Quote:
Originally Posted by
jleewach 
I wouldnt say the reviews are wrong, but the scl4/e4c's have been around a LONG time, much longer than the majority of the well-sounding competition, and so, most of the reviews were written when there wasnt much decent competition out there. Still, they have a very clear sound, good warranty, build quality, and will definitely sound better than your SE210's.
At $64, I say go for it. You likely wont find a better price.
Thanks a lot for the info. I guess a point I keep coming back to in my mind is, if the phones were highly regarded when they first came out, that really doesn't go away over time, does it? Rather, it's just that other phones that are good have entered the market as well (and at lower cost)--great for us as consumers! What got me interested in these was my memory of the good reviews and the current price point (I really wouldn't be here without that, if we still were talking the MRSP, at this point in time), as well as my positive experience with Shure quality and customer service.
Looking into some of the nicely-regarded alternatives I've been reading about here, I've kind of been struck by the funkier build designs, which make the Shures seem like classics in comparison. Unfortunately, there's no source nearby to compare the phones' sound quality, which largely is, of course, the determining factor, in the end.