Customer Reviews

Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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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.

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.

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 :).

For a baseline, I own a pair of E2c's, and a pair of E3c's. Now I've got a pair of E5c's. You've guessed right - I'm caught into that marketing cycle that was more than likely meant to be.

I was delighted with the E2c's, and tried the E3c's at a music store. I carry a box of roll-up ear plugs with me, and let everybody that shows some interest try them. I bet I've sold a dozen lol.

A month or so ago I tried the E5c, thinking nothing could top the E3c's - so why was I wasting my time? I put on Pat Metheny with his big band. I wanted the music as busy as it gets for this E5c trial. "Facing West" is a good one. And Metheny goes to a lot of trouble to electronically clean up his sound, most during production. The result is a staggering earful.

So I put in the E5c’s, and noticed there were a few chuckles around me as I stood there with a glassy stare, sort of lost-looking I was told. But this is what I heard in the earphones:

During mid-range saturated music like voices, piano mids, horns etc., I NOW know most all speakers - and most earphones - will lose their low/high punch. Seems all the energy is taken up with the mids. Something to do with engineering properties of the basic speaker design that we’ve been using since 1901 or so. Of course you'll hear the lows, and the cymbals on the highs, but if there's a lot of music elsewhere it will simply get lost, or reduced at play-time because of all the other noise. I never really noticed it much until I tried the E5c's, but boy what a difference.

What I’m hearing is instrumentation in the low/high range that I didn’t hear before. It was on the recording, and was there all the time, I just never heard it before now. But you will. And it will take your breath, believe me.

There were a few gripes about the fit – and here’s my take on that. The E5c’s are a bit larger than the E3c’s, I mean each one has two speakers, plus crossovers etc. I’d suggest taking the manual section on fit and toss it. Just get the little boogers as far into your ear and as comfortably as you can – any way you can. I suggest using the foam-cushion roll ups, they provide a MUCH better fit, and are far more comfortable than any of the other sexy plugs that are produced for this unit. Just fool with it long enough and you’ll find that happy fit. I’ve had mine in my ears for better part of 4 hours and I don’t know they are there. This mess about running wires around your ears and around your neck and down your back and out your $#@* is pure BS. Just find a good fit however you can and be done with it.

Is it worth $5,000,000? I suppose. Amazon’s dirt-cheaping them, I paid around $350. They retail for $650 or so. I also think Eytomic has some interesting stuff, but I’ve never messed around with them. Yet. I’m told they don’t compare at all – by all that have tried both. But what could possible beat the E5c’s? Certainly no speaker system. And now I can’t pick up my E3c’s that I thought of just as highly only last week lol…

I was skeptical about how good these could possibly be. Shure makes some awesome stuff, they are considered in the highest regard by all the musician friends I have, but this much money? For Earbuds? Come on Shure.

I had owned two pairs of E2c's, and a pair of E3c's. All had fallen victim to accidents of some sort that were either beyond my control, or somebody else's fault. Shure's warranty and customer service is top notch, but I certainly can't be mad at them for not replacing something that was blatantly broken because of stupidity.

Anyways, with my previous Shures, I was impressed. So I took the dive on the track record I had with Shure and went for the E5c's when it came time to get new earphones for the iPod. And I am glad I did. I am hearing things I never heard before, amazing clarity, just mind boggling, I actually caught myself drooling when listening to a blues album. I never thought I'd get such amazing sound out of my iPod ever. The price is worth it. I thought about it too, we spend tens of thousands on cars, but their performance is ultimately limited by the rubber that hits the road. We spend hundreds on the iPod, but stick cheap earbuds in our ears? If you want great sound, pay the price, good tires that really show the potential of the car are expensive. Amazing headphones that really show the potential of your music are the same way.

