SE530 or Klipsch X10

[Jajo]

Hello again,

Last week I posted a thread about my recent arrival of Klipsch X10 Image IEM's. It was an upgrade from my SE310's.

What I would really like to know now is how do they compare to the SE530's? I can the SE530's for a little bit more than what I paid the X10's.

Don't get me wrong, I am impressed with the sound of the Klipsch X10, but the cable, plug, and earphones themselves have me worried. They just feel cheap. I like the way Shure's feel, from the cable, to the plug, to the earphones themselves. I know they have cable tearing problems (which I have experienced first hand), but supposedly they have fixed the problem.

I listen to a lot of electronica and a little bit of hip-hop. I like bass, but not the kind that will make my ears hurt.

Which of the two do you think would be better?

Thank you!

[Feather225]

SE530 has 3 drivers...so theoretically it is a more sophisticated product...however, image is really small and you are paying for the micro driver technology~which is still sophisticated...SE530 should have better SQ, but you have to trade off the comfort~
I was having the same problem~battle between Image x10, se530 and UE trifi~I finally kept image x10 and returned the other two, not because of the price but the comfort ^ ^ however, now I bought the Westone 3 which I was waiting for~ so yeah~it took over the image x10...^ ^~
SE530 have very similar Sound signature with the image though...so if you like image's sound, you will like SE530~

[Signal2Noise]

Originally Posted by Feather225

...SE530 should have better SQ, but you have to trade off the comfort...

I dunno...I find my new xmas pair of SE530s quite comfortable. And I'm even using the triple flanges.

[Feather225]

Originally Posted by Signal2Noise

I dunno...I find my new xmas pair of SE530s quite comfortable. And I'm even using the triple flanges.

Maybe it fits your ear better~ I found my ear painful after 2 hours of listening with SE530...but with klipsch image x10~I don't even feel it what so ever, and I can sleep with it nicely ^ ^ thats the main reason why I returned SE530~also Se530 is hard for me to get a good seal, I have to play around with it for a while...its a pain at times~with Image I can get a good seal right there~I mean SE530 is a beautiful earbud~no dealt~shure's top of the line IEM~but just not for everyone~X10 is def universal fit~but I am happy with my westone 3 now~so yeah ^ ^

[Jajo]

I'm pretty used to the way Shure's feel as I have had SE310's, SE110's, and E2C's. The Klipsch X10's are the first IEM's I have had that are something other than Shure.

I have even tried to do the over the ear placement with Klipsch because I wasn't, and am still not, comfortable with the way the Klipsch hangs down.

[Feather225]

Originally Posted by Jajo

I'm pretty used to the way Shure's feel as I have had SE310's, SE110's, and E2C's. The Klipsch X10's are the first IEM's I have had that are something other than Shure.

I have even tried to do the over the ear placement with Klipsch because I wasn't, and am still not, comfortable with the way the Klipsch hangs down.

In that case~definately go for the Shure SE530! no dealt! or if you wanna try something different again, go for the Westone 3 or the IE8, I chose Westone 3 because IE8 looked cheap IMO and since westone 3 has similar sound signiture with image, I knew I will love it...
However, W3 and IE8 will cost lil more than shure (Market price)

[Jajo]

yeah right now the IE8 and the W3 are slightly out of my budget. The shures can be had for just a little more than the x10.

Perhaps after the SE530 I will get the W3 or get some full size headphones.

How is the bass on the SE530 compared to the X10? The 310's lacked big time.

By the way, what is it when there is bass, then it is overcome by treble or mid ranges?

[james444]

Jajo, if you listen to a lot of electronica I'd recommend you audition the Senns IE8. I have the X10, SE530 and the IE8 and I would not say that the SE530 are significantly better for electronica than the X10. In fact I believe the bass on the SE530 is slightly less punchy than on the X10.

IMO the IE8 are in a different league when it comes to electronica. Bass has great substance and impact even with the lowest setting and the huuuuge soundstage is something else, like the music miraculously floating all around you...

[Jajo]

I wish I could go for the IE8, but they are more than I would like to spend. They are very intriguing, to say the least.

