Digital Trends

Shure E3C Earphones

March 6th, 2004 | by Brandon King

Introduction

Shure's middle of the line E3c provides excellent fidelity, but falls short on bass output.  While the sound is more crisp than the previously reviewed E2c, it lacks the deep bass and doesn't seem to seal as well. Regardless, the E3c provides excellent detail, a decent soundstage size, and quick response. These factors make the Shure E3c an excellent set of headphones for use with any portable player.

Design and Features

The Shure E3c continues in the tradition of high quality canal phones. With an MSRP of $179, the E3c is priced to be the middle of the road option, resting square between the $99 E2c and $499 E5c. We previously reviewed the Shure E2c, Shure's entry level headphone, and will discuss the similarities and differences in each category.

Featuring what Shure calls high-energy micro-speakers, the E3c Earphones are designed to deliver “tonal balance across the entire frequency range.”

As discussed in the E2c review, canalphones are somewhat similar to earbuds.  Instead of resting in the outer ear, a sleeved soft rubber section of the headphone is fitted into the ear canal. The result is nearly complete isolation from the outside environment. It is important to get a good seal with any canalphone — there should be no movement of air around the sleeve, since the sound is produced by the compression and expansion of the sealed space between the driver and the eardrum.

According to Shure, the E3c's speakers are “constructed with studio-grade components, with balanced armature technology, producing efficient output and exceptional audio clarity. The E3c's speakers have an extended frequency range for even greater clarity in your listening experience.”

The Shure E3c Canalphones are an excellent compliment to the iPod.

They seem to be designed to compliment the iPod, sporting a bright white plastic casing. The earbuds themselves are extremely small and lightweight, approximately half the size and slightly lighter than the E2c. The cord is 5 feet long, the same as the E2c, but gray instead of black. Both feature removable sleeves that varying in comfort and durability.  Both come with a carrying case and 3 sizes of flex sleeves and 1 pair pf foam sleeves.  The E3c also comes with soft flex sleeves which we found more comfortable, but provided the weakest seal — resulting is poor bass. Overall, the unstylish yellow foam sleeves provide the best seal, which means better sound.