Shure E2C or Etymotic ER-6i

[aphex]

Time for some new/good headphones for my Nano... Read a few reviews but wanted some opinions here..

I will mainly be using these in 2 locations; Gym & Library

Nothing i do in the gym is crazy, the most movement i'll get is on the elliptical, and it will be with me on walks.

In the library, well, its the library, i just want it to sound good to me and be silent to everyone else...

My Music Tastes; Pretty much everything. Mix of Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, R&B, New Age, Techno/Dance, Country, Easy Listening.... The only thing i stay away from is Polka.

Which headphones will be the best match for my needs?

I would prefer a full sound, good but not boomy bass, clean highs and midrange...

 

[Crono]

I pretty much listen to everything as well, and can tell you the E2c's sound good with pretty much everything. Should be fairly quiet in a library, since I use them all the time on my campus' without anyone saying anything (I keep the volume fairly low most of the time though because my ears are sensitive). I haven't used the ER-6i's, but they're more expensive and I read that they leak more sound than the E2c's.

 

[Sukhoi]

I have the ER6 and my friend has the E2C. His E2C cord goes around the back of his head, which I wouldn't like. The ER6 just comes straight out the side of the ears, and then there's a little clip to attach to your shirt. I think the ER6-i are a bit better than the E2C anyway. The ER6 don't have that much bass at all so I don't think the ER6-i would be excessive.

 

[nakedfrog]

Weird Al's polkas rock, though.

 

[aphex]

Thanks guys...

Fergot to mention, comfort...

Of course highly subjective, but any opinions on either?

 

[Sukhoi]

ER6 have plastic and foam inserts. The foam work really nice, but don't seem all that durable. I've only used the foam on a transatlantic airplane flight, but they worked freakin' awesome. I had the phones in for eight hours straight and didn't have any discomfort.

The plastic is a little less comfortable. It all depends on your ear size though...mine canals are kinda small so I gotta push quite a bit to get them in. Also I usually use some saliva to mosten the plastic so I can get a real seal, because they don't seal much if you put them in dry. Not really sure how the E2C are in this regard.

 

[Toonces]

I enjoy my ER-6i but I haven't tried the Shure E2Cs

I chose the etymotic because most reviewers placed them as having better sound reproduction in the mid and high-range

 

[Crono]

Comfort for the Shure's is probably my biggest complaint, because of their in-canal design, even with the smallest flex sleeves that come with the E2C's feel a little tight for me after prolonged use (might get custom). However, it's worth it for the isolation, because I can't hear anything but the music when I put them on, even with people talking loudly near me Definitely worth the $65 I paid for them.

 

[Toonces]

ER-6i are also canalphones, and it took me about a week to get used to the flanges - but sound isolation is excellent; sitting at the back of a diesel bus and nothing but music reaches my ears

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: UNESC0
I enjoy my ER-6i but I haven't tried the Shure E2Cs

I chose the etymotic because most reviewers placed them as having better sound reproduction in the mid and high-range

Which would probably help me in my Classical taste....

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: UNESC0
ER-6i are also canalphones, and it took me about a week to get used to the flanges - but sound isolation is excellent; sitting at the back of a diesel bus and nothing but music reaches my ears

Lol, I love that feeling. Of course, can be annoying when you have them on, and people sneak up on you... I jump several feet when that happens...

 

[aphex]

Well i also have a pair of Phillips Active Noise Reduction canalphones... They sound ok, but not very clean.

They make my ears ache after awhile (3+ hours on a Transatlantic flight) and have a tendency to pop out... Will this happen w/ the others?

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Weird Al's polkas rock, though.

Truth.


It's my understanding that both are very solid canals and I really doubt that you are going to regret either. I have the E2Cs and absolutely love them. I thought I loved them when I got them, but about two months later I figured that I needed to push them in just a tiny bit more. Wow! I was absolutely floored. The bass is great as are the mids and highs. I have no complaints.

All of my music sounded completely different, I noticed so many more things and I'm not joking when I say that you are going to loathe listening to them with anything less than a steller source. I can only imagine that the Etymotic's are very similar, given the revealing nature of canalaphones.

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: aphex
Well i also have a pair of Phillips Active Noise Reduction canalphones... They sound ok, but not very clean.

They make my ears ache after awhile (3+ hours on a Transatlantic flight) and have a tendency to pop out... Will this happen w/ the others?

E2c's should stay securely in your ears most of the time, so long as you put them in right. I don't often use them longer than 2 hours, though. But yeah, they probably will make your ears ache, especially if you have small ear canals like me.

 

[screw3d]

I believe the ER6 is more susceptible to microphonics.. or whatever the term is.. like when you rub the cables you can hear it from the drivers

I have the E2c myself, and the cable is frigging thick

 

[SZLiao214]

I have the E2Cs and love the sound quality and isolation on them. Zero sound leak unless you play your music rediciously loud.

On the comfort area, your ears quickly adjust to the ear buds and not the other way around with the plastics. That part kinda worries me. There are some "ultra-soft" buds you can buy from shure. I havnt tried them yet but most of the reviews i have seen like them. They also seem to be slightly smaller then their normal counterpart.

 

[aphex]

Thanks for all the opinions thus far....

Its too bad i cant buy/demo both and keep the one i like...

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: aphex
Its too bad i cant buy/demo both and keep the one i like...

As a almost certain repeat canalaphone buyer I am quite happy that there is no chance of me getting a 'demo' unit.

 

[tikwanleap]

Are you guys finding any places that are selling these for cheap?

Didn't buy.com have the e2c less than $60 at one point?

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: tikwanleap
Are you guys finding any places that are selling these for cheap?

Didn't buy.com have the e2c less than $60 at one point?

Yea, back up to $99 pretty much everywhere...

$50 for me at Dell since i have a concession coupon...

Buy has the ER-6i for $82

 

[aphex]

^

 

[aphex]

What about the e3c or e4c?

e3c - $123
e4c - $178

 

[IAteYourMother]

etymotics are my opinion

 

[SZLiao214]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: tikwanleap
Are you guys finding any places that are selling these for cheap?

Didn't buy.com have the e2c less than $60 at one point?

Yea, back up to $99 pretty much everywhere...

$50 for me at Dell since i have a concession coupon...

Buy has the ER-6i for $82

At the time when i bought mine, they were selling for i think 65 dollars. There was a 5 dollar off 50 coupon code for first time users, so i ended up getting mine for 60 or 64 if i payed shipping. Just checked out the buy.com a moment ago and they ar 99 now.