[Peddler]

I have both the E2's and the Ety 4P and I have to say that without a shadow of a doubt the Ety's are superior headphones and, in my opinion, worth the difference.

However...... The reason why I purchased the Shure phones AFTER the Ety's was that they offer two things the Ety's don't.

1 - Cheaper - therefore I won't have a total shutdown if I trap them in a car door or something like that. These are my portable headhpones of choice with my IPOD.

2 - Less occlusion effect. I have tried using the Ety's twice as portable phones and both times I found that walking with them on drove me crazy - the Shure's don't appear to suffer with this problem - same goes with the Ety 6 as well.

They are excellent headphones for the money. I wouldn't necessarily rate them as higher in the food chain than the Koss KSC-35's - they really do sound good but don't isolate so have a different purpose in my opinion. The Shure's do suffer from a restricted top-end but in a kinda nice way which makes music less fatiguing overall. This does lessen with a break in I have found and they do make a good match for the already slightly bright sounding IPOD anyway.

The thing I have really noticed about these phones is that they sound better - much better when they are driven hard - everything suddently comes alive and, if your player is lacking in power, an amp would definitely be recommended with these phones.

I keep switching between the foam and rubber tips - they both sound good but the foams do get unbelievably grubby - absolutely the wrong colour - shame on you Shure for deliberately using a colour which shows up grubby lugs - make them black immediately or I'll tell my mum about you!

 

[xantus]

sadly the only pair of v6 around me is broken (they're so fragile looking ) so i cant compare the sound....from memory though the e2's will be noticably louder due to the lower resistance.

im another voucher for the e2 sounding and feeling best with the foamies. it was a little uncomfortable for the first few days, but once my ears got used to being filled, I can barely tell they're there...and the feeling of walking around and not having something covering your whole ear, or clamping over your head gives a much freer feeling that I love. (and being in seattle, i wear them in the rain, which is something i'd never do with any over the head phone, draping my hair over my ears is usually enough to keep them from getting drenched and the housing seems pretty water resistant if you have them in your ears.)

they make an unbelievably warm pair with my MT180, which has a warm sound already.

imo very very worth the ~70$ i payed(and what you can easily find them for)

 

[sanity8me]

along with the v6's (which i really need a comparison for

), i also have the mx300's that came with my ihp-100... which all in all do sound pretty damn good. any ideas how much better the e2's will be regarding sound quality and comfort?

 

[milo]

I think the Ety's and the Shure's do a fine job of keeping out unwanted noise. My fiance gets all pissy when I'm wearing them because she'll be in the other room hollering for me...(and of course I don't hear her)...she'll come running in the bedroom yelling "I hate those God Damn headphones!!"...then she'll start in with..."I hate those things...You can't hear me when I'm yellin at you!"...and I respond..."Yeah hun...that's why i bought em"...

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally posted by milo I think the Ety's and the Shure's do a fine job of keeping out unwanted noise. My fiance gets all pissy when I'm wearing them because she'll be in the other room hollering for me...(and of course I don't hear her)...she'll come running in the bedroom yelling "I hate those God Damn headphones!!"...then she'll start in with..."I hate those things...You can't hear me when I'm yellin at you!"...and I respond..."Yeah hun...that's why i bought em"...

It takes the best headphones to ruin a good relationship....

 

[Dan the audioman]

Ok ive straightened myself out again and im gonna buy the etymotic er-4p instead of the shure e2c. This is because im sure that the etys are much better in sound quality, and if i they dont work too well as far as comfort, i can get the shures!

 

[KellDammit]

c'mon...mortgage the house. get some e5's. it's worth it.

<team armless, legless, firstborn-less>

 

[Sugarfried]

Quote:

Originally posted by Peddler shame on you Shure for deliberately using a colour which shows up grubby lugs - make them black immediately or I'll tell my mum about you!

hilarious! I'm sure you understand that we chose the orange material specifically because it communicates when the foams are too grubby and need to be changed. The foam for E1/E5 is yellow, and since the nozzle on E2 is larger we wanted a different shade that still alerts the user to grubby-ness.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally posted by Peddler They are excellent headphones for the money. I wouldn't necessarily rate them as higher in the food chain than the Koss KSC-35's - they really do sound good but don't isolate so have a different purpose in my opinion. The Shure's do suffer from a restricted top-end but in a kinda nice way which makes music less fatiguing overall. This does lessen with a break in I have found and they do make a good match for the already slightly bright sounding IPOD anyway.

I'd have to say that I agree with Peddler's post for the most part. However, I did notice that using a better quality mini-mini interconnect helped open up the high end a little bit (I think, is that just my imagination?

) The slightly recessed highs do make the sound very non-fatiguing and pleasant, especially during the early morning commute! The somewhat laidback sound is offset by the upfront presentation. Since these are in your ears the music is "right there", not distant at all.

Quote:

The thing I have really noticed about these phones is that they sound better - much better when they are driven hard - everything suddently comes alive and, if your player is lacking in power, an amp would definitely be recommended with these phones.

This is very true but I would add a word of warning. With good strong clean power these phones are very clear and really rock! However, I find that it just gets too loud and I'm a little afraid of damaging my hearing (further

). While I do get the urge to crank it up sometimes, because it does open up and sound really good at higher volumes, I've decided to trade hearing damage for a more laidback sound. Mostly

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sugarfried hilarious! I'm sure you understand that we chose the orange material specifically because it communicates when the foams are too grubby and need to be changed. The foam for E1/E5 is yellow, and since the nozzle on E2 is larger we wanted a different shade that still alerts the user to grubby-ness.

Doesn't the "grubbiness" help create a better seal?... Sticky earwax and all?

 

[j-curve]

Quote:

wolfen68: I don't know how the others are....but the E2's block out sound very well. As a test the other day, I used a chainsaw while listening to tunes.....no problem...seriously. It was just a buzz in the background.

LOL! I hope the bodycount wasn't too high. Pachelbel's Canon wasn't one of the "tunes" by any chance? I usually reach for a chainsaw when that comes on.

And akio, that guy in your avatar has serious issues. I mean, if he would just stop once in a while I think he could be helped...

 

[iamdone]

As for a the cable noise of the ER-4P, with the new braided cable it is just like the ER-6. The cable itself is still microphonic, it's just that it's so flexible that it no longer bounces around when walking and makes very little noice. You can still hear your footstep just like the ER-6. I have not heard the shures but they must suffer from the footstep and breathings problems that the etys suffer from if they work just like an plug too.

 

[akio]

he used to be 10 frames long, but he had to get cut down to 2 frames to be under 7 K

its a scene in "Office Space" and is actually a really cool animated gif

 

[akio]

Just got my E2s today too! I thought they sounded very crappy with the plastics, but maybe i was just using the wrong size. The medium foamies fit perfect so i havent taken them out yet. Isolation is INSANE. i can kinda hear outside noise with them in but without music, but i turned the volume on my TV up LOUD and i didnt hear anything at all with music on. i cant hear anything but my jaw cracking or my breathing. they are less comfortable than my grados and a huge step down from the CD3000, so im guessing that the 4P really are much, much better than these. they will be perfect for workouts and gym though.

 

[flipzter]

My little brother wears Sony MDR-W08 phones exclusively. I've given him a pair of KSC-35s, but he likes in the ear type cans. These are buds not canal phones.
He was at my house earlier and saw the E2s and wanted to give them a try. I pulled out all the stops. Hooked phones to my cmoy and Archos and played Christmas in Sarajevo by the Transberian Orchestra. He was blown away! I had to threaten him to get my gear back. I think I'll buy him a pair for Christmas, if he doesn't buy a set first.