Customer Reviews

Shure E3c Sound Isolating Earphones

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

First off, let me save certain people the trouble of reading the following review: If you've got to convince yourself that a pair of earphones could be worth what these cost, they probably aren't.

When I first put these on (with my correctly-fitting size of included ear adapters), I was comparing them with a $9 pair of Sony earbuds that I've been using for the past few years. I couldn't believe it, but I thought my crappy Sony earbuds sounded 100 times better. "Where's the bass?" I thought to myself when switching the '3's' back into my noggin for the second time and still not hearing it.

It took me about 5 minutes to finally figure out the trick that Sony, Panasonic and all of the other consumer-grade electronics manufacturers have been playing on me and you all along: they deceptively amplify the bass response from that of the musician's original intent to cover up the dismal sound quality and inaccurate reproduction of the music provided by their inferior wares. Yeah, that 'Mega-Bass' is more like a bunch of mega BULL.

The '3's do not overpower you with bass. They deliver your music to you as your favorite musicians intended for you to hear it. What you are paying for with these headphones is ACCURACY. Those tight, crisp high-hats bucketed in syncopated pockets of time that you may have not even heard before will elude you no longer, once you get the '3's. The slight tune-decay of those analog synth chords that you're supposed to hear just upon the release of the keys on your favorite 70's fusion recordings would send chills through any jazz/funk afficionado like myself, but you'll never hear 'em without these puppies. The raw, airy echo of live drums that manifests the musically intended mood of good music more than almost any other component or aspect, imho, will be kept from you no longer once you are down with the '3's.

I just got these today, I put them in my ears over two hours ago, and here it is, 10:20pm, I've got work early tomorrow morning, and I cannot even tear myself away from these. I'm hearing my music for the first time, as far as I'm concerned. These headphones literally bring me to tears.

What's your music collection worth to you? Mine's worth about $10K in monetary value, priceless in musical value. I look at it this way now: If I didn't get the '3's, I wouldn't have saved the cost of the headphones - I would have wasted the value of my entire musical collection.

BTW, I do not work for Shure and I have no connection with them, Sony, Panasonic or the like.

If you are one of those conspiratory-minded people that think that a review this strong on musical electronics could only come from someone looking to knock a corporate power off of its perch,
that's cool with me; you probably don't understand music very well or a thing I've said above if you have time to waste on such thoughts that you could be spending listening to music.

Not being an audiophile but just an ordinary listener, I decided to splurge and check these out as Shure has a return policy. Am not disappointed --- really pleased to have the quality of great sound. Clear and crisp as one had great speakers. Don't bother with looping the cord over the ears, they work fine the regular way and check out the various inserts for the best fit. I have Sony noise cancellation headphones for over 7 years now and use those too, as well as medium priced Koss headphones from Radio Shack but neither compare to the E3c --- so save your money by not buying all those other headphones that will sit and go with the Shure E3c!

I ordered my pair the day after thanksgiving. I was a bit hesitant, due to the price, but let me tell you they worth every penny. I have not tried the 5cs, but this pair is good enough. As other users said, when you hear a song you truly love and have heard for thousand times before, it's like you are listening for the very first time. They passed my Enigma; Sting; Lara St John, and Cher tests with flying colors. The music is deep, not distorted, and detailed as if you are in the music hall in the best seat. Excellent choise, don't be bothered by the price, since we are paying $300 plus for our ipods, they deserve the best headphones out there. An important note, make absolutely sure that the headphones are all the way inside your ear canal, otherwise you will be dissappointed. The earphones come with a fitting package that will accomodate almost anybody's ears. The key is that the earphones need to be all the way inside your ear canal.
One bit downside is the cord is a bit akward. I guess it will take some getting used to, but for $180, I think the company can do a bit better with cord management.

An additional comment regarding Bass;

What we have to keep in mind is that these earphones are reproducing the sound in its 'pure' form. In other words they take the sound with all its attributes and reproduce it. That means that you will not be overpowered by bass. A lot of low priced earphones overcompensate with the bass to cover up the lack of the other details of the sound reproduction. A good example is the MDR series from Sony which are also inside the ear design. The MDRs overcompensate in the bass, because they distort the other elements of the sound. I am an avid audiophile for Jazz and Classical music, some pop too; but jazz and contemporary classical are my favorite genres. I am attending live performances very frequently. My take away from the live performances is that there is no overpowering of bass. Bass is supposed to be complimentary adding tempo to the overall performance, not being the performance itself. Thus, it might take a while to get used to the reduced presense of bass in these earphones, but this absence does not mean they are not good earphones. The absence actually means that they work they way they are supposed to be working. As mentioned earlier, if you don't hear any bass, then you are not fitting the earphones into your ear canal per the instructions.

