Shure E5c Headphones

Good Things
Just Wow! The Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones are the most amazing set of portable headphones I have ever used. The best way to describe the sound is to think of your inner ear being hard wired into an iPod. It's as if your brain has been transformed into one big concert hall. You hear things that you never thought existed. Going back to listen to some of your favorite songs is an amazing treat. With these headphones, Shure has managed to place dual-driver speakers into small earphones that isolate the listener from almost any background noise. When cycling, running or exercising, being oblivious of the real world (as well as the pain) can be great as you truly get to feel the music through your body. Creating some high tempo heavy bass playlists on the iPod has certainly helped boost my workouts to new levels.

Bad Things
If you are new to cycling, running or exercising and need to pay any attention to the road, these headphones are not for you. While I think they are some of the best headphones ever designed, they completely block out the outside world. I mean completely! This is great while riding in an airplane, a subway, or walking on a city street, but when cycling or running on an open road, you will be clueless to what is going on. Even at small volume, I couldn't hear a car honking its horn. Of course that is the point of these babies.

Another potential issue is the price. An 8gig iPod nano (great while cycling and running) can cost $250, the Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones are priced between $300 and $400 a pair. Of course if you have the cash or want the experience, how much is too much?

About Shure
While known more for their microphones than headphones, Shure is a big player in the sound recreation market. They make Mixers and Audio Processors, Personal Monitors, and Phonograph Cartridges (yes, people actually still have record players). Having been in the sound market since 1925, they know what they are doing when it comes to sound.