Some people don’t like having ear pieces inside their ears, so you should try a set of earphones before you purchase them. Earphones also require careful positioning in order to hear the lower frequencies.
I stopped by the Shure booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and learned the company is expanding its consumer earphone line based on the success of the E500. The E500 will be relaunched as the SE530 ($449.99). The “3” in the model number indicates that each ear piece has three distinct audio drivers that function much like a three-way speaker system (Shure refers to them as Triple TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers).
One notch down is the SE420 ($349.99), where the “2” indicates that each ear piece has two distinct audio drivers. Being familiar with the E500’s exceptionally clear and smooth audio, I was impressed by how close the SE420 sounded to the E500.
Rounding out the product line, the SE310 ($249.99) and SE210 ($149.99) have just a single audio driver, with the SE310 featuring a Tuned BassPort for improved bass response. Sampling all four, I found each offers excellent sound for its particular price point.
Keep in mind that it may be worth spending some extra money for whatever kind of earphones, ear buds, or headphones you buy. The less expensive ones can tire you more quickly, especially when you’re traveling. There’s no point bringing your favorite music or movies along for a flight, only to have the audio become irritating after just a half hour.