Customer Reviews
On my second pair 
2008-07-22
E3c's, Grados, Eto...all of them are great and the E3c's which I own, are tremendeous...just one caveat.
All of these cans (the common term for canalphones) really need a headphone amp and a burn-in period (yes, just like shoes). My Xenos headphone amp, and a 40 hour burn-in of the driver, makes up for the perceived flaws in the product. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/do-canalphones-need-burn-87795/index4.html#post1015521
The impedance of the headphones requires a bit more oomph than most PMP's can provide. Instead of driving my cans with a higher volume which approaches distortion levels, I can drive them at a moderate level into the amp and then control volume bass and trebel on the amp. If you are looking for a headphone amp, look for one that is based on the Burr-Brown amp chip...nice and clean. I'm using a Best Buy/Insignia Pilpt PMP with WMA Lossless. I ripped the Yo Yo Ma Bach Cello Concerto disks and to hear the clarity of the sound is amazing...you can hear him breathing as he plays...almost impossible in other configurations.
When the E3c's are all gone, the 210's are the equivalent cans with only an external design change; the drivers are still the same. Don't forget their great warranty and when the warranty expires, a new pair is only $79 away (plus shipping).
NOT Sound Isolating 
2008-04-06
I hope that my comments will help anyone thinking of buying these earphones for their sound isolating ability. My Sennheiser earphones I have had for three years and love them. Recently, I sent them back for repair and decided to buy the Shure E3c as a substitute pair. They seem to have no sound isolating ability. I tried to create the best seal possible by trying various buds and the foams that came with them but without any increase in performance. Sound quality was OK but my $50 Bose are about the same. The cord is much longer than I need. My husband has a cheaper pair of Shure's that have a cord extender for when you need it. The tiny case that comes with the earphones barely fit the earphones. I have concerns of bending the wire to make them fit in the case. My husband' came with a larger case. I read all the reviews before buying and thought overall most were satisfied. I am so dissatisfied. I can't believe that others really like them.
Not Worth the Money 
2008-03-10
I've had these headphones just over a year and have never been happy with them. The sound is great, there's no arguing about that, but my primary complaint is that they hurt my ears. None of the earpieces were comfortable, except the foam ones, and they get dirty quickly. Forget about wearing these earphones to the gym or doing any exercise with any of the earpieces. The gray earpieces actually slipped off in my ear when I removed the earbuds once. I got it out myself, but was still concerned.
My second complaint is that the volume is usually too loud. The lowest volume setting (above totally muted) on my computer and my iPod (two different models) is too loud when using these. I don't need excessive volume to hear.
Next, they didn't last. The left earbud just stopped working after a little over a year. At the price, I expected these to last several years. I wouldn't buy them again, nor would I recommend them.
Don't waste your money! 2007-11-20
Okay, the sound on these ear buds is quite good, but if you're a commuter who expects these buds to stay in your ears for an hour or more as the cable is gently tugged and pulled by your jacket, arm or whatever, this is NOT the product for you!
If you're going to use this product in your favorite chair and not moving around much, then this just might be the product you seek.
I tried every ear fitting that comes with the ear buds and none of the options were able to keep the buds in place. Even the slightest tug of the cord caused the buds to pop out. VERY frustrating.
Great sound, no noise, feel funny 2007-10-30
First off, these are fantastic headphones. I put 'em in and the world goes away. My office-mates on the phone? Gone. Girlfriend talking to her mother? Gone.
The sound is also very clear. Not too heavy on the bass, which is great. It's nice to be able to hear the words of Digable Planets, rather than just the beat.
I had to mess with the various tips to get the ones that fit correctly -- turns out I have 2 different sized ear canals. Who knew?
My only minor nit is that they feel a little funny. I'm not used to having something stuffed that far into my ears. When they're all the way in and no music's on I can hear my breathing, sometimes even my heartbeat -- and don't even try having a snack! Once the music comes on the internal noises fade into the background, but there's definitely a surreal moment (similar to scuba diving, for you divers out there).
All in all, fabulous headphones and I heartily recommend them.
