Shure earphones

e5c is the best

Ahhh...a much better question... The Shure E2's win that one IMHO. They are built specifically with portable units in mind. The E1's were designed for musicians; they are not as durable, and some have complained about a lack of bass. They are slightly more expensive than the E2's. The E5's probably sound great; I haven't heard them, but by the looks of their specs, your going to need an amp to drive them with an ipod. That's a true audiophile earphone, and I'm not sure why you'd want to go that route if you're listening to mp3's--those earphones are going to be much better than the source, kind of like killing a mouse with an atomic bomb, when a mousetrap would do the job just as well. However, the Shure E2's have a very low impedance, and are driven by the ipod unamped fantasically...My vote goes to the E2's.

I have the E5's for an In Ear Monitor setup I use in a band. The E5's are very sensitive and should not need a amplifier. They are by far the best non-amplified headphone on the market. They are a dual driver earphone which enables them to produce the best bass response of anything that you can put in your ear. The wires are a bit thicker than the other types of In Ear headphones that are out there and they are made to go up and over the ear and down your back, which is great when you're playing in a band but can be a little weird when you are trying to plug them into your ipod. I used them on a recent road trip and I just can't get over how good they are. The best price I have seen on them is $450.

None of the shure series phones require an amp...IMHO the e1c's are probably the best bang for your buck...I tried the e2c's but they lack detail in the high end, the e1c's sound like the e2's with the foggynes removed, and the ability to use triple flange earplugs (or custom mods if you want).

The entire "e" lineup is designed to be used direclty out of a portable. I've never heard the lack of bass complaint re the e1's...if you think the e1's lack bass don't go near ety's. That being said bass response relies totally upon seal. With a good seal comes good response, however a poor seal can yield next to no bass response. Canalphones take some getting used to, that is you need to get used to hearing rather then feeling the bass, canalphones aren't for everyone, but to quote a popular beer slogan "those who like it, like it a lot". Shure has a 30-day no questions asked return policy, which I tested out when I returned my e2c's. They took them back with no problems and were quick to credit the money to my card. On top of that I had to warranty my e1's as they developed a short in the miniplug, turnaround time was 3 days. I'd deal with shure again in a second...great customer service.

The E1's were not designed spefically for portable players; they were designed to BE portable specifically for use by musicians. The E2's were designed specfically for the consumer portable market. It was a different design philosophy (the larger enclosure is designed to improve bass)--that is why the E2's were created in the first place, to overcome some of the complaints of the E1's with portable devices (Lack of bass and durability being the main complaints, looks being a secondary one). I'm not knocking the E1's, but although they are portable, they weren't designed specifically for portable music devices...That was the whole point of coming out with the E2's...

Can't find the source, gonna have to look further, it may be tough to find--it's from an audiophile show where the Shure E2's were unveiled, and gave the rationale behind the development--by Shure--for the E2's. And the bottom line was that they were designed specifically for the portable player market, the key things distinguishing them from the E1's being better durability (hence the thick cords), improved bass, less shrill sounding treble, and looks (getting away from the hearing aid look)--the thought being that users of portable devices listen to music "differently" than musicians. The E5's (obviously) hadn't been released at the time the E2's were unvieled and weren't even alluded to.

Yes, I know they make entry level in ear monitors--initially when I was looking into the E2's, I could find them only as part of the entire In ear monitor package; had to do some searching to find them seperate from the package--but that was when they first came out.;)

Ah, but those who don't learn their history are doomed to repeat it...:) But your absolutely right--the best way is to try both, and pick the one that suits you best. It's amazing to me how different people will judge the same things quite differently, but all that truly matters is how it sounds to you.

That's true. I found, when setting up my In Ear Monitor setup, that the E1's pumped out so much midrange that I had to buy a 15 band eq just to be able to take some of it out. At this point I use them to listen to a mini AM radio when I want to catch some talk radio.

Also, there would be no need of a history lesson if the history that was being spoken of was accurate.

A guy that I correspond with on a Pro Audio forum works for Shure R&D in Chicago. He says what you read is inaccurate.

Dude, I'm not trying to have a flame war here. I just notice some inaccuracies in your post.

