Shure E4c

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 107 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 6 stars

  Respectable, but room for improvement (Detailed Review)

  by 1gromt1 on July 30, 2005

  Pros: Sound, Quality of Construction

  Cons: Sound Isolation, Fit/Function

  Summary: I formerly owned a pair of Etymotic ER6s, used them for over a year. I positively loved them, then I lost them... So I upgraded (?) to the new Shure E4Cs. ...

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  Summary: I formerly owned a pair of Etymotic ER6s, used them for over a year. I positively loved them, then I lost them... So I upgraded (?) to the new Shure E4Cs.
  
  Quick Starter Notes: 1) Equipment used: I listen/use the e4cs on my computer via Soundblaster's superb Audigy2 ZS 24bit PC card and Jet Audio's music player, and via my trusty iRiver H140. 2) e4c Construction: excellent. Cord is thick, joined nicely with earphone. Earphones feel rugged and meant to last.
  
  Sound: Compared to my Etys, the e4cs sound more lush and more full. Music feels more filled-in. That said, I have to note that the ety's still provide more detail (detail, to me, is the ability to isolate and "drill into" various sounds; to zoom in on the specific features of sounds. Detail = clarity). Next, bass: the bass on the e4cs is more present and has more overtones than bass on the etys. However, if you're a bass junky, the e4cs will disappoint: you still don't get that thumpy driving bass that you get with over-ear phones (When I use the e4cs I often turn up the lowest frequency bass setting on my eq by about 30%; I turned it up about 50% on the etys). Still, bass is extremely good for canalphones. YET: the bass on the ER6's, though weaker, is Tighterr than the bass on the Shures. Again, I'm quite surprised by this. Shure's new "tuned port" approach enables more bass, deeper overtones, and more lush sound overall, but it comes with a bit of a cost: slightly less detail than Ety, and slightly muddier bass. (tho don't get me wrong: the bass ISN'T muddy, it's louder and more full, but just not quite as tight as the etys. Similarly, the Shure's produce exquisite detail, more so than you're likely accostomed to; just not quite as much as the etys).
  
  In sum: sound is clear, repectably detailed, lush (for a canalphone), and bass is decent. My quibbles: Bass could be tighter, detail could be greater.
  
  Recommendation: If you listen to a lot of Hip hop, heavy metal, heavy rock, the sound of the e4c's trumps my old Ety's and may be good for you. However, if you listen to Jazz, instrumental/guitar, piano sonatas, the detail of the Ety's is superior. For orchestral: toss up.
  
  Next: fit, function. Here's where I have some specific issues with the Shures. First, sound isolation. The entire point of a pair of canalphones is to block sounds; really, they're earplugs that produce music! Which is great, far superior to carrying bulky active "noise cancelling" headphones (ala Bose or Sony (ok, sony makes both kinds, but I've tried sony's in-ear: they suk)). the e4c's come with several canal types: foam, triple-flanged rubber, and the "defaul" rubber bells. I tried them all. without question, none of them isolate sound as well as my Etymotics did (the ER6 comes with a double-flanged silicon plug that takes some time to get the hang of, but once you do, it's FANTASTIC at blocking ambient sound). In the end, I find that the default rubber bells are best, and they were surprisiginly easy to get a snug fit with. However, I'm seriously disappointed that Shure's sound isolation does't at least match Etymotics. I'm a frequent flyer, at least once a week (no kidding). I use these on airplanes. Sound isolation matters A LOT to me. I think CNET should have called out this disppointment; I don't think they used them in real-world situations like airplanes.
  On to another issue (one CNET did correctly call out): No shirt clip for the cord??? This may seem trivial, but it isn't. These things are heavy (much larger/heavier than the Etymotics). You feel the weight of them in your ear. That's fine when you're sitting, not moving. But once you stand, start walking, the nicely thick cords are pulling the earphone around... BAD. You clearly feel the weight of the cords pulling at the earphone, sometimes breaking the fit. It boggles the mind that the Shure didn't include a shirt clip to manage cord weight and pull! Sure, you can jimmy-rig something (I'm using one of those black metal paper binder/clip dealies). If you plan to be mobile while you're wearing these: this WILL matter.
  
  In Sum: nice sound, but clear room for improvment in fit and usability. For me, decent, but a bit of a disappointment.

