Philips SHE3580 IEM review--how can something sound so good for $10??? - Page 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Bloggs 

To be clear I only found these to be superior to the ER-4P after creating a custom EQ for them as per PiccoloNamek's tutorial with some of my own inventions.  That's what I originally found so incredible--that tuning out ear canal resonances (as described in the Linkwitz link) and then further tuning the EQ to taste could make $10 buds outperform $200 ones.  It's only after Dsnuts started his thread that I realized the SHE3580 may sound pretty good in their own right--great value for $10, if not exactly on par with Etys

If these can do so well, I wonder how well do other earphones at the same price range do, other than skullcandies and some fashion-based brands ;) 

After reading the reviews, I ran out and bought a pair of the Philips at a retail store for the grand sum of $15.  I have been comparing them for the past couple of hours to (1) some cheap Mee IEMs with in-line microphone,  (2) Sure E2c IEMs (old $100), (3) my big Audio Technica AD700s full size headphones, and (4) my Koss KSC-75s.

The Philips are quite a bit better than the Mees, which sound very muffled in comparison. 

They are not as good as the E2cs (which were quite a bit more expensive).  E2cs have better instrument separation, are quieter, and sound more natural and less bright.  E2cs are less comfortable and bigger.

All three of the IEMs sound worse with my amp than straight through - lots of hiss.  For some reason the MEEs sound especially terrible through the amp.  The Philips sound less worse through the amp than the others, but I'll use them without an amp.

The AD700s crush them in every respect without an amp, and absolutely demolish them with an amp.  Totally unfair and irrelevant comparison, of course.

The philips are definitely bright sounding, and sound a bit better in some respects with EQ, but EQ always loses something for me.  It smudges the sound - this is out of an Android tablet using poweramp's eq.  Also, on quiet classical passages when an instrument enters, you hear noise rising with the instrument with EQ on.  I'll post some impressions later using my Sandisk Sansa Clip+ rockboxed player, which sounds significantly better than my android tablet. 

One thing I really don't like about the Philips is how monophonic the cables are.  Any movement of the cables or touching the cables and you really hear it through the ear speakers.  This would be a problem with workouts or walking I would think.  They are pretty comfortable for IEMs - more so than the others -- but I'm just not crazy about having things in my ears. 

The most relevant comparison is to my Koss KSC-75, which are about the same price.  Obviously, a very different headphone - not IEM, clip on the ear, external open earspeakers  But sound from the KSC-75 is far superior IMO.  Much more open, less colored, and I find them more comfortable for long listening.  Of course, they don't block out any external sound.  The KSC-75's Cable is not monophonic.  And the KSC-75 sounds even better through my tiny FIIO E3 amp (no hiss, more open).  The KSC-75s are so neutral that there is no need for EQ to tone down an overbright treble.  The KSC-75s are still the best cheap (under $20) phones I've heard.  Hope that helps someone.

Another happy camper here gets my vote for the Phillips SHE3580.

Unlike some other hype threads on Head-Fi Phillips SHE3580 lives up to my expectations. I would rate this IEM's much higher than Senns CX 300ii, also far far above soundMAGIC E10 sound quality wise. The bass is solid, deep, and when I say this I don't mean the bass is just 'ok'. The SHE3580 have bass you find in $100 IEM's also very controlled unlike that of JVC HA-FX1X in anyway. None of that unnatural boom JVC XX have. The bass is firm, maybe a little over powering for some (adjust your EQ) but by far above and beyond the JVC in quality. 

I had a hard time achieving a perfect seal with the provided tips (they're next to useless for my ears) after applying slight pressure to the earpiece in my ears I noticed an increase in seal / bass response  I then switched to Sony hybrids which gave me a what I was looking for, an increase in all areas (a seal). if you have different tips be sure to try them (especially hybrids) because your initial impression out of the box with stocks may leave you disappointed. I need to do more listening to compare the mids and highs but my first impressions are solid, strong compared to others budget bangs mentioned here. I will be recommending these in the future, Why spend $80 - $100 when something like this can almost rival some brands.

I'd like to thank the OP for the discovery and all the information he has provided around these. Unlike other budget bangs I've tried here and just put away or sold. I'll be keeping these, because this is the real deal bang for buck, and if you want bass these have it with authority that isn't too overpowering. I'm going to be pairing up with an E11 later, I have a feeling these are going to sing there socks off with some amping, not that they need it in anyway but as an experiment.


 

Anyone own a pair of Yuin PK1s to compare these to?

Ordered the SHE3850's

I used to have the Phillips SHE9622 and I loved them to bits, they were my 2nd set of In-ears I ever had and I loved how bassy they were. AFAICR, the bass was similar to my IE8's on full bass

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewisthemusician 

Ordered the SHE3850's

 

I used to have the Phillips SHE9622 and I loved them to bits, they were my 2nd set of In-ears I ever had and I loved how bassy they were. AFAICR, the bass was similar to my IE8's on full bass

I can't get over how good the SHE3850 sound. I have retired all my other IEM's for the time being, the mids are so full and vocals are just a pleasure to listen too. I can't get over only paying only $13 for them. I mean at first you think sure it's only "$10" why not try them, but when you actually listen to them they make most other headphones you have sound average. Nothing in it's right mind should sound this good for such price. 

I remember years ago I owned some Phillips and thought they were ok. These however are like they got the drivers mixed up with their $100+ pair flagship models.  (Yes I think of that when listening to them)

I'm wrapped with them.!

Anyone knows if the Philips SHE3850 are compatible with Comply Foam Tips?

From the Comply site it appears that only the SHE3750 are compatible.

Also the Shure Olives would do the trick for me, but I don't know if they are compatible either.

I would use them for sleeping by playing some brown noise, so what I'm looking for is comfort and noise isolation (with foam tips).

Also, can they be worn over the ears?

I bought a pair for my GF but she didn't like the fit (small ears), so now they are my gym headphones.  Good seal is tough to get, I find that if I wear them over the ear it's a bit better.  For $15 (shipped from fleabay) you can't really expect sound this good.  Now if only I can find some decent tips... 

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread, I would have never bought these otherwise. 

FWIW, they don't come near to the Shure SE215's in overall sound quality, but then those cost $85 more ;)