible to "feel" the buttons). The built-in microphone is also of poor quality (my buddies say I sounded thin over the phone). The actual speaker tubes are quite thick (inserting them into my ear canal caused a lot of stress and became uncomfortable after extended period of time). It is also the least sensitive (requiring about 25% more volume dial). Its sound quality very good but not as good as the HF2 or S4i.
The HF2 is hands down the winner in all categories, but it is the most expensive one and lacks 3-button control. Although it uses the same 3-flange eartip as the M3, I found the HF2 very comfortable because its "balanced armature" speaker tubes are really tiny (about the size of a pencil lead, very easy to insert into ear canal). It also offers the highest sensitivity (requires about 25% less volume dial on my iPhone 3GS) and the highest accuracy (as in highs are clear, lows are punchy and none of the frequencies are over-blown). The noise isolation also superb (blocks out 90% of the engine and road noises).
The S4i offers the best bass response. I would say it is about 50% stronger than the Etys. This much bass may or may not suit you, depending on personal taste. I find it great for hip-pop type of music but poor for instrumentals (the pianos sounded a bit distorted). Its microphone is better than HF2. Its 3-button remote is bigger and easier to use than HF2. Its sensitivity and accuracy are very close to the HF2. The only problem I want to point out is that S4i uses oval-shaped eartips that do not seal as well as the Etys. They did not fit my ear canal well and blocked out only half the noise. Comfort wise, it is better than M3 but worse than HF2.
Of all these 3, I would say either go with the Etymotic HF2 for its supreme noise isolation, in-ear comfort and clarity - OR - go with the Klipsch S4i for its stronger bass and better remote. Skip the Etymotic M3 because it is uncomfortable (thick tubes), has tiny remotes (hard to "feel" buttons) and offers the lowest sensitivity (requires highest volume dial).
Klipsch S4i >>> noise isolation C, bass response A, remote A, ear canal comfort B. Cost $99
Etymotic M3 >>> noise isolation A, bass response C, remote B, ear canal comfort C. Cost $99
Eytmotic HF2 >>> noise isolation A, bass response B, remote C, ear canal comfort A. Cost 159
The Etys were best at noise isolation (really blocks out engine and road noises). But there ENDS the similarities between M3 and HF2.
The problem with M3 is its tiny 3-button remote is barely usable unless you have really tiny fingers (it gets worse when I am wearing gloves while riding, it is impossible to "feel" the buttons). The built-in microphone is also of poor quality (my buddies say I sounded thin over the phone). The actual speaker tubes are quite thick (inserting them into my ear canal caused a lot of stress and became uncomfortable after extended period of time). It is also the least sensitive (requiring about 25% more volume dial). Its sound quality very good but not as good as the HF2 or S4i.
The HF2 is hands down the winner in all categories, but it is the most expensive one and lacks 3-button control. Although it uses the same 3-flange eartip as the M3, I found the HF2 very comfortable because its "balanced armature" speaker tubes are really tiny (about the size of a pencil lead, very easy to insert into ear canal). It also offers the highest sensitivity (requires about 25% less volume dial on my iPhone 3GS) and the highest accuracy (as in highs are clear, lows are punchy and none of the frequencies are over-blown). The noise isolation also superb (blocks out 90% of the engine and road noises).
The S4i offers the best bass response. I would say it is about 50% stronger than the Etys. This much bass may or may not suit you, depending on personal taste. I find it great for hip-pop type of music but poor for instrumentals (the pianos sounded a bit distorted). Its microphone is better than HF2. Its 3-button remote is bigger and easier to use than HF2. Its sensitivity and accuracy are very close to the HF2. The only problem I want to point out is that S4i uses oval-shaped eartips that do not seal as well as the Etys. They did not fit my ear canal well and blocked out only half the noise. Comfort wise, it is better than M3 but worse than HF2.
Of all these 3, I would say either go with the Etymotic HF2 for its supreme noise isolation, in-ear comfort and clarity - OR - go with the Klipsch S4i for its stronger bass and better remote. Skip the Etymotic M3 because it is uncomfortable (thick tubes), has tiny remotes (hard to "feel" buttons) and offers the lowest sensitivity (requires highest volume dial).
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Color Name:BLACK|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Etymotic Research has daringly dove into the under $100 earphone category with their mc3 in-ear monitor headset (IEM). Competition in the earphone category has exploded, to say the least, thanks primarily to the iPod and iPhone. IEMs have popped up from just about every consumer electronics company known to man. Can Etymotic fend off the competitors with their latest "canalphones?"
