Customer Reviews

Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

I'm a former audio engineer (cool job but hard to make any 'real' money) so as you might suspect I'm pretty discriminating when it comes to gear. Shure has long been a big name in pro audio, their SM57 and SM58 microphones are industry standards so it was only natural that I selected Shure when I decided to go for a pair of high end buds. Understand that these are NOT just a "pop them in and go" pair of phones like the kind that came with your MP3 player. You have to learn how to wear them and most people will probably experience some discomfort until you get used to them. This type of sound isolating earphone has to go DEEP into your ear canal to work properly. If you don't get the fit just right, you won't experience the rich sound including good (but not "in your face") bass that this pair of cans is capable of delivering. Getting the fit right and achieving a nice tight seal is absolutely critical. If you don't get it right these will sound like an old AM radio. Fortunately, Shure includes an very complete fit kit which includes several different types of sleeves in different sizes. After much experimentation I found the medium black foam sleeves (which were installed by default) worked the best. The characteristics of this foam are very unique. It compresses easily but is slow to return to shape. This is EXACTLY what is needed to get a good seal. To "install" the buds in your ears you first squeeze the foam between your fingers to compress it then you quickly insert the earphone in your ear and hold it there for about 10-15 seconds until the foam expands and forms a good seal. You'll find it's easier to put them in one at a time. You know if you did it right when you can no longer hear much (if any) ambient room noise. Try holding a conversation with someone who's about 10 feet away. If you CAN'T, then you've got a good seal. This takes some practice. You may have to try putting them in several times to achieve a good seal. Once you do, you'll immediately notice the rich warm sound these phones are capable of producing. So the bottom line here is that it takes some extra effort and time to get the most of this product but once you get over the learning curve I believe you'll agree that Shure has created another precision piece of audio gear worthy of your consideration.

I have had these earphones for 6 days now and I have to say I've been extremely impressed with the sound quality. At first I was a bit disappointed, but once I got the fit right and figured out how to insert them correctly they really improved to the point that they now sound amazing (it took about a day to get them fitted correctly).

As far as the fitting process goes, I ended up having to use the smallest sized inserts - I couldn't even get the medium size inserted at all. Now that I've found the right position in my ear, they stay in place very firmly and are comfortable enough to wear all day long. The mistake I made at first was just trying to jam them in as far as them would go, but I discovered that I have to push them in and then angle them up slightly into my ear canal to get the best sound. Before I made that discovery I was ready to return them because I wasn't impressed at all.

I wasn't sure how well the sound isolation would work, but I've found that they shut everything out almost completely. I have also found that I need to turn the volume down to about half of what I was previously used to - which I'm sure is a good thing. I've had people talking to me and I didn't even realize it with the music playing on level 8 out of 25.

Although these earphones are great overall, I have run into a few irritating problems that some people may want to consider.

At first glance, the cable splitting in half seems like it would be a great idea. Unfortunately, it causes a some unexpected issues:
1) It is difficult to just wrap the cord around your MP3 player because there is about a 3" section of the cable that doesn't bend (where the top section attaches to the extension).
2) When I'm working out, the break in the cable crosses directly over the heart rate monitor that I wear. There appears to be some electrical interference from the cable at that point because the heart rate monitor immediately starts registering 200 beats/minute. Any other point in the cable doesn't cause that issue, but I've had to run it behind me while working out to avoid this. I'm tall (about 6'7"), so it's possible that other people won't run into this issue as long as the break in the cable doesn't cross on top of the heart rate monitor.

The second issue is the stiffness of the cable where it wraps around the ear. This might improve over time, but currently it seems like it occasionally wants to flop over the side of the ear because it is too stiff. It helps to adjust the slider on the cord - but it doesn't completely resolve the issue. This really isn't that big of a deal, but I thought I should at least mention it.

Overall, I'm happy that I bought these. I'm not an audio pro, so I don't have a lot of experience in this area, but these are the best sounding headphones that I personally have ever owned.