When I got my new Archos Gmini 400 media player, The earbuds that the player shipped with would not stay in my ears. I have Panasonic mega-base headphones but they just weren't comfortable. Aside from the comfort factor, before getting the Shures, I was perfectly happy with them ,now, I don't even know where they are.

Anyway, after looking at several alternatives, I decided to go with the Shure. One reviewer, in particular, impressed me. He said that he commuted on NYC subways everyday & he wanted to be able to hear his music over the roar of the trains. I take the same commute so the noise cancelling feature of the headphones really attracted me. Of course, what good is the noise cancelling feature if they don't sound good. The same reviewer raved about the sound so I decided to take the plunge. At first, I could decide between the E5c & the E3c. However, since I couldn't try them out in the store or return them if I wasn't happy, $350 (the price at J&R) seemed like too much of a chance to take on an untried commodity. To be honest, I was even hesitant about spending $139. But I shut my eyes, sucked in my breath & plunked down the moolah.

I am so pleased that I made that decision. All of the reviewers have suggested that you try all of the ear connectors until you find the one that fits you best & sounds the best. It took me several weeks but now the plugs stay in & they sound absolutely incredible. I listen to many different types of music--everything from classical to jazz to blues to electronica/dance. I can't say enough about the sound quality. Even taiko (thunderous Japanese drums) sounds fabulous. You are immersed in the music. The only caveat that I have is that they are truly noise cancelling & I have to especially vigilant when I am walking around with them on. Listening to music with them on is a truly immersive experience but you don't want to walk around New York City & be totally unaware of your surroundings.

Based on my experience with this model, if I had it to do all over again I would go for the E5c. But I have no complaints about this model. My advice, if you love music & you don't want to spring for the pricier model, THESE GET THESE PHONES!!!

I've been using these headphones with my iAudio X5, my notebook computer, and my desktop PC for a few months now, and have tried them in a variety of environments.

First, I should make it clear that the E3Cs are sound-isolating earphones. Don't buy them for use while driving, biking, or any other activity where hearing is required. It's not safe. Buy them only if you plan to be alone (at home, on the bus, etc) while listening, in situations where you don't need to hear your environment.

The good:
- Good sound quality. It's not a life-changing experience, as some reviews suggest, but they do sound pretty good. Sometimes when using them, I hear details in music I hadn't noticed before.
- Good noise isolation. Other sounds mostly just fade away when I'm using my E3Cs. I can still hear some things, like the excited girls screaming a couple tables away at the coffee shop, but the normal drone of sounds is almost entirely gone.
- Lower listening volume. I can hear music clearly with the E3Cs at very low volumes. The volume on my iAudio X5 goes from 1-40, and the useful range with the E3Cs is about 3-8 (compared to the 12-20 needed for my $30 Sony headphones). Music is still pretty clear at a volume of 1-2, but then the sound of breathing, and my minor tinnitus (ringing in the ears) are louder than the music.
- Great carrying case. The hard case is very nice; small and protective. I recommend removing the plastic spool from inside, though. It gets in the way.
- Nice, thick cable and generally solid build quality. The E3Cs won't break easily. The cable is thinner after it splits into individual earpieces, but most of the product seems pretty sturdy.
- Over-the-ear design keeps the cables out of the way. Only an inch of cable is visible before it disappears into my hair, and then the cables can easily be routed under a coat/shirt and into a pocket where my music player is kept.

The bad:
- At $130, they were a bit expensive. At the $180 retail price, I'd rather pick up some cheaper Etymotics earphones. The Etymotics models may be more likely to break, but at half the cost, I could afford a spare set.
- Amplifies sounds inside the body. Footsteps can be quite a bit louder than the music, and they're not particularly useful while chewing. Even breathing can be louder than the music, at low volumes.
- Needs a shirt clip, but doesn't come with one. The weight of the cords on my ears makes them hurt after a short while, unless I use a shirt clip to hold the cable in place. Also, there is quite a bit of "cable noise" when I turn my head unless I'm using a shirt clip.
- The carrying case would be better without the plastic spool inside. (it's not difficult to remove)
- Most of the eartips are too big. I thought I had big ear canals, since I use the largest available eartip for my Etymotics phone headset, but only the smallest Shure eartip will fit comfortably.
- The foam eartips are itchy. I don't experience this with regular foam earplugs; the foam used in the eartips is a different type.

