Give your portable tunes an upgrade

Gary Krakow Columnist • E-mail

You are probably making a big mistake. If you think you’re getting the best sound from the earphones that come with your portable electronics — you’re not even close. Whatever you listen to, whether it’s an iPod or other MP3 player, an AM, FM or satellite radio, or maybe a CD, MiniDisc, Walkman, DAT, portable DVD player or even your laptop computer you need to trash the cheap, crappy earplugs that came in the box and get yourself something worth listening to.

That’s where the wizards from Shure Incorporated come in. Shure has been in the music business for years. From microphones to phono cartridges and earphone monitors used by musicians and performers on stage Shure knows what sounds good.

I’ve told you about their earphones before. I found that they sound great. They're even comfortable. I’m usually not a big fan of little devices stuck in my ears but, because they give you a big choice of sizes and types of earpiece sleeves (the part that actually goes into your ear) I think the Shures are the best. This goes for their entire line of earphones but especially for their brand new model, the E4c.

First, a little history. The top-of-the-line E5c actually has separate woofers and tweeters inside each earphone (left and right). The sound is truly superb. Then again, it should be: They sell for $499 a pair! The 5’s have long been the top choice of many reviewers.

All the other earphones in Shure’s line have one driver per ear. At the low end, the E2c sells for $109 and, like the rest of the line, comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 2-year warranty. It sounds a whole lot better than anything that comes packaged with your gear.

One step up, the E3c has been the bread and butter of Shure’s line. Priced at $199, the E3c is a good balance between great sound and price. Until they announced the E4c, the 3s were my number one recommendation for upgrading.

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