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Sony MDR-EX81 vs. Shure E3c Earbuds

S

SickBeast

Lifer
The Sonys go for $60, the Shure ones are $180. I suppose my question is: will the Shure ones sound three times better than the Sonys? Also, will the Sonys sound considerably better than the stock iPod headphones? Any suggestions when it comes to earbuds would be great.
 
Im not going to say that the shures are 3 times better then the sony's because ears vary from person to person but they are indeed nicer, especially if you have something like a supermini (a amp) driving the shures. I myself are on some Senn HD-580's, but was recently interested in the shures and took a listen at a local audio shop and was quite impressed. If you got 180 bucks burning a whole in your pocket go with the shures id say, especially if your a audiophile.
 
Originally posted by: James3shin
Im not going to say that the shures are 3 times better then the sony's because ears vary from person to person but they are indeed nicer, especially if you have something like a supermini (a amp) driving the shures. I myself are on some Senn HD-580's, but was recently interested in the shures and took a listen at a local audio shop and was quite impressed. If you got 180 bucks burning a whole in your pocket go with the shures id say, especially if your a audiophile.
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I'm not an audiophile, but I listen to music constantly and am pretty fussy when it comes to sound quality. I don't have $180 burning a hole in my pocket. To be honest, even $60 on earbuds is alot of cash to me (I'm used to spending $10 or so). My concern is that I'll buy the Sony's and continually wish I had bought the E3c's. I'm wondering if there really is a big difference between the two. If the Sony's sound as good as my Bose Triports I'll be very happy.
 
Anything is better that the stock iBuds, I bought Sony EX71's and really like them. I can get a good seal with the smallest buds and they cut out external sound as well as any fitted foam earplugs I've used at work.
 
I have the Shure E3c Earbuds. They're much more comfy than the stock iPod ones. The wires are "beefy" and are not ideal for jogging, etc. If you're primarily using them while stationery, they're great. They're form-fitting and several plastic tips are included so you can chose those which you like best.
The sound is very good and would be hard to beat short of buying noise-cancelling ones. Are they worth the extra $100? What is anything worth...
 
Originally posted by: Gurck
tin cans + string > sony
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What would you reccomend then? Your comments are going against a handful of positive reviews I've read, along with some things I've read on other forums saying great things about certain Sony headphones.
 
Originally posted by: puddlejmpr
I have the Shure E3c Earbuds. They're much more comfy than the stock iPod ones. The wires are "beefy" and are not ideal for jogging, etc. If you're primarily using them while stationery, they're great. They're form-fitting and several plastic tips are included so you can chose those which you like best.
The sound is very good and would be hard to beat short of buying noise-cancelling ones. Are they worth the extra $100? What is anything worth...
Click to expand...

I'm actually looking for something I can wear while jogging...but also on my morning commute (train). I wish I could listen to both pairs before buying. 😕
 
Originally posted by: FearoftheNight
i just picked up the shure e2c for 60 how much better is the 81 than the 71?
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Marginally from what I've read. The sound is more balanced and crisper overall. How are the e2c's?
 
of course speakers/headphones are heavily dependant on personal preference. but etys are generally much highly regarded compared to shures except the microphonic cables. ety-6i is very favorably reviewed at head-fi btw.
 
I just googled the Shure E3c Earbuds and i saw them for as low as $115.

I had some sony ones, i think they were the previous model than the ones you were looking at. I ended up giving them to my girlfriend because they just werent comfortable after awhile. They sounded great and were a definite step up from the ibuds. Im still searchinig but i may give the sonys another try.


Update: Oh yeah, they also fell out when i moved around alot, but they didnt have that piece that wraps around the ear...
 
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: FearoftheNight
i just picked up the shure e2c for 60 how much better is the 81 than the 71?
Click to expand...

Marginally from what I've read. The sound is more balanced and crisper overall. How are the e2c's?
Click to expand...

if thats teh case the 71s go for 30 on the net i think
 
Originally posted by: FearoftheNight
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: FearoftheNight
i just picked up the shure e2c for 60 how much better is the 81 than the 71?
Click to expand...

Marginally from what I've read. The sound is more balanced and crisper overall. How are the e2c's?
Click to expand...

if thats teh case the 71s go for 30 on the net i think
Click to expand...

So then what would you reccomend out of the 3? 😕

And where did you find the E2c for $60? The cheapest I've seen them for is $100.

I've decided against the sonys. I've been reading comments that they don't even sound better than the stock iPod buds, and that they're uncomfortable to work out in if you wear glasses (which I do sometimes).

I'm thinking I'll just hold off for a bit. $100+ for earbuds that might be uncomfortable is too much of a risk for me. Thanks to everyone for the replies, much appreciated. 🙂 :beer:
 
I've got the Etymotic ER4-P earphones which is similar to the Shure set. They are pretty pricey but I wanted a great set of in the ear cans that would give me great sound and seal out exterior noise. It took some getting used to with the in your ear style of cans. Response is great and bass sounds are excellent, especially when you use a headphone amp.
 
Originally posted by: mauiblue
I've got the Etymotic ER4-P earphones which is similar to the Shure set. They are pretty pricey but I wanted a great set of in the ear cans that would give me great sound and seal out exterior noise. It took some getting used to with the in your ear style of cans. Response is great and bass sounds are excellent, especially when you use a headphone amp.
Click to expand...

How's the comfort after a couple of hours of listening? Fit and comfort are holding me back from making a purchase; I've heard too many complaints. 😕
 
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: mauiblue
I've got the Etymotic ER4-P earphones which is similar to the Shure set. They are pretty pricey but I wanted a great set of in the ear cans that would give me great sound and seal out exterior noise. It took some getting used to with the in your ear style of cans. Response is great and bass sounds are excellent, especially when you use a headphone amp.
Click to expand...

How's the comfort after a couple of hours of listening? Fit and comfort are holding me back from making a purchase; I've heard too many complaints. 😕
Click to expand...


Well, you won't hear a complaint from me regarding the in the ear type cans. I find them very comfortable. I like how they pretty much seal out almost all the external noise. The earpieces are made of silicone and are very soft and reusable. The earpieces I'm using has lasted about almost a year now. I listen to them when I'm at work on my breaks and sometimes I find myself so immersed in the sound that I find myself dosing off😀 and I find them very comfortable.
 
What's bad about the Apple in-ear set? I'm thinking of getting those. From what I've read, some people say they tend to slip out and don't fit their ear perfectly. I'm wondering if that will be the case for me since all our ears are different. I just don't want to spend $40 on them and have them continuously fall out :-/
 
I have the MDR-EX71s and the Shures E2c, and the Shures are MUCH better than the Sonys... i also had the Apple initially, but dumped that on my brother because i thought that was crap. I would have gotten the E3c, but they were OOS at the time, so i just went with the E2c, and haven't regretted it (i'm FAR from being an audiophile, but these things are SWEEET).
 
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