[yagedk]

After a few weeks with my SE210s, I've decided to take them back - the bass is excellent, the treble is great, but the midtones.. oh my god.. they are just horrible. I've EQed them, tried the burn in, but they are still muddy, hollow and dead.

So the deal is that I can get a new pair but they have to be Shures.. Would the E4Cs be overkill for everyday use with an ipod, or should I go with the E3Cs? Or even the E2Cs?

Any recommendations are more than welcome!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tipped_Pro95]

Just get the SE530. Look around online and you can find them for under $350 USD. They are easily the best sound from Shure.

 

[Zephyron]

Best sound from Shure is a highly subjective opinion IMO.

Some of us prefer the SE420 over the SE530 due to its more balanced nature. I for one, found the SE530 to dark for my liking.

 

[Spyro]

A Shure product with a horrible midrange? What the hell happened with this SE series? Can you imagine Etymotic coming out with a new IEM than had horrid treble? I personally find the E4C to be an outstanding single driver IEM. It's the single IEM I received the longest enjoyment from where I didn't care to upgrade.

 

[Zephyron]

Not all Shure products handle midrange well.

Their lower end ones suffer from it.

The E2c was honky with it, and the E3 (which I believe to be similar to the SE210) was so boxy with it that it was predominantly honky with it.

Having used them both... The SE310 and E4 are pracically the same. To me, they sound somewhat nasal and 2D-like though, but that changed with a 200 Ohm adapter added in the chain, which tremendously improves the E4's treble performance and bass tightness.

Then came the SE530, which I found to be to dark and narrow in headstage... Then again, it didn't help that I went from listening the Orpheus to auditioning the SE530.

Finally, the dark horse SE420. As Sugarfriend described it, its an E4 with an added subwoofer,.
To me, the SE420 sound so much like the E4, but what the E4 is flawed in, the SE420 fixes.

My problem with the E4 is the somewhat weak, nearly non-existant sub-bass (50Hz and below) in comparison to the rest of its frequency spectrum, even with an impedance adapter added to the chain.

The SE420's subwoofer apparently eliminates this weakness of the E4, and allows for it to have a greater treble extension, not forgetting that the flow of the midrange on the SE420 is a lot more.... liquid like as compared to the E4.

The midrange detail compared to the E4 is simply described in one word: frightening (in a positive way). That was the impression that I got when I first recieved the SE420.

 

[DKaz]

I would stay away from ALL of the lower models (SE110, SE210, SE310). When I auditioned them I couldn't believe how dull they sounded, especially for that price. I have not heard the SE420 or SE 530 though.

 

[jinx20001]

i liked my quick audition of the se420, but found the mids a little fuller on the se530 and ofcourse bass was a little stronger and reached deeper in my opinion, its not just bass volume but impact and deepness that makes it a nice bass and not overblown.

i personally have no doubt the se530 is the best in the range but shure themselves dont state they are the best and instead state its all about the buyer and some will prefer the se420 and even the se310.

one thing i will say is if you found the se210 bass great then the se530 may come across as astonishing or so astonishing its hard to ignore, which will spoil the experience, my advise would certainly be go with the se420,its fuller in the mids and bass than the se210 but not so amazing in the bass that it will take attention away from those mids (ala se530). although i will say the mids are amazing on the 530's but highs extension suffers, but still quality and silky smooth sound.

 

[Dash]

SE420 are my fav IEM so far too. Better balanced.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Is it just me,or are there a lot of Shure bashers floating around the forums of late ? Unless you spend at least 200$ you seem to be wasting money according to more and more people.

I can remember Tyle on here months ago,raving about them like they were gods gift...

Or maybe its just the same group of peeps,answering the same q's and crowding the same threads again,and again...

 

[LaBreaHead]

SE420 or higher -- Shure's reputation seems to have been earned at the higher price -- and quality -- points. (I have the "old" E3C's, which I find underwhelming.)

 

[yagedk]

Thanks for all the very useful replies!

Being a newbie in the world of IEMs I find this forum amazing, I couldn't have got better advice if I went to all the hifi stores I know in my own city..

It sounds like the SE420s are the ones to get then, so I hope I can afford them..

 

[Zephyron]

I'm not sure if you can send the SE210 (w/ proof of purchase) back to Shure to request for an upgrade.

I think this applies only for those whose cables broke. You might wanna e-mail Shure about this first.