(56K Warning) EARLY FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The SHURE E4c Is The Best SHURE Yet
Apr 23, 2005 at 5:11 AM Post #31 of 83
Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.karmalicious
....those look excellent. Is that real metal? How's the treble?...


Yes, they are nice looking. As for the metal, I'm not sure if it's real or not. I'm guessing that it is actually metal, based on how it feels when I scratch at it with my fingernail. Maybe Sugarfried can answer this for us. Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch
....How does the e4c compare to the UM2?...

....Since I just pulled the trigger on some UM2's (they're not here yet), I'm wondering if I might have been better served by waiting for the e4c instead....



I haven't heard the UM2, so I'm sorry that I'm unable to offer you an opinion on the question of how they compare. Since the UM2 is already on its way to you, please let us know what you think of it when you get it. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
I compared the E5s to the E4s and found the E5s to be superior....


I've been comparing these two throughout the day (and will continue to over the next couple of weeks for my own sake), and so far the E4c comes out on top in almost every respect, to my ears. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
....The E4s do have much more air and space to them....


On this we definitely agree. For earphones, the E4c is very good in this regard. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
....and the bass is very impactful....


That it is. However, if one were to say the E5c delves a bit deeper, I'd have to say I agree. I do, however, enjoy the more controlled, more textured bass of the E4c more than I do the heavier E5c bass with most of the music I've been listening to. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
....but there were details I heard in the E5s that I did not hear on the E4s....


This has been the opposite for me throughout the day. I've found the E4c casts more light on delicate details that the E5c leaves more shadow on, especially in the upper octaves, and in terms of ambient retrieval. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
....I also felt the E4 was lacking in timbre and texture when compared to the E5s....


Again, my observations are definitely the opposite of yours in this specific regard, too. I find that across most of the audioband, the E4c is more timbrally expressive, giving up a bit of ground to the E5c in this aspect only in the lower registers. Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
....Jude has had considerably more experience than me though, so it is very likely that my perceptions were the result of an untrained ear.


Nah. This is simply the type of discussion that two Head-Fi'ers can have about any two or more good headphones. For example, Zanth (a veteran moderator here) really digs the Grado RS-1, and I get the impression he's certainly not as big a fan of, say, the Sennheiser HD650. I absolutely love the Sennheiser HD650, and, though I like the Grado RS-1 alot, it just can't compare, to my ears, to my reference HD650. I'm sure Zanth and I could have discussions about our favorite headphones that, in many ways, would echo the opinions of these two earphones that you and I have. Even if I was more experienced (I don't know that I necessarily am), my experience doesn't change what you're hearing.

Long story short on my early impressions of the E4c: In addition to other earphones, I have the E5c and the E4c, and I'd be surprised if I end up reaching for the E5c much anymore -- or my Etymotics, for that matter. I'm going to be getting ear impressions made soon for use with a two-driver earphone from a manufacturer I hadn't previously heard of that recently contacted me to help evaluate this upcoming earphone of theirs. At least until then (and it could be a while still), the E4c is taking up residence in my portable office bag as my primary earphone.

NOTE: Most of my comparisons so far between the E5c and the E4c were done using a prototype of an upcoming tube amplifier by Eddie Current called the DM-1 (Dual Mono 1). The reason I used this amp is because (a) it sounds awesome with everything I've plugged into it so far, and (b) it's one of the few amps I've paired with the E5c that didn't make the E5c hiss at all.

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Apr 23, 2005 at 8:28 AM Post #32 of 83
this is some of the best news i've heard in a long time. thanks jude!
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 10:08 AM Post #33 of 83
I just posted this in the E4 Group by thread

According to Kevin Kirkpatrick the national sales director at Shure the E4C will released May 16th. The E4 will released shortly after that.

Hopefully I will find out next week exactly when or at least have an estimate to when approximately the release date for the E4’s will be.

Keith
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 11:31 AM Post #34 of 83
Hey Jude,

With what eartips included with the new E4's have you been listening and how's the fit?

Any speculation on whether the sound difference 'tween the E4 and E5 that you've noted would remain while comparing them using a solid state amp instead of tubes?
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 11:47 AM Post #35 of 83
I guess I'll have to keep my eyes out for any soon to be started flame wars of ER4's versus E4c's. Oooooo, this'll be the next HeadFi war, I just know it!

etysmile.gif
,
Abe
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 2:38 PM Post #36 of 83
Jude, How does the soundstage compare to the etymotic ER4 and the Shure E3, E5? If you have tried the Stax SR001 how does it compare?
Thanks.
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 5:13 PM Post #38 of 83
Quote:

Originally Posted by MdRex
Qns: Any news of a non "C" version? I don't like white because people will associate them with iPod.


Quote:

Originally Posted by K.Ashwood
I just posted this in the E4 Group by thread

According to Kevin Kirkpatrick the national sales director at Shure the E4C will released May 16th. The E4 will released shortly after that.

