Verdict

Hands up how many of you have ever killed an electronic device through trial by water? That’s one, two… several of you then – thought so. Us too – it’s all too easily done. Invest in a pair of the Philips SHQ3000 earphones, however, and you’ll find yourself able to worry about one less piece of kit drowning to death. Because, you see, the SHQ3000s are waterproof.


The main touted benefit of this water resistance is that the SQH3000 earphones make a good companion to sporting types, as waterproof also means sweat-proof. Even the most intense workout session shouldn’t produce enough perspiration to kill these ‘phones, but even lesser evils than exercise, such as rain or even just extreme humidity will be thwarted by the SHQ3000s.

The design is geared towards use in conjunction with physical activity, with the earloops providing a secure fit that stops tugs on the cable from pulling the earpieces from their nestling place. The rubberised coating on the wiring does mean it can catch a little, but not frequently enough to be annoying and, thanks to the secure ear-hooks, this snagging never pulls the SHQ3000 ‘phones from your ears.


A carrying case is provided, as are three choices of silicone tips, which, as ever, should cater to all but the most abnormal of ears. The earpieces’ loops are fairly adjustable, and after a few seconds of playing around we were able to get a secure and comfortable fit.

It’s important to get a good fit for a couple of reasons. First, if you don’t sound will leak out of your ear canal and you’ll get pretty much no bass response. Second, because if you don’t water will leak into your ear canal leading to a rather discomforting feeling when you then re-insert the ‘phones.

Admittedly the only time the SHQ3000’s are likely to get a proper drenching is if you’re standing in a shower, holding your music player of choice above your head before sending it through a cycle in a washing machine. Being British during the winter isn’t all that dissimilar from the aforementioned scenarios, so you have to admit it’s a very realistic test.


The important thing is: regardless how we wetted the SHQ3000s they survived every test we could conceive with nary a hiccup. These earphones really are waterproof so if you do need such an attribute from you earphones, these fit the bill nicely.

What’s more, the SHQ3000’s aren’t all that bad taken simply as a pair of £30 earphones, ignoring their waterproofing entirely. As long as you ensure there’s a tight fit you get excellent, pumping bass. This is particularly useful if you’re running, as you get a strong bassline to keep time with.


For £30 the reproduction is as good as can be expected. There’s not amazing clarity and the high end gets rather drowned out by the bass. But, this actually could prove advantageous. Because the SHQ3000s aren’t amazingly revealing, low bit-rate tracks sound nigh-on indistinguishable from quality encodes, which can put more tracks on your inevitably small capacity portable player.

Verdict

The SHQ3000’s not only live up to their claims of being waterproof, they’re also a serviceable pair of earphones even ignoring such survivability. Audiophile these earphones are not, but they are practical and inexpensive.

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