Question about the Shure SE310 headphones...
Oct 30, 2008 at 4:12 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 23

Lifeguy

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Im about to buy a pair and just had a couple questions

1) Do you have to wrap the wire around your ear or is it optional?

2) How is the bass response/levels on these?

3) Is it worth it to fork over the extra money and get the SE420s?

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks in advance
 
Oct 30, 2008 at 4:51 AM Post #4 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifeguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Im about to buy a pair and just had a couple questions

1) Do you have to wrap the wire around your ear or is it optional?

2) How is the bass response/levels on these?

3) Is it worth it to fork over the extra money and get the SE420s?



It's been over a year since I had the SE310 and SE420, but I actually preferred the cheaper SE310s believe it or not. I know the SE420 has 2 drivers compared with the SE310, but I really didn't like the vocals with the more expensive model. They sounded slightly distant and veiled. But I did read that some people used them with an amp, and that helped to clear up the vocals somewhat, but I had no interest at all in an amp so I stuck with the SE310s for a few months.

I thought vocals/midrange sounded much clearer than the SE420, but the SE420 had more bass. I didn't care much for the SE310 bass at all, it was present, but sounded like it had been added as an afterthought
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I can't remember about the over the ear thing, but I think you can wear them either way. Maybe someone else can confirm that.

EDIT: I liked the SE310 for a while, but found that rock didn't sound too involving with them. I think I took everything off my dap apart from acoustic, which sounded fine with them. Vocals were nice too.
 
Oct 30, 2008 at 5:25 AM Post #5 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's been over a year since I had the SE310 and SE420, but I actually preferred the cheaper SE310s believe it or not. I know the SE420 has 2 drivers compared with the SE310, but I really didn't like the vocals with the more expensive model. They sounded slightly distant and veiled. But I did read that some people used them with an amp, and that helped to clear up the vocals somewhat, but I had no interest at all in an amp so I stuck with the SE310s for a few months.

I thought vocals/midrange sounded much clearer than the SE420, but the SE420 had more bass. I didn't care much for the SE310 bass at all, it was present, but sounded like it had been added as an afterthought
confused_face_2.gif


I can't remember about the over the ear thing, but I think you can wear them either way. Maybe someone else can confirm that.

EDIT: I liked the SE310 for a while, but found that rock didn't sound too involving with them. I think I took everything off my dap apart from acoustic, which sounded fine with them. Vocals were nice too.



Thanks for your input man.

By the way, I had heard that the SE310s had more bass than the SE420s? Is that not true? I listen to mostly Rock/Jazz but I find the bass to be really important.
 
Oct 30, 2008 at 5:34 AM Post #6 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifeguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for your input man.

By the way, I had heard that the SE310s had more bass than the SE420s? Is that not true? I listen to mostly Rock/Jazz but I find the bass to be really important.



Ha ha!! Umm... I'm not a man... but still
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To be honest, it's been more than a year since I heard either of them, but I remember preferring the SE420 bass and I'm pretty sure there was more of it than with the SE310.

I replaced my SE310 with the Denon C700 and was really happy with them for almost a year. The C700 bass and C551 bass would be more than enough bass for you. Plus I found the Denons to suit all styles, while the SE310's were much more selective.
That's just my ears opinion
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Oct 30, 2008 at 9:48 AM Post #7 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifeguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Im about to buy a pair and just had a couple questions

1) Do you have to wrap the wire around your ear or is it optional?

2) How is the bass response/levels on these?

3) Is it worth it to fork over the extra money and get the SE420s?

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks in advance



1. it is optional but it would fit a lot better wrapping the cable around ear
2. bass is clear but really not too much of them. sound very clean and balanced (it become perfect when boosting bass and treble)
3.Just get the se310, if you want more bass, go get um2s, they are better built, have better cable and a lot more bass.
 
Oct 30, 2008 at 1:19 PM Post #8 of 23
I use the SE420s for my regular listen and you really have to wrap them round your ears in my opinion, just feels uncomfortable otherwise - if you've ever owned any Shures before, you'll understand this.

Bass response is minimal, perfect if you don't like bass to dominate your listening, but if you're a bass fan, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.

The difference between the 310 and the 420 is the amount of drivers, for me it was worth the extra money - and if you're insistant on getting a pair of Shures then you'll appreciate the extra bass from the 420s, but I have a feeling that it will still not be substantial for you.
 
Nov 1, 2008 at 9:17 PM Post #9 of 23
Just to resurrect this thread: I was thinking of getting a set of these, and when you say that the bass response is minimal, does this mean that it is lacking in bass - I tend to listen to classic and 70s prog rock, and I currently have a pair of Sennheiser CX300s, the bass of which I have come to find flabby and overpowering. Whilst I find good midtone response and lack of bass bleed more important, and thumping bass is not a priority, I do like my bass extension and punch. Is the SE310 lacking in that, or would it make me happy?

To give some sort of reference point, it would have to make The Who sound good, with vivacity and punch. That's about as bassy as it need go.
 
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:13 PM Post #10 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobofthedead /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Is the SE310 lacking in that, or would it make me happy? To give some sort of reference point,
it would have to make The Who sound good, with vivacity and punch. That's about as bassy as it need go.



Just my tuppence worth, but I had to take The Who off my dap when I had the SE310, I didn't hear any vivacity or punch at all. And Roger Daltrey's vocals were pretty harsh sounding. I had about 6 of their albums on my dap and I couldn't stand to listen to any of them. The bass just didn't sound right.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. You might find the bass response perfectly okay, but I found the SE310 more suited to gentle stuff, and not rock of any sort.
 
Nov 1, 2008 at 10:29 PM Post #11 of 23
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lifeguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Im about to buy a pair and just had a couple questions

1) Do you have to wrap the wire around your ear or is it optional?

Any feedback is appreciated, thanks in advance



1) Wire looping is optional, you can just stick in to your ear without wrap around (beware i tried it on my E2c and it arent great it fell off couple of times moving around).
 
Nov 2, 2008 at 11:02 AM Post #12 of 23
Ah. Got any other recommendation for a similar price? Preferably something comfortable... I was looking at the Super.fi 5 pro, but they stick out like hell, and I'd like to lie down with them - ouch!
 
Nov 2, 2008 at 12:19 PM Post #15 of 23
im listening to the se310 right now. the trebles and mids sound pretty great (of course there are betters cough cough sa6 ^_^), however as all the others say the bass is really lacking. only get theses if you really like the light stuff as these will be a huge disappointment with anything that require bass like hiphop, trance, or rock.
 

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