[asterix404]

Okie, so heres the deal. About a year ago I purchased a creative zen 40 gig mp3 player, what can I say... it was a 100$ cheeper then the ipod and I could replace the battery. The only issue I really had was those ear phones if I dare call them that, that came with the mp3 player. I never understood why a 300$ player came with 5$ head phones... anyway... I had a wonderful set of koss stero headphones that were old but still very useable. Those headphones are now dead. The price on those were about 80$ so what most stores considder mid rage "consumer" quality, there was no noise reducer so it really was an 80$ pair of stero head phones... not the best, but I got use to them.

This is where I am now, a wonderful mp3 player with no head phones, so I went shopping, then I went asking when I had no idea. A friend told me about these inner ear "earphone" things and I looked into those. Of course googling inner hear headphones yields everything under 20$... I am looking at more a 200$ varity. I understand that with cost should come pleasure. This friend recomended Shures, specifically the E5C, which is out of my price range. I read a lot about the e3c, but other then that I could use some recomendations.

My music is extreamly varied, Clasical, blues, rock, clasic rock, and a lot... and I do mean a lot of techno/trance. I found that if I can listen to bethoven's 5th that should be quite good for just about everything else, if not thats what my eax equalizer is for.

I am also a college student, always on the move, trains, busses, libraries (which one of these doesn't belong)... not looking to play rugby in these things yet I do need them to be durable so I don't go out... spend 200$ and have the wire break. Thats what happend with my koss headphones that I love so much. So what are your recomendataions other then spending 2000$ and returning about 10 sets?

 

[azncookiecutter]

$200? E4s would be a better choice. They are better than the E3s in a lot of ways. From what I recall from my short time with my friend's E3s, E4s have a much better high end and bass seemed to grunt lower.

 

[feh1325]

the e3 aren't very good

 

[aluren]

yeah i would go with the e4c's. it's highly praised on this forum. now would be a good time to buy since everyone's probably selling their e4c's for the new shure e500. a new pair would be about $180-220 and used should be around $140...

i have the e3c's and i've used it over a year now. i find the mids to be overly emphasized, leaving everything else behind. i don't really mind that since i listen to mostly popular culture stuff...

if you're always on the go, these earphones would be perfect for you. it will block out about 90% of exterior sound. makes studying at a starbucks more effortlessly without constantly hearing the damn blenders!

 

[asterix404]

Okay, do these have an issue with the rubbing against my skin and sending interferance?

 

[ComfyCan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluren yeah i would go with the e4c's. it's highly praised on this forum. now would be a good time to buy since everyone's probably selling their e4c's for the new shure e500. a new pair would be about $180-220 and used should be around $140... i have the e3c's and i've used it over a year now. i find the mids to be overly emphasized, leaving everything else behind. i don't really mind that since i listen to mostly popular culture stuff... if you're always on the go, these earphones would be perfect for you. it will block out about 90% of exterior sound. makes studying at a starbucks more effortlessly without constantly hearing the damn blenders!

You can get new E4c's for less than you think; call or e-mail any of the headfi sponsors who carry them. You can also find them on e-bay, but it may not be an authorized Shure distributor.

 

[wanderman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feh1325 the e3 aren't very good

The e3's can do everything the e4's can do with a tiny bit of eq. The e4's are e3s with a tiny bit more bass and an upper range. The e4's are worth the money though because of the accessories and the replaceable sound tube thingy, and they do sound slightly better imo.

I loved the e3's and had them for little more than a year but my left channel went out so I sent them back to shure and picked up some e4c's in the mean time. I liked the e4c's alot but I ended up giving them to my brother (oh how I regret my kindness lol), but I don't mind I have always loved how my shure headphones have been so eq responsive, so the e3's are fine if you don't want to spend the extra money but e4's are that much better because they are built to last no stickers ftw lol.

 

[chrisfromalbany]

e3 are not even close. e4s are the right choice. I like the Shure lines but don't care for e2s or e3s. Think there are better values on the market now. Do some searches and get a good feel for things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by asterix404 Okay, do these have an issue with the rubbing against my skin and sending interferance?

not for me it didn't.. er4p were the ones that did that alot. So no not e4s.

 

[wanderman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisfromalbany e3 are not even close. e4s are the right choice. I like the Shure lines but don't care for e2s or e3s. Think there are better values on the market now. Do some searches and get a good feel for things.

how are they so different? why are the not even close what do you hear that makes the e4's so superior?

 

[lostbobby]

Ety Er-4p got dropped to $180 on Amazon, but we're all waiting for E-500 and Ultimate Ears XXX, which are a small quantum leap in Universal IEM (if such a thing is possible)

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderman how are they so different? why are the not even close what do you hear that makes the e4's so superior?

I had both and the best way I could describe it is that the E4's are a good 25-30% better in highs AND bass. Those are figures I just couldn't achieve EQ'ing the E3's. E3 still has great midrange and separation, though. I think for the extra $60-$70 the E4 is worth it and I think pretty much everyone that has made the jump agrees.

 

[milkpowder]

I am really unimpressed with my E4c. I side-graded from ER4S and to be absolutely frank with you, the E4c, while being slightly heavier in the bass and richer in the mids, lacked the refinement and detail that the ER4S had. I have listened to the E3c, but I can't really remember how they sounded so I'll refrain from making comparisons. I use my K701 as a reference now because they are my most neutral sounding cans atm. The K701 outclasses the E4c more than it does with the ER4S. The ER4S sounds more realistic and true to the original music while the E4c has more emphasis on a rich midrange, punchier bass and slightly rolled-off highs. I'm missing the sparkling clear highs that were so prominent in the ER4S.

The ergonomics of the E4c are much better though. The problem of microphonics is greatly diminished compared to the ER4S and the cable is also more flexible and easier to manage. The earpieces themselves are made of higher quality plastic/metal and I am generally more happy with the E4c looks.

I find choosing between the E4c and the ER4S extremely difficult because each have their own good points and bad points. If only you could combine the usability and rich midrange/bass of the E4c with the superior detail, refinement, accuracy and sparkling highs of the ER4S, then I'd be satisfied! I better start saving up for a pair of E500 or Triple-Xs!

 

[warpdriver]

I agree that the E2 and E3 isn't any good. The extra for the E4 or ER4 is worth the difference.

 

[Medikit]

I have an e3 and an e4 and I can't tell the difference when I listen from a portable.

The e3's are lighter and cheaper than the e4s, but you won't feel satisfied with the e3s and you'll probably wish that you bought e4s. Once you get your e4s you will delude yourself into thinking they sound a lot better but after a while you still won't be satisfied and so you'll want to try an e5. Once you get the e5 you'll miss how comfortable your e3s and e4s were but you'll have trouble going back so you'll sell your e5s and wait for the e500s to come out.

 

[lostbobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medikit I have an e3 and an e4 and I can't tell the difference when I listen from a portable. The e3's are lighter and cheaper than the e4s, but you won't feel satisfied with the e3s and you'll probably wish that you bought e4s. Once you get your e4s you will delude yourself into thinking they sound a lot better but after a while you still won't be satisfied and so you'll want to try an e5. Once you get the e5 you'll miss how comfortable your e3s and e4s were but you'll have trouble going back so you'll sell your e5s and wait for the e500s to come out.

Yah, along with getting a buncha Grados, Senns, AKGs, amps and cables, that's the Head-fi 12 step program. July 17, is that the current ETA?