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  106 out of 112 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 6 stars

  Good, not the best, still MUCH MUCH better than ETYs

  by charesr22 on August 8, 2005

  Pros: Comfortable design, fairly good sound, very precise, good bass

  Cons: single drivers limits soundstage range

  Summary: Let me begin by asking what the cnet editors who reviewed these are smoking???
  First of all, these are NOT the best cans out there. They are not even the
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  Summary: Let me begin by asking what the cnet editors who reviewed these are smoking???
  First of all, these are NOT the best cans out there. They are not even the best phones made by Shure. Anyone with an internet connection can go to the Shure webpage which clearly shows that their top of the line model is the Shure e5c, which has dual drivers in each earbud and an inline crossover to split high and low sound frequencies and maximize driver efficiency.
  Furthermore, the CNET editors, in their haste to name every new product "the best," began a year or two back by naming the ETYs as the "best." That is completely ridiculous. In the world of high end personal audio equipment, the ETYs are the low end, entry studio model. I don't know any professionals that use them. In fact, no serious audiophile does, unless they don't have the money for something better.
  The three main players for the really expensive earbud market are Shure, Sensaphonics, and Ultimate Ears. Ultimate Ears are probably the best, but they are mostly limited to serious professionals because of their fantastic cost, which is about $1,000 for their flagship UE-10 pro model. Sensaphonics also has a great industry reputation, but they are a bit lacking in customer service and have a lame webpage. Shure is very good, and I highly recommend the e5cs, which retail for $500, but can be had for $350 or so on the internet.
  To turn specifically to the e4cs, they are what they are. They are good, but not great. They are severly limited by only having single drivers, which no matter how good they are, can only produce certain sound frequencies at a limited efficiency.
  They were obviously designed for the "prosumer" market. That is to say, people who like music, aren't professionals, but know the difference between crap and something good, and have a little extra cash. Hence the IPOD matching design.
  My final thought - save up a little more money and go for the e5cs over the e4s, there is a very significant difference between the two.

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  71 out of 79 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Shure E4C...As good as it gets!

  by oak3x on July 8, 2005

  Pros: Balanced Sound, Comfortable to Wear, Stylish

  Cons: If I want to be picky, the cord could be a little shorter

  Summary: If you are looking for Earphones for your portable music player...the Shure E4C are fantastic. Trust me, I've owned them all.
  
  Shure E4C - Superior Clarity, Balanced Sound (
  
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  Summary: If you are looking for Earphones for your portable music player...the Shure E4C are fantastic. Trust me, I've owned them all.
  
  Shure E4C - Superior Clarity, Balanced Sound (throughout the soundstage - Bass, Mids and Treble), Comfortable to wear (comes with a variety of ear tips which ensure the perfect fit), Stylish and Well-Made. I am very impressed and pleased with my purchase of these earphones. I wanted a neutral balanced earphone for my IPOD and these fit the bill. If you want a "bass heavy" sound, you may not be happy with the Shure's. Though they list for $299, you can purchase at headphone.com for $199. Headphone.com is an authorized dealer.
  
  Some of the other earphones I have owned over the years (to compare) include:
  
  Etymotic ER-4P - Another great earphone, perfect clarity and balance. I loved these earphones in every way, except for the comfort. After a few hours of listening, the "triple flange" eartips started to bother me.
  
  Ultimate Ears Super-fi 5 Pro - Another good earphone, built with dual drivers. Clear sound and comfortable to wear. I like the fact that the cord is shorter (4ft) as well as interchangeable. I found the sound to be a little more weighted to the "lows" or "bass". For my taste, I wanted a neutral sound. Nevertheless, I good earphone alot of people will like.
  
  Shure E3C - One model down from the E4C. Great clarity and comfort. These earphones tended to be weighted more toward the "mid and high frequencies", which in my opinion caused fatique after an amount of time. Many users also report the the "low" (bass) is not represented enough.
  
  All in all, I really like the Shure E4C...you simply can't go wrong with these. As a (very) close second are the Etymotic ER-4P.
  
  Hope my reviews help

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  32 out of 33 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Impressions of a Music Lover

  by ZiggoES on September 5, 2005

  Pros: Sound, Build Quality,Size,Cord,Color Scheme,Universal and Custom Capable

  Cons: Seems a little fragile.