I don't have the vocabulary or technical knowledge to be considered an audiophile, but I am very, very particular about my audio, moreso than the average person I would imagine. I've owned everything from Bose to Ultimate Ears to Bang&Olufsen to Sennheiser and Sony. I recently purchased the SE210 recently as an upgrade from the Shure E2. I wasn't completely satisfied with the E2 (E2C.) The SE210 is a much easier fit than the E2, the process of inserting them is easier and they seem to stay in the ear better. Indeed, Shure ear phones, to me, fit better and isolate noise much better than other in-ear-canal earphones (like Ultimate Ears.) The sound is very crisp and clear, the level of detail is excellent, and the bass is not as heavy. I use these walking outside, on the rapid transit train, in the airport, and on planes, and these are amazing at enhancing the listening experience in noisy areas. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop or like a lot of bass, you might want to consider Ultimate Ears Super-Fi 5 Extra Bass or the Shure E2 model, which is much "bassier." Techno and mainstream pop sound particularly good, I should note. Although you can go up in price with this brand (or others) and get better audio (some of the earphones have tuned ports or multiple drivers) I found this is one of the best combinations of price and sound quality. Granted, these are still expensive, but if you're a music lover, it will be a worthy investment.


***Edit 07/07/07 ***

I thought I'd add a warning about the cable design, which is one very short cable that plugs into (a perfect iPod at the waist-size) a longer cable. It is VERY EASY for the two cables to come undone...I'd noticed it before, but one particular time, I was wearing/storing them around my neck and shoulders and I ended up LOSING the ear phones. (I still have the longer cable.) For most people, I don't think this will be a problem, but if you are absent-minded, or often in a hurry, like I am, you might regret it.

Also, as a side note, I went back to my Shure E2C after losing the Shure SE210, and while I still feel the SE210 is an impressive sound, and that the E2C overcompensates with too much bass, but now that I use the iPod's EQ (bass reducer) it isn't so bad. The E2C is not nearly as detailed or clear and the highs and mids aren't as great, but I'd really have to say the deciding factor might be the music you listen to most. In most genres the SE210 wins by a landslide. Other genres, like indie/alternative/rock (which didn't have enough "weight," it sounded clear, but flimsy on the SE210) and hip hop (I'm not a basshead, but the bass on the SE210 is rather light) I would say, for my taste, the E2C comes out the winner.

I still think the Shure SE210 are a fantastic set of earphones, but with the cable issue (for me, at least) and the price difference, and after "rediscovering" some of my other headphones/earphones, I probably won't be buying them again.

I love the sound from these headphones -- amazingly great. But they sort of fell apart after about eight months and I had to replace them. I used them at the gym fairly regularly and after a few months the plastic casing started to rip where the wire attached to the earbud and where the wire attached to the male connector. I taped them, etc., but no luck. I hate spending a so much for a product that doesn't last.

I read lots of reviews before buying this product. I told myself I would live with it for a while before writing a review. I suspect people who write reviews the first day aren't getting to know the product very well. For instance, somebody said the sound got progressively lower in volume . . . dude, buy some Q-tips. Clean the earwax out of the earphones. . . . Seriously, though, its not a big problem if you keep your ears clean.

Lots of people seem not to know exactly how to wear them. If you've used earplugs, then you've got the idea. Some complain about hearing the cord, hearing yourself chew or breathe, etc. Again, its just like earplugs. Get over it.

Now, to sound quality. I listen to everything from dance, 80's synth pop, metal, classical (7th symphony, 2nd movement absolutely rocks), funk, etc. Everything except rap and country. These are definitely much, much better than the stock earbuds that came with my nano. I've also used higher-end cans, and the SE210s compare favorably. Sound isolation is pretty good, better than ANR. My biggest gripe is that there's too much bass. That's right - too much. I find myself using the EQ to get a brighter sound. The clarity is still there, but you have to tone down the lower freqs to find it.

I suspect that Shure geared the sound characteristics toward lower-end consumers, maybe pandering to those who buy $10 Sony's (and like them), or those who don't want to insert the earbuds far enough. People, if you want thump with earbuds, put a powered sub in your backpack.

