Are Shure SE535's No longer top tier / high end IEMs?

I think it's just your perception. Many, many people on these people swear by their SE530/SE535's and have stuck with them year after year. And as far as I know, Shure uses balanced armature drivers in their SE530/SE535's on a two-way crossover design.

I had some Shure E2C and loved them. I upgraded to the 520 PTH, and thought they sound beautiful.

After about 6 months, the cable started to split. Well as one of the reasons I went to Shure was their returns policy, I knew it would be fine. And it was.

Except they replaced my defective headphones with another pair if defective headphones.

When the new cable split, in the same place above the ear, I asked them to replce them again.

No dice.

Even though they replaced a defective piece of kit with what they knew was another defective piece of kit.

Never going to buy Shure again.

Even now they have moved onto replaceable cables.

h

When I bought my Shure se530s I never expected them to take the fight up to my full size cans - being driven by the Ipod.  I've had no desire to purchase any other IEM as portable is'nt really my thing.  They out do all my full size cans in terms of bass tightness - out of an I-pod - I think they are hi-end in every way.

At $500 it's overpriced, but somewhere around 300 is fine. I'd say it's still top tier, but not that many people own the SE535 yet, so there are not so many impressions right now. The swivel connector and the improved cable is really a plus on it. I think that the MicroDrivers are just balanced armature drivers. Perhaps with different tuning. It's the crossover and the type/number of drivers used that determine how it sounds.

Look at it this way, the SE530 has a superior square wave response than the Senheisser HD800.

could we lay off the cable problems already?

It's very distracting for a new buyer and shure have fixed it for YEARS!

and from reviews teh SE535 has pretty good cables

I for one bought SE530 more than a year ago and i LOVE the sound. It's my first expensive universal IEM and it really blew me away. I pass it around and my friends and family members are equally agreeable to the sound. I find them especially impressive for vocal centric music. I wish ihaven't sold it off. But waiting for my JH 16s so all's good :)

and ps no problems with cables AT ALL

Ugh... 

You might want to visit the SE535 appreciation thread for some discussions with SE535 owners.

shane

Shure fans aren't going anywhere.  If you like that sound you really like that sound period.  $500?  Hell NO!  $280?  Let the games begin.  As far as the cables go.  I would like to develop a martial arts Jutsu for them.  

Breaking News!  String of Skullcandy users found strangled to death by the notorious 535 killer!

"Hello...I want to play a game." - Saw

At $500 shure is only targeting a very select few population. :D Which is probably why majority here do not talk about it, most of the discussions are for more affordable IEMs.

Those who like the SE535 are people who prefer looks, comfort and isolation above sound quality.

The SE535's are amongst the best for the aforementioned qualities but the sound is sub-par compared to other top tier IEMs.

The sound-stage is boxy. The highs rolled off making the sound dull and boring. Also the stereo field is not 180 degs!

I have recordings where an instrument is panned 90 degs right and only on the shures does it sound more like 80degs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bledig 

could we lay off the cable problems already?

 

It's very distracting for a new buyer and shure have fixed it for YEARS!

and from reviews teh SE535 has pretty good cables

I know they now have fixed the cables, and commented on it in my post.

My point was about them backing up their product. In my experience, they dont.

h

Best IEM I have ever heard.  Was tempted to go down the SM3 path but I no longer have any desire.

For the record, my W3 unseated the SE530 pretty handidly but now the SE535 unseated W3 pretty handidly.  It is clearly improved.

I love my 530s.  I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but as an owner of JH16s as well, I can't honestly say that the JH16s are $700 better than the 530s.  Don't get me wrong, I REALLY love the JH 16s and have them in my ears almost constantly.  However, I still listen to the 530s out of an ipod on public transport and whatnot and they are outstanding.  One of my favorite pairs of headphones.