Others say...

"Don't waste your money!"
Okay, the sound on these ear buds is quite good, but if you're a commuter who expects these buds to stay in your ears for an hour or more as the cable is gently tugged and pulled by your jacket, arm or whatever, this is NOT the product for you!

If you're going to use this product in your favorite chair and not moving around much, then this just might be the product you seek.

I tried every ear fitting that comes with the ear buds and none of the options were able to keep the buds in place. Even the slightest tug of the cord caused the buds to pop out. VERY frustrating.

"Great sound, no noise, feel funny"
First off, these are fantastic headphones. I put 'em in and the world goes away. My office-mates on the phone? Gone. Girlfriend talking to her mother? Gone.


The sound is also very clear. Not too heavy on the bass, which is great. It's nice to be able to hear the words of Digable Planets, rather than just the beat.

I had to mess with the various tips to get the ones that fit correctly -- turns out I have 2 different sized ear canals. Who knew?

My only minor nit is that they feel a little funny. I'm not used to having something stuffed that far into my ears. When they're all the way in and no music's on I can hear my breathing, sometimes even my heartbeat -- and don't even try having a snack! Once the music comes on the internal noises fade into the background, but there's definitely a surreal moment (similar to scuba diving, for you divers out there).

All in all, fabulous headphones and I heartily recommend them.

"Great Customer Service"
I'm a consultant and travel a lot for work so I love the noise isolation for airplanes and less than ideal work environments. I used them daily for 16 months and then the right earbud started to lose volume. I sent them back to Shure and within a week I had a new pair.

"Great Customer Service from Shure!"
I have had these earphones for just over 2 years.

Sound: Clear midrange audio. Pretty good highs and only fair lows. Fairy good detail contributing to fair imaging. You encounter their limitations when you record at HIGH bitrates. At 128 and even 256 they are fine.

Comfort: A very personal thing. My wife can't stand sleeves 'in' her ears. I think they are comfortable and I appreciate the selection of sleeves. I have settled on the soft gray sleeves as the compromise which suits me. The foam gets trashed pretty quick. (but sounds very good) The clear sleeves are too firm for my ears. Also, the sizing; sml, med, and lg, has been experimental for me. I like the 'over the ear' design. It is well suited for athletic activity.

Isolation: Very good isolation once you find the sleeves which fit your ears. I snowblow, mow, run, and travel on airliners with them. Great to use in busy places, while you are trying to concentrate on singular tasks.
They can be dangerous if one is in a situation requiring any alertness.

Quality/Customer Service: The service is absolutely outstanding. I have had to return THREE earphones. They have sent me replacements quickly and painlessly without any hassle or fee ...Amazing!

BUT... I have had, what I presume to be faulty drivers on two of the phones (volume dropped dramatically on one speaker). I inspected them for earwax, etc., evaluated the ipod, then sent them in. The last earphone cracked along a fusion seam behind where the sleeve-tube projects out. This may have been some trauma I inflicted while unaware. It had been just past the original 2 year warranty period but, they sent a replacement to me in less than 2 weeks.
-Now, there was never an explanation. I just got a new pkg of E3C's each time.

I like the design: The plug and cord are sturdy and without any apparent fault.

I just purchased a pair of E4's. Got them at a discounted price here. Same basic design but, upgraded speakers/drivers. They have noticeably better detail and imaging. Slightly better bass- I like them but, I like tight bass.

I have also have a lot of spare sleeves and accessories. This contributed to my decision to stick with Shure. I cross my fingers regarding quality.

They deserve plaudits for customer service.




"Excellent for working out"
These are awesome headphones. I'm very particular and I love them. They offer high quality sound and comfort. I've had them for about 8 months now. I use them mainly for working out; pilates, treadmill and some weight lifting. I use the yellow foam ear pieces. Once I put them in, they stay in without needing adjustment for the whole workout. What I do is I bring the cord up the back of my neck with the ear pieces reversed, then wrap the cord once around my pony tail, righting them, then install in my ears with the cord running up from my ears. This technique really works to keep them in place so you can enjoy the music without messing with your earphones every time you move around. My old set of Sony headphones were always sliding out. This style with the foam was a stroke of genius!