# Shure e2c, e3c, or Etymotic 6i's?



## KardnalForgotHisPassword (Oct 14, 2004)

I recently had my car broken into, and my Etymotics 6i's stolen. I'm looking to replace them with a new pair of isolating earphones. 

I really loved the the 6i's, but I've also heard good things about the Shures. Does anyone know how the Shures stack up?

Thanks!

(P.S. If anyone has an iPod Remote they want to sell me, PM me. I had that stolen too)


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

If you have the extra money, I'd say go for the Shure E4c earphones. The E2c's are big , and lack bass response.

The E4c's have better clarity for higher tones than the E3c's.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

This may prove useful:
http://playlistmag.com/products/headphones.php


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## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

Does anyone know how Shures e2c compare to Ultimate Ears super.fi3?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

From everything I've read over at head-fi.org, I'd steer clear of the Shure and UEs... I just sold my Super.Fi 5 EB.. had them for a couple days, 'nuf said.

I'm going to buy the Altec Lansing iM716. Apparantly they have the same clarity/detail as the E4c, but have much better bass overall. Everyone seems satisfied with them, from what I've read, and from the price, they definitely seem worth checking out, compared to the other ones on the market.


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## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

Thanks Kloan, for the suggestion. I've been looking for alternatives as neither Shure e2c or Ultimate Ears super.fi3 receives great reviews from experts. Do you know where to buy the AL iM716 in GTA?


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

I'm still looking for a good place to buy them myself. So far, I can only find online sources, such as NCIX and DirectCanada

I would've thought eBay would be a good place, but they start at $160cdn! Obviously, it'd be best to buy them from a store that can offer a warranty.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

Recently ordered Shure E500PTH. Will post impressions when I get them. These are very expensive, and have been getting good reviews. Just wanted to spoil myself - after all I take the bus to work (thereby giving me 60 min per day to listen to music), so the bundle I've saved from not having a car can be used somewhere...

I tried the Bose triport in-ear model - just a piece of junk - sent them back after 2 days!!


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

yeah, the bose are trash. bose in general is anyway.

i've read mixed reviews with the shure e500, but i'm very curious.. post your impressions when you get em and have a chance to burn em in a bit...


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## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

The PTH feature seems pretty awesome and useful. Please let us know how you like them! I'll probably get that PTH device after I decide which headphones to get.


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## macsackbut (Dec 15, 2004)

I've had my Shure e2cs for a couple of months now and I'm very happy with them, but then I'm no audiophile.


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## KardnalForgotHisPassword (Oct 14, 2004)

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'm going to look into the M716s. Aparently they're based on the 6i's, but have a fuller sound. I'll let you know how they stack up when I get my hands on them.


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

Actually, there are two different models.

The iM616 is based on the 6i, while the iM716 is based on the ER4P, but everyone says they actually sound better than the ER4P. I'd really like to find a local store that sells them.. like a Best Buy or something, so I can return them if I don't like them.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

*Shure E500PTH*

Well I'm the proud and happy owner of Shure's present top of the line in-ear earphones.

Two points of discussion before I post my impressions.

1. The bulk of all sound we hear is transmitted through air. However, a small percentage is transmitted through our body. Thus when we reduce air transmission, the direct transmission assumes a larger percentage of what we hear. This is why, with good sound isolation, we hear our footsteps loudly, and if we happen to pound the ground (running), it's almost deafening!

2. People sometimes comment that they are _not_ audiophiles. This may be true, depending on how you define audiophile. But we all can tell when something sounds better. The human ear is a finely tuned, precision instrument (at least till before we damage them with cheap headphones that we play too loudly!).

I discarded the Apple buds after a short period of use. I moved on to Sony's MDR-EX71 SL earphones, which were quite a bit better than the iPod originals. The problem with these was the exaggerated bass response.

I subsequently moved to Sony's MDR-EX81. These had a much flatter response, and were very crisp/ accurate. I thought that these are a great value.

