Experience the exquisite sound quality of the Shure E3c earphones
Sipping a Chai Latte and looking at the other customers talking to themselves, I had to laugh. All these new phone headsets make people look like some crazy chatterbox or alien with wires sticking out of their heads and my friend Ronnie is no exception. Watching him walk calmly into the cafeteria, I expected to hear dialogue about some new real estate deal coming out of his mouth, but I heard the line, “Can you hear me. I mean, can you really hear me?” The surprise radiating from his face was reassuring considering the countless commercials I’ve seen with people in deserted fields in the middle of nowhere yelling into a cell phone, “Can you hear me, can you hear me?” The invariable does occur in the commercial. , but in reality the call is dropped and no one is heard. Hands-free headsets only compound perceived hearing loss if you ask me. Of course, when they do their job well, headphones are a blessing in that they free up your hands to perform other necessary tasks.
Finishing the last of my Chai Latte, I saw Ronnie speak to his interlocutor and continue to express his joy at being heard. I mean it’s what we all want in life, right? Someone who listens to us; I mean he really listens. Maybe Ronnie has found a little part of life’s secret.
I ordered another Chai Latte and a Chitico (rich hot chocolate) for Ronnie. Clearing out the stack of newspapers on my table by the fireplace, I moved for her to join me, which she did with this Cheshire smile on her face as she finished things off with the caller.
Ronnie conveyed the problems of using multiple headphones. He mentioned how one earpiece, that came with his old cell phone, didn’t work at all, how another one did, but he developed a strange hissing sound, which he never heard, but his interlocutors did. He found it so annoying that some started calling him Whistling Ronnie, which he wasn’t too happy about. The admission of this incident made me laugh hysterically and throw coffee on the table.
When I cleaned up the spilled Chai Latte, I heard all about the headphones that Ronnie referred to as the “Heavy Breather.” Using that one, callers heard his breathing or what sounded like breathing, which probably could have been caused by static from a bad connection. Ronnie also shared a tail on a headset he nicknamed the “Ear Vice”, which he liked in a medieval torchlight chamber. I laughed and laughed and said, “If you hate headphones so much, why bother wearing them?”
“Safety. They free my hands to do other things like driving, working, eating, drinking, enjoying life. You know the little things, René.”
Looking at Ronnie’s Treo 600 smartphone sitting on the table, I said, “So, how are your headphones?”
“Rene, nothing worth mentioning.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Yes. With all my other cell phone headset disasters and Treo disappointment, I’ve turned to the professionals.”
Taking off the earpiece and showing it to me, he said, “This is a cell phone earpiece called Shure’s OuietSpot. These guys have been producing sound equipment for over seventy-eight years for the music industry.
This set of headphones is my Mercedes and Porsche, it’s so good Rene. The sound quality is incredible. When I’m having a conversation I’m on my own island. I don’t hear background noise, just the person I’m talking to. This is how a conversation is supposed to be. The sound is so precise.”
“Ronnie, how can you guarantee such sound quality?”
“Their microphone uses what they call background noise cancellation technology, which is based on their renowned professional stage microphones. With this technology, conversations are clear all the time, no matter where you are.”
“Ronnie, I guess since this is your Mercedes and Porsche, we’re talking about cash.”
“Not all. Shure QuietSpot headphones are only $49.95. Please go to http://www.shure.com and replace your Treo headphones. In our last conversation on the way here, I caught every third word you said.”
“Oh, was that bad?”
“Yes, Rene.”
“Is the QuietSpot comfortable for long conversations?”
“Yes. It has made my business life more efficient and has also been a boost to my social life.”
“Ronnie, what can I do for the sound with my IPOD?”
My friend got the Cheshire smile back on his face and said “So now you like music. What is Rock and Roll or classics?”
“Just help me here please. The sound coming out of my son’s earphone is atrocious. When I tried to listen to Opera, I heard background interference.”
“You and your son need to stop using Apple’s white rags, I mean headphones. I used them for a while with my own IPOD and they’re just as bad as cheap free cell phone headphones. I’m using Shure’s E3C for my IPOD and I’m very happy with it. The E3C resides inside the ear canals. This design blocks out 20 decibels, plus ff of ambient noise. Listening to music with it makes me feel like I’m on my own concert island. Close your eyes , maybe. Isn’t that how good music is supposed to take you to a place where only songs and sounds exist?
“Ronnie, you’re getting a bit philosophical today.”
“You too Rene, when you try it, you’ll see that this in-ear model is amazing and its white earpiece matches the IPOD.”
“You can imagine that, Mr. Posh. But is it comfortable, Ronnie?”
“Yes, and it’s only $179.”
“Thanks Ronnie. I hope you can clear something up. My sister has been raving about the Shure E5C saying it has kind of a high and low frequency, which is perfect for my son’s taste in music. But my son said no It’s good if I want to listen to jazz”.
“They’re both right. Shure’s E5C model is $499 and is designed for musicians to use as stage monitors. What your sister describes are the drivers that are worn in each ear. At first, it’s like a change toggle. One frequency is reserved for bass and one is reserved for high frequencies. There is also cross channeling for all frequencies. With the E5C you will experience spectacular sound. When listening to music with this high-low frequency on your eardrums instead of an island concert, you’ll have your own music. world. It’s that precise. With a tuned, orchestrated sound like this, you’ll find the volume on your IPOD drops compared to other headphones. Mine has averaged a third and was previously two thirds of the volume.
“Are there other headphones suitable for different types of music?”
“Yes. The E5C is great for pop songs with heavy bass and choruses. But I like my E3C for jazz, classical, folk songs, and other recordings where acoustics play a central role.
The Etymotic E4P model is also excellent for acoustics. They are $330.00. One of the guys I work with is very happy with his E4P and says it’s great for listening to acoustic music. He really likes meditative type music. I borrowed your E4P one day when we were on a business trip north and forgot to pack my E3C. In the quiet of the hotel, the high-end clarity of the Etymotic model was impressive. Listening to relaxing songs I came out in a bit of a trance. But, when I took my IPOD out in the backyard still using the Entymotic E4P, the accuracy of the sound went downhill. I heard a bit of background noise.”
“What about the appearance?”
“I like Shure’s approach with the little white earbuds that match the IPOD. Etymotic’s is a little too flashy for my taste with the black wires and bright blue and red color-coded stress reliefs on the shafts” .
“What about headphones that aren’t in your ears?”
“You might want to consider Sony’s MDR-G82. It’s a traditional neckband style with a full-cup earcup that cradles your ear. It offers great sound for Rock and Roll with heavy bass. The full-ear cups G82 are very comfortable and elegant looking.in silver and black.It also folds down to the size of a tangerine.”
Ronnie stared at the ends of my pants and had this Cheshire grin on his face and said, “Now about those Dockers you’re wearing…”
“They’re not Dockers. They’re designer pants. I have them on sale.”
“Oh really, Rene.” Same old Ronnie.
Source: Pen Computing