Customer Reviews

Shure E3 High Energy Ear Phones

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I recently bought both these and Sony's much less expensive EX51LP (who names these things?) in-hear headphones. The Sonys are for the gym (where they will surely take a beating and eventually need to be replaced) while the Shures will be used for my daily commute on public transportation (a generally less violent activity).

I really enjoy both earphones, but they are sonically worlds apart. The Sony earphones are a bit easier to insert and sit more comfortably in the ear than the Shures (whose cables have to be looped up and over each ear, newscaster-style). When it comes to ease of use and physical comfort, the Sonys are simply better. Sonically, it is hard to say one set of earphones is objectively better than the other. The Sonys feature a very prominent bottom end while the Shures have tighter bass response and much more mid-range clarity. I would say the Sonys have been engineered to sound "hot" (lots of bass and treble) while the Shures were designed to sound more neutral. In places where a sense of energy is more important than nuance (e.g., at the gym or out jogging) I'd recommend the Sony earphones. For longer periods of more introspective listening, the Shures can't be beat.

These little earplugs make a world of difference for your portable music device. I use them with my iPod and have tried them on the noisiest planes, in airports and on the subway. They cancel out huge amounts of the surrounding noise, and you don't have to crank up your device as much, resulting in saved battery power. The sound is outstanding and really enhance the experiennce with a digital music device. With the iPod the difference was absolutely stunning. They are very well made and the addition of a fit kit allows you to find the perfect plug configuration for your ear. Mine came with a great little case to keep them in, and I also like that they have a really long cord, which is useful for gym users who puut their device down on the exercise machine.

Having read enough reviews, I felt this was a good purchase... although I was initially worried about the "lack of bass" in quite a number of reviews...but I was confident that most users that experienced low bass response hadn't fitted the sleeves properly. So I just went ahead and got the E3.

Anyway, first attempt... medium sleeves, laptop, reference WAV file ... fit ok... isolation was excellent. Everything was clear, sounded like my reference system at home... bass was so-so. I wasn't expecting much since these are just earphones with small drivers...and a lot of people were saying that it lacked bass.

Second attempt... switched to the small sleeves... better everything. Bass improved a whole lot... highs got a bit clearer... EQ is always flat... kept fudging around with the fit to improve response... found good spot. Volume at 3.

Third attempt... same config... switched to my Turtle Beach Audio Advantage... EQ flat... Volume at 2... HOLY $#!+... the bass kicked in like crazy. Sounds better than my Philips "earmuf" headsets in terms of bass-response! Got excited... plugged it into my Denon amp instead of the laptop... played regular CDs... WOW... FULL F******G RANGE. Bass response is absolutely excellent... the only thing it lacked was the "feel" of a real sub.

Tried going to my iPod... blah... iPod amp/DSP sucks. Bass was gone... even when I tried a full, high-bitrate MP3. iPod EQ no good... bass frequencies it controls aren't the right ones, even at full bass. Played back the same MP3 over my PC SPDIF to my Denon... Bass was back.

Conclusion... these headsets will NOT be the weakest link in your audio system. Any lack of bass can be traced back to one of two things... improper fit... or poor amp.

Tried SonyEricsson Walkman phone... now, THAT is a proper DSP. No need for MegaBass, but sounds great if you like heavier bass... with MegaBass off, sounds correct/reference. EQ and amp on the SonyEricsson P910, W800, K750 are much better than any of the iPods I tried it on... same MP3, 320kbps.

Where to start...

I have received these headphones a few days ago and since then have been spending much time comparing them to my past headphones. I purchased these from MicrophoneSolutions.com for $135.

I'll address the bass problem first - there are many out there who complain about the lack of bass. First off, it is very important with these headphones to get the proper fit - a complete seal in your air. This allows the trapped air in your ear to act as the medium for the sound, rather than the environment around you. I noticed that when walking around (not wearing them properly) the headphones would slip a little, the seal would break, and all of a sudden the bass would disappear. (This was using the silicon ear pieces.)