I still gave 'em 4 stars, though, because - for the price - they're a great step up from the stock earbuds, and EQ'ing when going from one source to another - or from earbuds to speakers - isn't too much of an inconvenience.

Bottom line - not bad for the money. I don't dislike them enough to send them back. But, after I wear them out 2 years from now, I'll probably go for something brighter.

This is an excellent headphone. I have broken up the review into the positives for this headphone, negative and points to note.

Points to note:
1. This is a HIGH quality headphone. It is not rated at 16ohms like cheaper headphones which means it requires more power to be driven effectively. Earphones with lower impedence figures sound louder but have way more distortion. The Shure is rated at 26ohms and 114db. This means that the sound will improve substantially with better amplification (think Ipod VS a cheap mobile).

2. This earphone is designed to give a balanced sound. Good sound is not crazy bass and highs. Good sound has to be neutral, very clean (transparency), balanced and yet fun to listen too. The shure scores 5 stars on all these parameters given the price!

3. This earphone is VERY finicky about placement. Make sure you have them securely inserted or they will sound like crap. They NEED a good seal or they will not work properly.

Positives:
1. Very very balanced sound - this earphone does not have heavy bass but offers a TIGHT controlled wel defined bass. It goes way lower than other rivals(Klipsch S4). A kick drum sounds like a kick drum not like some bloated woofer.

2. Mids are super clean - very balanced, very open, very clean.

3. Highs - clean highs though a little rolled off.

4. Very well built. The cable quality is top notch as well.

5. Easy to listen too - Because the sound is balanced one can listen to this earphone for hours without having to take a break to let their ears breathe. The music just plays and entertains without drwaing your attention to it.

Negatives:
1. Finicky placement - needs a good seal otherwise will fail to work

2. The earphones are a bit elongated and tend to fall off if you try to jog with them.

3. Frequency extremes could be more extended specially the treble could benefit from being more open and extended rather than rolled off.

I have tried this earphone against the Klipsch S-4 which are so highly rated. I owned both and returned the Klipsch. The Klipsch is way better if you are into hip hop but they are NOT a true audiophile earphone. The Shure just adds a different dimension to vocals. Bass is SO much more controlled and real. The Klipsch do not go as low as the Shure and sound artificial, as if someone has hit a bass boost button. Even the voices on the Klipsch lck resolution. The Kilpsch is a tailored earphone, voiced to sound sweet with loads of bass. The Shure is a true high end earphone - it jut delivers te music without trying to act smart and sweeten it or add extra bass.

(Note: I tried the Shure SE115 as well - the SE210 are way better. Please spend the extra $20 and get them!)

I bought a pair of SE210s to replace my E2cs. I'm blown away by the sound of the SE210s, smooth, detailed, and good high frequency response (I'm a little hard of hearing so can't claim expertise at the high end.) The bass is not that strong but I don't find that a major problem in earphones. The sound isolation is good, perhaps a shade better than the E2cs, the earpiece fit is a little better and I won't miss that difficult-to-fit wax guard you have to fit on the end of the E2c. The split cable is a little annoying but it has allowed me to add Shure's microphone adapter and use the earphones as a headset with my iPhone.
Unlike my E2cs, I have not had cord breakage problems with the SE-210s. However, after nine months, Shure had to replace the earphones because the rubber covering on both phones came loose and tore. Nine months later, I am sending my warranty replacement back for the same problem. I am a heavy user but am disappointed that to date, no Shure earphone I have purchased has lasted longer than nine months.

