Product Details
Shure MPA-3C Music Phone Adapter for iPhone

Shure MPA-3C Music Phone Adapter for iPhone
From Shure

List Price: $49.99
Price: $30.84 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com

23 new or used available from $33.85

Average customer review:

Product Description

Music Phone Adapter fur Shure SE model earphones. Compatible with Apple iPhone


Product Details

  • Brand: Shure
  • Model: MPA-3C-K-EFS
  • Dimensions: 8.50" h x 3.50" w x 1.50" l, .10 pounds

Features

  • Switch seamlessly between listening to music and taking a call
  • In-line VoicePort microphone
  • In-line control button
  • For iPhone and other phones
  • 2-year warranty

Editorial Reviews

From the Manufacturer
Developed by Shure, the industry leader in professional audio electronics, the Music Phone Adapter (MPA) is a sleek modular accessory that converts any Shure Sound Isolating Earphones into a stereo headset and allows Apple iPhone users to switch seamlessly between listening and communicating. Building off of Shure's 80-year professional audio legacy, the MPA utilizes the company's innovative modular design to bridge from personal listening nirvana to other communication activities that converged devices such as the iPhone offer.

By combining a VoicePort microphone with a control button that allows users to answer and end calls without touching the phone, the MPA enables consumers to incorporate the premium sound quality of Shure Sound Isolating Earphones into mobile phone conversations. The MPA's low-profile VoicePort microphone, which was developed using the same technology as Shure's QuietSpot mobile headsets, is tuned to optimize intelligibility, ensuring callers hear you clearly even in noisy environments. This professional-grade Shure microphone uses VoicePort technology to provide superior sound quality and blocks background noise and wind from interfering with your phone call.

Shure's award-winning line of earphones are precision-engineered for a listening experience that's true to live performance. They feature premium sound quality, sound isolating design and extensive "fit kits" for personalization. With the addition of this MPA attachment, Shure's Sound Isolating Earphones take convenience, portability, sound quality and freedom from outside noise one step further, enabling listeners to experience professional quality sound with both their MP3 players and music-enabled phones. Instead of carrying a pair of earphones and a separate, lower-quality headset for your music phone, the MPA allows you to incorporate the premium sound quality of Shure Sound Isolating Earphones into your mobile phone conversations.


Customer Reviews

Nearly Perfect5
I would say that this product is perfect save for one flaw. That flaw being the problem everyone else is talking about. I didn't actually get what they were talking about until I ran into the problem myself, so I'll attempt to explain it a little better for those who are like me and aren't quite grasping what they are saying.

The problem is in the length of the cord, which results in poor placement of the microphone. This is ONLY a problem if you are not using the split part of a Shure set of earphones. I'm not sure if this diagram will translate due to formatting, but if not, just use your imagination. ;)

(ignore the periods, I had to use them for placement, otherwise it all fell apart)

Shure ear phones extension with mic
--------
........>-- ------------------
--------

traditional ear phones extension with mic
---------
.........>------------------------------ ------------------
---------

As you can see, in the second instance, the mic is MUCH further away from where your head would be than if you were using Shure ear phones. The Shure ear phones are only about 2' long because they come with another extension (which is replaced by this very product) that is another few feel long. So the mic is only a few feet down from your mouth using Shure head phones but is more like 4-6' down using normal head phones. So you would have to coil up the NORMAL head phone's cord and clamp it up higher on you, so that the mic will be somewhat close to your head when you attach it to the previously coiled-up cord.

Otherwise, the sound quality is supurb, it DOES fit into an iPhone without the need for an adapter and it's very high quality, just like the original cord that it is replacing.

I hope this helped!!

Solves the problem5
I recently got an Iphone and realized that my E3Cs didn't fit into the recessed jack of the iPhone. I was 100% happy that this adapter existed:

Pros:
a) it allowed me to use my great Shure E3Cs with the Iphone and,
b) it allowed me to take calls
c) it has a button which allows me to take calls in phone mode or pause the iPhone when in iPod mode.
d) when I'm in iPod mode and the phone rings the volume gently lowers and the phone rings -- I can click the button by the microphone to answer and when I'm done talking, I can press the button by the microphone again and I go back to my music - very convenient.
d) with both shure earplugs in you can take calls in extremely noisy environments and you will hear all of the conversation (your caller sounds like they're in a recording studio)


Cons:
a) like others have noted, the cord becomes very long and complex to manage. Lets just say I resorted to rubber bands which is not very trendy.

b) if you take a call in extremely noisy environment and both earplugs are in, you'll hear everything but parties will keep asking you if you can hear them bc they'll hear the noise through the microphone (I tell them not to worry and that I can hear them great with my Shure earplugs).

Why the 5 stars? Because it works very well and solved the core of my problem of using my E3Cs with my iPhone. Thanks for having this Shure!

I couldn't find this at stores but one quick search at Amazon found it and I had it in my hands the next day. Thanks Amazon!

Better mic than the original and missing volume is back4
Finally, I can hear again, and people can hear me. My high-end earphones now work with my iPhone and I no longer have to suffer with the poor fit and sound quality of the stock ear-disks (I was surprised Apple brought these back instead of incorporating their new ear-bud design). I no longer have to set the volume near maximum, I need only the second or third bar in most situations. Whether you have Shure earpieces or some other brand, if you want to recover your investment and start enjoying better call and audio quality I can recommend this as an option.

All the complaints I have read related to this product are related to cord management, no doubt this is a hassle. My solution was to clip the mic to one side of the headset and slip the cord inside my shirt. This might not be a comfortable solution if a your attire generally requires a bra or other undergarments.