Shure introduces $99 SE102MPA stereo headset

Shure slipped under the $100 mark with its regular earphones some time ago, and it's now brought its stereo headsets into the more budget-friendly territory as well, with its new SE102MPA sound isolating headset boasting the magic price tag of $99.99. This set is actually a bundle of Shure's new SE102 earphones and its standard Music Phone Adapter (or MPA), which used to cost a hefty $40 on its own, making the set quite the bargain as far as Shure products go. As you'd expect, the phones also come with three interchangeable sleeves to ensure a proper fit, and a handy carrying pouch to keep everything neat and tidy. If the low-end's not your thing, you'll also be glad to know that Shure has a slew of other earphone / MPA bundles available as well, with them ranging in price from $130 to $470 for the top-end SE530MPA set.

[Knives_Out @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:55PM]

cords? *yawn*

[torqueo @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:50PM]

I know what you mean, man. If my $300+ Sennheiser's were only wireless, then I'm sure they'd sound at least 10 times better!

[avester @ Sep 3rd 2008 5:31AM]

Until someone figures out a way to make wireless earplugs A) Light B) Sound good C) Don't need to be charged every 10 minutes, I prefer my wires thank you.

[Erik @ Sep 2nd 2008 1:56PM]

sweet

[phanbouy @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:03PM]

finally some real competition for Sony earbuds

[Gus @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:24PM]

lol.

[phanbouy @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:38PM]

yeah i can see why this got low ranked, how dare i compare two products!!!one!

[From My Cube @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:27PM]

what about V-moda Vibes?

[OnlyShawn @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:33PM]

as someone mentioned below, I am on my 3rd set of shure headphones (e2c's...the same design as shown above, but a straight cord w/o the extra plug), because the wire that loops around your ear eventually cracks, leading to exposed wires.

This latest set just broke this weekend, and I've had these replacements for...oh...4 months? 6 at the most? Yes, shure is good about replacing them, but I would gladly pay more at the outset to not have the cords breaking regularly. The problem is that while the cord is initially soft and supple, eventually it becomes harder and brittle, and the stress point at the top of your ear *will* crack. perhaps this wouldn't happen if you wore them straight down out of your ear, but if that were a viable option for me, I would have never switched from my cheapo sony mdr-ex51's. the over-the-ear option is by far the best, because then the cord doesn't just get tugged out of your ear so easily.

[Billy G @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:14PM]

That's weird. My E2C's lasted until just a few weeks ago... and I bought them pretty soon after they hit the market. Maybe they don't make 'em like they used to? Never had any problems with the wires on mine. I always thought they wire was pretty beefy and tough.

Anyway I stepped on the left bud by mistake... they died by no fault of their own.

Compared to this crappy pair of Skullcandy buds I'm using though... tch, I miss my Shures.

[d @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:55PM]

You know phanboy, in my years of stalking you on engadget, I never really went for your old avatar - but this one is great.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:58PM]

OnlyShawn,

I use my E2's looped around my ear, and they've lasted 4 years and counting. The part that went for me was in the elbow bend coming out of the headphone jack, but the replacements Shure sent me have lasted 4 years now.

[pechorin @ Sep 3rd 2008 5:09AM]

i am glad no one speaks about apple earphones

but still waiting for the fanboy... there always are there

[thedesolate1 @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:07PM]

Are "high end" earphones worth the price tags? or are they just things elitists wear to stunt their wealth? serious questions. I find earphones costing more than my mp3 player a little tough to swallow. I might choke on the cables....

[Scott @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:24PM]

I never used to understood why people would spend any more than $15 on earphones, either. But I started using an iPod at my desk more and more and decided that I couldn't stand how easy it was to hear all the regular office noises when using standard earphones. I researched online and decided that I wanted Shure because their earphones actually go into your ear canal, thus blocking out most of the outside noise. I can't tell you how much of a difference it makes. They go in and stay in, whether sitting or running or laying down (even inverted).

