Shure KSE1500 Review - Shure KSE1500 Sound Isolating Electrostatic Earphones
May 31, 2016 at 11:10 AM Post #2,326 of 6,060
I have the luxury of having a great Hi-Fi (Revel Studios, Rowland and etc...) and great headphone gear.  To me the biggest difference is soundstage/presence.  Not even the might HD800 can cast a soundstage like a modest Hi-Fi (Not even close).  Sure the HD800 can be breathtaking but nothing transports you like a really well executed stereo. 
 
The day I stop travelling so much will likely be the day I sell most of my earphone/headphone gear.  I do love my KSE1500, Ethers, K10, Hugo, Mojo, ZX2 and all the other gear I own and it is brilliant in its own right but for me it is all a compromise out of necessity (my extensive travel).  I guess we all wonder into this hobby for different needs. 
 
In the meantime, The KSE1500s are the best in-ear solution I have heard to date.  I do love them.
 
May 31, 2016 at 10:57 PM Post #2,328 of 6,060
You guys need to try the Smyth Realiser. I have a JBL 4-series studio monitors built 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos home theatre system with McIntosh separates for 2 channel music, which is all good for music, movies and games, but for night time gaming, the Smyth Realiser can let me enjoy the same system with just headphones - amazing product I'd say. Basically it can make everything binaural to you after some peculiar measurement steps and of course you can turn it off to listen straight on 2 channel.
 
Jun 1, 2016 at 9:02 AM Post #2,329 of 6,060
At the cost of some of the dynamic contrast and timing. To each his own but for me it's a poor trade off when it's so hard to get it right in the 1st place. HiFi is awash with the desire to make things something they are not and generally, when those effects are perceived as improvement, the original message or goose bump factor had already been lost. All IMO and regarding music, not gaming. Like I said. To each his own.
 
Jun 1, 2016 at 9:08 AM Post #2,330 of 6,060
Binaural is exactly the type of headphone specific technique I am referring too.

Even in Binaural recordings, that canal will be different than yours and at what depth do you put the mic which is limited by size and placement. Hard enough to find a great mic at any size and pattern. You're also limited to real time stereo recordings in acoustic space which eliminates 99% of what's available. No multitrack, mixing, level adjustments, reverb etc. There's a reason that so few exist when the market for them has seemingly increased 100 fold.
 
Don't get me wrong. Most home HiFis are also quite limited, even expensive ones. Speaker placement tends to not be great and room acoustics can really mess with things. Folks are often better off with their headphones. I'm speaking in absolutes and not what's best for everyone and perhaps even most. 
smile.gif

 
Jun 1, 2016 at 2:50 PM Post #2,331 of 6,060
A question to my fellow KSE1500 owners, do the electrostatic drivers break in over time. I did not think considering their size and mass their would be a break in period but what the hell do I know.

I have owned my KSEs since March and have maybe 150 hours on them. In the last week or so I have noticed I am listening at a lower volume level from about 13-15 to 11-12 with all else being equal (same albums and analog volume).

Thanks
 
Jun 1, 2016 at 8:13 PM Post #2,332 of 6,060
I don't think it's break in. More like getting use to the sound and finding the spot you best appreciate it.
 
Jun 2, 2016 at 12:21 AM Post #2,333 of 6,060
  You guys need to try the Smyth Realiser. I have a JBL 4-series studio monitors built 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos home theatre system with McIntosh separates for 2 channel music, which is all good for music, movies and games, but for night time gaming, the Smyth Realiser can let me enjoy the same system with just headphones - amazing product I'd say. Basically it can make everything binaural to you after some peculiar measurement steps and of course you can turn it off to listen straight on 2 channel.

And then there is this:
 
http://headphone.guru/out-of-your-head-software-six-figure-sound-from-your-headphones/
 
When I read about the impact on soundstage and imaging, as well as future iOS and Android versions, I immediately thought about the potential pairing with the 1500s. And there is a free trial option. 
 
Jun 2, 2016 at 8:34 AM Post #2,334 of 6,060
A question to my fellow KSE1500 owners, do the electrostatic drivers break in over time. I did not think considering their size and mass their would be a break in period but what the hell do I know.

I have owned my KSEs since March and have maybe 150 hours on them. In the last week or so I have noticed I am listening at a lower volume level from about 13-15 to 11-12 with all else being equal (same albums and analog volume).

Thanks

I think everything breaks in. How much will have to do with the device and how resolved (including software) a setup is. With those, it shouldn't be mechanical though you never know if there may be a calculated change in diaphragm tension once in use, so it wouldn't be as noticeable as some other transducers but there's a still a lot of electronics and cabling.
 
Jun 2, 2016 at 8:44 AM Post #2,335 of 6,060
And then there is this:

http://headphone.guru/out-of-your-head-software-six-figure-sound-from-your-headphones/

When I read about the impact on soundstage and imaging, as well as future iOS and Android versions, I immediately thought about the potential pairing with the 1500s. And there is a free trial option. 


I tried Darin Fong's samples a few months ago and thought it was not there for me yet, but had promise as a potential way of adding back that missing head related info. I wish the head related info could be separated out from specific physical setups and just be a feature in software like V4A where you input your head measurements and go from there. I would repurchase the KSE1500 to hear something like that.
 
Jun 3, 2016 at 11:20 PM Post #2,338 of 6,060
Jun 4, 2016 at 4:44 AM Post #2,340 of 6,060

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