Size matters

In a world where convenience scores more highly than quality, here’s a refreshing reminder that the two can go together. The new E500PTH from Shure are the latest in the company’s ever-expanding range of sound isolating in-ear earphones. Incorporating three separate drivers—a tweeter and two woofers—they offer the sort of precision sound you would expect from much larger, over-the-ear headphones.
The earphones also come with a “push-to-hear” control. The idea is you push a button and engage in conversation (thanks to an external microphone), without taking your earphones off. Besides the obvious question of why you need this, the sheer size of the PTH makes you wonder. Can it be from the company that fitted three drivers into a tiny earphone? Still, the E500PTHs will add serious sparkle to your MP3 player. But at £400 a pair, they’ll cost twice as much as the player.