[DerStig]

I have had my SE535 LTD for just a little over a month now and unfortunately I am slowly realizing that they are not practical for everyday use. It seems like I have wasted a ton of money for a headphone that I shouldn't have bought. I use them mainly with my iphone 5s + spotify 320kbps. 
 
The issues I have with them are as follows : 
 
* They are extremely hard to wear compared to a conventional headphone like apple ones or bose ones. Every time I put them on, the fact that I need to "worry" about the perfect fit bothers me. When you think of headphones to listen casual music, you don't want to be dealing with this type of complexity. It becomes too much after a while.
* They hurt your hear after 30 minutes of use.
* The over the ear cable thing is extremely annoying, if you lean forward a bit, the cables start falling over hitting your face and cheeks.
* The cable has no clip or anything to attach it to your shirt. With an extremely long and heavy cable, it gets very annoying as the cable keeps getting pulled down.
* The cable is way too long.
* The fact that they seal noise sounds good on paper but in practice, it is really difficult to work with. You not hearing anything and anyone around you is pretty difficult to get used to. It also makes them impossible to use while talking on the phone as it gets difficult to control how loud you talk.
* The sound quality is good but you really have to listen them above 60% volume to actually see the difference (because of lack of bass) and that also cannot be done for more than 5-10 minutes without hurting your ears.
 
All in all, I'm a fan of buying high quality/premium stuff, and that's what I thought I was doing when I bought these, but they are probably the biggest mistake I have done in my life. Now I have a big whole in my wallet and I honestly don't know what to do with them.
 
On that note, I want to sell them and how can I do that here? How much are they worth? They are practically brand new with just a little over month of usage.
 
Thanks.

 

[Spyro]

Sell on the "For Sale" forum here and you will easily get enough to get a pair of W3's which sound like they might be more up your alley.

 

[DerStig]

  Sell on the "For Sale" forum here and you will easily get enough to get a pair of W3's which sound like they might be more up your alley.

 
No I think I'm done with premium IEMs. Apple's buds are perfectly fine.

 

[spook76]

I agree the for sale forum is the place to sell but based upon your review, other than your desire for more bass precence your valid complaints are true of most IEMs. I would not recommend the Westone 3 but a standard headphone not another IEM.

 

[Brooko]

  I have had my SE535 LTD for just a little over a month now and unfortunately I am slowly realizing that they are not practical for everyday use. It seems like I have wasted a ton of money for a headphone that I shouldn't have bought. I use them mainly with my iphone 5s + spotify 320kbps. 
 
The issues I have with them are as follows  <snip - continued below>: 

 
Sorry to hear they didn't suit.  I read through your previous posts / threads.  Advice in future - make sure you start lower down the scale, and that way you can ensure you're getting something suited to what you actually want.  I'll address some of your points - it might help .....
 

They are extremely hard to wear compared to a conventional headphone like apple ones or bose ones. Every time I put them on, the fact that I need to "worry" about the perfect fit bothers me. When you think of headphones to listen casual music, you don't want to be dealing with this type of complexity. It becomes too much after a while.

That's the nature of an IEM (Inner Ear Monitor).  You need a decent seal to make sure the sound is perfect.  Best thing to do is to play with different tips until you find something perfect.  One option is to take the triple flanges and cut the topmost one off (convert them to duals).  For me - I use the largest black olives - but shallow insert.  Seal and fit is perfect for me every time.  You have to find what is perfect for you.  Look into Westone star tips as an option as well.
 

 They hurt your hear after 30 minutes of use.

This lessens over time as you get used to them - and also with the correct tip.
 

 The over the ear cable thing is extremely annoying, if you lean forward a bit, the cables start falling over hitting your face and cheeks.

Use the cable slider to pull the wires more taut.  it's why it's there.  Also mold the cable guides (just a matter of bending them).  If you don't like the Shure cable - consider getting a UE cable (same fit).
 

The cable has no clip or anything to attach it to your shirt. With an extremely long and heavy cable, it gets very annoying as the cable keeps getting pulled down.

Again - they're designed to be used over ear.  Use the cable slider / neck cinch.  it's what it is there for.
 

 The cable is way too long.

I guess you're using the one with the iPhone controls.  Mine is just the original one and I find it too short (go figure).  Again - suggest trying the UE900 cable (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-vi-cable-UE-900/dp/B00FIAYE40).
 

The fact that they seal noise sounds good on paper but in practice, it is really difficult to work with. You not hearing anything and anyone around you is pretty difficult to get used to. It also makes them impossible to use while talking on the phone as it gets difficult to control how loud you talk.