If I had only one complaint it would be this. The amount of music my iPod will hold is going to drop. I formerly had all my music encoded at 192kbps. I now find myself going through all my albums I have the hard copy to still, meaning the CD. And re-importing them. Re-importing them in Apple Lossless audio file, which is about 600-1200kbps. It's variable, some of the older Ray Charles I listen to is lower, like 690kbps, but some of the newer stuff, like John Mayer "Continuum" or Gnarls Barkley "St. Elsewhere" is north of 900kbps, the first track on St. Elsewhere goes over 1100kbps. But the quality is amazing. You can hear the musician breathing, the strings being plucked and fingered, pianos sound real. It truly makes the music sound like you're live in the studio, and it's occurring in your head. It's a life changing experience, I will never listen to music the same. The only downfall, is that this high quality encoding takes up more space. Where before I had thousands of songs on my 30gig iPod, I now find my estimates for importing putting me in the ball park of just over 215 albums. Does it kind of stink that I can only fit about 3000-ish songs on my 30gig iPod now? Yeah, that's kind of a downer, I don't have the plethora like I did before on hand. But, that said, I will gladly exchange the amount for the quality. Quality over quantity right? I didn't have to make this choice, I could have left everything at 192kbps and been happy. But the difference is night and day.

Do I recommend these? Yes, to the serious music fan. The person who uses them on their media player with lossless music, importing only complete albums. If you are a person who downloads and you find your library floating in the 128-192kbps area, get some E2c's or E3c's, whichever fits your budget. But if you demand the best, and you want the best, and you are willing to pay for it. This is the way to go.

I'll never go back to anything else, never. I will keep my E5c's until they cease to work and Shure won't do anything about it because it'd be like taking a Model T into a Ferrari dealership for warranty work. Which is understandable. At which case I will upgrade to whatever Shure's current model line replacement for the E5c's is.

I am a Flight Attendant who commutes accoss the country. I had to get an ipod and a great set of headphones to block out the noise on the airplane. I set my eyes on the Shure E5cs and it turned out to be the best investment I've made this year! I had been using the Shure E5Cs for over a year now, and I must say that these are the best headphones ever! In fact, they are actually MINI SPEAKERS. The musical details that come through are just Amazing. When used with your MP3 Player, DVD player, ect....They block out ambient noises around you completely and immerse you into the magical world of movies and music! Buy now, you won't regret it! I would highly recommend you use the triple flange sleeves, they tend to be the universal sleeves that would fit all ears comfortably.

Short & sweet, why I think they're the best portable phone:
- These have punch. You can hear the base.
- No filters to replace unlike Etymotics.
- Wide selection of ear fittings. Personal favorites are the 3 flange & foams.
- Screw 'em up? As long as you haven't lost them, send them to Shure, and if it's not covered by the 2 year warranty, they'll replace them for $100.
- Look cooler than Etymotics (personal opinion)

I have the E3c; those are detailed and isolating, but just don't have punch. E5c are worth the extra money. You can get them much cheaper than list, though they still won't be cheap.

Improvements I'd like to see: a more flexible cord; this amount of sound in a driver the size of the E3c. I also don't know that the "memory wire" near the earpiece is a real benefit, but I don't want to cut it off for fear of not being able to go back.

From what I've read elsewhere, the Etymotic ER-4P/S might be a better sound & value if you're a classical/jazz listener. And I haven't tried them. But for rock, pop, these are it.

Oh - one more tip. Worried about the hassle of cleaning earwax? Here's what to do. Go to the drugstore and buy a box of 100 alchohol swabs--the little patches diabetics use to disinfect before they prick themselves. Cost: 2 cents a clean; very portable.

Yes, you are correct....these headphones cost beaucoup deniero, but are well worth the purchase if you have money burning holes in your pocket. Music comes to life and provides you with an experience like never before. Shure really new what they were doing by adding a crossover that splits the high/low frequencies and then rockets them to two pairs of low mass/high energy drivers. As for the fit, takes a little getting used to, but as soon as you find the right sleeves, you are in for many hours of listening enjoyment. Currently use my shures with an iRiver ihp-120 (Great companion to such a nice set of cans) and have no problems whatsoever, except for now I'm actually understanding and realizing the differences between an MP3 song burned at 96K's and then one burned at 160Ks. One last thing.... the bass in these things are spectacular. Go ahead and splurge a little...you deserve it!