Also, I am by no means an audiophile. But I think most anyone could tell the difference between premium earphones and the earphones you get with your iPod or other MP3 player. To me, it's the same as when you're using a crappy speakerphone for a conference call and you finally pick up the handset and everything is clear and sounds a million times better.

I will never go back to normal (cheap) earphones ever again. Like I said, I have Shures (3 year old model), and I love them primarily for the way that they block out all the outside noise. That alone is worth it to me. They were $99 retail but I got them on eBay for $67 brand new. But there are other brands that I've heard good things about too. Etymotic is one of them. It's worth getting a $100 pair at Best Buy and trying them out for a few weeks. If you don't like them, just return them. But I was shocked to find out there is such a noticeable difference.

[Homeboy @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:33PM]

Trust me they are worth it. I owned a pair of Shure e2c and after that I'm more than happy to drop £60-80 on a pair of earbuds. They make music sound more enjoyable and more beautiful and neither do they make your ear hurt when you turn up the volume.

[Nate @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:24PM]

Check out the Yuin PK2s, they sound absolutely incredible for their 80 dollar price tag. I'm no audiophile but a guy I work with is and he brought a pair in one day and showed them to me. Music actually sounds different when you listen to these, I went home and bought a pair that night! I've had a few friends do the same after they demoed them too.

[crock @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:04PM]

Yes they are worth it, especially on airplanes. Shure originally marketed their buds to musicians as in ear monitors, so they have a great sound and do an excellent job blocking ambient noise.

[stunta @ Sep 2nd 2008 11:05PM]

They make a lot of difference. You have to try it to believe it. Since these things block out external noise, you end up listening at lower volume and it can save your ears. Plus you will see a significant improvement in sound quality when compared to stock earphones that come with most mp3 players.

But keep in mind though - as you go into the higher end phones ($200 USD + range), music at low bitrates (lower than 192kbps or so) will start to sound really crappy.

[jordan @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:22PM]

sure sucks, they have good sound but their durability sucks, i spent around 100 bucks on a pair and it lasted me only 3 or 4 months. i was using my ipod with them and the wiring broke and got exposed due to use, by wrapping it around the ipod over time

[Gus @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:29PM]

That's an absolutely horrible way to take care of higher-end equipment. I'm no electrician, but that's a VERY easy way to fill your headphone cables with electrical shorts. You should coil the headphones and put them in a case.

[Scott @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:29PM]

In response to jordan's comment, I have been using my Shure earphones for 3 years and every time I go to the gym I wrap the cord around the iPod (I believe I have the old e2c model). I have no fraying at all. I also crumple the cord up and put it in my pocket to take to and from work each day. Again, I have no problems. jordan's experience seems unlikely to be common. Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure Shure has a standard one year warranty which would have covered it.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:49PM]

I had the connection go bad after about a year, and I sent them in for replacement. I asked if it would be possible to rush my replacement 'phones and they sent them to me 2nd day air, no questions asked. To France. That's customer service; the shipping likely cost as much as the earphones were worth.

[jc1986 @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:22PM]

The exposed wires are actually a known issue with Shure headphones. Sound quality is great, but be prepared to send them back to the manufacturer once the wires go (a coworker has gone through this 4-5 times since he initially bought his). On the plus side, Shure is very good about replacing them when they do.

[Marvin Quach @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:54PM]

uhhh, dude... I'm pretty sure there's a THREE year warranty with most of their headphones, if not all. Sure, it's a little bit of an inconvenience to send it in, but from my personal experiences they will ship it back to you and everything rather quickly.

The great thing about it is, I've sent it in I think... twice, and they sent me back a (what appeared to be) new package with headphones in it!
Can't go wrong with this company, loved their customer service too - I accidentally rejected the package and they resent it again (at their expense) even though my mail dept. had mistakenly sent it back!

