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EarphoneSolutions.com is the legal owner of these articles, and if you want to copy, reproduce or distribute these articles, you must display www.EarphoneSolutions.com as the legal owner of these articles and hotlink it to our website . Parts or the totality of these articles cannot be reproduced, copied or distributed without mentioning the owner of the article as www.EarphoneSolutions.com (hotlinked to our website). Please stick to this rule, under the penalties of the US Copyright Law.Review of the
Shure E2c Earphone by Peter H. from Albion, NY
The awe-inspiring Shure E2’s
I have had many headphones/earphones over the past few years and have always been looking for that perfect set. I always liked the in-ear type of headphones for their travel size, but I have never found any that would stay in place or were comfortable enough to wear for any length of time, until now.
I travel for work, and I am in airports and airplanes quite a bit. I looked at the Bose headphones for their noise canceling feature. The high cost of the Bose headphones was a big obstacle and so was the big size; plus most airlines are making people turn these type of headphones off at landing and takeoff. I had seen reviews of the Shure E2 and liked what I saw. The small size and design of the E2’s are wonderful assets, and the way they easily and comfortably fit in your ears only adds to this superior product.
Three months ago I was walking through the Philadelphia airport with a few hours to waste before my next flight. I stopped in an electronics store looking around and saw the Shure E2 earphones. The salesman asked if I would like to try them, and I jumped to accept, because I had wanted to know what they sounded like. The salesman showed me the different size silicone and foam ear pieces and the small 3” round storage case. The small case is ingenious in the way it was made for portability and protection of these earphones. It took a few minutes to get the fit just right but the sound was unbelievable. I bought them right then. The clarity of these earphones is amazing. They are so efficient. The highs are tight, the mids are clear, and when set correctly in your ears has the bass of a sub woofer right next to you without shaking the ground. Well, it kind of shakes your brain instead.
I went and caught my flight and once again was amazed by the noise reducing feature of these earphones. The jet noise was hardly heard, and my music was fulfilling the entire flight. The E2’s are better than the Bose, or any other make of noise canceling headsets. The E2’s are smaller and use no batteries for their noise blocking feature. The E2’s are like ear plugs with stunning clear music being fed through them. The privacy the E2’s provide is tranquil in cutting outside db’s. Don’t be surprised if strangers trying to talk with you have to tap you on your shoulder to get your attention. The E2’s are awe-inspiring from their non obstructed sound stage to their comfort and fit. It takes a little bit of trial and error to find the right foam or silicone ear piece that fits right, but after that you can go hours without discomfort. I tried the behind the head street phones and they always cut into my ears and never sounded right when I lay back in a chair. Other earphones never stay in place to sound right or fall out because of their cables pulling on them and poor design. The E2’s earphone cable is designed to wrap behind your ear to help prevent the earphones from being pulled out either by the weight of the heavy duty cables or if you accidentally snag them.
I have used over 30 different set of headphones/earphones over the years looking for the ultimate set. Most are too big to travel with, uncomfortable to wear for any length of time, or will not stay in your ears. The Shure E2's are a complete opposite. I have heard the e3’s are much better, but I have no idea how they could be much better than the E2’s. If I ever have to replace my E2’s I will consider them. With Shure’s 2 year warrantee, it will be sometime before I consider anything else.
Included Accessories:The Shure E2c comes with much more than just earphones: included are six different pairs of sleeves and a case. The different pairs of sleeves are small/medium/large foam and small/medium/large rubber sleeves. It was thoughtful of Shure to include all these sleeves to accommodate different sized ears. Personally, I found the small rubber and small foam sleeves to fit me fine, but I preferred the rubber sleeves due to superior durability. After a month, the foam sleeves became dirty and lost its “springiness.” Many complain about the lack of comfort from the rubber sleeves, but I found them to fit my ear canals perfectly. However, I would not recommend the rubber sleeves for jogging. After fifteen minutes on a treadmill, the earphones would not stay in my ears.
The next accessory, the case, is a very nice addition. It is hard and strong, leaving you a feeling of confidence that your earphones will be safe from anything while in the case. It also has a place for the ‘phones in the center and a place to wrap the cord so it won’t become tangled.
Also, while it isn’t technically an accessory, a two-year warranty is included with the purchase. This tells the buyer that Shure has faith in its product.
Build Quality:
The E2c has durability written all over it. The comet shaped buds feel solid, and I’ve tested this to be true. I’ve dropped the buds numerous times onto concrete with no resulting damage at all. The cord is also durable. It is thick and seems like nothing short of scissors could damage it. It is thick enough to eliminate micro phonic noise, unlike the Etymotic ER-6. Meaning you won’t hear the cord rubbing on your clothes.
Sound Quality:
NOTE: I used the E2c mostly with my third generation 15GB Apple iPod (software version 2.2), which has 192 kbps MP3s and 128 kpbs AACs on it. All my comments about sound quality will be about the music from my iPod while the E2c is connected to it without an amp.
The sound of the E2c earphone is very good, but not great. The bass is strong, but slightly muddy. There is just enough bass to get your toes tapping, but not become boomy like Sony’s EX71. Treble is similar to the bass as far as detail is concerned: good, but not as detailed as other earphones. My bigger concern with treble is that it is a bit too quiet. If the highs were boosted two or three decibels, it would be perfect. I found that on some songs that contain a lot of bass and mids, the treble was drowned out. As for the mids, they are the strongest in detail. Vocals sounded clean and very natural. The overall sound is decent, but when compared to other more expensive earphones, they sound dark and unclear. Still, for $100, the sound is decent.
Final Thoughts:
The Shure E2c is a great entry-level high-end earphone. They offer lots of value, solid build quality, and decent sound. Audiophiles will want to upgrade to the more expensive earphones, but the E2c is perfect for the casual listener.
Overall Score: 8/10
Review of Shure E2c Earphones By MILES FUSCO B.S., M.S., THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL FIDELIA STUDIOS NEW YORK
This may be the best buy in earphones around. Shure seems to have a superb model in every price range. For less than $100, the E2's (and E2c) are a pretty great buy.
Their E5 is my reference standard, and the E2 compares quite favorably. The sonics are clean and natural, if losing a little something in transparency and lightness – but remember, they are three to five times less expensive!
The E2's are comfortable, ergonomic, and easy to handle, fitting easily around the ear. The earpiece itself sits firmly and securely in the ear, with little effort, using the supplied canal tips and ‘flex sleeves’. You have to look pretty closely, however, to see the tiny little blue or red dot, but that should be no problem for the young . . . The wiring is reassuringly heavy-duty, which I like, as I use them on the road, in subways, and on planes. They won’t tangle, and one needn’t worry that they will succumb to accidental pulling.
Because the seal is so good, and being sensitive to signal, the E2's can be listened to at moderate volume settings. The E5 is more sensitive but, again, remember the difference in price . . .
One simply cannot find a better, or better-priced, entry-level phone for high-end listening. A taste of the champagne!
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EarphoneSolutions.com is the legal owner of these articles, and if you want to copy, reproduce or distribute these articles, you must display
www.EarphoneSolutions.com as the legal owner of these articles and hotlink it to our website . Parts or the totality of these articles cannot be reproduced, copied or distributed without mentioning the owner of the article as www.EarphoneSolutions.com (hotlinked to our website). Please stick to this rule, under the penalties of the US Copyright Law.
