Shure SE535
Specs.
Three balanced armature drivers (dual woofers, single tweeter) with a passive crossover
Frequency range: 18Hz – 19KHz
Impedance: 36Ohm
Sensitivity: 119dB/mW
Colour: Bronze or Clear
RRP: £469.99
Build quality and accessories.
The build quality and design is absolutely top class! The housing itself is made of high quality plastic, and has an extremely good attention to detail and fabulous design/looks. The cable has a memory wire at the housing, the cable is also detachable and can freely swivel around the housing, the length of the cable is 155cm and it has a 90 degree jack at the end. The cable is the most rugged looking and feeling cable I have seen in any IEM, it is very thick with a plastic feeling to it, still it is surprisingly light and easy in use. This is my new favourite cable of all IEM’s I have tried. Excellent work Shure!
The included accessories are, eight pairs of different sleeves (S, M and L sized foamhybrid and silicone sleeves, a pair each of yellow foam sleeves and triple flanged silicone sleeves), an airline adapter, a 6.3mm adapter, a volume control unit, a cleaning tool and a semi-hard zippered case. I would say that is a very generous amount of extras.
Shure also sell a separate microphone cable for the SE535’s, which turns them into a headset to use with Iphones etc.
Comfort and fit.
The SE535’s are quite large but light and one of the most comfortable IEM’s I have ever used. They are to be worn with the memory cable running over the ear, you can simply bend the part of the cable that runs over the ear into any shape you like and it stays there. The swivel mechanism of the cable also helps greatly for comfort. Isolation from ambient noise is very good, the cable does not suffer from microphonic noise.
Sound quality.
As a triple balanced armature IEM the SE535’s do not really need to burn in.
The SE535’s do not offer that WOW! feeling the very moment you let music through them, no, they slowly let you get accustomed to them and when you decide to stop listening, you think, just one more song, these sound pretty good. Next thing you know, several hours have passed and you’re completely absorbed into the music and only a very strong willpower can force you to stop listening to them. Said in less words, they sound absolutely and positively fantastic!
The SE535’s are not the most revealing IEM’s out there, but they get the balance between musical enjoyment and detail retrieval spot on. You can distinguish the plucks of a guitar, the breathing of the singer and reverbs of drums, just not too much or too clearly to distract from the music.
The low end is very tight and controlled, the slightly forward mids are class leading, highs are natural and slightly in the background, soundstage is larger than average with very nice separation and imaging. My test tracks sound just like I would be in the studio or on stage with the guys, so very natural and musical, you really “get in” with the music and forget about everything else.
The SE535’s are the most balanced IEM’s I have heard, this means that they suit any music and can be EQ’d to everyone's taste, if that would be necessary.
Another thing to note about the SE535's is that they respond very well to amping, even a simple amp as the Fiio E5 will lift them to a higher level still. The Hippo Box is my personal favourite, there is a great synergy between a Rockboxed Cowon D2, the Hippo Box and the SE535.
The Shure SE535’s are the best IEM’s I have heard (UM-3X, UM2, IE8, IE7, CK10, Phiaton PS200), and as an added bonus they are also the most beautiful universal IEM’s I have seen. Excellent work Shure!
To sum up.
The good: balanced and fantastic sound, beautifully designed, very comfortable, great isolation, excellent (detachable) cable, generous accessory pack, microphone cable available.
The bad: they are rather expensive.
Verdict: Definitely! The SE535 is my new personal favourite IEM.
With Phiaton silicone sleeves.