[not PR @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:23PM]

Jordan. Don't listen to Scott. He's PR and works for Shure and legally cannot give you an honest answer.

[d @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:29PM]

@Gus

Whether or not it's a good idea, earbuds should be designed for exactly this. I've gone through 4 or 5 sets of apple white buds from doing this, and I keep buying the cheapos just because I don't want to pay over 100 for headphones that will suffer the same fate.

[Scott @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:59AM]

Re: no PR

As I sit here in my office in Michigan where I work as a commercial litigation attorney, I can't help but laugh that you went to bed last night confident that you exposed a viral marketer and protected thousands from insincere product reviews. But don't let my true identity dissuade you. I'm sure every other positive comment about a consumer product on the internet is being authored by a shadowy marketing person in a vast conspiracy to control the minds of the buying public.

Keep up the good work, you're an internet Batman!

[adobochicken @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:24PM]

why spend $100 when the cord is flimsy
i have that phone adapter. it lasted at least 2-3 months when the sound started getting cut off.
they shouldn't have made the plug diagonal like that. An "L" shape is better.

[law 818 @ Sep 2nd 2008 2:29PM]

I purchased the same mic adapter for my Shure's shortly after getting the new iPhone and it really adds a lot of bulk to the headphones, which are already questionably too bulky to be worn consistently. I find it unfortunate that Shure couldn't slim the mic down some when the standard apple white bud headphones come with a very small and effective mic.

[Matt @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:37PM]

Shue headphones are not as good as the price leads you to believe. I also owned the e2c, or whatever the old $99 buds were. They have absolutley pathetic low end response, and to compensate they over produce the mids and highs. In addition sticking these things in your ears an hour a day is like asking for an inner ear blockage. Spend the same hundred bucks on a cheap pair of around the ear sennheiser 280's or used bose. Your ears will be more comfortable, your won't have a trip to the ENT anytime soon and your music will be much more full. Even if you are wasting time on 96kbps mp3's.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:07PM]

Couldn't disagree more. Bass response on the E2's is quite good (sure, not as 'boomy' as big cans, but the freq response goes wayyy down there), and I've worn them for 16+ hours without any discomfort at all. Beats the hell out of hauling huge headphones around everywhere you go, and the block out background noise better to boot.

[wootman @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:22PM]

lol bose.

[aquatsr @ Sep 2nd 2008 3:53PM]

I use Etymotic Research Er-6i earphones. The only qualm I have is that the filters need to be replaced about every month with heavy use.

[tbone @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:00PM]

ya shure, has some pretty high quality for their top end products. at first i got some of their cheaper 100$ buds, that i returned right away because they didn't fit properly. later i tried out the bose earbuds, which were good, but didn't offer any noise isolation. i got some bose on ear headphones which are ok, but the cord already has some knots and the material is wearing down after a year. finally i saw a sale at a retailer and got the shure 530 for about 20% off . they're pretty solid, i was disappointed in the bass response, which was weaker than i expected but overall the best thing about them is the noise isolation, which is pretty good when im riding the bus so often.

[Slansing @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:33PM]

I too was skeptical about expensive earbuds, but the in-ear headphones really do make a huge difference. I was tired of pausing my video player on Bart (subway system) everytime it went underground.

My only complaint was that while it comes with 3 types of earpieces (all in 3 sizes) the most comfortable earpieces would no longer stick to the earphone, so I was forced to use less comfortable ones. I eventually left them on a plane by accident after 2 years of solid use, so I might pick them up again.

Oh, and I never had a problem with the cord/wires. I wrapped mine around my iRiver Clix daily which is likely as damaging as wrapping it around an iPod. I don't remember the model #, but it was in the $100 range.

[Michael @ Sep 2nd 2008 4:34PM]

I cant stand in ear headphones. They are very uncomfortable to me and dont sound that great. I perfer the over the head headphones. They block out the sound much better get much better bass mids and highs and they usually have thicker wires so fraying is not a problem.