The E5's (obviously) hadn't been released at the time the E2's were unveiled and weren't even alluded to.

What was that assumption based on? I was in the market for these products before the E2's and the PSM 200 which they were made for were available. I had a pair of E5's two years ago. The guy from Shure was only hinting at the PSM 200 at that time and could not give any details other than it would be cheaper than anything else they had. Making that kind of assumption called all of the information into question.

For the record, this is what the Shure website says about the whole E line of headphones:

Performing musicians face a special challenge in hearing or "monitoring" themselves onstage. To perform effectively, they must hear themselves clearly and in real time ? above the din of the crowd and isolated from the variable acoustics and time delay of the concert hall. Traditionally, this was done through the use of large speakers called floor wedges, which were placed on the stage at the performer's feet and aimed upward.

Over the past decade, most pro touring musicians have switched to personal, or "in-ear" wireless monitor systems. The final and most personal element of these systems is the earphones, a pair of small, hi-fidelity drivers that are fitted directly into the performer's ears. By isolating the performer from unwanted sounds, earphones allow musicians to hear themselves more clearly, and at lower (and thus safer) volume levels. E Series earphones were originally developed as the in-ear component of Shure's PSM series of personal monitoring systems for touring musicians. Their outstanding sound, personalized fit, durability, and low-profile design all match Shure's exacting standards and support our history ? over 75 years of delivering the highest quality professional audio gear.

The latest evolution of the E Series began when musicians and engineers who were using the earphones professionally (on stage and on tour) started taking them offstage ? on tour buses, on planes, literally "wherever their music took them." The superior quality and isolation of the E Series made them exceptional traveling companions on noisy road trips, lending studio-quality sound and subtlety to everyday listening experiences. CD players, MP3 players, MiniDiscs, DAT, DVD, cassettes ? the E Series makes them all sound better ? more real, more present. At Shure, we're committed to delivering your sound with its full richness, nuance and detail, no matter what the environment. That's why we're now delivering the E Series directly to you?the same technology and design, the same earphones, the same experience.

LOL... I'm glad to stay out of this one. Some people like to eat chickens, some people like to eat eggs. Who cares which came first? ;)

OO congrats dmt1 on 1000 posts... not that post count means anything. ;)

Originally posted by Jokald
It taints the information that others may use to make a purchase.

So what you're saying is only your viewpoint counts here? This is bordering on the arcane--actually it's probably already there. I'm not making anything up, I haven't tried the E5's, but have done a bit of reading about them, and their are many folks who do feel they're better amped. And yes, I do beleive it's overkill for a portable device, which is probably the most important argument of all. So passing on what I've learned "taints" things, especially since it doesn't agree with your viewpoint. The whole purpose of the lounge is to get different viewpoints; to find out positives and negatives, then decide for themselves.

Ok, now I'm REALLY done with this argument, go ahead and have the last word...

Thanks to whomever posted the JAZZ03 promo-code for Shure's website! I just got mine yesterday. The canal phones do take some getting used to, and everyone is the office looks at me weird. BUT - I can't hear them make fun of them.

I don't think they would if they could hear them. My budget was sacked after buying an iPod. $80 was hard enough to justify, let alone $400.

Regardless, these are the best headphones/earphones/canalphones/whatchamacallitphones that I've ever listened to. I'm sure the others are great, but I have to wonder about the "law of diminishing returns".

Not thread jacking at all--Your input is most appreciated!! Glad you're here--check back on us every once and a while; Shure has become one of the more popular earphones around here.

I've got custom earmolds on the way from Westone (Yeah, I know they're not Shure's preferred provider, but they're the only ones making them for the E2's that I know of).

Two things: It would be nice if you all could talk the company you prefer for earmolds (sensaphonic?) to make them for the E2's--I've seen them for the E1's/E5's from Dunbars post, and they look nicer than the Westones. The other is to offer triple flanged silicone sleeves for the E2's...

This just goes to show you what can happen when two people disagree in a public forum. Information changes hands that may not have gotten out otherwise. Sugarfried, thanks for the inside info and summing up the process so succinctly. By the way, do you post on the HC Live Sound forum, you're name sounds familiar. Also, dmt1 good luck with the custom molds. Let us know what you think of them.

