Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones

by Shure

Product Details

Product Manual [162kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000CE1VP
• Item model number: E5C
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Conventional wisdom has long held that bigger means better when it comes to headphones. The thinking has been that a larger headphone isolates and covers the ear, letting it experience sounds more fully. Shure's E5c earphones are on the vanguard of a new school of thought: Tiny is actually better. Shure has managed to cram dual-driver speakers into small earphones that isolate the listener from virtually all background noise. If you don't mind the secret service look, and you're ready to spend more on your headphones than you spent on your MP3 player, the E5c's won't disappoint. In this case, you really do get what you pay for.

Design
While the E5c earbuds are larger than other earphone-style headphones, they're still stunningly small. The cord, which includes an inline crossover unit that separates high- and low-frequency signals, is thin and pliant. A bendable stiffening material is added to the section of cable that runs behind the ears, allowing the listener to loop the cables over and behind the ear-- a simple and discreet solution. The gold-plated, 3.5mm input connector has a low-profile elbow bend to minimize accidental unplugging and snags. Shure includes a detachable in-line volume attenuator that controls volume without the need to fiddle with your player or listening source. The attenuator did seem a tad larger than it needed to be and, because it is not built into the E5c cord, it must be plugged in at the end of the cord. More than one tester said, "Why not just change the volume on the iPod instead of this doo-dad plugged directly into it?" A solution that places the attenuator nearer the listener's chest would be a welcome addition, but it's admittedly a minor niggle.

In an effort to match the earphones to ears of all shapes and sizes, the E5c earphones come with a number of earplug "sleeves" packaged in what Shure calls a "fit kit". Our testers had little trouble finding a sleeve that felt comfortable. We especially liked the expanding foam sleeves that, like those foam dinosaurs that grow in water, expand to fit the contours of the ear canal.

Lost in Sound
With the E5c earphones comfortably placed in our ears, we listened to a range of music genres encoded in both music CD and MP3 format. The most common response was, "Wow, I never knew this song had all these other instruments." Indeed, the E5c's have such dramatic clarity and frequency response that we were left wondering how we'd ever listened to music any other way. They're that good. The earphones produce the sensation that the music is actually inside one's head. Bass vibrates the cerebral cortex, high ranges dance in the frontal lobes. While Shure posts impressive impedence and sensitivity ratings for the E5c's, the truth is in the listening and we were simply blown away. In loud, crowded environments such as airplane cabins and teeming Seattle coffee shops, we heard absolutely nothing but music, a sensation that is both eerie and liberating. Anyone who says there is no difference between high-bitrate MP3 and CD audio tracks should strap on a pair of these earphones. The difference is striking.

The earphones remained comfortable after extended use, especially with the expanding foam sleeves. Listeners with especially small ears may want to give the E5c's a trial run; they are somewhat larger than the other, more affordable earphones in Shure's "E" line. This concern aside, if you have the ears, and the earmarked funds, for the E5c's, you are in for a listening adventure like none other. --Joshua Gunn

Pros

• Simple, compact design
• Designed for compatibility with most ears
• Did somebody say something? We were lost in sonic bliss.

Cons

• Costs more than many things it plugs into
• May be a tad big for small ears
• Volume attenuator could be better designed and integrated

Product Description

Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones - The E5c is the top-of-the-line model of this prestigious series, offering the richest possible listening experience. Dual high energy micro-speakers capture the high- and low-frequencies, while an in-line electronic crossover separates these outputs. You can hear your music like never before, where subtle details are brought forward for a lush, complete stereo listening experience. Input Connector - 3.5 mm (1/8) gold-plated stereo plug Includes case Shure 2-Year limited warranty

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A few VERY IMPORTANT points:, April 26, 2006

By 

Owen Oyer "q3catscratch" (NJ aka Hellhole) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones (Electronics)

Instead of gushing prosaic over how great these earphones are, I would instead like to point out a few important points.

1) You will have probably noticed that there is a very great discreptancy between reviews. Some reviewers say that these earphones sound very full with rich bass, while others claim that they are very bright and tinny. The reason for this is that these earphones rely on getting a good seal with your ear canal. One of the symptoms of having a bad seal is a very steep drop-off in bass. If they sound tinny, lean, lacking in bass, thin, metallic, etc., then it is virtually guaranteed that you do not have a good seal. In reality, these earphones do tend to favor the bass quite a bit, and have a rather soft treble.

