List Price: $549.99
Sale Price: $478.00
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Fantasmagical! Only non-real words can describe these ear buds! I could talk about these forever but, I'll widdle it down to just a few facts to influence your decision ;)
Pros:
1. EVERYTHING.
2. 2 subwoofer drivers per bud
3. 1 tweeter per bud.
4. crossover in between them all (No matter what sound level you select they will deliver with zero distortion and acoustical perfection).
5. Industrial strength shielded cord.
6. Solidly built splitter.
7. Gold contacts at ear bud swivels and jack.
8. Ear buds swivel to minimize cord tangle.
9. Replaceable cord.
10. Comfortable in the ear when worn correctly.
11. 6 different ear bud grommets to suit each individual ear hole size and depth.
12. 37dB of insulation. So say a F-18 Super Hornet is landing right above your berthing you'll feel the vibrations, but won't hear the noise!! HURRAY!
Cons: dun dun dun
1. Price. They are worth every penny and you'll be SOL if you have to switch to a lower standard for some unGodly reason.
2. The cord. Although it's one of the best I've played with, the shielding inside will make for this little loop to form. One must untwist in the was its wrapped. It isn't that big of a pain, but you want to keep it straight so the cord won't get kinked.
3. Swivel ear buds. Fantasmical idea and I wouldn't go back to the other style...EVER. But one should clean it occasionally. (Exceptionally gentle though theres a mini gold wire centered for the electric to flow through.
4. The around the ear loop doesn't hold it's shape very well. It will re-bend when it goes around your ear but it'd be easier if it just stayed.
All 4 of the cons aren't really cons. Their just nuances of an amazing piece of technical marvel. These are by far the best ear buds I've used and the best personal sound instruments I've heard in general! Meaning their better then even the over the ear and around your head types.
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The 535 has been improved in several areas from the earlier 530 model, the latter of which I have two samples. The build quality has been discussed elsewhere. It is substantially solid and commendable. The replaceable cord is almost indestructible, but it being replaceable it is a non-issue.More important is the sound quality which has been dramatically improved in a number of ways due to refinements to the shaping of the cavity within which the balanced armatures are fitted (I speak about the "speakers" inside which are more comparable to tuning forks than typical electo-magnetic speakers.) The crossover points between these armatures may also have been refined and adjusted for flatter response meaning audibly flat, rather than just measurably flat. The external shape of the device was changed too, and it should fit more comfortably for many ears once one gets used to inserting them.
While a few listeners reported hearing "no difference" between the 535 and Shure's earlier 530 model, I strongly disagree. Or given that many people really can't hear even dramatic differences, it is merely true for them, but not true for those who can hear minute but significant changes between designs of audio equipment. The 535 is different from the 530 physically period. And sonically in a number of areas any sophisticated golden ear can hear. Among my audiophile acquaintances we could easily hear the improvements as follows:
1. Increased clarity and "transparency" throughout the frequency range resulting in better delineating of instruments, one from the other, and the textures and shapes within the sound. For example, the airy whoosh of a flute, the tinkles in the distance of a softy struck triangle at the back of the stage, the rosiny draw of the bow of a string instrument, the brassy rasp of a trombone, and the shimmer and afterglow of a brushed cymbal.
2. Higher resolution of the soundspace, such that the leading edges of percussion instruments penetrate with greater force, impact and speed. The fading tails of sound decaying away are easily distinguishable and followed to its silence.
3. The sound images locked-in-the-head feeling has been reduced significantly and the soundscape is now wider, many sounds seem to exist outside the head, even at a distance from one's ears.
4. More spatial clues and sound reflections are audible, such as naturally recorded hall ambiance and slap echo against a stage wall.
5. The bass is important to most listeners, it being the foundation for the rest and the rhythmic underpinning of music. The 535 excels in this area, even over Shure's 530 earlier model which provided deep bass surely, but not with the 535's impact, solidity and tightness, definition and textures. There are other brands with seemingly MORE bass or lower bass capability. This may be an illusion. For plumbing the deepest bass we have the requirement for very high definition. The 535 is, by a long shot, superior you need to seal the earbud to your ear canal to hear it in all its glory.
6. One can continue describing sonic improvements over earlier designs, but there are space limits. Conclusion: I have not yet heard a more enjoyable, and most importantly, accurate portable device to date. The price, understandably, will be a factor for most people. However for the discerning listener who demands the quality of sound the 535 can furnish and will install CD Redbook standard or higher resolution audio files in their music players/iPods, the Shure 535 will be a stunning addition to their musical enjoyment on the go, in a plane, while exercising, or at home.