If you want the most out of the headphones you defiantly have to wear them correctly...check the pictures in the book and on the box. Make sure that you have the cable go up and over your ears, behind your neck, down your back and under your arm. There's a slip on the cable that allows you to slightly tighten the cable on the back of your head so the buds don't move when you walk around. Once this is done, the bass is pretty decent - it's more defined than boom-like, so if you're into bass-driven music, you may want to think twice about these headphones.

As for the sound I must say that I am completely impressed with these headphones - my expectations have been met. I listen primarily to instrumental rock (such as Godspeed You Black Emperor) which (I suppose) closely resembles classical music. These headphones (as compared with my street Sony MDR-G56 headphones) have a much higher definition when it comes to the mids and highs. Cymbal crashes, bells, and anything of that sort seem so much more alive rather the drowned-out-by-bass sound my other headphones have.

The sound isolation is beautiful! I'm able to walk through crowded environments (such as food courts) while listening to softer music without being bombarded by outside conversation and noise. The foam plugs seem to have the best noise isolation (and provide the best comfort).

Another great feature I like about these buds is its dynamic range. You get nearly the same amount of detail when the volume is turned down low as you do when you have it turned up - you won't have to turn up the volume to hear different voices in the music. Also, I noticed that when crescendoing, the headphones don't really bottom out at all so you end up having a full sound throughout a song.

What it comes down to is if you're willing to pay the extra few bucks for these headphones. If you're just looking for headphones with high output and not necessarily the best of quality output, then perhaps these headphones aren't for you. It's disappointing seeing low ratings for these headphones based purely on "lack of bass" and "too expensive". I really think if you need the isolation (subway, crowded areas, etc) and also for a better defined sound, these headphones are for you.

Keep in mind that these headphones come with a 30 day guarantee, so if you are not pleased with them, you can always return them.

The E3/E3c (the only difference between the two is color) are NOT the earphones for you average bass/treble heads. These are a true introduction to the world of an audiophile experience. Ever hear the reed of a sax actually vibrating? Hear the brushes on the snare drum? Then you dont know what your ears have been missing. However i do suggest you use caution in your source in which you obtain your music because you will hear EVERYTHING so dont cheat yourself using low quality playback... because if you didnt recognize a difference before YOU WILL NOW!!

here are a few tips to further your audio experience with your E3/E3c or any headphone for that matter ( READ #3 at least )

1. achieve proper fit,and use as instructed.... directions are in the box. (if its your first time with *in ear* headphones it'll take some getting used to)

2. the true test of any sound reproduction unit is not how loud you can get it before it distorts its how well it performs at the most moderate levels you dont wanna have to crank the volume just to get the little chime of the triangle in the left side.

3. BURN IN this is perhaps the most important thing irregardless of if you spend 20 bucks or 500 you must allow for burn in time. (when i buy a new pair of any type of headphones i'll check to make sure its working perfectly, then plug it in to some sort of audio device pull up a playlist, set it at moderate volume levels and let it run for a few hours. (usual burn in time is between 12-24 hours so be patient.

there are other shure models out there but this being the entry level pair that utilizes Shures *microspeaker* its amazingly inmpressive and for those of you out there who are like me and are just looking for something cheaper to beat up because you just couldnt bare to see anything happen to your precious E5's you'll be extremely impressed with the value of the E3/E3C.

for the under 200$ genre of personal in ear monitors these are superior in overall sound reproduction.

DONT JUST LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC, IMMERSE YOURSELF IN IT

My iPod sounds like a totally different device altogether. There's no loss with the in ear E3. The first 3-4 days it didn't sound that great but once I got the yellow foams, WOW!
Got these for $135 at MicrophoneSolutions.com (Coupon Code F135E3200). Simply the best addition to my iPod!