Great Customer Service 
2007-10-26
Shure E3c Sound Isolating Earphone - The replacement of the acclaimed E1, the E3 uses low mass, high energy micro-speakers to deliver incredibly precise sound with secure, comfortable, acoustic isolationfor an outstanding listening experience where ever you are. Whether listening to your home stereo, computer, or portable CD or MP3 player, this earphone offers studio-quality performance of the highest order. Includes carrying case Soft, flexible sleeves in the Fit Kit gently contour the inside of the ear for a comfortable, secure fit 60-Inch cable with gold-plated connector 2 Year Shure warranty Color - White
Great Customer Service from Shure! 
2007-09-12
I have had these earphones for just over 2 years.
Sound: Clear midrange audio. Pretty good highs and only fair lows. Fairy good detail contributing to fair imaging. You encounter their limitations when you record at HIGH bitrates. At 128 and even 256 they are fine.
Comfort: A very personal thing. My wife can't stand sleeves 'in' her ears. I think they are comfortable and I appreciate the selection of sleeves. I have settled on the soft gray sleeves as the compromise which suits me. The foam gets trashed pretty quick. (but sounds very good) The clear sleeves are too firm for my ears. Also, the sizing; sml, med, and lg, has been experimental for me. I like the 'over the ear' design. It is well suited for athletic activity.
Isolation: Very good isolation once you find the sleeves which fit your ears. I snowblow, mow, run, and travel on airliners with them. Great to use in busy places, while you are trying to concentrate on singular tasks.
They can be dangerous if one is in a situation requiring any alertness.
Quality/Customer Service: The service is absolutely outstanding. I have had to return THREE earphones. They have sent me replacements quickly and painlessly without any hassle or fee ...Amazing!
BUT... I have had, what I presume to be faulty drivers on two of the phones (volume dropped dramatically on one speaker). I inspected them for earwax, etc., evaluated the ipod, then sent them in. The last earphone cracked along a fusion seam behind where the sleeve-tube projects out. This may have been some trauma I inflicted while unaware. It had been just past the original 2 year warranty period but, they sent a replacement to me in less than 2 weeks.
-Now, there was never an explanation. I just got a new pkg of E3C's each time.
I like the design: The plug and cord are sturdy and without any apparent fault.
I just purchased a pair of E4's. Got them at a discounted price here. Same basic design but, upgraded speakers/drivers. They have noticeably better detail and imaging. Slightly better bass- I like them but, I like tight bass.
I have also have a lot of spare sleeves and accessories. This contributed to my decision to stick with Shure. I cross my fingers regarding quality.
They deserve plaudits for customer service.
Excellent for working out 2007-08-21
These are awesome headphones. I'm very particular and I love them. They offer high quality sound and comfort. I've had them for about 8 months now. I use them mainly for working out; pilates, treadmill and some weight lifting. I use the yellow foam ear pieces. Once I put them in, they stay in without needing adjustment for the whole workout. What I do is I bring the cord up the back of my neck with the ear pieces reversed, then wrap the cord once around my pony tail, righting them, then install in my ears with the cord running up from my ears. This technique really works to keep them in place so you can enjoy the music without messing with your earphones every time you move around. My old set of Sony headphones were always sliding out. This style with the foam was a stroke of genius!
Better than noise canceling headphones but... 2007-08-03
I purchased these last December and have been very happy with them on my numerous plane trips this year. If you're used to wearing foam earplugs, this is the way to go. The sound isolation is fantastic as is the sound quality. Be sure to wear them as indicated in the diagrams, with the cord pointing up and wrapping over your ear - this provides the best fit into the ear canal. The foam inserts are best for me and lasted at least 6 months before I felt the need to buy some replacements. I'm also experimenting with replacing the yellow foam with the softer foam from normal earplugs - just trim the earplug to the appropriate length, bore a hole in the center with a paperclip, cut the yellow foam off the plastic tube, and insert the tube into your own earplugs.
I also recently had the chance to compare the Shure E3c earplugs to the Bose QC3 noise-canceling headphones - the Shure's are far better, since the Bose still lets through some of the high pitched engine noise as well as people talking around you. Again, if you're used to wearing earplugs, the Shure's are for you.
Simply Great 2007-07-15
Bought these after my Ultimate Ears Super Fi 5 stopped working and I am not disappointed. The sound reproduction is excellent, the noise canceling is good and they are very comfortable to wear during long periods of time. They are also light weight. I would really recommend these to anyone looking to upgrade their iPod headsets.