Other notes:
- The noise isolation can work too well sometimes. It's impossible to talk to anyone or interact effectively when using these earphones. This is often a good thing, but it limits my use to times I plan on being alone. The E3Cs make it really easy for someone to sneak up on you.
- The E3Cs make my computer's electrical noise rather noticable. This is a problem with my computer, though, not the E3Cs.
- It took me a few days to figure out which eartips fit me best, and find a way to wear the E3Cs for more than 20 minutes without discomfort. The eartips tend to produce suction or pressure inside the ear, unless inserted just right.
- I have to turn the bass up on my music player in order to make the music sound "correct", but not as much as with my $30 Sony headphones. The bass is not lacking as much as some reviews might suggest -- the only time the bass disappears is when I don't have the earphones inserted correctly.
- It'd be very spiffy if music players had a passthru microphone option, so I could press a button and hear what's going on around me without interrupting the music... but instead I have to take the E3Cs out in order to listen to anything around me.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the E3Cs. They're great while I'm composing music, trying to fall asleep, or sitting in a loud environment (coffee shop, airplane, server room, etc). The noise isolation aspect makes them inappropriate for many situations, though.

I've had these now for over six weeks and they get BETTER!!! In my research some people mentioned that the drivers needed to 'warm up' or 'kick in', they were right! The mids and highs got crisper and clearer! The bass also became richer! I am amazed, I'm not into music with thumping bass, just clarity. They got better all around!

The one thing I have to pass on is ear hygine. I use the foam sleeves and insert the buds pretty deep. After a few days the wax in one ear compacted a bit (I know, gross!) It wasn't a big deal, a little wax loosener and flushing with warm water but if you have excess ear wax this could be a serious problem! The other thing is make sure your sleeves are cleaned often, or if you're using the foam, when they're dirty, they're dirty and need to be replaced.

Otherwise the BEST headphones I've ever had!!!! I would recommend these to anyone!

Lastly:

1) Keep your ear hygine in mind! Clean your ears and sleeves. This is not only healthy but will make sure your listening experience is optimal.

2) Keep the volume low on your device before turning it on!

3) As others have mentioned, if you need to hear what's going on around you, DON'T USE THESE!!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!!

That's my follow up. I'm so glad I have these!

Now my original posting:
I received my E3c headphones three days ago and am totally impressed!

As I used to travel for work alot I have owned the Aiwa HP-CN5 noise cancelling overheads, but the sound wasn't good and they were very uncomfortable. I then got Sony MDR-NC111 noise cancelling earbuds, the volume was very low. I was impressed with noise cancelling on both these models on planes, trains and in vehicles. But both left much to be desired in terms of sound quality.

On a plane flight I came across a SkyMall catalog that featured the E5c headphones. $500 is way to much for me to pay for headphones but it got me to research the technology. I did much research and decided upon the E3c model (I paid $129 from Computers4Sure)

It is very true that the correct sleeves are paramount to their preformance. It take a few moments and a few tries to find the right ones, but as soon as you find the proper fit you'll know. All surrounding sound is muffled as if you're wearning earplugs. Once I plugged them into my mp3 I quickly realized that this was a superior product. The mid/high level ranges were incredible. The music seemed to be in my head, not my ears. Plus I had the volume set on 12 (out of 40 on my mp3)I only had a few minutes as my wife had to throw a dog toy to get my attention because my three year old daughter was crying and my wife was yelling for me! I had to wait to do the truest test I could think of..... Mowing the lawn. I couldn't believe it! I had the volume between 16 and 18 and the lawnmower was very quiet and the music was still crystal clear. (I used to have to set my volume to 40 (max)to even really be able to listen and mow)

That's my experience with my new favorite audio accessory. Remember, pick the correct sleeve, have your device set to a low volume before turning on. And if you do need to hear what's going on around you.... Don't use these!

I don't work for Shure, I just love good music combined with good sound. I'm trying to justify spending $500 on the E5c but I doubt I could bring myself to do it..... Though if they're better than these, I may have to start saving.

If you are tone deaf or have ears stuffed full of wax!

These are UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE!

I don't typically write reviews or post my opinions. BUT, I have to. I am sitting here working late at night, and I have these on. I can't truly express how they make me feel. They make you feel like I'you are at a concert. Really.

They are amazing. They TOTALLY isolate you from anything else. I have 3 kids and yes, the E3C's give me that "Calgon, take me away" feeling! They have just perfect highs and the bass isn't BOOM-BOOM-DROP YOUR HONDA DOWN bass, it's full, solid tight sounding low end frequency.

