mink70
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2006
- Posts
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After spending many hours pondering this site, I finally decided to plonk down some serious cash for a pair of good IEMs. I've been looking for a great non-leaking headphones, and the Shure E1s or whatever they were called sounded horrible and broke. So last week I got a pair of Ety ER-4Ps, and was really impressed by the sound out of my 80 gig iPod Classic listening to uncompressed AIFFs. I wasn't put off at all by the light bass; my problem with them is that they draw your attention to the sound, not the music. Very impressive detail--the best I've heard from any transducer--but not so good for focusing on the music. It becomes all about the sound effects and hearing deep into the mix. No too dynamic, either, at least without an amp. So today, hating myself, I went back to the store and bought a pair of Shure SE530s. I've spent a couple of hours with them, and I need some advice badly.
First, they make listening fun and focus on the music, not the sound. But, but! I cannot make sense of their tonal balance. First, I noticed the relative lack of highs, and then--and this is the worst part—I noticed the huge, tubby bass. Even on relatively bass-deficient tracks the bass is emphasized and completely unrealistic with that baby-elephants-running-around-on-the floor-above thump. It reminded me of the of the old portable CD players with the non-defeatable "mega bass" feature. The mids are pretty great—Merle Haggard sounded awesome--but the tonal balance just sounds boomy and thick, and the whole thing is not nearly as detailed as the Etys. Not sure which ones to keep--can't justify two expensive pairs of IEMs. So I have a couple of questions to which I'd appreciate answers, especially from listeners who've had experience with the Shures:
1) Do the Shures take time to break in? I've only listened to them for a few hours. Will they keep sounding like this?
2) Do people use some sort of EQ with the Shures to compensate for the big bass/little treble thing?
3) Is there another IEM that combines the listenability of the Shures with the detail and elegance of the Etys?
4) Which pair holds up better over the long haul, in terms of listening pleasure?
I realize these are very subjective, so for what it's worth I'm a music writer who listens primarily to pop, country, jazz, rock, and increasingly classical, with many older recordings, and not much in the way of house, trance, metal etc. I've been an audiophile for years and have winnowed down my tastes to fast sounding tubes and large diaphram vintage speakers--I listen to Shindo and Tannoy. As an intro to headphones, last year I got a pair of AKGk501s and a Pink Floyd-modded X-can 3. They sound good, but after listening for a few minutes my mind begins to wander and I take them off. So I'm looking for something really great in the headphone arena, and haven't found it yet.
Your experiences will be much appreciated.
First, they make listening fun and focus on the music, not the sound. But, but! I cannot make sense of their tonal balance. First, I noticed the relative lack of highs, and then--and this is the worst part—I noticed the huge, tubby bass. Even on relatively bass-deficient tracks the bass is emphasized and completely unrealistic with that baby-elephants-running-around-on-the floor-above thump. It reminded me of the of the old portable CD players with the non-defeatable "mega bass" feature. The mids are pretty great—Merle Haggard sounded awesome--but the tonal balance just sounds boomy and thick, and the whole thing is not nearly as detailed as the Etys. Not sure which ones to keep--can't justify two expensive pairs of IEMs. So I have a couple of questions to which I'd appreciate answers, especially from listeners who've had experience with the Shures:
1) Do the Shures take time to break in? I've only listened to them for a few hours. Will they keep sounding like this?
2) Do people use some sort of EQ with the Shures to compensate for the big bass/little treble thing?
3) Is there another IEM that combines the listenability of the Shures with the detail and elegance of the Etys?
4) Which pair holds up better over the long haul, in terms of listening pleasure?
I realize these are very subjective, so for what it's worth I'm a music writer who listens primarily to pop, country, jazz, rock, and increasingly classical, with many older recordings, and not much in the way of house, trance, metal etc. I've been an audiophile for years and have winnowed down my tastes to fast sounding tubes and large diaphram vintage speakers--I listen to Shindo and Tannoy. As an intro to headphones, last year I got a pair of AKGk501s and a Pink Floyd-modded X-can 3. They sound good, but after listening for a few minutes my mind begins to wander and I take them off. So I'm looking for something really great in the headphone arena, and haven't found it yet.
Your experiences will be much appreciated.