PROS:
- Beautifully accurate and detailed
- Durable build
- Convenient inline remote & mic
- Useful accessories included
- 2 year warranty
CONS:
- Under represented bass
- Sound quality below average, out of the box
Historically, Etymotic used balanced armature transducers in their high-end IEMs. The mc3 and mc5 are their first moving coil drivers, used mostly as a cost-reducing measure. I have often been let down by companies introducing "value" versions of their successful products so I was skeptical about the mc5s. Consumer Reports' rating did not invoke confidence either. I was able to obtain a pair of mc3's from Amazon for evaluation. As it turns out, Consumer Reports got it wrong and I almost did too.
SOUND QUALITY
Most of my review is based on the mc5, which I had the chance to listen to first but the mc3 and mc5 have identical sound characteristics. My initial impression of sound quality was not good. Though the details were phenomenal, it just did not sound right. I struggled with the 3-flange eartips for a good hour before I eventually found a better fit and seal with the gray glider eartips. Even with a good seal, I thought it was harsh with poor bass response. I had completed my review based on about 5 hours of critical listening but then decided to give them a 24 hour burn-in for a retest. In my opinion, those 29 hours of use completely changed the sound. The mids and highs were very detailed and clear and the harshness smoothed out. The bass improved slightly and retained a quality tight sound. I usually prefer a flat sound from headphones or speakers and my favorite headphones currently are the Sennheiser HD 555s. Despite this preference, I found the bass on the mc3/mc5 to be under represented. Eminem, Usher and Black Eyed Peas were not as enjoyable to listen to as Sarah McLachlan, Liz Phair, ELO, or Keane. If you prefer artificial bass, the mc3s are NOT going to be to your liking.
SOUND ISOLATION
Sound isolation with the mc3/mc5 is excellent. Etymotic claims 35-42dB of isolation. They are so good that you should take caution when using them while jogging or cycling outdoors. They are however, ideal for commuting on buses or trains and perfectly acceptable for air travel. Best of all, no bulky noise-canceling controls or batteries to deal with. There is some microphonic effect but attaching the shirt clip and or wrapping the cord behind your ears help.
COMFORT
Some people will not find universal Etymotic in-ear monitors comfortable. The default 3-flange eartips require them to be inserted far into the ear canal and it can be a harrowing experience. For me, the glider eartips were more comfortable and provided a better seal so even though Etymotic offers custom-fit eartips, I found at least one pair of comfortable universal eartips. One minor drawback to the glider eartips is that they make the rest of the IEM stick out further from your ear, but I personally don't care how I look with them. The 4 foot cord is a perfect length for a wide variety of portable use and the included shirt clip can help keep the cord in place while you're moving around. The slim inline remote responds well and the included mic is sufficient for phone calls.
DURABILITY
I own a couple of under $30 IEMs and never wanted to spend beyond that because I always feared breaking or losing them. Etymotic addressed that fear by coating the cables with Kevlar, providing a protective case, and backing it up with a 2 year warranty.
MISC
I really appreciated that the mc3s came with a protective case. It also included 4 types of eartips, shirt clip, a pair of filters, and filter removal tool.
If you like the mc3 but don't need the inline remote and mic, go check out the Etymotic mc5. They have identical sound characteristics.
CONCLUSION
The sound quality of the mc3/mc5 improved greatly with some burn-in time and proved that Consumer Reports grossly misjudged them. Though I still feel that the bass response needs to be improved, I think the price for performance is very good. Etymotic IEMs are not for everyone, but if you prefer accurate details without distorted sound (bass boosting), then you are sure to enjoy the mc series from Etymotic.
PROS:
- Beautifully accurate and detailed
- Durable build
- Convenient inline remote & mic
- Useful accessories included
- 2 year warranty
CONS:
- Under represented bass
- Sound quality below average, out of the box
Historically, Etymotic used balanced armature transducers in their high-end IEMs. The mc3 and mc5 are their first moving coil drivers, used mostly as a cost-reducing measure. I have often been let down by companies introducing "value" versions of their successful products so I was skeptical about the mc5s. Consumer Reports' rating did not invoke confidence either. I was able to obtain a pair of mc3's from Amazon for evaluation. As it turns out, Consumer Reports got it wrong and I almost did too.
