Digital Trends

Shure E2C Canal Phones July 20th, 2003 | by Brandon King

Testing and use

In order to get a quality review, we thought it was important to listen to different types of audio under different conditions. We used the Shure headphones for listening to music and for PC gaming. We conducted several of our tests in public with background crowd noise and others in more quieter areas.

We tested the Shure E2Cs with the following recordings: Bjork's “Vespertine” (DVD-Audio and MP3), Mahler Symphony 10 (Berliner Philharmoniker — conducted by Sir Simon Rattle — DVD-Audio), The Cure's “Disintegration” (Audio CD + MP3), Gary Numan's “Exile” (CD and MP3), and Delerium's “Karma” (CD and MP3) from a SoundBlaster Audigy 2 Platinum (for DVD-Audio, CD, and MP3), iRiver SlimX 350 (CD and MP3), and Rio PSA|Play 120 (MP3).  All MP3s encoded with VBR 160kbps-300 kbps/44kHz.

In all of our tests, the Shure E2c headphones produced clear, smooth sound. The treble was quite clear and never became screechy in our tests. The midrange was balanced and well represented, and the bass was deep and not boomy at all.

Overall they strike a very nice balance across the sound spectrum. The sound space is almost too expansive, and adequately far away. We experienced no sound leakage, and once you get them in, the headphones are flush with the outside of your ear. This is nice for use in bed, since they won't disturb anyone else, and you can turn on your side without discomfort. Once the listener gets used to the sensation of something in their ear, the E2c's are actually quite comfortable. Expect sore ears, though, the first few days.

Micro phonics were nearly non-existent under most circumstances. Jogging resulted in a slight thudding and scratching, but walking was comfortable. Driving the E2C appears to be a little costly, with max volume on both portable devices being just a bit too high.

The relaxed sound worked counter to Bjork. Her vocals often quickly go from high to low tones. Those sudden jolts of sound were often smoothed over, but the bass response was never lost or too airy feeling.  Mahler sounded amazing. The balance across the spectrum shone through excellently. The Cure sounded slightly distant, but very similar to concert quality in instrument balance. Gary Numan sounded similar, but with some of the more ambient noises more pronounced. Delirium came through clearly, distant, and expansive, just as it should.

For gaming we used Quake 3, Tribes 2, and Jedi Knight 2. Sound localization was adequate, but made slightly difficult due to the airy smoothness the E2c's create. The bass was good, but failed to really rattle our cages. Strangely, reproduction of sounds coming from behind was very clear; enough that sneak attacks resulted in the uncontrollable mouse twitch that leaves you staring at the ground.

Conclusion

At  under $100 dollars, the Shure E2c's provide excellent sound reproduction. They're characterized by a slightly airy, open and expansive soundstage that blends the sounds from all directions accurately. The response of treble, midrange and bass is very balanced, and brings out the nuances of the music. The E2c's isolation is absolutely superb for when you want to get lost in the music.