Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones
by Shure
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Our Price: $199.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $79.80 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Shure E2c Sound Isolating Earphones
Customer Review: awesome headphones, just wear them correctly
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, this is something that took me a while to find out but i'm 100% sure (shure?) that what i found out is true: E2 and E2c are exactly the same headphones. E2 is marketed toward professional musicians and E2c is marketed to normal consumers (hence the "c"), with the only difference being packaging and name.
anyway, these headphones are awesome! i'm the kind of person who does a ton of research before buying anything. i was a little worried from the complaints on here, so i'll address them now for all the fellow cautious buyers.
- lack of bass response: actually, the bass is great. just learn how to wear the correctly--read the instructions. once you figure it out, and this takes literally 30 seconds of playing, the sound is awesome. I find the gray silicone ear pieces work best for me. the orange ones worked well too but take too long to put in.
- long cord: tuck the extra in your pocket. better too long than too short, so i'm glad the extra is there in case i need it.
- hurts your ear if used for a long time: not true, they are super comfortable. the people who say they're uncomfortable A) don't know how to wear them, B) need to try a smaller hear piece, or C) both. i've used them on cross country airplane rides and listening all day at work, and i've never been uncomfortable.
So there you go. I will say that i was really hesitant to spend the kind of money they were asking for these, but in hindsight, it's a no-brainer...these are really worth it and i would definitely do it again. They sound terrific and really do block out all of the sound (your ears will thank you because you can listen at a MUCH lower volume). i ride the train to and from work everyday and trust me, these little babies save me. also, if you ever expect to fly anywhere, the noise blocking makes it totally worth the price for a single trip. no kidding.
Customer Review: Silence is golden
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I have to say that these phones are not for everyone. If you dislike putting anything in your ear, then these are not for you. That being said, these headphones are the perfect thing for a noisy environment. They work so well that I've had a problem lately with people not being able to get my attention at work.
Once fitted properly, they cut almost ALL ambient noise. This can be a good and bad thing. It's great for being able to listen to your music in a much "cleaner" sound environment. They also allow you to listen at a lower sound level, helping with audio fatigue and long term ear issues. The downside with all this isolation is that it can make it easy to forget what is going on around you.
The fitting process is more involved than most over-the-head or behind-the-neck headphones but the benefits are greater. I tried out each pair that came with the phones and came up with the following observations:
1) The soft flex sleeves are best for when you need to take the phones off and put them on often. The foam ones tend to irritate my ears if they have to be removed too often.
2) The foam sleeves provide the best isolation. They also pick up the most ear wax. I'd recommend cleaning any wax out before trying the headphones.
3) Don't be afraid to experiment with different sizes for left and right ears. I found the smallest foam sleeve was more comfortable for my left ear and the medium foam was for the right ear.
4) "Warm up" the foam sleeves between your fingers (just roll them back and forth a couple of times) before trying to put the phones in your ears. It makes it much more comfortable going in.
All in all, I'm very, very happy with the Shure E2C earphones. My recommendation is to buy these and treat your ears to crisp, clear music instead of the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
Customer Review: They Hold Their Own Against Bose Quite Comfort 2
Summary: 5 Stars
I am the (proud) owner of both the Shure E2c and the Bose Quite Comfort 2 headphones. Recently I took a trip where my flight up and back was on the same type of equipment (Embraer regional jet) which offered a unique opportunity to compare my two headphones.
The flight was about 1.5 hours (each way), of which I could wear the headphones for about an hour. Flight up Bose, no need to review, there are plenty, flight back, Shure, pleasently surprised. I have owned the Shures for a couple of months and from the first moment I tried them I was impressed with their sound isolation and especially with their frequency response. Rich bass and sweet highs provide excellent sound reproduction. Be warned however, ensure you have inserted and seated them properly into your ears or they will sound terrible (as can be expected).
They will isolate you from most sounds around you in a regular office or home environment, enough so that you will have to remove them to speak with someone. But I was amazed at how well they work to isolate the rumble of air travel. I honestly did not expect that but was glad since it is difficult to sleep with the Bose. The Shure allow you to rest your head right up against a pillow or a headrest.
I have always loved the Bose but never liked their size, doesn't easily fit into a bag, nor do I enjoy the heat generated during long flights. Don't get me wrong, I would never give them up, they are worth the inconvenience. I wouldn't give them up, but I don't know if I would have spent the 200 dollars more if the Shures were available and I know what I do now.
The included case for the Shure is great too, it could have a better fit however, I always feel like I've inserted them wrong. Additionally, the varying sizes of adapters work well to find the perfect fit.
That's just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
Customer Review: Can't go back to plain earbuds
Summary: 5 Stars
Have owned these now for a year and a half and I have to say they have proven themselves on multiple occasions.
First off, the 'fit kit' that comes with them has NINE different shapes and sizes of earpeices, so chances are that they will fit you. I personally prefer the black flexible earpieces, as they don't put too much pressure on your ears like the clear ones do. The foam ones are nice too but they are very tedious to put in and wear out very quickly.
These are great for any situation where ambient noise is an issue. I haven't yet encountered a situation wher I have had to turn my ipod above about 60% volume to be able to clearly hear my music.
The best feature of all though is the superb sound quality compared with the cheap white earbuds that come with the ipod. The sound is very clear and has a very full range, unlike the cheap ones which are almost all midrange tones. These definitely have a very full bass range, but not overpowering. After I got these, I started noticing new parts of my music that I never had before (subtle basslines, background vocals, etc.) My musical experience has definitely been enhanced.
I have abused these earbuds to no end. I pretty much threw out the case and just leave them wrapped around my ipod in coat pockets, backpacks, etc. The worst thing that has happened so far is that one of the rubber earpieces fell off while I was on the bus, but it was about time to change them anyways. Very durable.
Overall, the initial cost is high, but these are definitely worth the extra cost for the durability alone (I probably would have gone through 3 cheap sets by now). The only reason I would tell someone not to buy these is that they block out ALL noise (including phones in the office and oncoming traffic), while cheap earbuds allow most of this noise to come through.
Customer Review: Silence is golden!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a writer in a cubicle farm, and was looking for headphones that would block out the noise around me (including some rather enthusiastically loud iTunes users) so I could concentrate on writing. Truthfully I didn't realize that they were sound isolating (rather than sound cancelling) earphones 'til I opened the box... but boy am I glad I got them!
With the foam sleeves firmly in my ear and some soft classical music, the outside world is *totally* blocked out, to the point that people have to throw things at me to get my attention. PERFECT!!
If I turn the music off I can hear what people are saying, which is good; my one complaint is that the foam sleeves, which work like regular earplugs (squeeze them, put them in, and they expand) are rather stiff, and sometimes my ears will ache after repeatedly putting them in and taking them out. The more expensive E3C earphones have softer sleeves, but they don't fit the E2Cs. (I've thought about fashioining a set of sleeves from regular earplugs, but haven't gotten around to it.) The foam sleeves need to be replaced periodically ($12 for 5 pair from Shure, cheaper elsewhere). The E2Cs also come with rubber-like "flex" sleeves that can be cleaned but they don't block sound as well and I rarely use them.
I haven't actually tried electronic noise-cancelling headphones, but from what I understand they are primarily geared towards plane travel, but aren't as well suited to muting the outside world as noise-isolating headphones. (Incidentally, the E2Cs work great on planes, too.)
Anyway -- the E2C earphones sound great (those who complain about a lack of bass usually don't have them firmly in the ear) and do exactly what I wanted. If you are looking for headphones to block out the noise of the rest of the world, I highly recommend them.