The Bottom Line: The E3Cs sound great but the fit is awkward. Look no further for sub $175 headphones but buy from a place that takes returns should you not like the fit.
green-z's Full Review: Shure E3C Consumer Headphones
Never a fan of traditional earbuds, both on the issue of sound and comfort, the first thing I did when I bought my original iPod was search out a comfortable, but decent sounding pair of headphones. After much trial and error I decided on the Sony EX51LP headphones. I found them quite comfortable, though at the time expensive too. Never did I imagine I’d spend $30 on a pair of earbuds!
The EX51s proved to be OK on airplanes blocking out about 50% of the external noise. (Compared to the 25% traditional earbuds block out). But even still I had to crank up my iPod to really hear the music. I knew this was not healthy.
After reading review after review of the E3Cs I began lusting for better headphones; ones that would block out all the external noise, not just some of it, and ones that just plain sounded great. The hurdle I had to get over was spending $120+ for headphones. Finally I rationalized that I didn’t even flinch at spending $120 for good portable speakers for my iPod, and headphone are in fact also portable speakers for your ears. Plus, I knew I couldn’t continue cranking my iPod on airplanes just to hear the music at regular volume. So, I ordered a pair of E3Cs.
A problem many have with the standard earbuds is that they are one-size-fits-all. Reality is that ear canals come in different shapes and sizes just like waists do. One size may fit all, but it doesn’t mean it fits well or comfortably. Shure recognizes this and includes small, medium, and large size rubber sleeves. Also included is a pair of foam sleeves. Of these four types everybody is bound to find one size that will fit them.
That gets us to the general fit of the E3c. You are now warned: it’s quite unconventional. While most earbuds slip into the ear and the cable hangs down, the E3Cs fit completely inside the ear canal with the cable going up and over your ear. It takes some getting use to. And fitting them in your ear is quite a task too. If you wear contacts it's not unlike trying to fit them in your eyes the first few times. It’s seems odd to say there is a learning and comfort curve with headphones but there is with the E3Cs; one that depending on your tolerance, you may or may not get over. This is not a small thing to overlook considering the cost of the E3Cs. You may not want to buy them at a place where you can’t return them, or were it might be a hassle to do so.
Once you get comfortable with E3Cs fit you are in for a treat. You will wonder how you ever tolerated lesser headphones before. It’s the difference between looking through a closed window and an open one. Music sounds multi-dimensional with each instrument clearly discernible as if it was being played next to you. The treble is crisp and pingy without being shrill. The bass is tight, but of course, not to be compared to that produced by a good pair of speakers. Certainly a big improvement over ordinary $20 or $30 pair of earbuds though where it's almost non-existent.
One thing I really don't like about the E3C is the large size of the stereo connector. It sits out about a 3/4 of an inch from the music player. As you might imagine this is awkward especially with smaller players like the iPod mini, shuffle, and nano. By comparison the connector on the EX51 is more in scale with portable players. This is not a huge deal, but something to keep in mind just the same.
As long as you are not an ultra prissy audiophile the E3C will deliver a sound you will love. They are worth every cent on that basis. The real consideration is--and it’s a tough one since you can’t normally preview earbuds before you buy them—can you tolerate the way they fit. I just can’t emphasize this enough. This is especially true if you have small ears.
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