| Oct. 29th, 2005 @ 07:43 pm Review: Shure E2c earbud headphones |
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Yeah, I know it always takes ages for me to update this thing...I figured I'd post a review of the Shure E2c earbud headphones I own, because I think anyone considering buying them needs some additional info. I'm happy with them now, but it took quite a while to get there!
I like earbud-style headphones, and I've had a few Sony pairs that were ok, but I wanted something better. (Also, the stupid-ass 'neck chain' cord on my last pair of Sonys pulled down on one side and spun the bud around in my ear so you couldn't hear on that side, doh!) When eCost had the E2c's for a very cheap price, I snapped them up.
The first thing I didn't like about them is that you're supposed to wrap the cord *over* your ear. All the earbuds I've had in the past were the kind that hung down from your ear (like those ubiquitous iPod earbuds). I still don't like it, but I got used to it. The instructions also say to have the cord to your player hang down your back -- I don't do that, I have it on the front like a normal person!
But my main problem was getting the earbuds to fit in my ears. The E2c's are 'sound isolating' headphones, which means you need to jam the buds into your ear canals. Shure includes 3 sizes of two different types of sleeves that you put on the buds -- foam sleeves, which are made of that material that cheapo earplugs are made of, and flex sleeves, which are made of not so soft(!) plastic. I don't like that earplug foam, so I tried the flex sleeves first. Even with the smallest size, the plastic dug into my ears. Ouch! So I tried the foamy ones...you squish the foam and try to jam it into your ear before it expands. You almost need a degree to figure out how to insert the earbuds properly (more on that later), so this is quite difficult. Not only is the foam material scratchy, these sleeves felt too big as well. Crap!
So the E2c's sat in their box for several months while I went back to my slipping neck-chain Sonys (yes, I probably could have returned them, but I got lazy...)
Finally, I got fed up with the Sonys and did some research on trying to make the E2c's work for me. (Not to mention, they weren't cheap so I really wanted to put them to use!) In the meantime, Shure had come out with soft flex sleeves (hey whatta concept, duh) for the E2c's. So, even though I hated laying out more $$s ($12.60+shipping for 5 pairs, kind of steep, no?) when it wasn't guaranteed to help, I decided to give it a shot.
At last, the smallest size soft flex sleeves worked! I also finally figured out the best way to put them in. The directions say to insert the buds, then wrap the cord around the top of your ear. Wrong! Wrap the cord around the top of your ear, pull on the cord to take up any slack, *then* insert the bud, pulling again if you need to take up any additional slack. The most important part is actually inserting the buds, which I felt the instructions didn't explain very well -- it *is* hard to describe, and I probably won't do a much better job, but here goes. After you have wrapped the cord around the top of yr. ear, hold the bud with the point (at the opposite end from the sleeve) up. Simultaneously push the sleeve into your ear while rotating the point towards the back of your head, until the point nestles in the 'cave' of your outer ear. This was the thing I didn't get at first, once I figured out that the point had to rotate back and belongs in the cave, it all came together. You don't need to pull on the back of your ear as the directions say (in fact, it's pretty freaking hard to do that and insert the bud at the same time), but I've found it helps (if you're not in public, lol) to open and close your mouth once, like when your ears are popping, while you're inserting the buds.
Final complaints: They look butt-ugly, but since I have long hair most of the time you can't tell. Also, this particular model requires the use of stickers to keep ear wax out of the buds (eww), and they need to be replaced from time to time. They include 5 pairs with the headphones, but to buy more it's $10+shipping for 5 more pairs!! Geez, they're just teeny stickers with a mesh over them and a hole in the middle of the adhesive.
Finally(!) the good things: The sound is excellent, and because they isolate outside sound you don't need to blast your head off with volume just to hear the music. (Although, I do find the 'plugged ear' feeling a little annoying, but I'm willing to put up with that.) They don't block out SO much sound that you can't hear, say, a siren (unless you've really got the music cranked, which is very bad for yr. ears!). Also, the cords are thicker than other headphones I've owned.
Final thoughts: If I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn't buy these headphones. I'd probably either spring for one of Shure's higher-quality buds, where the part that goes in your ear is smaller and there is a greater choice of sleeves, or go with a different brand. But if you have huge ears or are willing to spring for the soft flex sleeves, they do work and sound great!
Update: After several more months of use, the part of the wire that goes over the ear got brittle and shredded on both sides, so I can no longer recommend these.
Guilty Pleasure: Reading Page Six on the subway on the way to work (via Avantgo and my Treo) |
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panacea42's journal
The absolute show stopper for me was the archival footage of Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye doing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Oh my god, Tammi was SO gorgeous -- she's the goddess of soul!!! Such a pure (but edgy) voice...and I loved how Marvin's voice was getting rougher here (a bit like Levi!). I can't believe Tammi was only 24 when she died (not to mention Marvin's premature exit). What a crime.
