SHURE BROTHERS E1 Single Driver In-Ear Earphones

Rating:
Summary: High Fidelity in a Tiny Package
Review: These earphones from Shure are the mid-priced ($130) model in their line of in-ear phones. The E2 is a lower-priced ($90) consumer-oriented version with black cables and a more rounded contour. The E5 has two separate drivers and goes for around $450. The sound quality is excellent with the disposable foam earplugs, which seal out noise and allow good bass response. The reusable plastic earplugs fall out and bass is non-existent due to the poor seal. I haven't tried the optional triple-seal earplugs ($10) or the custom-molded earplugs ($100 from an audiologist). These earphones deliver tight, robust bass (with foam plugs) and extremely crisp highs, and they don't even mess up your hair! They are so precise, you may want to record MP3's at higher than the 128K standard. I read a review that said the pink plastic materials look like some kind of medical device, but I find they blend in nicely and are almost unnoticable. One drawback is that you have to squeeze the earplugs back into your ear canal every time you take them off - unlike conventional headphones that you can whip off and on, but are uncomfortable while resting in an airplane seat! Overall, they're a good value if you need a very small high-fidelity device.