Hopefully I will find out next week exactly when or at least have an estimate to when approximately the release date for the E4’s will be.

Keith



rolleyes.gif
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 8:40 PM Post #41 of 83
I don't think there'd be much of a problem with the metal touching your ears. It's such a small amount of metal, anyway, that it has a tiny heat capacity - you could warm it up with your fingers in a second if you really had to.
 
Apr 23, 2005 at 9:10 PM Post #42 of 83
Jude, is it possible for you to give us an evaluation of the E5 and the E4 unamped? I'm still trying to decide what to purchase for primarily portable use and an amp is out of the question.

Is one louder than the other? Sorry if I missed it in your original post.
 
Apr 24, 2005 at 1:19 AM Post #43 of 83
Just to add one further question to the barrage already posted...what are your impressions of the E4c's performance with regards to sibilance? I think sibilance is the single biggest pitfall for canalphones -- it seems to be an issue to a greater or lesser extent on every universal fit IEM I've tried (and that's most of them). It's not such an issue with classical recordings, but it's a huge pain for rock vocals & cymbals.
 
Apr 24, 2005 at 2:10 AM Post #44 of 83
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lippy
....With what eartips included with the new E4's have you been listening and how's the fit?...


I've been using the foam eartips with both. I tried all the other tips (it comes with a sampling of every kind of available eartip), but the foam works best for me -- I know this varies from ear to ear. I also use foam eartips with my Etymotic earphones. Quote:

Originally Posted by Lippy
....Any speculation on whether the sound difference 'tween the E4 and E5 that you've noted would remain while comparing them using a solid state amp instead of tubes?


That's a good question, and I'll answer that after a little while -- until tomorrow morning, all I have immediately handy are a couple of tube amps, and some portable amps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Iriver
Jude, How does the soundstage compare to the etymotic ER4 and the Shure E3, E5? If you have tried the Stax SR001 how does it compare?


Due to better ambient retrieval to my ears, the E4c betters both the E3 and E5 in this regard. As for the Stax, I've not used that model, so I'm sorry I can't be of any help to you in answering that part of your question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kin0kin
does the metal part touches your ears when you put it on? i'm kinda concerned of it as it maybe freaking cold during winter/spring


If the metal touches my ears, I haven't felt it. And it was a cold day here in Metro Detroit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intrigue
wha'ts the link or contact info for this amp?
estimated price, etc.?
thx.



You can see photos of this prototype here, here, here, and here (next to the HD25). In those photos, the DM-1 is housed in a modified Eddie Current HD25 chassis. When it comes out, it will be in a completely different chassis. The DM-1 is essentially a dual-mono design, with each channel made up of one 6AL5 vacuum tube rectifier, RC filter and 6H30P dual triode. It's transformer-coupled, and will drive just about any kind of headphone, from low to high impedance. I believe I was told it is going to sell for just under a thousand bucks, but they would have to confirm that. I do not know when it will be available for sale. This amp (along with the other Eddie Current / Moth Audio amps) was designed by Craig Uthus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel L
Jude, is it possible for you to give us an evaluation of the E5 and the E4 unamped? I'm still trying to decide what to purchase for primarily portable use and an amp is out of the question.

Is one louder than the other? Sorry if I missed it in your original post.



By "louder," I'm assuming you mean which is louder at a given volume knob setting? If so, then the E5c is more sensitive (louder) that way.

As for the E5c versus the E4c unamped: I haven't used both unamped yet, so I'll have to answer that down the road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffreybar
Just to add one further question to the barrage already posted...what are your impressions of the E4c's performance with regards to sibilance? I think sibilance is the single biggest pitfall for canalphones -- it seems to be an issue to a greater or lesser extent on every universal fit IEM I've tried (and that's most of them). It's not such an issue with classical recordings, but it's a huge pain for rock vocals & cymbals.


Most of my time with the E4c has so far been with jazz piano trios and film scores, and sibilance has so far not been an issue. I will try it with more rock music (and many other kinds of music, just as a product of my listening style) in the next week or so, and will report any problems in this or any other regard.

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Apr 24, 2005 at 2:58 AM Post #45 of 83
Quote:

Originally Posted by bLue_oNioN
Jude has had considerably more experience than me though, so it is very likely that my perceptions were the result of an untrained ear.


dont ever put your opinions down - remember, the vast majority of members here are as 'untrained' as you, so if anything, your opinions have more relevance to them.
smily_headphones1.gif


and thanks jude for the informative mini-comparo/review. it would be interesting if someone were to do a direct head to head between the '4's.
wink.gif


and fwiw i doubt the parts are actually made out of solid metal. imagine the cost needed to fashion such small metal pieces! imo it's probably electroplated plastic - which would explain the metallic 'feel' but lack of weight.
 

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