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Shure SE215 earphones review
Altec Lansing announces a trio of 'Custom Series' in-ear monitors -- no, seriously Shure's SE210m+ sound isolating earbuds include iPhone remote, $170 price tag Westone 4 earphones review There are a lot of in-ear headphones out there these days, from the ones at the checkout line at the grocery store, to the ones that came with your iPod, to ones you'll need to take out a second mortgage to get your ears on. And most of them will do a decent job of pumping sound into your ears. Shure's SE215 earphones sit at that magical $99 price point -- not for everyone, but highly tempting to those committed to splurging a bit to replace those awful 'buds that arrived with their PMP of choice. So, how do these guys stack up against the immediate competition? Read on to find out what we heard.
Shure debuts colorful new $99 SE115 earphones
It's not exactly the first time Shure has dipped into sub-$100 territory with its earphones, but it looks like its new SE115 earphones could well attract a bit more attention than the company's other budget offerings, and not just because they're available in four snazzy colors. According to Shure, these sound-isolating phones make use of a new "breakthrough" dynamic driver that promises to deliver better sound than was previously possible in such a small form factor, with the usual Shure fit kit ensuring that the earphones fit just right. It seems that you'll have to wait a bit longer to actually judge 'em for yourselves, however, as they'll only be available at some unspecified point this spring.
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Shure ships E500PTH sound isolating earphones
You want boasting rights and flattering amounts of auditory detail? Look no further than Shure's E500PTH, what's shaping up to be the most hyped and wildly anticipated (or so we're led to believe) earphones of the season. Oh, did we mention they're finally shipping? Sorry kids, only in the UK for now. We spotted these flagship 'buds at CES and now Shure obviously intends to deliver, albeit a few months later than expected. Housing two woofer drivers and one tweeter, the design promises to "change personal audio the way HDTV changed television" (saywha?). Easily among the most elaborate of assurances we've heard, the E500PTH has a lot to prove: the Push-to-Hear (no, this isn't the flipside of PTT) technology lowers music volume to let "environmental ambiance" (um, noise?) seep in, while flipping a switch activates a "so real, you're there" vibe providing two ways to groove. If style's your thing, the E500PTH sports a black and chrome outfit and maintains a low-profile while blocking up to 37db of outside interference (until you hit the PTH switch, of course). If you're ready to hear the touted "revolution" in sound, listen up: this aural pleasure won't come cheap. For the Brits who can grab these immediaitely, it'll cost you £419, while Americans must await a late-July ship date to drop their $500.