On a whim I tried the Bose Triport IE. This was the worst sounding earphone I have ever tried, mainly because it had a hugely exaggerated base response, and has a very muddy overall sound. I wrote a scathing review on Amazon, but was blown away at how many people loved them. I returned them within 2 days, even though I had 2 months to try them out.

I got the Shure's from a US store, had it mailed to a buddy (free shipping to USA), and he mailed them on to me. The packaging is impressive, very a-la-Apple.

They sound superb. I figured that I if died and went to heaven, this is what heaven would sound like like. The clarity is astounding. The tonal balance is perfect. The sound is so good, so clear, so accurate, I feel the goose-bumps just writing about them! And I haven't fully broken them in!

The noise isolation is excellent. I use buses frequently, and notice a huge difference between the Shure, and my MDX 81. I now listen to music at much lower volume settings on my iPod.

The PTH device is very useful, particularly for short conversations with the driver, fellow passengers, and fellow walkers on the street. The microphone employed in the PTH device is a low quality unit, but I don't think the intention was to use them for regular conversations. The unit is bulky, and feels cheaply made. An in-line volume control is also included, which I have not yet used,

These earphones cost more than my iPod, but have increased my enjoyment of my iPod, so that, for me, they are worth every penny. The main cost of owning an iPod is always the cost of the music. (or should be....)

For those who do not want to spend as much, I can only say that for the sake of protecting your ears, get earphones that give you good sound isolation. I've seen Ety's 4 for $<169 US$, other models from Shure, Ety, Ultimate Ears, etc that cost no more than 7-15 CD's. Your ears will thank you down the road, and you can enjoy astounding music quality in the meantime.

You only live once. Enjoy that one time experience.


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## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

Glad you like your Shures. I've been using my bottom-of-the-line Shure E2c's for two days now. I find that I really struggle to get them to fit in my ears properly. The foams seem to work the best so far. I've been using Bose Tri-ports OE before these E2c's, and I have to say though the Bose are much more comfortable, the sound quality the E2c's is a slight step up. Contrary to reviews that I've read, I find the bass on these E2c's to be just fine.


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

Went from Sony MDR-EX71 SL buds -- which were "fun" with their bigger bass (and boy, are they comfy) -- to Etymotic ER6i buds. For the money, I find these things to be BRILLIANT. Very true and accurate. You almost have to acclimate your ears back to their "natural" sound if you've been filling yourself withy empty calories of accented bass, etc., but they are just lovely. I could listen to them ALL DAY. But they're not as comfy as Sony's buds.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

Macaholic said:


> Went from Sony MDR-EX71 SL buds -- which were "fun" with their bigger bass (and boy, are they comfy)


Agree totally. The MDX81's are equally comfy, but without the big bass of the 71's. The 81's have an over the ear clip, which helps keep them in place.

I've heard the the Ety's are completely natural sounding - so natural that they sound unnatural! I have to try the 4's someday. After I get the E500PTH out of my skull...


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

I really value that natural sound. Frankly, it gets the typically hightened sound quality of most personal headphones "out of the way" of the music, and I enjoy the music more as a result. They just seem to draw me deeper into whatever I'm listening to.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

If you are even thinking of the e3's over the e2's get them. 

If your in TO check out bay/bloor radio, they have demo shure's you can try.


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## TheBat (Feb 11, 2005)

Just a quick follow up to my comments on the E500PTH.

I'm midway through "burning" them in - the sound is noticably improved.


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## KardnalForgotHisPassword (Oct 14, 2004)

'burning them in'? What do you mean? Is there a break-in period for headphones/speakers?


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## Ryan1524 (Sep 27, 2003)

i say get the E4c. It's got better bass than the E3c, and more balanced mids and highs than the E2c.


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## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

KardnalForgotHisPassword said:


> 'burning them in'? What do you mean? Is there a break-in period for headphones/speakers?


It's subjective, some people believe that headphones have a break-in period, like speakers. By "burning them in" will loosen up the drivers and such, yielding better sound quality.

Here's a link to FAQs on how to burn-in your headphones.


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