One of the essentials in my travel bag is a set of earbuds that will not only make my MP3 collection sound good, but will block out noise on airplanes. You know, engine noise, screaming babies and friends and business colleagues who insist on having conversations even though they are sitting across the cabin from each other.
This is where the Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones really shine.
First, they sound great. I use them for audio recording in the field. But on the road, carrying my iPod and having a few thousand of my favorite tunes on a long trip is important—it gives me something familiar even when traveling to unfamiliar places.
If you really want to “hear” the music on your iPod or Zen or Zune, forget about the cheap earbuds that come with most portable music players. With the Shure earphones, you’ll likely hear instruments and voices you’ve never heard before, even on familiar songs.
There are two types of noise-blocking headphones. Some, like Sennheiser and Bose, use active circuitry that generates a sound frequency to cancel noise. The SE530PTH uses the smaller (and easier to carry) earbud design with plastic or foam sleeves to form a seal in your ears. It comes with several different sizes and designs of sleeves, but getting the right seal is critical to good sound (especially bass response) and keeping out noise.
For me, the smaller earbud design is even comfortable for sleeping.
The PTH (Push to Hear) module is also handy for listening to flight updates over the PA system or when the flight attendant asks you what you’d like to drink. Without removing the earbuds, you can turn on a small microphone that will let you hear conversations.
My only concern about the Shure is the cost. The SE530PTH carries a list price of $549.99. But shop carefully online and you can usually find them in the $250-$300 range. (See the links below.) Just be sure to buy from an authorized dealer to avoid any possible warranty problems.
Expensive for portable headphones? Yes. Worth it for road warriors? Without a doubt.
Search Shure SE530PTH prices online
