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Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black Lowest Price!
Compare & Purchase Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: $149.99 Amazon Price: $99.95 |
Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphone - Black Description:
Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker for Optmized Audio, Sound Isolating Design Blocks Outside Noise, Fit Kit for Superior Fid and Comfort, Comes with a Two Year Limited Manufactures Warranty, Superior Sound Quality, Modular Cable Design
- Color: Black
- Brand: Shure
- Model: SE210-A-K
- Dimensions: 14.00″ h x 1.00″ w x 1.00″ l, 1.20 pounds
Features
- Hi-Definition sound with bright highs and extra detail
- Hi-Definition MicroSpeaker delivers wider range and more clarity and detail than standard earbuds
- Sound Isolation Technology reduces background noise better than noise-cancelling headphones, without batteries or added hiss
- Deluxe Fit Kit including a selection of interchangeable sleeves for personalized, comfortable fit; 3′ extension cable; carrying case
- Modular Cable Design lets users choose different cable lengths to suit different music player locations (armband, pocket etc.)
Customer Reviews:
Great sound but you have to learn how to wear them first
I’m a former audio engineer (cool job but hard to make any ‘real’ money) so as you might suspect I’m pretty discriminating when it comes to gear. Shure has long been a big name in pro audio, their SM57 and SM58 microphones are industry standards so it was only natural that I selected Shure when I decided to go for a pair of high end buds. Understand that these are NOT just a “pop them in and go” pair of phones like the kind that came with your MP3 player. You have to learn how to wear them and most people will probably experience some discomfort until you get used to them. This type of sound isolating earphone has to go DEEP into your ear canal to work properly. If you don’t get the fit just right, you won’t experience the rich sound including good (but not “in your face”) bass that this pair of cans is capable of delivering. Getting the fit right and achieving a nice tight seal is absolutely critical. If you don’t get it right these will sound like an old AM radio. Fortunately, Shure includes an very complete fit kit which includes several different types of sleeves in different sizes. After much experimentation I found the medium black foam sleeves (which were installed by default) worked the best. The characteristics of this foam are very unique. It compresses easily but is slow to return to shape. This is EXACTLY what is needed to get a good seal. To “install” the buds in your ears you first squeeze the foam between your fingers to compress it then you quickly insert the earphone in your ear and hold it there for about 10-15 seconds until the foam expands and forms a good seal. You’ll find it’s easier to put them in one at a time. You know if you did it right when you can no longer hear much (if any) ambient room noise. Try holding a conversation with someone who’s about 10 feet away. If you CAN’T, then you’ve got a good seal. This takes some practice. You may have to try putting them in several times to achieve a good seal. Once you do, you’ll immediately notice the rich warm sound these phones are capable of producing. So the bottom line here is that it takes some extra effort and time to get the most of this product but once you get over the learning curve I believe you’ll agree that Shure has created another precision piece of audio gear worthy of your consideration.
Great earphones
I have had these earphones for 6 days now and I have to say I’ve been extremely impressed with the sound quality. At first I was a bit disappointed, but once I got the fit right and figured out how to insert them correctly they really improved to the point that they now sound amazing (it took about a day to get them fitted correctly).
As far as the fitting process goes, I ended up having to use the smallest sized inserts - I couldn’t even get the medium size inserted at all. Now that I’ve found the right position in my ear, they stay in place very firmly and are comfortable enough to wear all day long. The mistake I made at first was just trying to jam them in as far as them would go, but I discovered that I have to push them in and then angle them up slightly into my ear canal to get the best sound. Before I made that discovery I was ready to return them because I wasn’t impressed at all.
I wasn’t sure how well the sound isolation would work, but I’ve found that they shut everything out almost completely. I have also found that I need to turn the volume down to about half of what I was previously used to - which I’m sure is a good thing. I’ve had people talking to me and I didn’t even realize it with the music playing on level 8 out of 25.
Although these earphones are great overall, I have run into a few irritating problems that some people may want to consider.
At first glance, the cable splitting in half seems like it would be a great idea. Unfortunately, it causes a some unexpected issues:
1) It is difficult to just wrap the cord around your MP3 player because there is about a 3″ section of the cable that doesn’t bend (where the top section attaches to the extension).
2) When I’m working out, the break in the cable crosses directly over the heart rate monitor that I wear. There appears to be some electrical interference from the cable at that point because the heart rate monitor immediately starts registering 200 beats/minute. Any other point in the cable doesn’t cause that issue, but I’ve had to run it behind me while working out to avoid this. I’m tall (about 6′7″), so it’s possible that other people won’t run into this issue as long as the break in the cable doesn’t cross on top of the heart rate monitor.
The second issue is the stiffness of the cable where it wraps around the ear. This might improve over time, but currently it seems like it occasionally wants to flop over the side of the ear because it is too stiff. It helps to adjust the slider on the cord - but it doesn’t completely resolve the issue. This really isn’t that big of a deal, but I thought I should at least mention it.
Overall, I’m happy that I bought these. I’m not an audio pro, so I don’t have a lot of experience in this area, but these are the best sounding headphones that I personally have ever owned.
A good compromise between price and audio quality
I don’t have the vocabulary or technical knowledge to be considered an audiophile, but I am very, very particular about my audio, moreso than the average person I would imagine. I’ve owned everything from Bose to Ultimate Ears to Bang&Olufsen to Sennheiser and Sony. I recently purchased the SE210 recently as an upgrade from the Shure E2. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the E2 (E2C.) The SE210 is a much easier fit than the E2, the process of inserting them is easier and they seem to stay in the ear better. Indeed, Shure ear phones, to me, fit better and isolate noise much better than other in-ear-canal earphones (like Ultimate Ears.) The sound is very crisp and clear, the level of detail is excellent, and the bass is not as heavy. I use these walking outside, on the rapid transit train, in the airport, and on planes, and these are amazing at enhancing the listening experience in noisy areas. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop or like a lot of bass, you might want to consider Ultimate Ears Super-Fi 5 Extra Bass or the Shure E2 model, which is much “bassier.” Techno and mainstream pop sound particularly good, I should note. Although you can go up in price with this brand (or others) and get better audio (some of the earphones have tuned ports or multiple drivers) I found this is one of the best combinations of price and sound quality. Granted, these are still expensive, but if you’re a music lover, it will be a worthy investment.
***Edit 07/07/07 ***
I thought I’d add a warning about the cable design, which is one very short cable that plugs into (a perfect iPod at the waist-size) a longer cable. It is VERY EASY for the two cables to come undone…I’d noticed it before, but one particular time, I was wearing/storing them around my neck and shoulders and I ended up LOSING the ear phones. (I still have the longer cable.) For most people, I don’t think this will be a problem, but if you are absent-minded, or often in a hurry, like I am, you might regret it.
Also, as a side note, I went back to my Shure E2C after losing the Shure SE210, and while I still feel the SE210 is an impressive sound, and that the E2C overcompensates with too much bass, but now that I use the iPod’s EQ (bass reducer) it isn’t so bad. The E2C is not nearly as detailed or clear and the highs and mids aren’t as great, but I’d really have to say the deciding factor might be the music you listen to most. In most genres the SE210 wins by a landslide. Other genres, like indie/alternative/rock (which didn’t have enough “weight,” it sounded clear, but flimsy on the SE210) and hip hop (I’m not a basshead, but the bass on the SE210 is rather light) I would say, for my taste, the E2C comes out the winner.
I still think the Shure SE210 are a fantastic set of earphones, but with the cable issue (for me, at least) and the price difference, and after “rediscovering” some of my other headphones/earphones, I probably won’t be buying them again.
