recstar24 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks everyone for the impressions and insight. Especially those that I exchanged PM's. I decided to go with the shure se530's. I went with the conservative, close to the vest route. I really enjoyed the e5's and by all impressions that I have read, they have improved the sound in the 500 and 530, specifically up top in the treble. I listened to the 500's for a short demo and I always thought the shure's did bass very well, and I really liked the midrange presentation. I am sure the TF10's and senn IE8's are great as well, but decided that for a IEM I would keep it close to the vest, as the shure sound is what I am familiar with, so there you go.
recstar24 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Posted February 10, 2009 the SE530s are much better than the E5s, and i liked the E5s. Ryan and Jacob = win. Damn man, you and me have been on the same page recently. next thing you know it my basement will start piling up with random bodies next to shovels.
Dash Posted February 10, 2009 Report Posted February 10, 2009 I think you made a smart/good decision. The Shure 530s are good and I think they will serve you well. Plus they have resell value and a great company backing them.
catscratch Posted February 12, 2009 Report Posted February 12, 2009 Some late thoughts... I actually liked the SE420 more than the SE530/E500, and I think the SE420 is mechanically identical to the old E5? Not sure. The E500/SE530 has very plasticky mids to my ears, the bass is a bit loose, and the treble is somewhat steely and rolled-off at the same time. The plus side is very good detail and a very wide soundstage for an IEM, but tonality is more important to me and in terms of tonality the E500 blows it. I'm not sure what I'd recommend since there isn't a single universal-fit IEM that I like and think is worth the money sonically. However I've been out of the IEM game for the last 2 years and haven't heard any of the newer stuff aside from the W3. That one sounds pretty good if you can get a right fit, but personally getting the fit right is a nightmare and involves using oversides tips that cause pain after 15 minutes. Any other tips, and the mids go AWOL while the highs become very sibilant and harsh. Of course, all IMO, and YMMV, and all that stuff...
catscratch Posted February 12, 2009 Report Posted February 12, 2009 Yah, that's possible. I can't get equal amounts of bass in both ears with anything but triflanges, so it could very well be that my ears just aren't cut out for universal-fit IEMs
HeadphoneAddict Posted February 12, 2009 Report Posted February 12, 2009 Some late thoughts... I actually liked the SE420 more than the SE530/E500, and I think the SE420 is mechanically identical to the old E5? Not sure. The E500/SE530 has very plasticky mids to my ears, the bass is a bit loose, and the treble is somewhat steely and rolled-off at the same time. The plus side is very good detail and a very wide soundstage for an IEM, but tonality is more important to me and in terms of tonality the E500 blows it. I'm not sure what I'd recommend since there isn't a single universal-fit IEM that I like and think is worth the money sonically. However I've been out of the IEM game for the last 2 years and haven't heard any of the newer stuff aside from the W3. That one sounds pretty good if you can get a right fit, but personally getting the fit right is a nightmare and involves using oversides tips that cause pain after 15 minutes. Any other tips, and the mids go AWOL while the highs become very sibilant and harsh. Of course, all IMO, and YMMV, and all that stuff... I thought the SE530 mids were plasticky with the wrong tips, namely the unmodified triple flange. When I cut the triples into a biflange, and also cut the stalk about 2-3 mm shorter they sounded better (but yellow foam or black olive foam were better). Those same modded tips were too short for the Westone 3 and sounded funny with them, but so did the stock triple flange again - so I had to one cut only one end of the triple flange tips but not both, so the length was in between stock ones and ones and modded for the SE530. The custom Westone UM56 tips I had made for my SE530 also sound best on my Westone 3 as well.
catscratch Posted February 13, 2009 Report Posted February 13, 2009 I've messed around with tips on the E500 more. I think I'm getting it to seal right, because it's sounding very much like the E5/SE420 but with better detail and definition across the board. I'm actually really liking it right now as far as canalphones go; the treble is very recessed but nearly everything else about it is mostly spot-on. Warm, laid-back, very detailed, sort of a canalphone HD650 but with balanced armature speed. Very nice, and very good with jazz, blues, or anything vocal.
catscratch Posted February 13, 2009 Report Posted February 13, 2009 Triflanges, but with stems shortened. I didn't lop off the top flange though, so they're largely stock. Bass is still slightly off-center, but this was the case for every other universal-fit IEM too. I may be turning around on Shures. I liked the E5/SE420, and this may end up in my good books too at the rate it's going.
HeadphoneAddict Posted February 13, 2009 Report Posted February 13, 2009 The SE530 sound even better if you can find someone still in business who will put its drivers into a custom IEM shell with dual sound tubes. You can get something like a Livewires or HearYourself.com IEM and split it open and gut the insides, but that is NOT cost effective at all. Then there is the task of figuring out what size and length sound tubes from drivers to ear tip that work the best with them. I think Suyama in Japan can still do it.
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