[Judge Crandall]

After not buying new headphones for the past few years, I finally feel the need to get something new and shiny. My other good headphones include the Etymotic ER4 and the Alessandro MS2, both of which I love. Unfortunately, my Ety's are getting really beat up, and are really not all that comfortable for the gym, or pretty much anytime I'm moving. I've tried using cheaper buds at the gym and walking around, but there's so much ambient noise that I can't hear a thing without having to crank up the volume to dangerous levels. In terms of what I'll be listening to, it'll be everything from classical to rap. I'm not too interested in a lot of bass, as long as it sounds clean and undistorted.

So basically, I want an IEM for everyday and gym use and after a some research, I decided on the Shure E4G. From what I've read, they sound great, as well as being durable and comfortable. I'm pretty set on the E4's, but feel free to convince me otherwise.

Another positive for getting Shure's is that they seem to have great customer service in terms of replacing defective/damaged items.

So, where would be the best/cheapest place to get them? I was just going to get them on eBay for cheaper than any of the authorized Shure retailers, but after reading about the fakes out there, I got a little paranoid. Also, Earphone Solutions (an authorized Shure retailer) says that Shure recently changed their policy regarding warranties, so now, Shure will not honor warranties without an invoice from an authorized retailer, which would exclude ebay. Is this something I need to/should worry about?

Edit: My Ety's fell apart this morning, leaving me with a huge void to fill. I'm still in shock... Before, I was considering the E4/E500 to pair with the ER4P. Now, I'm not so sure what to do. Do I buy just the E4? Or get the E500? Or get the E4 and ER4P, which will be cheaper than the E500 (unless ebay has the E500 for $280)? I don't think I can get the E500 AND something else, that's just too much money.

 

[Judge Crandall]

Now I've been reading about the E500, which seems to be very well received and considered a big step up from the E4. Plus, I found it on ebay for $279 shipped, vs $169 for the E4G... what to do, what to do...

 

[MusicallySilent]

Make sure the ebay one isn't a scam.... Always be wary on the auction site that must not be named

 

[GreatDane]

I had the Shure E4 and sold them to finance a pair of etymotic ER6. I didn't like the warmer Shure sound, mainly the seemingly rolled-off treble compared to my ER4. I even feel that the ER6 beats the E4 and my ER4P/S is easily a better IEM.

If you're happy with the ER4(P,S??) and MS2 sound then you might find the Shure sound lacking treble detail although I've never heard the E500 which seem to be a nice upgrade from the E4. I can say that the build quality/fit/ comfort with the E4 was very good.

 

[Judge Crandall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MusicallySilent /img/forum/go_quote.gif Make sure the ebay one isn't a scam.... Always be wary on the auction site that must not be named

Yeah, reading all the threads about fake Shures has definitely made me very wary. Has anyone ever bought from this seller?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had the Shure E4 and sold them to finance a pair of etymotic ER6. I didn't like the warmer Shure sound, mainly the seemingly rolled-off treble compared to my ER4. I even feel that the ER6 beats the E4 and my ER4P/S is easily a better IEM. If you're happy with the ER4(P,S??) and MS2 sound then you might find the Shure sound lacking treble detail although I've never heard the E500 which seem to be a nice upgrade from the E4. I can say that the build quality/fit/ comfort with the E4 was very good.

Hmm, that's interesting... and has made me even more confused about what to get. Unfortunately, I've never listened to any Shures, so not really sure if I like their signature sound or not. I love my ER4P's, but they're really not very good for walking around or the gym, as they're not terribly comfortable. Aside from audio issues, it's nice to hear that the E4G seems to be what I'm looking for. How are the ER6 for walking/running in terms of isolation, comfort, microphonics? Do you find that you enjoy them less because you have the ER4 for comparison?

 

[GreatDane]

I use the ER6 for weight lifting at a gym. I use the same method as I did with the E4 for routing the cable which is up and over the ears to behind the head then joined at the upper neck. I get excellent isolation with the ER6 and microphonics are very minimal, identical to E4. I use the stock black foam tips. With my E4 I used the stock yellow foam tips.

I use the ER6 for sleeping as I did with the E4. Using my 5.5 G iPod using a line out to a good portable amp, the ER6 sounds very good and I could live with it as my only IEM...however, when I do a comparison to my ER4P (using P to S cable) I can discern the improved detail from the ER4(stock black foam tips)

 

[Aevum]

im not sure, i wouldnt buy a 170 dollar item from someone with less then 500 positive feedback

 

[Judge Crandall]

I also put the ER4 cords over my ears. It works, but still isn't all that comfortable for me. At this point, I'm really torn between the E4 and the E500. It's "only" about a $100 price difference on ebay. My main concern at this point is the durability issues which seem to be fairly common with the E500 (although Shure seems to be very good about replacing damaged/defective IEMs), especially since I will be using these at the gym. I suppose it wouldn't make sense to buy both... right?

 

[nc8000]

I have never heard the E500 but have one of the very first pairs of E4C that I have now used intensely for > 2 years and have had no durability problem with them. I like their sound very much. I have also bought a pair of Atrio M5. I find them a "funner" phone but don't like the fit very much and he memory wire really annoys me.

 

[Judge Crandall]

Well, looks like my indecision took away one of my options. Can't find the E500's on the bay for under $300 anymore...

 

[Sieg9198]

To me, shure e4 is very neutral, with the hornet, it sounds very warm, in fact a little too warm for me.(the roll off seems much more obvious with the hornet)

 

[lostbobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aevum /img/forum/go_quote.gif im not sure, i wouldnt buy a 170 dollar item from someone with less then 500 positive feedback

that's good advice. The obvious signs of somebody's ebay account aving been compromised are if the auction says "Don't email me through ebay, use this email address instead", "Don't bid, email me", "Pay me directly, not through Paypal"

There's a guy who's posted dozens of PS-1 auctions using compromised accounts, i think ebay finally figured it out.

 

[lostbobby]

BTW, i think you save very little on ebay vs. buying from a head-fi sponsor like Todd, who gives you the ironclad return policy. The E4's might sound really muted or veiled vs the Ety's to you.

 

[Judge Crandall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostbobby /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, i think you save very little on ebay vs. buying from a head-fi sponsor like Todd, who gives you the ironclad return policy. The E4's might sound really muted or veiled vs the Ety's to you.

Yeah, I've found the price differences for the E4 from ebay vs online retailers to be fairly small (~$20-30), so I'll probably end up going that route if I get the E4. The difference was much larger (>$100) for the e500.

 

[Aevum]

just be carefull,
theres allready a guy on the forum with fake E4´s, they cracked open and he found a dynamic driver, the E4´s are balanced armature.