Shure E4c (or E3c) vs Sony EX81?

[maximumkk]

I'm curious on other's thoughts about these canal buds.

I can order a set of Shure E4c's for $349 (Cdn) vs a pair of the Sony EX81's for $90 (Cdn). Are the Shure's worth the extra money? Shure's have a much higher sensitivity & impedance, however their range is only 20-16k Hz where the Sony's are 5-23k. Plus the Sony's seem to have a much thinner cable.

I would be ordering over the 'net, can't try out in person.

Impressions? I'm looking for full range of sound & comfort. I don't mind paying for the quality if it's there.

[A440]

The Sonys are more like earbuds. The Shures are true canalphones--deeper, snugger, and I would guess way more isolating.

Sorry to say, I don't have the Sonys for comparison. But I did have a pair of highly touted similarly shaped Sony earbuds a while back--whatever the predecessor to the EX71 was--and I was mighty unimpressed. Bloated, flabby bass, sharp highs, weak midrange. Not a lot of isolation.

I have Shure E4 (same as E4c with gray cable, not white) and I think they are magnificent. They create a good sense of space for in-ear phones (though not as much as big outside-the-ear phones), every instrument sounds musical and I can listen to them on the subway or in an airplane and hear every bit of the music. They're a little dangerous for walking around in the street though, because the outside world is almost entirely shut out.

I've had Shure E3s as well and was quite happy with them, but the E4 are better: richer-sounding and more spacious. (The E4 come with an attenuator you could also use for mic recording with your MD.)

The cord is thicker than the Sony, and that's a good thing. They're sturdy, for constant use. They're based on the in-ear monitors Shure made for musicians onstage, where they really have to hold up.

They arrive with half a dozen different kinds of earplugs, and the sonic results you get vary greatly with the shape of your ears. I find them very comfortable using the largest gray flex sleeves--soft rubber, probably a lot like the Sony. Look at the Shure site and you can see the various plugs in the kit: yellow foamies, harder clear rubber (3 sizes) and the softer gray ones (3 sizes). I've fallen asleep wearing them and awakened with no discomfort. My MZ-NH600D and NHF800 both drive them as loud as I want.

I don't know about impedance specs or things like that, but my impression is that with the isolation the canalphones provide, you don't have to get as much raw volume as you do in headphones that leak, so it's actually better for your ears.

The Sony specs sound like fantasy to me. The MD is only putting out 20-20K, and unless you want to give the earbuds to your dog, 20K-23K is not going to matter.

Is $349 CDN really the cheapest? That's close to full list price ($299 US) in the USA. Try Froogle and see if you can find a discount. Mine were $178 shipped, but I just checked that link and it's expired. A lot of US merchants offer price-matching down to about $170-180 U.S. At near-list price, you should be able to try them and return them if you don't like them. But you will.

Edited January 19, 2006 by A440

[mercury_in_flames]

its no comparison, search the gallery and see my pictures of my ex81's, the cables fray after a year or so. If you have the money, go for the shures.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/gre...sony/ex81/4.jpg

[zerodB]

You might also what to try looking at some Etymotics - the ER6is have been recomended in the past - great for portable listening as they are easy to drive.

Or if you're sitting on a pile of cash, you could get the flagship ER4Ps - they're listed for $249 US on audiocubes.com.

I'm getting the er6is soon, can't wait to hear what these buds sound like!

Edited January 19, 2006 by zerodB

[maximumkk]

Thanks for the input.

I bought a pair of Panasonic HJE50's to try out the in-ear idea, thought they had good sound, but was concerned about quality as the cords were VERY thin, and no 'buffer' at the entry point to the bud. Hard plastic hole + thin cord = cut through in short order. Plus the rubber ear seals were very thin material too. Took 'em back. Looking closely the Sony EX81's appear to have the same thin cord, although from reading around the board the ear seals are better. Still concerned.

Yeah, $349 is not a super deal, but most authorized dealers in Canada sell the E4c's for $359 to $405. I'm not a fan of ordering from the US as I get stuck with duties, taxes, processing fees to determine how much duties I have to pay, higher shipping costs etc... plus hassles if I need to return &/or warranty work. Just easier to pay the extra $20 difference in the end & get it from a Cdn dealer.

Took a look online at the ER6i & ER4's... I have smaller ears, and I'm concerned that their three-flange tips won't fit in my ear canal. (I don't like the foam compress sleeves). The Shure's come with various sized single-flange tips which seem similar to the Panny / Sony idea.

I think I'm leaning towards the E4c's in black. (FYI Shure now has E4c-b which are all-black with chrome accents - will match my RH10 perfectly!) I'll just hold off a bit until I find a better Cdn price.

Again, thanks. (And sorry for rambling! LOL!)

[AMPlitude]

if you can afford it, splurge on the shures