bit-tech Shopping: Shure SE110 Noise Isolating Headphones - Black

• Black
• White

• Additional Earbuds
• Carrying Case
• Extension Cable

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Days

Strengths: Sound great, well made, portable, great price

Weaknesses: None so far

Summary: I bought these Shure SE110-K earbuds as an alternative to my Bose QC2 headphones. I don't pretend to be an audiophile with doglike hearing, but can say that iTunes tracks sound terrific on them. They have an even, balanced response; not too much treble and not too much bass. Once you get the right tips on them, which is very easy to do, they fit snugly and comfortably. They attenuate external noise as well as the Bose headphones. Plus, after struggling with my Bose headphones and their case on airline flights, the portability of the Shure earbuds is very much appreciated. Now I can't wait for my next flight.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 30 Days

Strengths: Good build and sound quality

Weaknesses: Not good where their are a lot of distractions (unless they can be ignored)

Summary: Once you pick out the right earpieces (included) they really do block a great deal of background noise and offer fairly deep base response for earphones. Removing them and putting them back gets to be a nuisance if people talk to you while you're listening. It is difficalt to converse with them in. They sond better than the Sennheiser in-ear models, in my opinion and I love the cord extension, as I can remove it, clip my iPod Shuffle to my collar and have no dangling cord to catch on things.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 20

Strengths: Midrange frequencies, sound isolation, comfort, affordability

Weaknesses: Low-range frequencies (bass), finding proper fit takes time

Summary: I was looking for an affordable pair of quality earbud headphones to replace my existing Apple earbuds and am satisfied with my SE110 purchase. When I first started using the SE110s, I was initially frustrated with getting the earbuds to fit snugly within my ears. Without a tight seal, these earbuds will sound tinny and weak, so getting them to fit right is essential. After a few days of experimenting with different tips from the included fit kit, I was finally able to find a pair that formed a tight seal within my ear. Sound isolation is one of the biggest advertised features of the SE110s, and I found that with a tight seal, about 80% of the ambient noise is reduced. As is the problem with most earbuds, the SE110's biggest weakness is its bass output. Bass enthusiasts who are looking for earbuds should ask themselves if they wouldn't be happier with spending some more money on a higher-end product with better bass. However, the SE110 cannot be said to have worse bass output than Apple's earbuds.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 90

Strengths: Sound clarity, good mid range, good sound isolation

Weaknesses: Treble response low, bass response low

Summary: Major upgrade from iPod stock headphones. These sound isolating headphones practically kills all the noise around you. Definitely not a great idea to walk around with these in a city like New York. Sound quality very good, however some may consider headphones are both light on very high frequency and low frequency responses. Excellant for classical music. Build quality excellant. The wires seem to be bit thick and not flexible which can a be a problem while moving around. These are great headphones for use while working on a noisy places (ie Starbucks) or in the air.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 4

Strengths: Multiple shape/size buds, noise cancellation.

Weaknesses: pricey, bass could be better

Summary: I think the price is a bit high but the performance warrants it. Once you put these on, you'll never go back to the standard iPod buds. Would buy again.