  Summary: After beating around the bush and saving up some money, I bit the bullet and made my first big purchase in headphones, the Shure E4/E4C. Since I had no ...

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  Summary: After beating around the bush and saving up some money, I bit the bullet and made my first big purchase in headphones, the Shure E4/E4C. Since I had no experience with In-ear monitors, I did not know what to expect, but one things for sure, I do not regret my purchase, in fact, I think it's the best purchase I've made.
  
  Enough beating around the bush, let's get down to business, and to clear up something here, I ordered the E4 model, a charcoal gray color. There is no Sonic difference between them, it's just that the E4C is meant for the consumer, It's iPod white, and the E4 is meant for stage monitoring, but all the specs are the same and you recieve the same accessories.
  
  Let's talk about the Packaging, Nicely packaged and with a plethora of accessories.You will recieve different tips for many different ears, ranging from soft to super soft acrylic tips, a level attenuator for high output sources, an 1/4" adaptor for stereo and headphone amps, a semi hard case to protect your investment, foam tips for the easiest tip, a nozzle wax remover and your owners guide.
  
  Build Quality:
  Build Quality is very good with these, they are solid IEM's, offering a thick cord and around-the-ear design reduce microphonics and tangling. The plug is gold plated so it offers maximum transfer of sound.
  
  Fit
  The Fit is pretty tricky to get, most people think they sound weak and anemic only because they have not achieved a good seal. Mr. Patrick Houston wore his E4C down, you can do that but it is not recommended because you will lose your seal and microphonics are an annoyance. It's best that you wear them like they're meant.Yes Mr. Carnoy, we all love Foamies. Why? It's really easy to get a fit on the first try and provides the best Isolation. Another advantage is you can get custom molds for maximum isolation and comfort.
  
  Sound Quality:
  Headphones are meant to deliver superior sonic performance as opposed to speakers, and these headphones deliver. In comparison to other IEMS, the E4 is a nicely balanced headphone which may come off a little warm but that's the way I want it. Highs are not like Ety's ER-4's, but they're not as recessed like E3C's, they offer a nice, detailed non-fatiguing sound. Midrange is golden with these headphones, Classic Rock never sounded so good, you can hear every nook and cranny in your music, vocals are just amazing. Bass is always an issue with In Ears, but bass on the E4's is tight and punchy, it will definetly satisfy heavy metal lovers, It also extends a whole lot more, if you have the power to back it up, If you want to know what I mean, read On.
  
  Isolation:
  Here is where IEM's reign supreme above active noise cancelling. The E4's offer 4X the Isolation of that of Bose Quietcomfort 2's, up to 35dB depending on your tip. Better Isolation means less volume means you won't damage your ears trying to drown out the noise with other headphones.
  
  Tips of the Trade:
  The E4 is an awesome headphone with a lot of potential. One way to achieve that is to get a good headphone amp, especially if you own an iPod, Why? Because the iPod's weak internal amp and rolled of bass at 50Hz will sour your listening experience. I recommend getting a Cmoy or any moy of that matter, a Supermacro or a Headroom coda. If you don't wish to carry an amp, get yourself a Cowon iAudio X5, the intertal amp of the X5 is superior to that of the iPod meaning better listening experience with your E4's... And if you wish to carry an amp, get a line-out for the iPod like the pocketdock or the Sik Ram Din, don't ever use it with the headphone port.
  
  To conclude, the E4 offers superior sound in a small package that will protect your ears, shut off distractions and get you lost in your music. I am enjoying mine right now as I wrote this. I highly recommend this headphone if Noise cancelling doesn't appeal to you.
  
  P.S THEY ARE NOT EARBUDS, THEY ARE IN EAR MONITORS, CANALPHONES, or EARPHONES.
  
  Hope this helps

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  15 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  This review is for those who want to buy the Shure E4c for their Ipod.

  by epreci on August 12, 2005

  Pros: Sound Quality is Great!

  Cons: Travel case is to small

  Summary: This review is for those who want to buy the Shure E4c for their Ipod.
  
  I?m sure you have already heard this from everyone else review but these are
  
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  Summary: This review is for those who want to buy the Shure E4c for their Ipod.
  