I bought the E3Cs for portable use as my portable players kept getting smaller lugging around my much-loved full-sized Grado SR 60 headphones seemed more and more ridiculous. I honestly think these headphones are going to save my ears, I love my tunes loud but with the detail, range and isolation of the Shure E3cs I can turn the music down and not lose any of the visceral emotion that I experience with music at realistic levels of volume. What can I say, the sound is superb and involving, I can only suggest that anyone who complains about the excellent bass of the E3c is not getting a good fit. There are 3 different types of sleeves included and it is important to experiment to find the ones that give you the best seal and level of comfort, you really need to fit them correctly, not difficult at all but a learning experience. The in-ear type phone is very different, a difference I much appreciate but a word of warning, not for use where you need to be aware of outside sounds and don't bother trying to use these phones while dining, your chewing will be very loud to you.

5 out of 5 stars.

I bought a set of these about 4 months ago and I love them more every day. Both the treble and mid range are exceptional, if these are both a 9 out of 10, then the bass response is about a 7. Anyone who is complaining about the range of these either doesn't have the earpieces sized right or is not putting them in correctly (check the shure website for the best instructions-this really is important in getting these to work right). It is vital that they go deep into your ear, which might feel a little strange at first, but you get used to it. I have found that the yellow foam attachments work better than the plastic ones. Also, you need to replace these every now and then to ensure that you are getting a good seal in your ear.

I run with mine and I have no problem keeping them in. I tried biking with them, but they block out so much of the outside noise (great for running and the gym, bad for biking) that I was afraid I might get hit by a car. The first thing you will notice when you are wearing these properly, is that most music has a lot more to it than you were able to hear before. I am constantly amazed by new discoveries in music that I have been listening to for years. I have also learned the importance of using high quality music files. All in all, they have far exceeded my expectations and have raised my curiosity about, one day, owning the e5's. Important note- shop around for a good price, there is no reason to pay retail on these!!!

Don't make the same mistake I did: Upon receiving the E3c's I read through the instruction manual and then trotted off to the gym with my iPod and new headphones attached with the medium sized ear sleeves. (Package includes multiple sizes) Which is very important! If, like me you don't size just right, you completely lose the bass and low end. Hmm, I was thinking as I worked out at the gym. 'These sound nice enough but something's missing...' I pushed 'em deeper in my ear, twisting this way and that but to no avail. Upon my return home I remembered the owner's manual clearly stating the importance of a "snug fit" so I put on the larger size sleeves and WOW! unbelievable what a difference the little sleeve can make! I knew I had to be doing something wrong, having read the stellar reviews of these little in ear headphones. Amazing sound! Deep drums and rich bass. Although you can find these headphones for less at other online retailers I bought from AMAZON without a second thought. Actually, by the time you factor in shipping costs and taxes the other sites charge the price difference isn't that much! One word of caution for those that don't like something "in" their ear. You may find these uncomfortable. I am use to the standard iPod headphones with the loose fit so these are taking a little getting use to...they truly do put you in your own little world isolating outside sounds sealing in rich-dynamic sound! A fine little headphone with incredible sound once you easily adjust correct sleeve size.

These are pretty good earphones for people looking for external noise reduction coupled with good sound quality. Offers significantly better sound and noise isolation than Koss Plugs, at a much higher price. There are some disappointments though - the sound quality is good, but lacks the naturalness and dynamics of a really fine headphone like my Sennheiser 600. But the Senns would sound bad on the subway and would be tough to lug around too. A clip for the cord would have been nice, as the heavier than average cord makes its pull a factor, working against fit and comfort. If your portable depends on headphones as an antenna, I'll note the Shures seem to be below average on this front. The sound is good enough, fairly neutral, no audible distortion at reasonable listening levels. If you're in a quiet enough environment to focus on the minute details of sound, and aren't worried about sound leakage, then I'd recommend good open headphones like the Sennheiser 600. These are good for their purpose of providing highly portable and pretty good sound in a noisy environment.