My darling buds (Shure SE310)

Member Name: otalgia

Product:	Shure SE310
Date:	19/08/08 (180 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great sound quality

Disadvantages: In ear phones are uncomfortable for some to wear

The SE310 earphones are high quality noise isolating earphones manufactured by Shure.

Firstly, I should explain that noise isolation headphones are not the same as noise cancellation headphones such as the ones advertised in the Sunday newspaper supplements. Noise isolation works by inserting the earphone into the ear canal which effectively blocks out all other sounds. Noise cancellation headphones use a method of subtractive equalisation and remove unwanted sounds electronically. The latter method has its problems as sometimes the unwanted sounds are indeed wanted!

Inside the headphone pack you will find the earphones, flexible plastic ear sleeves, a zip up carrying case and adjustable cable. The headphones are available in a black plastic or slightly metallic looking white.

The ear sleeves are the key to this kit and 3 different sizes are included. The sleeves fit over each earphone (that is conveniently marked Left and right) and then pushed into your ear to form a sealed fit. The better the fit the less external noise can be heard. I found that the earplugs became uncomfortable to wear after a prolonged period regardless of the sleeve size used. In all fairness I experience the same problem with other in-ear phones so it maybe that I have a strange ear size.

Once the earplugs are secured in your ears and the cable attached (which is modular and length can be adjusted) you can start using the headphones. The first thing that you will notice is the overall fullness and clarity of the sound. The trebles are sharp but not saturated. The rings of high hats and crashes of cymbals on rock music are fantastic and turned up loud you get the feeling that you are in the recording studio with the band. The bass tones are also deep, rich and demanding. I say demanding as in rock music the bass makes the sound really full and punchy, however in dub bass tracks and sub bass dance the bass can be overpowering and slightly drown other frequencies.

Of course the earphones are only as good as their sound source. Tracks that feature heavy MP3 low rate compression can be overly mechanical in the higher frequencies and the earphones clearly pick up on this. Songs recorded at bit rates of 192 kHz sound fine though.

Where the headphones do come to life is when using pro audio gear such as mobile field recorders. The sonic clarity and almost non-existent floor noise make them an ideal mobile reference headphone. For studio use, they could be useful, but I would suggest sticking to larger over ear open back headphones for a better ambience and feel of the music.

The overall build quality is good and with care the headphones should last for a long time. The weakest component, as in all earphones, is the cable connection to the ear bud itself. An accidental pull or tug could easily break the connections.

So the question is - at over £50 are they worth the investment?

There are a ridiculous amount of headphones and earphones available on the market today. Unfortunately, you do tend to get what you pay for. The subtle nuances in quality differences may be subtle and not be noticed by the casual listener. However for those who like their audio as crisp and clear as possible on the move then the Shure SE310 is a slightly pricey but worthwhile investment.

The headphones were available for £64.99 at www.amazon.co.uk at the date of writing (18th August 2008).

Copyright M Jones (Otalgia) 2008

Summary: A great set of earphones with crystal sound clarity.

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