[lolhart]

Everyone has different taste but I was disappointed with the Shure SE535s when I tried them out. I expected a much bigger improvement in sound from the 425s and to my ears it wasn't there. The one thing the 535s have over the FAs IMO is isolation. I'm just not a fan of the Shure sound.

 

[elfary]

Everyone has different taste but I was disappointed with the Shure SE535s when I tried them out. I expected a much bigger improvement in sound from the 425s and to my ears it wasn't there. The one thing the 535s have over the FAs IMO is isolation. I'm just not a fan of the Shure sound.

 
I get such a good isolation from Westone and Shure that i'm afraid that larger bore iems are a step back in that key area. No Shure olives is a con in my book.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

The fa 4e isolates as good as the um3x and better than the sm3v2, shure isolation is a bit higher than the others though

 

[rawrster]

The isolation is probably on par with the Westone iem's or at least I recall it being similar to when I had the W4. Of course that isolation increases with custom tips but the Ortofon tips I used had pretty good isolation.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

Agree with custom tips i barely can't hear anything

 

[lolhart]

I would love to find an IEM with a similar sound to the FAs with Shure isolation. But I agree the FAs are comparable to the Westone 4s which are still decent isolators.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

You ordered some custom tips if I remeber well so you won't have to worry about that regard

 

[MoonYeol]

I can't recall anybody comparing SE535 to FA-4E but seriously. If you're into the mid centric sound, perhaps FA-4E isn't your cup of tea. But if you like somewhere between V-shape and neutral (only slightly v) then the FA's will please you. I think some have compared SE-535 to UE900 and many preferred the UE900's. I don't know anybody who preferred the UE900 over FA-4E. But it's more of a sound signature problem. If you can audition the UE900, do it. Then just imagine something that's better. In all areas.

 

[raptor18]

I prefere the UE900 over SE846.

 

[UnityIsPower]

The fa 4e looks better in real life than in pictures, you used the um3x if I'm correct and they look way cheaper than the fa 4e, anyway the shure 535 looks stunning sound wise are rubbish compared to the fa 4e imo and at the end i liked how my ex 1000 looked but they are gathering dust since my fa 4e arrived

How did you find vocals on the EX1000?

 

[Kurdt-bada]

Have to relisten to them again later I'll answer you they didn't have any use since my fa 4e arrived if I'm honest

 

[MoonYeol]

Umm.. Don't want to start any hype but I do find some improvals on the FA-4E with a NocturnaL Audio Hydra 4 braided silver/copper hybrid cable. Way better on the ASG-2 but it does also improve the performance of the FA-4E. I'm not really any cable believer but this is really something. Opens up the sound a bit and clears up the mids. A bit less floppy bass compared to Fiio cable which is already pretty good. It's even slightly ahead of my 93spec silver cable. I really like it and the build quality is just superb.

 

[UnityIsPower]

Have to relisten to them again later I'll answer you they didn't have any use since my fa 4e arrived if I'm honest

Excellent, this shall be very interesting for me as I found vocals on the EX1000 superb.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

Been trying the ex1000 for a while i find the vocals like you are closer to the singer and they sound bigger-taller(sorry but i'm pretty bad describing iems) like there was more space to expand the sound and a bit more realistic, more mellow the fa's sounds a bit cooler in comp. but again while the ex1000 still perform a wider soundstage and better textured bass-realistic timbre the fa 4e doing those things quite well destroys the ex1000 in things like resolution, clarity and separation is like you change to a high resolution channel in those regards imo whith pretty satisfying bass and soundstage though.
 
The ex 1000 does some things quite well-excellent but they certainly lacks in others and sometimes performace is bad in genres like rock-alternative or bad recordings is more suited for some genres or recordings imo
In btw agree with moon about the fiio cable as I've said in older posts sq is outstanding for 25 dollars but build quality for daily use is awful I returned 3 cables in less than a month to the store with the same issue

 

[UnityIsPower]

sorry but i'm pretty bad describing iems

I feel the same way mate.

Have you ever attended a head-fi meet?