2) The amount of sound isolation does not always equal the quality of the seal that you get. It is possible to have them in such a position where they isolate quite well, but they will still sound tinny. This is, once again, because they're not inserted correctly.

3) A good way to insert any in-ear canalphone is to pull back and outwards on your ear to open up the ear canal, then insert the earphone as deep as it will go. This can sometimes build up pressure inside your ears, and moving the canalphone to one side to temporarily break the seal and release the excess air pressure is a good idea. Once again, the sound should be warm and bassy, not thin and metallic.

4) These are high fidelity earphones. That means that feeding them 128k mp3's is not a good idea, since they will faithfully report how bad your files are. They really are at their best with lossless music, but 224k mp3's and above are a good space-saving compromise. Just don't drop below 192k. They will also show you how well or how poorly your music is recorded. A lot of modern music uses dynamic range compression in order to - theoretically, anyway - sound better on the radio. Instead, it ends up sounding much worse on high-quality equipment. With the E5c, you're at the entry point into actual hi-fi, and you will hear dynamic compression if it's there.

****

So, are these earphones worth it?

Yes, but with the impending release of the Shure E500, audiophiles will have another earphone to call top-of-the-line. The good news is that the price on the E5c should plummet when the E500 is released.

The E5c has a very warm sound which stresses the bass considerably, but remains clear and well articulated throughout the rest of the frequency spectrum. This is a very good earphone for popular music and rock. It does give up points in clarity next to the Shure E4c and Etymotic Research ER-4S, but it sounds fuller and richer than either.

An alternative to the E5c is the Westone UM2. It is a similar design with two drivers, but it has a more comfortable fit due to a different enclosure shape, and it is a bit clearer in the treble, though a bit harsher.

For the record, I've owned the E5c, E4c, Etymotic Research ER-4P and 4S, Westone UM2, and now the custom-molded Westone ES2. With every canalphone, the quality of your seal is paramount. If this is your first canalphone, then don't expect to get a good seal on your first try without being shown the proper procedure. Live with it for about a week, and eventually you will get it.

67 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cadillac of Headphones, December 28, 2004

By 

JLP (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones (Electronics)

After a few years of using the ER-6 with pretty good results they started to kick out on me and I also got tired of replacing the ear wax guards. Yes, intraear headphones are not for the faint of heart but they work better than any noise reducing headphones out there not requiring batteries and permitting significantly greater outside noise reduction than the Bose. They are also considerably less bulky so you don't look like a space cadet on the subway. I purchased the Shure E5c from beachaudio and they arrived very quickly. There was also a nice discount from full price. I was impressed by the packaging and the wide selection of ear plugs you could use. They vary in size and in materials. So someone with smaller ear canals who would prefer a soft material can be as easily satisfied as someone who prefers a hard material with larger ear canals. From the selection you likely will find a pair that gives you the most comfortable fit and best sound isolation. I have found them to be quite comfortable and remarkably I receive better isolation in sound without having to shove them into my ear canal as I had with the ER-6. I can listen to my iPod at 20 percent lower volumes while on the subway. The headphones themselves sensibly fit over the back of the ears very much preventing transmitted sounds from brushing the cord against my jacket as I walk. They come with a wire loop for removing wax so no ear wax gaurds to purchase - yes I know eww but I certainly keep my ears very clean and the sound quality and sound isolation is well worth it. So what about the sound quality - in one word spectacular. They sport of wide range and are quite clear from all frequencies. The difference is the fact they use two drivers instead of one and you pay for that difference but if you are using your iPod as much as I use mine then it is worth the price - commuting time for me ranges from 40 to 60 minutes per day. If you've got the cash and love superior sound then this earphones are for you.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full, detailed, and beautiful sound...but is it worth the price of admission?, August 7, 2005

By 

Andrew (New Brunswick, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones (Electronics)

Being a gadget nut who needs the best of everything I got bit hard by the upgrade bug and sold my Shure e3c earphones to help pay for the e5cs. Seeing Amazon's wonderfully deep discounted e5cs made my upgrade path very interesting--I had to choose between the e5cs+$30 USD or the e4cs. Strictly speaking in terms of technical design the e5c seems to come out with an edge, featuring dual low-mass/high frequency transducers compared to the single low mass/high frequency transducer/tuned port combo in the e4c phones. Additionally I haven't heard (or heard anything about) the e4cs, and with it still being a relatively new product I decided to go with the "known quantity" in the e5cs. These phones have gotten nothing but rave reviews on the Internet and from a musician acquaintance of mine from work, so the choice made was that much easier.

