Product Reviews

Best known for its legendary E-series earphones, Shure is aiming for the wider consumer market with its latest range - well, fairly flush consumers anyway. They boast a shinier, sleeker design and a number of accessories, such as a modular cord that allows you to add in optional volume controls or PTT (push to talk) options. The SE210s even have some slight advantages, such as a more robust sleeve attachment.

Like the Creative and Sony models, the SE210s only have a single driver (the top end of the SE range uses three), but it's an excellent one, and the earphones consequently sound superb, with a sense of clarity to every instrument. They rarely feel overwhelmed by even the most challenging

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arrangements. Bjrk's Hyperballad retains its bone-twisting sub-bass and fragile percussion with impressive composure, and we found it all but impossible to wring any kind of distortion from the SE210s, even with the worst Verdi's Requiem could throw at them.

They're also supremely comfortable, with the foam earbuds - washable for a longer life - being particularly effective at blocking out every trace of aircraft noise. As supplied, you get an exceedingly rugged carry case, which also has room for the supplied accessories: three sizes of rugged silicon bud, three sizes of foam sleeves, and a pair of alarming-looking 'triple flange' sleeves. There's also a wax removal tool for scraping out any deposits that end up on the driver unit, and a cable extension to make the slightly weedy 18-inch cable extend to three feet (about a metre in new money).

A direct comparison between the S210s and the Creatives was like opening all the doors and windows, with Shure delivering a lightness of touch and a transparency that the budget units simply couldn't touch. But moving down to the Sonys wasn't such a shock. If you're prepared to spend the money on the SE210s, they're more comfortable, more versatile and more rugged. But most people would be happy with the Sonys.