Originally posted by Sugarfried
Regarding triple flanged tips for E2's, the nozzle diameter becomes an issue for two reasons:
1. Tough to get the current tri-flange to fit on properly
2. Acoustics change drastically due to the shift in diameter. Specifically: the highs go away.

It's possible to use the tips provided with the EX70/71/51, but you'll want to run a little scotch tape around the nozzle of your E2 a few times to give it a bit more friction - more to grab onto so that it doesn't get stuck in your ear.

We're considering adding a tri-flange-like sleeve for E2, but because size is already an issue for some users we're working on the best possible implementation. Now that I know there are some interested users here I will be checking in from time to time. I usually start every morning by perusing a few BB's, and participating when it's appropriate.


Hey, thanks for the info - I was aware that the shaft diameter was an issue from a fit perspective, since the e1/e5 shaft is narrower. I wasn't aware of the drop-off in highs, though.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what your people come up with...I'd like something repeatedly cleanable/reusable without having to shell out for impressions and custom moldings, and more comfy than the flex sleeves.

For the flex sleeves themselves, the comfort would probably be helped by making the material a little more flexible. The thickness is good to make them sturdy...the rubber just needs to give a bit more in spite of the thickness.

--Ben

Wow, great idea there...

Just want to compliment Shure's service--my right ear bud shorted out; I sent them in a week ago friday, just received a brand new pair in the mail today from Shure--very nice!! I emailed them earlier, asking what to do--got a prompt reply on what to do; really a top notch company.

The Shures have a two year warranty--be sure to save your receipt--Shure has a great reputation for customer service, hope I never need it again, but it's nice to know it's there...

Originally posted by drssyoon
This is what I did and it works well, without any ear discomfort. I took the large foam plug from E2 (it would never fit in my ears), got rid of the foam and was left with just the plastic shaft. I slipped the Sony silicone ear things that came with Sony NC11 (size medium) into the plastic shaft which held the Sony pieces perfectly. The shaft is tapered so it has to be insered into the Sony ear piece from the narrow end. Slip the entire assembly onto E2 and viola - perfectly comfortable fit with good seal. Note that you can purchase the medium size ear thingies from Sony for around $9 a pair.

This sounds like it is worth a try.

Could someone please provide a link or some contact info for a source where I could purchase the Sony silicone medium sleeves in the US? I searched sony and sonystyle.com but could not find them.

Thanks to Sugarfried and drssyoon for the idea and the link.

I'm definitely interested in another alternative to the E2C sleeves, ie tri-flange-like sleeve for E2. My only real gripe regarding the E2C is the fact that the current flex sleeves are uncomfortable and the foam sleeves must be replaced. I'm not thrilled with an ongoing cost to replenish foam sleeves and was really hoping that the more durable flex sleeve would work for me.

bdjohns1 said it well:
I'd like something repeatedly cleanable/reusable without having to shell out for impressions and custom moldings, and more comfy than the flex sleeves.

I think there are a lot of current E2C users that would be interested in this and this may also be a factor for those considering the purchase as well. This is the impression I get from head-fi in particular which was a major factor influencing my own purchase of the E2Cs.

So, what's current street price for the E2's?

A quick look found $79 w/free shipping @: http://www.proaudiosuperstore.com/Shure-E2-Earphones.html

Sound about right??

I found the sony mdr-nc11 earpieces at sony's parts center (http://servicesales.sel.sony.com/web/index.jsp) they are about 4.80 USD EACH for the medium size (search for 'mdr-nc11' under 'model number'). This yielded the following part numbers:

304641521* PIECE (L), EAR $6.95

422043801 PIECE (M), EAR $4.80

422043901 PIECE (S), EAR $4.80

I'm going to try drssyoon's mod to fit them onto my shure e2cs...

Macresq ( http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/macresq/t.asp?id=1101&p=store/detail.php?prodID=E5C) has the wallet busting but sweet Shure E5C Dual Driver In-Ear Earphones for $479.99, get $80 off with Q-Pon Code "E5CHP"