I don't listen to trance or techno. I listen to a lot of the slower electronica, like deep house. Also tech-house, and trip-hop.

I'm just worried about the bass if I move on to SE530. I hope it can match the X10. There is no place I can think of locally that I can audition them, so I'll have to buy them.

Like I said, I hate that the X10 feels so cheap. I feel like the phones themselves will rip off the cables at any second. The sound is great, though.

[SpoonMan]

Originally Posted by Jajo

I wish I could go for the IE8, but they are more than I would like to spend. They are very intriguing, to say the least.

I don't listen to trance or techno. I listen to a lot of the slower electronica, like deep house. Also tech-house, and trip-hop.

I'm just worried about the bass if I move on to SE530. I hope it can match the X10. There is no place I can think of locally that I can audition them, so I'll have to buy them.

Like I said, I hate that the X10 feels so cheap. I feel like the phones themselves will rip off the cables at any second. The sound is great, though.

My music preferences are rap/hiphop/metal, I personally am very satisfied with the SE530's bass response, I also use the tri flange tips and find them very comfortable, this is a personal thing however as some find the tri flange tips uncomfortable.

You don't have to worry about the 530's feeling cheap either, they're a great looking earbud and construction/presentation is top notch.

I purchased my 530's thru headphone.com, they've got a 30day money back guarentee so in the event that you don't like them you're not stuck with the decision, I may be wrong but I would expect any Shure authorized dealer to have a similar policy, I also have a set of E5's purchased from a different vendor and they also came with a 30day money back guarentee.

Good luck with your decision.

[Mr Pink57]

Amazon has the SE530 for $289 which is a REAL good price vs the $499 I see on their website (I am sure you can get them cheaper). But as raised in that thread Amazon is an authorized dealer of sure but who is selling them is not. I would keep tabs on that thread.

As for me I have never owned the SE530 but i do own the E2c and the E3c and for me, Shure is well not for me. The bass was lacking in both of those IEMs (I realized price differenc here), plus they where not comfortable as I have very tiny ear holes.

On a plus note sure makes a much nicer cable vs what Klipsch is offering. This year as CES I am going to speak with a Klipsch rep on what they are going to do about his cable.

pink

[AgainstTheGrain]

hands down unamped the se530s blow the x10 out of the water. amped the picture is a little blurrier. the x10s sound sooooooo much better with an amp. it makes it close but the shures are still better. the only thing the x10 has over the 530s is bass. and that is because it has the subwoofer boomy bass. the 530s are much more controlled. x10s sound great with techno and trance music though. my vote is the se530s because of the clarity and separation.

[thatwunguy]

Originally Posted by AgainstTheGrain

hands down unamped the se530s blow the x10 out of the water. amped the picture is a little blurrier. the x10s sound sooooooo much better with an amp. it makes it close but the shures are still better. the only thing the x10 has over the 530s is bass. and that is because it has the subwoofer boomy bass. the 530s are much more controlled. x10s sound great with techno and trance music though. my vote is the se530s because of the clarity and separation.

The se530 do not "hands down" blow the x10 out of the water. I quite disagree. I have not heard the 530 amped, but unamped, I prefer the x10 quite substantially. I like the clarity of the 530, but unless you listen to piano or classical, the sound of x10 very well suits most musical styles.

Perhaps, you greatly prefer the sound of the 530's to x10's when comparing unamped, but please don't describe one as "hands down" better because they are quite different.

[AgainstTheGrain]

Originally Posted by thatwunguy

The se530 do not "hands down" blow the x10 out of the water. I quite disagree. I have not heard the 530 amped, but unamped, I prefer the x10 quite substantially. I like the clarity of the 530, but unless you listen to piano or classical, the sound of x10 very well suits most musical styles.

Perhaps, you greatly prefer the sound of the 530's to x10's when comparing unamped, but please don't describe one as "hands down" better because they are quite different.

i've done plenty of customer comparisons with 530s vs. x10 unamped. i have to i sell both of them for a living. and i have never once had someone tell me that the x10 were even close to the 530s in anything except for bass. and far from just being for piano or classical. but we are all entitled to our opinions.