I like the Triple.Fi 10 better. I won't call the SE530 bad, but it is a bit focused. It does certain things really well and other things completely lacking. The Triple.Fi 10 does most things well and hardly lacks anywhere. The Triple.Fi 10 is a more broadly capable device than the SE530. The SE530 has a greater wow factor, especially when you first listen to a pair. However, over time that wow factor wears off, and if you start comparing it to other earphones in overall performance, it starts showing its weaknesses. Shure has kept the SE530 and new SE535 much like its predecessors simply because of the loyal fan base, but I feel Shure is short changing themselves trying to hold onto old fans and not really evolving the earphone. Although I have not personally listened, the SE535 has apparently fixed a couple shortcomings of the SE530, mainly non-recessed treble and better sound stage. I do love the realism of the SE530. It's quite good and sounds very life-like. Not many earphones do realism well. The downside are the BA drivers tend to be a bit short on decay which limits articulation and texture of sounds making them thinner, lacking heft and body, or almost more ghostly in a sense. The Triple.Fi 10 is one of the few BA earphones that offer a thicker, more robust note that steps away from that classic BA sound. There's more presence and weight to the sound. You gain more texture and articulation which shows out more details and improves the sound stage. The mids on the SE530 sound really good, but the Triple.Fi 10 has amazing treble and hearty bass. The SE530 is more dynamic and revealing than the Triple.Fi 10. The SE530 can make the Triple.Fi 10 sound a little thick and almost muddy sounding. However, the thicker note of the Triple.Fi 10 makes the SE530 sound ghostly and weak in comparison. The frequency response of the SE530 is mid-centric with noticeably recessed highs and almost non-existent low bass. The Triple.Fi 10 accentuates the highs and lows and makes for a somewhat V shaped response that can make the mids sound slightly recessed. The Triple.Fi 10 is more fun to listen to, more robust, sweet, rich. The SE530 is more accurate and analytical.
Having used both as well as many others, I would happily take the Triple.Fi 10 over the SE530. I think the Triple.Fi 10, while not the most accurate, offers the greatest spectrum of performance in a broad range of categories. Even now, I have a pile of high end earphones sitting on my desk including the UM3X, CK100, e-Q7, RE262, and so on, and I've owned the Triple.Fi 10 a couple times and owned it when I also had the SE530 and IE8 a year ago. Time and again when reviewing and comparing, the Triple.Fi 10 shows me that it is a better package than most. It is refined and broadly capable. It isn't the most balanced in response but balanced in a fun and enjoyable way. It offers a high amount of accuracy and offers a robust and well articulated note. It has very few weaknesses or faults, less than most. I compare and compare, and I keep seeing the Triple.Fi 10 as one of the best overall universal earphones in existence as an overall sound package. It just offers more and faults less than most everything out there.
Well, is there something better than the Triple.Fi 10 then? Kinda-sorta, kinda-sorta not. I think for the general user, the Triple.Fi 10 is the best product out there. When you start specializing, then certain products offer better. It depends on the traits you're looking for. I'm a huge fan of the UM3X, CK100, RE252, and RE262. I'm a huge fan of the immensely affordable Custom 3. I'm just a fan for different reasons. Many of these product are not only very good overall but also excess at certain things. I can pick any one of these as best for particular reasons. At the end of the day for general use, I do tend to pick up only a certain few earphones. I love the RE262. It's a dynamic driver but quite literally has the best dynamic earphone driver in existence. It is amazing, like high end home audio good, very dynamic, very transparent, very low distortion, just exceptional. The frequency response isn't as good as others, a bit mid-centric focus with a rather quiet top end but well extended. The CK100 is a very cool earphone, excellent balanced, highly detailed, outstanding sound stage. I see the UM3X and CK100 as brother and sister. The UM3X is hearty and warm. The CK100 is brighter and more sparkly. The UM3X is more intimate and emotional, but the CK100 is more balanced and poised. The Custom 3 is a cheap option these days, just $100, but it does so much right. It has an excellent sound stage, thick and textured notes, well balanced, and just robust and energetic. It doesn't do much wrong, and it's just $100. Even as good as many of these items are, I can still take the Triple.Fi 10 and say it's a little better overall. When we talk about everything as a total package, frequency response, presentation, transparency, distortion, sound stage, level of detail, realism, dynamics, etc...the Triple.Fi 10 is one of the best packages out there. I won't call it best because that's personal preference. We all have our own preferences and specific requirements of an earphone. Certain products will fit you better versus the someone else. But from a generalized standpoint, I do see the Triple.Fi 10 as the best option currently made.
Well the SE530 can't be that bad, is it? No. The SE530 is very good in its own right. It is very refined, and offer some unique capabilities like very high dynamic range and realism that is just hard to get in another product. BUT, I feel Shure short-changed themselves by sticking to the frequency response they have had for so long. It's a mid-centric earphone with rolled off lows and recessed highs. When compared against others, it offers a response that pretty much isn't better than a single BA driver earphone, and that's pitiful for a 3 driver device. It's unacceptable in my eyes. It's a specific reason why you add more drivers. There are some quirks too. The sound stage is really good in some ways and bad in others. The SE530 has pinpoint placement of sounds, like anything you hear is in an exact spot. Unfortunately, the sound stage is somewhat small in size, and placement of sounds isn't exactly in the right spots. The very short notes does make the SE530 sound a little laid back despite having some of the greatest dynamic range in the business. It is very revealing, and shows major faults of poor recordings very readily. At the same time, the short notes lack articulation/texture and some of that information conveyed within this is lost. The notes also end up lacking body and heartiness and end up sounding weak in presence. I don't really want to rip on the SE530 too much because it really isn't that bad. It actually is a very good earphone in the broad scheme of things. It's just that it has enough little faults to place it behind a number of other options.