[wootman @ Sep 2nd 2008 6:23PM]

too bad their absolutely HUUUGE.

[Zorque @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:00PM]

That's a weird-ass, unnecessary plug and I can see it breaking really easily.

[jaalin @ Sep 2nd 2008 5:04PM]

i had the SE530's a few months ago, and while they were easily the best sounding, most comfortable, coolest, most solidly built earphones i've ever owned, they were overkill for use with my mp3 player. i encode all my stuff in q10 ogg and use flac/ape whenever possible, but now that i look back, spending $300 to get the full performance when i could have gotten 90% of the satisfaction for less than 50% of the price was probably not the best idea. then again, these kinds of impulse buys rarely are...

i don't travel as much nowadays so i'm using a set of creative in-ear phones that came free with my dell xps, and while it's nowhere near the level of the SE530, or even the e4c, e3c, SE210, they're not bad.

anyways, as for the entry-level shures, i'm not convinced that the performance justifies the price. if you're gonna get into the shure/etymotic/v-moda etc game, at least get the medium-level ones where at least the performance far exceeds that of sub-$50 phones. look for deals on ebay, amazon, etc as they rarely sell for the full retail price. i'd consider paying $50-60 for entry level shures, but would opt to spend twice that for a dual-driver design with better bass response.

[Weeliano @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:15PM]

I completely agree with your opinion on the SE530, they are by far Shure's best in-ear type earphones. They come at a price yes, but you really get what you pay for.

[Bryan Jackson @ Sep 2nd 2008 8:39PM]

I don't buy the complaints of the cheap wiring. Albeit that I own two of the upper tier models (E4s and SE530s), but the only time I've had a problem is when I spilt water on my SE530s. And Shure replaced them for free even though it was out of scope of the warranty, and shipped them next day air.

I've had nothing but success with Shure in their professional products (microphones, wireless transmitters, etc) and in their "audiophile" products.

[Not PR @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:07PM]

Beware!! There is much PR gaming going on here in this Shure message board...especially "Scott." Trust no one in these forums.

[Seamus D Dog @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:48PM]

Having tried the MPA Music Adapter with the iPhone and Shure 210s, let me just say this is not a solution to the iPhone earphones problem. The Adapter works well, but is huge and heavy; not only that, you'll have to clip the mic very close to your mouth for someone to hear you properly. The mic and button needs to be placed where it is on the Apple OEM phones, like the UEs and Vibes. Unfortunately, both the UEs and the Vibes have serious quality control problems - they've both failed on me multiple times, and yeah they get replaced under warranty, but it's a pain.

[Alex @ Sep 3rd 2008 1:11AM]

I got the $500 ones. They're good, but they're definitely not worth $500. More like $50.

Don't waste your money folks. Get proper headphones instead. Sound much better.

[avester @ Sep 3rd 2008 5:27AM]

No kidding.

Of course they sound better, the drivers are 20x bigger, and there is a lot of room for adjustment...

[alfred @ Dec 14th 2008 7:46PM]

They're only worth $50? Have you actually used the shure se530 properly? If you have, and if you've used a number of $50 head/earphones, there's a HUGE difference between the two of them, comparable to, say, 128 kbps music ( $50 buds) compared to music with 800+ kbps (shure se530 buds).

And also, what earphone actually sounds better than this, assuming that it's not something insanely expensive? are you going to tell me that those huge, bulky, battery-powered bose q2 earphones or whatever sounds better than THIS? again, have you actually tried the shure se530 properly?

the only thing i don't like about these buds is that shure seems to exaggerate a bit much on its "90% noise reduction" or something. it's 90% noise reduction, sure, when there's music playing (with the exception of REALLY loud noise like people conversing next to you, construction, or being in an airplane), but when there's no music playing, the sound isolation sucks!!! 90%? PTH? you can still converse with people (although the sound's muffled a bit) when there is no music playing.