Buy Shure SE535-CL Triple High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Clear) Now
Most people are looking for assurances that the reviewer of a product is qualified, so allow me to indulge briefly: I'm a lifelong musician, sound engineer, and headphone enthusiast/general audiophile. I love music not only for the artistry and quality of arrangement, musicianship, etc, but also for the beauty of sound that comes from the recording/mastering process, ultimately delivered through your speakers or headphones.The first thing most listeners will notice with the 535's is their phenomenal mid-range response, which is largely out of style in most of today's popular (read: crap) audio products. The tight, clean bass is delightfully present in the mix without clouding over other ranges. The treble is bright and organic, not harsh and overpowering. The improved bass response, build design, and crossover sets these apart from earlier and lower models (I actually did an A/B test with the 425s vs 535s since I own both the 535s won by a huge margin). I love cranking these puppies up...it feels like the music is emanating FROM MY BRAIN. Make sure you get a good seal on the 535's and they will change your life. Boom.
I have been very loyal to Shure for the past 5 years or so for their honest sound, quality builds, and great customer service. I had the E4G's and SE425s for several years, and when the cord broke on the former pair, they shipped me a brand new pair without question.
Bottom line: these aren't for "pop" audio listeners looking for destructively rumbling bass and over-cranked, shimmery highs. Try Bose, you will be more happy with the inaccurate replication of the music. For those seeking full, powerful, honest sound with a great build and innovative features, buy these and don't look back.These earphones sound AMAZING! They are exactly what I would expect to hear after paying $500. But, (and it's a big "But") after using these for slightly over one month the supposed durable cable connector (the part that connects to the ear phone itself) became loose distorting and cutting off sound every time I moved the cable. I figured it was just the cable so I paid an additional $40 for a replacement cable, and quickly discovered it was not the cable itself but the input point on the ear phone! Now I have to send them back to Shure for repair! This in my opinion is simply unacceptable for a pair of $500 earphones hence the 2 star rating! And just a caveat, I in no way mistreated the earphones. They were kept in the case (the case is poor quality btw) when not in use, and were handled exactly as instructed! So, I recommend if you buy these, make sure the connection is not loose, and wiggle the cable while music is playing to make sure there is no break in sound! If so send them back immediately or you'll be stuck having to deal with Shure directly!
Got the new pair and they were awesome, so much so, they got stolen. Now I'll have to fork over another $500...geez...I hope that this review will help someone who is "on the fence" on investing in a pair of SE535s.
I have owned multiple pairs of Shure headphones, some middle of the line and also pair of top of the line SE530s. I use my headphones almost daily, for work and for pleasure, and when I use them I use them for many hours at a time. In fact, I think I place an extra level of use on my headphones, more than most people would. I travel the world for business and I take my headphones and Iphone with me where ever I go. I don't need to spend any time raving about the high quality and exceptional sound that Shure creates with their headphones, there are plenty of reviews that can attest to their superior fidelity and you should expect nothing less than perfection when laying out $500 for a pair of headphones, however I want to focus on the customer support.
After 6 months or so after my original purchase I started to have problems with my SE530s, specifically the left earbud would cut out at the lower connection. I sent the headphones in and they were immediately replaced with a new pair. All was good until about 6 months or so the problem happened again, so I sent that pair in for repair and they were replaced. All in all, I replaced these SE530s three times, the last time almost a year AFTER the original warranty ran out. Shure customer service were always courteous when I called, and replaced my product(s) without issue and almost immediately after receiving my old headphones at their department.
Now, don't take this review as a problem with Shure's products. I believe that anytime a company produces a product there can be problems that occur. What I experienced with my SE530s were an exceptional product, with exceptional sound, that had a hard time under exceptional usage. Now, this could have been bad luck, or hell a bad design for all I know. Shure stood by their product and looked out for me as a customer. That is what I want people to take away from my review.
In the end, I purchased the SE535s and decided to keep my SE530s as a backup. I felt the SE535s with the replaceable cables would function better under the extreme usage that I put my headphones though and so far they have performed as I expected them to.
There are few things in the world that you really get what you pay for. The Shure SE535 headphones are in a class by themselves within this group.
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