Walking through a noisy downtown is a lot more enjoyable if you're wearing a pair of Shure's SE210 sound-isolating earbuds. The preproduction set I tried delivered full, rich sound and kept all but the loudest noises from intruding on my music.
Shure SE210
Pros
Offers rich, full-bodied sound
Blocks out outside sounds
Cons
Relatively expensive
Bottom Line
Rich audio makes Shure's latest sound-isolating earbuds the perfect accompaniment to your music player, but they?re pricey.
Shure SE210
SE210 Review, by Eric Butterfield March 1, 2007
The set costs $150, which may sound like a big investment considering the low price of some of today's portable audio players. But one reason those players are so affordable is that they come with mediocre headphones. I compared the Shure earbuds with those included with an Apple iPod and found the sound quality of the SE210 set much better, adding depth and reproducing subtleties I hadn't noticed with the Apple earbuds. In addition, I thought the Shure product outperformed the $99 Creative Zen Aurvana In-Ear Headphones, which suffered from a harsh-sounding upper midrange that was unpleasant to listen to and likely to cause ear fatigue over time.
The SE210's full bass response and crisp highs make for a pleasant listening experience. In particular, the Shure earphones demonstrated how much changing the iPod's equalizer setting alters the audio; when I used them, the difference over listening without the EQ seemed far more pronounced than when I listened with Apple's earbuds.
The SE210 set is the entry-level model in Shure's new SE product line, and has a single micro-speaker for each channel. In comparison, the $350 SE420 earbuds each have a dedicated tweeter and woofer. I tried the SE420 also, and appreciated that pair's better defined low end and subtly smoother response in the upper frequencies. That additional fine-tuning, however, comes with a price tag that's more than double the cost of the SE210.
The short cable of the SE210 is ideal if you have a small flash player you want to clip to your jacket or put in a shirt pocket. The included 3-foot extension cable allows you to stash your player in a bag; it also offers a convenient way to unplug the earphones without having to hunt down your audio player (even without music playing, carrying on a conversation while wearing sound-isolating earphones can be difficult). In addition, the design lets you easily add a Shure Push-To-Hear module (which has a microphone that pipes in outside noise). The only drawback is that this connection adds a little weight to the cable.
The SE210 earbuds may seem expensive, but the price is a small one to pay for full-bodied sound and music enjoyment without any interruptions from the noisy, outside world.
Eric Butterfield
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: jessegibbons
Strengths: Good sound, great at removing background sound from people, etc around you.
Weaknesses: Not much bass, but still good.
Overall: Normally, I will only purchase ear clip-on headphones, because they're small, and any in-ear headphones I've had weren't comfortable. So I did some research and decided to purchase these since there aren't any good quality sounded clip-on headphones around, it seems. I enjoy them a lot; very comfortable with quite a few different sizes to choose from.
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Reviewed by: gklheyisn
Strengths: even response through wide frequencies range,although could be a bit better on low end,but may be it is better on more expensive models, excellent insulation, prompt exchange during warranty period.
Weaknesses: previous version were lasted for about one year, so initial purchase gave me 3 years of use. Without extension wire is not long enough to reach even shirt's pocket
Overall: Old view : When you buy them, think about it as subscription. New View : If reliability increased then you might end up with two years subscription instead of three. Otherwise I've got pretty much addicted to them
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Reviewed by: rnoairport
Strengths: Good sound, good outside sound isolation. Great for mowing the lawn! Also appreciate that the earbuds have a short cable and come with an extension....that provides alot of flexibility
Weaknesses: Somewhat awkward to insert into ears and route the cables around the back of the ear.
Overall: Great for mowing the lawn! Also appreciate that the earbuds have a short cable and come with an extension....that provides alot of flexibility.Although these are purported to have great sound, I really can't say one way or another because I tend to use them in noisy areas for listening to spoken word audio.
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Reviewed by: schemer230
Strengths: Sound isolation, comfort
Weaknesses: Same compalint as everyone else about the design of the cord, expensive
Overall: This is my second Shure headset (replacing my stolen E3c). I was more than happy with my E3c that when they were gone, I found myself "needing" a new set. I driving factors to purchasing another one was the sound quality, size, and sound isolation of the headset. I am a fan of the small headset, but hate sacrificing quality. I travel a lot and wanted something small and manageable, but of good quality. Aside from travelling, I live in New York, with no car radio, I use the headset extensively. I am sensitive to the amount of time I use the headset (hearing loss) and wanted something that would block out background noise without me having to up the volume on my devices (think airplanes and NYC subway cars). My old Shure did an amazing job of that and this set is even better. From a quality standpoint, the sound is crystal clear. I would agree with the other poster that more bass could be provided by the earphones (consistent with the E3c), but not so much it prevented me from buying another pair. Another reviewer wrote they can not use the earphones for long periods of time. I am the opposite, this is one of the few I can use for long periods of time. On longer flights, I'll turn off the device and leave them in for the sound isolation factor. On another note, regarding Shure customer service, my E3c headset stopped working after about 14 months. Disappointed it stopped working, but I followed the return instructions on their website and received a new headset with rapid turn around time, absolutely hassle free (another reason I bought another pair). Overall, size, quality, sound isolation, and customer service kept me a very happy customer of Shure.
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Reviewed by: kahawken
Strengths: Small, compact, warranty and carrying case.
Weaknesses: Well it's my ears probably, but have a bit of a hard time having them in for a long period of time.
Overall: Great sounding, reasonably priced compared to the higher end Shure sound isolating earphones. Have to play around with them more to enjoy and compare to some others. Nice size and can toss them around without worrying they are going to get lost. Carrying case is a bit plus.

| Merchant | Price | Merchant Rating |
|---|---|---|
| CYBER_WORLDS | $115.00 Buy Now » | |
|
$149.99 Buy Now » | |
| SoundEarphones.com | $149.99 Buy Now » |
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