  I?m sure you have already heard this from everyone else review but these are the best In the Ear Headphones I?ve ever owned. The reason I can say that is because I?ve owned or own: Grado 125, Shure E3c, and Sony Fontopia Ear-Bud headphones. Of course my Grados sound the best but have you ever tried using big container headphones at the GYM.
  
  If you already own a pair of the Shure E3c and you want to upgrade to the E4c you will be making a wise choice. I noticed when I would set my Ipod?s EQ settings to Base Booster or R&B the bass was good but everything else sounded muffled with my E3c. With the E4c the bass is good and the Mids and Highs are CLEAR as glass.
  
  Also?. If you encode your Ipod music less than 256 you might as well buy Radio Shacks $15 headphones because your not going to get the full potential of these headphones. By default Itunes is set to encode at 128, which is ok for most people but once you have tasted good sounding music you will never want to go back. Apple?s support web site will show you how to change the encoding.
  
  AND for those of you who think these are not worth $299.00?? YOU?RE RIGHT!
  Go to PlasmaBAY.com they have them for $189.00

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  9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Worth the upgrade from E3c. Much improved sound

  by rcho22 on July 13, 2005

  Pros: More bass, better built-quality, looks better, better overall sound. under $200 if you shop around.

  Cons: Premium price but I can't complain, you get what you pay for.

  Summary: I started with some cheap headphones that was bundled with my mp3 player. then I upgraded to some Sony earbuds -> E2c ->E3c and now E4c. The ...

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  Summary: I started with some cheap headphones that was bundled with my mp3 player. then I upgraded to some Sony earbuds -> E2c ->E3c and now E4c. The sound just gets better and better. Don't know what my next upgrade will be (maybe the $1000 custom fits) since these are really hard to beat.
  Great sound, It's the E3c with more bass and improved mid and highs. The detail on these are incredible. You will hear every detail in a song (provided it's not too compressed and recording). Isolation is great. perfect for frequent travelers (noise airplane). Highly recommended. I gave them a 9 because they do cost more than most other earphones/headphones.

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  9 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 7 stars

  Great for passive listening...not for runners

  by chris.lewis on October 14, 2005

  Pros: Great sound, isolates outside noise well

  Cons: Creates the same effect in your ears as when you're on an airplane

  Summary: That hollow (echo) you hear in your head when you're traveling on an airplane was my experience when going on a run with these headphones.
  
  To be honest, I
  
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  Summary: That hollow (echo) you hear in your head when you're traveling on an airplane was my experience when going on a run with these headphones.
  
  To be honest, I brought them home, put them on, and was impressed and excited at the sound quality. So for the stationary listener (commuter, possibly biker, casual MP3 player listener), they're fantastic.
  
  For the runner with the constant pounding on the pavement -- it echoed annoyingly in my head. I was able to ignore the echo using volume control to some extent but didn't want to damage my hearing any more than necessary.
  
  I think this is a "fair" review and I just wanted to provide the input to anyone who's thinking about this purchase for running...probably not the right choice.

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  7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  My own unbiased comparisons!

  by aredee on March 13, 2006

  Pros: Clarity, noise isolation, quality of build

  Cons: Weaker bass

  Summary: I thought I'd write this review for those of there that tried to find a review on these earbud earphones. I searched for weeks looking for several opinions between ...

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  Summary: I thought I'd write this review for those of there that tried to find a review on these earbud earphones. I searched for weeks looking for several opinions between UE5pro's and these Shure E4c's and never found exactly what I needed. I was looking at all the headphones within the same price range. I admit that maybe the 500$ shures or the UE5C's might sound better...anyways I ended up buying both of them
  
  Sound Quality:
  
  This is a really subjective thing. The shure e4c's are a bit weak on the bass side as others have reported, however "weak" is a subjective thing. I found that the bass on it was very pleasing without being overly powerful. The bass on the UE5pro's were much much stronger, but too strong at times depending on the genre of music you were listening to. The UE5P's have a flatter frequency response, whereas the shure's seem to have a boosted midrange.
  