The little yellow foam inserts work the best for me. I don't know I'm wearing them until I take them out and miss the music.

The only thing that is a little strange is the way you have to wrap the cord over the back of your ear and route the cord around the back of your neck. This is really not a big deal. It actually makes more sense MOST of the time. You must Definitely purchase the Shure E3C's if you are using an MP3 player, or walkman,or a boombox, 8 track or electric autoharp...

If you can afford these bad boys, go for it and buy em. If not, steal the money from someone...

I have tried this with E2Cs and I suspect that this will also work for E3Cs:

I love these headphones. They sound great, they have great isolation, and they are very durable. BUT, I had almost resigned myself to an unneccessarily painful fit: I have normal sized ears, but I couldn't get either the smallest plastic or foam inserts to be comfortable for more than an hour before I felt like my ears were going to bleed from the outward pressure of these buds . . . until I had a thought: "Why doesn't Shure sell these phones with the small-ish inserts like Etymotics uses.

I had remembered the earplugs that I had used to take all of my biggest exams with, so I went down to my local sporting goods store, browsed the hunting and shooting section and found $2 rubber earplugs with three "fins" on them like the Etymotics. These plugs are hollow, so all you have to do is carefully cut a small hole on the end, cut off the bulk of the back of them (the opposite end of what you put in your ear), stick them on the bare tubes of the Shures, and eureka! My EC2s fit perfectly and sooooo much more comfortably.

I have since learned that Shure sells inserts like these for an extortive price, but why buy when you can make them for 1/5 the price. I reccommend buying 2 or 3 pairs of the earplugs your first go-around, just in case you butcher the first pair like I did.

If you take the headphones out of the package and pop them in your ears, you'll probably think they're no better than the standard-issue headphones you get with your ipod/walkman. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! (I know, I hate reading manuals too, but this is one of those times where you just have to bite the bullet.) There are several types of earpieces & sizes, there are several ways to wear the headphones, as well as directions on how to put them in (ie, how far in to insert them). Finding the right combination makes ALL the difference. For example, I use the smallest-size black rubber earpieces and I wear them over the back and then into the ear. Then the sound is fabulous, with all the clarity, range and, yes, bass, I could ever want. If I wear them in other positions, there's minimal bass, sounds almost tinny -- that's what I mean about finding the right combination of earpiece, positioning, etc.
The noise cancellation/blocking is awesome; with other headphones I used to have to crank up the volume so much. Now I actually turn it down a lot and it still feels like it's inside my head. Love it! So I highly recommend them, but only get them if you're willing to spend the time at the beginning trying out the various combinations. Otherwise it'll just be a waste of your money.

I recently got a new mp3 player. But as we all know... no mp3 comes with stellar headphones. I started shopping around for the best headphones on the market (within a somewhat reasonable price) and my searches kept pointing me back to Shure. Since I come from a music and recording background, sound quality is of utmost importance to me. And I trust Shure as a company because of their fine products in recording and live audio.

Physical Fit:
The E3c earphones are everything that I hoped that they would be. They fit my ears perfectly and come with extra ear bud replacements (and a cleaning stick) in case they get dirty from your ears. Of course, at first, it took me a few tries to get them snug and fit like I like them. But once they are in, they clearly help filter out ambient noise to leave you with a more authentic listening experience. They are also comfortable and don't fall out like many other earphones.

Sound Quality:
Here is where the E3c is excellent. Is it the greatest thing I have ever heard? No. The crazy expensive E4c and the Bose Quiietcomfort headphones are better... but I don't have $300 to blow on headphones. The sound is crisp and accurate. I tested the sound by running a rangy song on my boss wave stereo, then again on my computer (which has a very nice speaker system because of the audio work that I do). Then I ran the same song with my E3c. The sound difference is minimal, except of course the lack of a woofer. But I was actually pleasantly surprised at the quality of the bass in the E3c.

Other:
The package comes with the cleaning stick and replacement parts in case anything should happen to your earphones. It also comes with a very convenient carrying case which I like a lot. I never get the wires tangled and I can be sure that I am not wrapping the cord too tightly or in angles that would compromise the internal wiring.

Summary:
I am very pleased with this purchase and am happy I went with these. Of course, if are you are willing to spend even more money (these are pretty pricey as it is) then you may want to consider the model above this one... or the Bose headphones. But for a music enthusiast and a guy who works with audio and mixing, these earphones are just right.