And boy howdy, was I glad I made the upgrade :). First of all let me start with the sound that comes from these earphones--unbelievable, and a huge upgrade from my e3cs. Compared to the e3cs the overall sound is much fuller, the low end much more prominent while maintaining the mid and high range detail and clarity of the former. The result is sound that is so complete and accurate that I can't imagine any other earphone or headphone being any better--which is probably inaccurate of course, but the point is that I am wholly and utterly satisfied :). I listen to all types of music from classical to synth pop and house to alternative rock (my favorite) and the sound is equally as neutral, full and detailed from genre to genre. The main device that drives my e5cs is a Cowon iAudio x5 DAP running mp3s at high bit rate (between 160 and 192 kbps), which is satisfying enough, but listening to CDs is even better and beyond words. Overall I can't say enough about how the e5cs enrich the listening experience.

The other main feature of the Shure e5c is the sound isolating feature of the earphones which completely block out all external noise without the need for additional noise-canceling circuitry. As with the entire Shure line this works to the point where all sounds other than your music are completely nullified. While it makes your listening experience that much more pure and enjoyable, please be wary of your environment and what you're doing at the time. You can't do much more than listen to music with these phones on. I use them mainly for my 50 minute train commute to and from work and also for listening to music at home, so they are the perfect fit for me. These earphones will not work well for runners, skateboarders, bike riders etc. however as the noise isolation not only makes you less alert and aware of your surrounding environment but due to the isolation effect the buds can often pick up the sound of your own footsteps and breathing. If you're one of the latter an open-air design headphone/earbud would definitely work better for you.

If you're not used to wearing sound-isolating earphones like the Shure line you should also be aware that these take a little getting used to wearing comfortably. They come with a fit kit that contains different size and material "sleeves" that wrap around the earphones and fit directly into your ear canal, creating a seal which completely isolates the sound and injects it directly into your ears. In other words, be prepared to have something shoved directly into your ear canal :). These aren't buds that rest in your outer ear (e.g. iPod earbuds), so be prepared for some initial discomfort. Once you get used to them (which shouldn't take long) your ears will hear the obvious difference. The fit kit has a wide range of sizes and materials as well so you shouldn't have a problem finding the right sleeve that fits you comfortably. Most people seem to like the foam inserts or the triple flanges, but I prefer the rubber flex-sleeves. Whatever solution you use you should also be prepared to do more than usual maintenance as the sleeve part goes directly into your ear canal, so regular antiseptic/alcohol pad cleaning or foam replacement is required.

The last thing that should of course factor into your decision is whether or not you're willing to pay the steep price for these earphones. As I stated earlier what drew me into buying these earphones was the need to have the best. I am admittedly not a die-hard audiophile with bat ears. What I can tell you, though, is that even my relatively uneducated ears can appreciate the quantum leap these earphones are over the standard iPod/PSP/DAP earbuds. The difference really is night and day. You should also factor in how much you spend on music. If you've filled up your 30GB iPod with music then you should get quality earphones, period. Why spend all that money on music and not hear your songs they way they were intended to be heard--full, free of distortion and completely accurate? Remember, your music isn't really worth anything until it's pushed through some type of speaker or headphone -- why not have the earphones that give you the best sound possible?

Granted, $350 earphones are overkill for 99% of the population, but for those who truly enjoy their music the one-time price of admission in my opinion is worth the good 5 years or more (hopefully) of the best sound possible injected right into your ears. In the end, however I wouldn't recommend these earphones to casual listeners. Casual listeners should stick with Fontopias, or the stock buds that came with your DAP. And finally those who are interested in upgrading their stock buds without making the huge investment for e5cs can give the less expensive earphones in Shure's series a try - the e2cs and e3cs would be a good place to start. You'll get a lot of what the e5c offers. Be warned, however, the upgrade bug will be lurking :).