This is the reason I suggested (I know - too late now) trying something lower down the line first.  IEMs - especially ones which isolate really well IME aren't great for phone work.  With the seal, although it is easy to hear someone quite well - when talking, the combination of bone induction and isolation can make (your) talking sound really nasally + no ambient queues can make volume hard to control.  Suggestion - do what I do.  I use my earpods at work (so I can still hear ambient noise / workers etc), and I always use them for phone calls.  To enhance them (the earpods) - buy some cheap foam covers.  It helps both sound and comfort.  Then use the 535's for when isolation is required or for other usage.
 

The sound quality is good but you really have to listen them above 60% volume to actually see the difference (because of lack of bass) and that also cannot be done for more than 5-10 minutes without hurting your ears.

Dude - if you're not happy with the frequency response / voicing - the worst you can do is turn the volume up.  You will damage your hearing.  That's a certainty.  On my iPhone 4 - I rarely go over about 25-30% volume with the 535 Ltd Eds.  Rather than increasing the volume - take a look at a couple of apps which you can use to tweak the frequency response to your preference (ie apply EQ).  First would be an app called Equaliser (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/equalizer/id321267949), and the second one I'd recommend would be Accudio (https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/accudio-pro/id553759905?mt=8) - I have both.  Very easy to use either one to bump the bass response up - and the 535 responds really well to EQ.
 
Hope some of these suggestions help - and that you can get some sonic happiness with them.  Either that or (as others have stated) put them up FS.  You may end up taking a bit of a value cut (I'm guessing you'll get a buyer somewhere between USD350 - 400).  I bought mine for ~ 480 AUD brand new (including shipping).  For those who love the sound and have been able to get a comfortable fit - they really are something special.
 
I'm just sorry they haven't been to your tastes.

 

[Whippler]

  I have had my SE535 LTD for just a little over a month now and unfortunately I am slowly realizing that they are not practical for everyday use. It seems like I have wasted a ton of money for a headphone that I shouldn't have bought. I use them mainly with my iphone 5s + spotify 320kbps. 
 
The issues I have with them are as follows : 
 
* They are extremely hard to wear compared to a conventional headphone like apple ones or bose ones. Every time I put them on, the fact that I need to "worry" about the perfect fit bothers me. When you think of headphones to listen casual music, you don't want to be dealing with this type of complexity. It becomes too much after a while.
* They hurt your hear after 30 minutes of use.
* The over the ear cable thing is extremely annoying, if you lean forward a bit, the cables start falling over hitting your face and cheeks.
* The cable has no clip or anything to attach it to your shirt. With an extremely long and heavy cable, it gets very annoying as the cable keeps getting pulled down.
* The cable is way too long.
* The fact that they seal noise sounds good on paper but in practice, it is really difficult to work with. You not hearing anything and anyone around you is pretty difficult to get used to. It also makes them impossible to use while talking on the phone as it gets difficult to control how loud you talk.
* The sound quality is good but you really have to listen them above 60% volume to actually see the difference (because of lack of bass) and that also cannot be done for more than 5-10 minutes without hurting your ears.
 
All in all, I'm a fan of buying high quality/premium stuff, and that's what I thought I was doing when I bought these, but they are probably the biggest mistake I have done in my life. Now I have a big whole in my wallet and I honestly don't know what to do with them.
 
On that note, I want to sell them and how can I do that here? How much are they worth? They are practically brand new with just a little over month of usage.
 
Thanks.

Too bad it didn't work for you.
For me se535 (and 215) Are the most comfortable and best fitting iems i have. Maybe a third party cable would have made it a bit better for you.
 
As for isolating outside noise, the standard silicone tips fitted me really well, but the isolation wasn't that much. I wanted to use foam tips, but the ones that came with it, didn't fit me. At last i bough comply comfort foams, same rounded shape and size as the stock silicon tips, great.
But yeah, sounds like isolation isn't for you, and closed in-ears aren't for you then.
 
@Brooko
I guess you're using the one with the iPhone controls.  Mine is just the original one and I find it too short (go figure).  Again - suggest trying the UE900 cable (http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-vi-cable-UE-900/dp/B00FIAYE40).
 
Hmm interesting, they are not shipping to Finland tough :/ And the prices in ebay are way higher.

 

[Mooses9]

  I have had my SE535 LTD for just a little over a month now and unfortunately I am slowly realizing that they are not practical for everyday use. It seems like I have wasted a ton of money for a headphone that I shouldn't have bought. I use them mainly with my iphone 5s + spotify 320kbps. 
 