I concur with everyone on this board that E5c is top notch and the best of all Shure E series earbuds. Question is, whereas the pricing of E5c is 2X of the E3c, should I pay that additional $200 to get the E5c ($400-) and do I get 2X the added value in the E5c relative to E3c ($190)?

I searched this board and could not find the answer so I decided to take one for the team and purchased the E5c (I already owned 2 pairs of E3c and have been using 3c over the last four years). After listening to E5c for over 10 hours (music: acoustic jazz, fusion jazz, rock, heavy rock and classical piano concerto) I concluded that the E5c indeed produces better sound quality than E3c but the added performance is slight, may be at best 15% better than the E3c - which is not much consider the additional $200 you spend. if you are careful with your budget, go with 3c. E3c is already good enough compared with almost every earbud in the marketplace. Below are a few key areas I observed.

1. Bass - 3c and 5c are really the same with slight advantage to 3c. The 3c allows you to tug the earbud deeper inside your ear canal thus creating a better bass effect. 5c is more rigid and does not allow you to insert the earbud deep into your ear thus the bass may come a tiny slight less.
2. mid range - slight advantage to 5c. As the Piano solo was going on, I can hear the string section more refined from the 5c than 3c.
3. high pitch - slight advantage to 5c. If you are a acoustic jazz fan, 5c allows you to hear that cymbal sound a little more defined and crisp.
4. consistency. 5c is more rigid to wear, once you put 'em into your ear, it stays there and hardly moved around. 3c is more relax but if you were running, the earbud may drop out from your ear or loosened up a little. This create inconsistency in listening experinece. E5c wins hands down on how rigid the earbud stay in your ear thus maintaining consistent sound throughout.
5. comfort to wear - 3c wins hands down. 5c is a bit bulky and rigid. You ear muscle get to become a little sore after wearing for a few years. 3c is softer, more comfortable to wear over long stretch of time.

I am glad I purchased the 5c however, if I could only purchase one pair of earbud, I will go with 3c, not 5c. 3c offers a lot more sound per dollar than 5c.

Hope this helps.

I have a collection of headphones and earphones, for running, walking, driving, the house (and the rest of the family). These I bought about a year ago, and I've used them for 100s of hours driving, walking, and when the family was occupying both my sets of big Sennheisers.

I use the foam sleeves, which are by far the easiest to insert properly in the ear canals, although there are claims that some of the flimsy plastic sleeves are slightly more sound-transparent. Count on getting a supply of replacement foams and switching them every month or so with heavy usage (especially if your kid should wash her ears more). Replacement is easy and each pair is one or two dollars.

Pros
(1) To me, the sound is excellent, but not so different from the Shure E3c's (~$150) now relegated to my daughter's use. Technically, these have dual speakers on each side coming out of the same port, one for the high frequencies and one for the bass, while the E3c's have just one. Apparently, there are still fancier Etymotics with 2 speakers with two different ports.
(2) These look good, the clear plastic nearly invisible, and sort of Matrix-techy.
(3) I've been moderately rough with these, stuffing them in my pockets and sitting on them, with no problems.

Cons
(1) The wire is thicker than some, and therefore less pliable. I found the stiff wire hoops that go over the ear unworkable - hard to emplace, didn't fit well, and worked their way out of position even when I got them on right - so I cut them off, but the E3c's stay in place better, even after the surgery.
(2) Price, of course.

I'm happy with the performance of the E5c's, but if I had to replace them, I'd probably try a pair of custom-fit Etymotics. They are about the same price, apparently have slightly better sound isolation, are somewhat harder to insert, maybe marginally better sound, and would only fit my ears (no battles with the family).