I always wanted to purchase a pair of Shure earphones based on their reputation and high reviews. But the price range was a little to steep for my wallet. I fly a lot and the deafening sound of engine noise and crying kids just reached my limit. If I was going to have some peace I would have to purchase some type of noise reduction earphones. I originally looked at the Bose headphones but they were expensive and received mixed reviews. Plus when the battery dies so does your sound. So I splurged and opted for the Shure SE210's. All I can say is incredible! These things actually work and sound great! And these are their low end earphones? I can imagine what their top of the line ones sound like. I would have bought them but at over $400- not in my budget. However I am very happy with these. I got to use them on a flight last week for the first time. As far as drowning out engine noise it was like putting your fingers in your ears. Unlike the cheap earphones that come with your iPod where you have to keep the volume on maximum to drown out any external sound. Then you're deaf for the next hour after you take them out. You can hear the engines in the background but the sound of them is dramatically diminished to the point where I was able to lower the volume on my ipod about 75% and could still hear a podcast I was listening too very easily. When tried with music at that level you still get balanced bass and treble. I took them out just to see how loud the plane engine was and boy you will hear the difference immediately. Those things are loud! It does a great job of drowning out crying kids and nearby conversations of the loud talkers that seem to frequent flights. If they happen to be sitting right next to you however, you would have to up the volume. The unit comes with several types of ear canal fittings and includes different sizes. For me the Triple Flanges work the best. The foam ones were good too, but after about an hour they started to hurt a little. There is a technique to positioning and putting them in your ears to get a good seal. Follow it! Do not improvise. Without a proper seal you are not going to benefit from the total potential of these earphones. You need to have patience to get the knack of using them. The payoff is well worth it. Took me less then a day to find a perfect fit. Lastly these are not only good for airplanes. If you're thing is to sit on a porch in a rocking chair in the middle of nowhere and just want no intruding noises these will accomplish that goal. All in all worth every penny at least for me, and would reccommend them to anyone seeking a pair of sound isolating earphones. Hopefully you will have a positive experience as well.

The SE 201ks offer outstanding sound quality, durability, and come with an superb warranty. I also own the E2Cs and these earphones are far superior. Although, the sound on both earphones is great, I think the SE 201s have a bit more definition and fidelity. It also seems like the driver is more sensitive...kind of like a bass speaker that doesn't have a crisp punch, it's a similar story here, the SE 201s have clear punch on a note whereas the E2Cs are a bit less defined. The common listener probably could not identify this on a consistent basis, but more discerning listeners will definitely be able to tell.

Aside from the audio upgrade, Shure has expanded the low end of the frequency range to 25Hz - 18.5 KHz (the SE 110s are 22Hz - 17.5 KHz). The SE210s also have a 1 dB SPL/mW better better sensitivity. However, the earphones do lack bass, but if you don't listen to heavy bass music, you won't notice.

The SE201s are way more comfortable than the E2Cs. Most importantly the comfort of the sleeves are much better. If you're not familiar with the design of sound isolating earphones the sleeves block ambient noise so that you hear your music better. In addition, the SE210-K earphones come with much softer, higher quality, flexible plastic sleeves (not the foam or hard rubber ones that come with the E2Cs). I can't tell you how big of a difference theis makes! If you've ever tried the E2Cs, and later the SE 201's, trust me YOU WILL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE IN COMFORT!!!

Bottom Line is that the SE 201s are a great pair of earphones, that are well designed and very, very comfortable. If you are debating between the cheaper E2Cs or SE 110s and these, DEFINITELY upgrade to the SE 201-Ks. Trust me you won't be sorry.

I had E2Cs a year ago, and was unhappy with their fit. The earpieces were quite large and ugly. I tried some Etymotic ER-6i earphones for a while. I was impressed by their isolation and decent sound quality, but was unimpressed by the thin cord and sound that was not quite up to par of the Shure models.

So I decided to invest a bit more money, going into the SE210's. One of my best headphone purchases in a while. I can still use triple flange eartips for the best isolation. Sound is well balanced and the earpieces are comfortable. I love the option of being able to place the cord behind or in front of your ears (previous Shure models only made it easy to do so behind the ears, and the Etymotic only allowed it in front.)

I'm no audiophile, but these do sound quite good and balanced when hooked up to my iPhone. I purchased the [overpriced] music adapter to allow these to fit in the iPhone's recessed headphone jack and they work perfect for music and calls. The best investment in my iPhone (though almost $200 total when all said and done) that I could take advantage of until stereo bluetooth improves.

It's been a couple of months and I don't regret the purchase whatsoever.