SOUND QUALITY
Most of my review is based on the mc5, which I had the chance to listen to first but the mc3 and mc5 have identical sound characteristics. My initial impression of sound quality was not good. Though the details were phenomenal, it just did not sound right. I struggled with the 3-flange eartips for a good hour before I eventually found a better fit and seal with the gray glider eartips. Even with a good seal, I thought it was harsh with poor bass response. I had completed my review based on about 5 hours of critical listening but then decided to give them a 24 hour burn-in for a retest. In my opinion, those 29 hours of use completely changed the sound. The mids and highs were very detailed and clear and the harshness smoothed out. The bass improved slightly and retained a quality tight sound. I usually prefer a flat sound from headphones or speakers and my favorite headphones currently are the Sennheiser HD 555s. Despite this preference, I found the bass on the mc3/mc5 to be under represented. Eminem, Usher and Black Eyed Peas were not as enjoyable to listen to as Sarah McLachlan, Liz Phair, ELO, or Keane. If you prefer artificial bass, the mc3s are NOT going to be to your liking.
SOUND ISOLATION
Sound isolation with the mc3/mc5 is excellent. Etymotic claims 35-42dB of isolation. They are so good that you should take caution when using them while jogging or cycling outdoors. They are however, ideal for commuting on buses or trains and perfectly acceptable for air travel. Best of all, no bulky noise-canceling controls or batteries to deal with. There is some microphonic effect but attaching the shirt clip and or wrapping the cord behind your ears help.
COMFORT
Some people will not find universal Etymotic in-ear monitors comfortable. The default 3-flange eartips require them to be inserted far into the ear canal and it can be a harrowing experience. For me, the glider eartips were more comfortable and provided a better seal so even though Etymotic offers custom-fit eartips, I found at least one pair of comfortable universal eartips. One minor drawback to the glider eartips is that they make the rest of the IEM stick out further from your ear, but I personally don't care how I look with them. The 4 foot cord is a perfect length for a wide variety of portable use and the included shirt clip can help keep the cord in place while you're moving around. The slim inline remote responds well and the included mic is sufficient for phone calls.
DURABILITY
I own a couple of under $30 IEMs and never wanted to spend beyond that because I always feared breaking or losing them. Etymotic addressed that fear by coating the cables with Kevlar, providing a protective case, and backing it up with a 2 year warranty.
MISC
I really appreciated that the mc3s came with a protective case. It also included 4 types of eartips, shirt clip, a pair of filters, and filter removal tool.
If you like the mc3 but don't need the inline remote and mic, go check out the Etymotic mc5. They have identical sound characteristics.
CONCLUSION
The sound quality of the mc3/mc5 improved greatly with some burn-in time and proved that Consumer Reports grossly misjudged them. Though I still feel that the bass response needs to be improved, I think the price for performance is very good. Etymotic IEMs are not for everyone, but if you prefer accurate details without distorted sound (bass boosting), then you are sure to enjoy the mc series from Etymotic.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal
I suppose I'm only an amateur audiophile but I've always found that Etymotic gets the best sound out of such a small package. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andrew Flynn
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost......but not quite a "5"
I've had my Etymotic ER 6i buds for a few years & have been quite happy with them so when I needed a product that also had a mic for use with my iPhone I decided to give these a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Duccy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Isolation is great, sound is good but not great
I expected a little better sound for $60.
One thing I didn't expect was that I find it difficult to use it as a headset with both plugs in. Read more
One thing I didn't expect was that I find it difficult to use it as a headset with both plugs in. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bill
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great sound isolation for motorcycle use.
These earphones are perfect for those of us that ride motorcycles and like to hear some music at the same time. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Carpe_Diem
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ear-buds
5 stars because these ear buds have superior sound quality to many others I've used in the past. I picked them up on the recommendation of the Wired.com review. Read more
Published 3 months ago by H
5.0 out of 5 stars
Do they stay in with strenuous activity?
When buying headphones, I always consider if they will stay in my ears during hard running/ working out. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Tabitha Cross
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great sound, but at a cost
The sound on these is 5 stars, but they lose a half star because they are extremely uncomfortable. The sound really makes up for the discomfort, but you really have to decide if... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Andre T. Bradshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing and perfect.
It is difficult for me to say something is perfect, but I have, and I do not regret it. Obviously perfection is always subjective, and this review is being written to explain why I... Read more
Published 4 months ago by C. Orlando
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing over all sound - if you re a bass lover - these will leave...
Comfortable earbuds - great overall sound, actually some headroom, handle Metal well, if you listen to Hip-Hop or bass heavy music, these are going to sound thin.
Published 5 months ago by JB
5.0 out of 5 stars
love them now that I've gotten used to them
I bought these earbuds primarily to use as earplugs at my office - putting in actual earplugs seemed a little passive-aggressive, but everyone's always wearing headphones. Read more
Published 5 months ago by R.
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