  I enjoy clarity, seperation, and a little bit brighter sound to be more pleasing. I say brighter because the Shure's sound like they have a higher frequency response. Whether it be artificial or real, i prefer having a larger soundstage and that's what i feel the shure's provide. Both headphones sound GREAT and depending on the genre, I prefer one headset over the other. Hiphop, r&b, trance, techno all play well to the stronger bass of the UE5pro's. Jazz, vocals, instrumentals, lean more toward the seperation and soundstage of the shures. However, please don't interpret that as either headphone would suck on other genres. They both sound great on everything, i'm just speaking to preferences. All in all, I will admit that I listen to my shure's more often than the UE5P's regardless of genre.
  
  The sound quality GREATLY relies on a good fit when it comes to the shure e4c's. This is less important with the UE5P's. I've found that even with a slight seal they sound great.
  
  Sound Isolation & comfort:
  
  Shure's isolate more sounds than the UE5P's. I tried every earbud on both headphones. While the UE5P's are handsdown more comfortable, they isolate less sound but, they also stick out of your ears farther than the shures. The shure's are a bit more intrusive if you want the right fit. Ultimately I found the earbuds that fit on the shures comfortably and gave me the sound I was looking for.
  
  Build Quality:
  
  All in all, both are great sounding. The earclips of the UE5pro's are great and I wish the shure's had them. The detachable cable negates the weak build quality of the wires. However, I just feel like the UE5P's aren't as "sturdy" as the shures. The plastic just feels a tiny bit more solid on the E4c's. But, should your cables or earclips break on the UE5pro's, it only costs $20 to replace. If the wires break on the shures, you've got to buy a new pair. That said, the shure wires come with much more insulation and are much much sturdier. I am not worried about them snapping as I do the UE's.
  
  Price:
  
  Some people will bias their opinion based on price without even realizing it, and that's what i've found while i have been searching for reviews. I bought the E4c's for $160 while I got the UE5P's for $159. So please believe me when I say I have no bias's based on price. I don't work for either company either :P I'm a plain average joe that likes music.
  
  If I HAD to choose between the two headsets, I would choose E4C's. Rating wise, I would say E4C=10, UE5P=9.9.

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  6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Awfull out of the box, Sweet as can be with time

  by qsat on February 12, 2006

  Pros: Super sound, confort

  Cons: Need break-in period

  Summary: When i first receive those, 3 weeks ago, i was really disapoint. The mid and trebbles were too much present and the bass was absent.
  
  My previous earbud were Koss
  
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  Summary: When i first receive those, 3 weeks ago, i was really disapoint. The mid and trebbles were too much present and the bass was absent.
  
  My previous earbud were Koss foam plug-type that i had for 30$ at RadioShack and i always love the bass respond i got from them. But they were just that, boomy earbuds.
  
  So when i tried the E4c the first time, the lack of bass was an issue. I was ready to return them to apple store when i came across some reviewer telling to put the e4c trough a "break-in" period, wich i did by letting them play the last Nickelback cd on repeat for 48 hours non-stop.
  
  I did not check the evolution of sound during this period cause i wanted to feel the difference at the end of the break-in.
  
  WOW !!!! I can't beleive how better they sound now!!!
  
  Shure should do this at the factory, they would sell a lot more in store were people try them before purchase.
  
  They now sound terrifics, the best mid and trebles i ever heard and perfect bass, not boomy bass like the cheap koss, it's a punchy bass just like a live drum do.
  
  I use them on an Ipod Nano, with Eq on Bass Boost or Dance for the best results. I also use them on my Xps m170 Laptop with iTune, eq to default and Blaze Audio WebEQ in background set to Techno with BassBoost (everyone should try this EQ program wich do not distort sound, from mp3, movies or games, way better then built-in EQs)

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  6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Excellent, almost as good as full sized overear HP's

  by D-Baer on August 2, 2005

  Pros: Great sound, what else matters?

  Cons: You have to take time to adjust the fit for best sound

  Summary: The other reviews have said it all so I will only add. It is important that you wear them as instructed. For example using the over ear position for the ...

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  Summary: The other reviews have said it all so I will only add. It is important that you wear them as instructed. For example using the over ear position for the wire alievates the weight issue and make adjustment in the ear easier, I do agree that a wire clip would help. You will soon find the best angle and position for best sound and there is a big difference in sound quality between a poor fit and a good one.
  I actually would rate these higher than a 9 but as most things are not perfect I am stuck with the 9 rating.
  They are the best in ear phones I have ever used.

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  5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.

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