The issues I have with them are as follows : 
 
* They are extremely hard to wear compared to a conventional headphone like apple ones or bose ones. Every time I put them on, the fact that I need to "worry" about the perfect fit bothers me. When you think of headphones to listen casual music, you don't want to be dealing with this type of complexity. It becomes too much after a while.
* They hurt your hear after 30 minutes of use.
* The over the ear cable thing is extremely annoying, if you lean forward a bit, the cables start falling over hitting your face and cheeks.
* The cable has no clip or anything to attach it to your shirt. With an extremely long and heavy cable, it gets very annoying as the cable keeps getting pulled down.
* The cable is way too long.
* The fact that they seal noise sounds good on paper but in practice, it is really difficult to work with. You not hearing anything and anyone around you is pretty difficult to get used to. It also makes them impossible to use while talking on the phone as it gets difficult to control how loud you talk.
* The sound quality is good but you really have to listen them above 60% volume to actually see the difference (because of lack of bass) and that also cannot be done for more than 5-10 minutes without hurting your ears.
 
All in all, I'm a fan of buying high quality/premium stuff, and that's what I thought I was doing when I bought these, but they are probably the biggest mistake I have done in my life. Now I have a big whole in my wallet and I honestly don't know what to do with them.
 
On that note, I want to sell them and how can I do that here? How much are they worth? They are practically brand new with just a little over month of usage.
 
Thanks.

that sucks thats the conclusion you came to, i guess they just arent for everyone

 

[Gorillaz]

try this http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Image-X10-Noise-Isolating-Earphone/dp/B000WAHFBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385922807&sr=8-1&keywords=klipsch+x+10
get them from amazon if you don't like them return them. they are the most comfortable iems I have ever used along with the new earphones from apple, they have an excellent sound quality and are really comfortable and easy to put on and take off, keep in mind that you will have the same problem in not hearing people around you once you put them on but like I said before they are easy to put on and take off.
 
I feel your pain since I have spent a lot of money in search of the perfect iem, I even got me custom made ones, there are the ones I have owned; the klipsh S4, the one you are complaining about Shure 535, Heir Audio custom 4.A and 8.A, etys 4s, Sony MDR 7550, JVC FX700,  and Currently own the TDK IE800 and the Klipsh x10, the later being the best of the two!
 
I got to say that if one day the price of the Shure535 goes down to at least $300 I would buy them again in a heartbeat!

 

[curtisngl]

I didn't like the memory wire on my se215's because it made it hard to for the wire and get a good seal. I got an aftermarket cable by fiio which improved the sound quality pretty well for the cost of a shure replacement cable. It has preformed loops that secure around your ear really well. My only complaint is that the braided wire can hurt your ear after a long time and transmits a lot of noise when you touch it. I also got shure' triple flange tips (I cut the third flange. It goes too deep) and they help isolate noise much better, are easier to insert, and are more comfortable. The good seal helps with the sound quality too.

 

[truckdriver]

I think the lead was buried here.  Anytime an over-the-ear IEM cable "hits you in the face and cheeks"  it is time to get rid of that IEM.

 

[Mooses9]

  try this http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Image-X10-Noise-Isolating-Earphone/dp/B000WAHFBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385922807&sr=8-1&keywords=klipsch+x+10
get them from amazon if you don't like them return them. they are the most comfortable iems I have ever used along with the new earphones from apple, they have an excellent sound quality and are really comfortable and easy to put on and take off, keep in mind that you will have the same problem in not hearing people around you once you put them on but like I said before they are easy to put on and take off.
 
I feel your pain since I have spent a lot of money in search of the perfect iem, I even got me custom made ones, there are the ones I have owned; the klipsh S4, the one you are complaining about Shure 535, Heir Audio custom 4.A and 8.A, etys 4s, Sony MDR 7550, JVC FX700,  and Currently own the TDK IE800 and the Klipsh x10, the later being the best of the two!
 
I got to say that if one day the price of the Shure535 goes down to at least $300 I would buy them again in a heartbeat!

i agree, i sold my se535 and regretted it, then went back to the se535, they are a gem IMO one of the best uiem

 

[muppet]

Sorry to chip in, how do gr10 compare against se 535, and also against apple premium earbuds, I to am using a 5s and iPad air

 

[marcus49371]

Sorry to hear that the cables are annying. But I'd actually find the cables being too short and got the oyaide red cables because they're longer and a tad more refined (and way more sexy compared to the white ones). The fit is perfect for me, as compared to the ie80s. You can try the ie80s since they have way more bass. But for a refined, controlled bass you can give the ie800s a try. They are very comfortable by the way. They're worn in the conventional way, no looping around the ear. The downside is they are going to be a step up in pricing. Very best.

 

[BigNewsII]

You not hearing anything and anyone around you is pretty difficult to get used to. It also makes them impossible to use while talking on the phone as it gets difficult to control how loud you talk.

I know this is really old but I was poking around the site today and ran into this post and was like...