Shure Expands Popular Line of E Series Sound Isolating Earphones; Studio Quality Sound and Sleek Design Converge in Shure's New E4c Earphone.

NILES, Ill. -- Shure Incorporated today announced that the company's much-anticipated E4c sound isolating earphones have begun shipping. Initially previewed at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, where they were a 2005 Innovation Award honoree, the latest addition to the company's acclaimed line of premium consumer audio accessories combine the studio quality sound that listeners have come to expect from the E Series with a sleek, lightweight design to complement today's popular listening devices.

Adhering to the same quality standards that drove the success of its award-winning line, the E4c earphones further optimize the listening experience by utilizing Shure's new High-Definition driver with Tuned-Port technology to significantly enhance bass response. The E4c's comfortable sound isolating sleeves contour to the inner-ear, naturally sealing out more background noise than noise-canceling alternatives, and the small, portable, attractive design position them as a must-have accessory for today's consumers.

The portable compressed audio (MP3) player market continues to surge, with worldwide unit shipments expected to increase from over 56 million in 2004 to over 116 million in 2008, according to market research firm IDC. "Today's music consumers look for portable audio players that not only sound great but also look cool," said Susan Kevorkian, Senior Analyst with IDC's Consumer Markets group. "Accessories like earphones that combine a high-quality listening experience with an elegant design help to bring out the best in portable audio devices."

To answer these consumer desires for upgrades to their listening experience, Shure established its Personal Audio Business Unit one year ago to focus on developing professional-grade personal technology audio products like the E Series for discriminating consumers.

"For the past 80 years, Shure has been serving a highly demanding professional audience and has been a primary driver of innovation in the field of audio technology. Today's consumers, however, are much more savvy and discerning, which makes Shure's focus on a consumer audience a natural fit in today's market," said Mark Karnes, General Manager, Personal Audio Business Unit at Shure, Inc. "The E4c earphones are a great example of how Shure is setting the quality, performance, and design standards that consumers are now actively pursuing."

Weighing just over an ounce, the E4c makes the perfect accessory for music lovers who are serious about sound quality and detail. Designed to mirror the iconic design of the iPod, the Shure E4c earphone also complements popular devices such as Sony's NW-HD3 Network Walkman, Toshiba's Gigabeat MEG F20, Delphi (XM) and XACT (Sirius) portable satellite radio players, and a host of multimedia laptops and portable DVD players. The new E4c earphones feature:

--Studio Quality Sound: The E4c incorporates the same precision components originally developed for professional musicians to monitor their stage performances.

--High-Definition drivers with Tuned-Port technology: The Tuned-Port technology of the E4c significantly improves bass response allowing for an ultra-wide frequency soundstage with brilliant highs and extended bass.

--Personal Fit Kit: The E4c earphones include a pair of disposable foam sleeves and triple-flange sleeves, three sizes of flex sleeves, and three sizes of ultra-soft flex sleeves to ensure a personalized, comfortable fit and maximum sound isolation.

About the Shure E Series

The E4c sound isolating earphones join three other options in the distinguished Shure line, helping to guarantee that Shure has the perfect match for a wide range of audio needs and preferences. At $99.00 USD, the Shure E2cs are a consumer's first introduction to premium audio and an ideal choice for upgrading bundled earphones. Both the $179.00 USD Shure E3c and the new $299.00 USD E4c are ideal for consumers looking to match the look and feel of the iPod or other portable media players, the latter offering even more detail across frequency ranges. Lastly, the Shure E5c sound isolating earphones, the professional musician's earphone of choice, is priced at $499.00 USD and delivers an audiophile's utopia with its dual Live Performance drivers and inline crossover for faithful reproduction of precision highs, natural mids, and full-bodied bass.

Availability

The E4c sound isolating earphones come with a two-year warranty, and can be purchased on the Shure Web site, www.shure.com, as well as through select retail partners including Apple, InMotion Pictures, CompUSA and Amazon.com. For more information about any of Shure's current consumer offerings, please visit www.shure.com or call 1-888-88-SHURE.

About Shure Incorporated

Founded in 1925, Shure Incorporated (www.shure.com) is widely acknowledged as the world's leading manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics. Over the years, the company has made its mark on the professional audio industry with a wide variety of award-winning products. In recent years, Shure has begun leveraging its legendary pro audio roots to deliver the same caliber products to consumers. Offering high quality accessories to leading consumer electronic devices, such as MP3 players, DVD players, mobile phones and multimedia laptops, Shure helps people bring the listening experience to an entirely new level. Both the Shure E Series line of sound isolating earphones and the Shure QuietSpot headsets for mobile phones are available on the Shure Web site, and Shure consumer electronic products are sold through select retail partners including Apple, CompUSA, Amazon.com and Brookstone.

Shure Incorporated corporate headquarters are located at 5800 W. Touhy Avenue, Niles, IL 60714, 847.600.2000.