This is most curious. I had read this review quite a while back and was thinking about getting these because they would be good earphones and isolate well.
I had Shure 535's in the past and really liked them. Got rid of them to finance something else and wanted to get a set of Shures again.
I bought a few TV's around Thanksgiving and was given a Crutchfield gift card for points that would enable me to snag these for about $5!
I just got them and was blown away by how bad they were. The only other earphones I've been this disappointed with were the HiFiman RE2's that I also A-B'd these with when I got them. They sounded almost identical to the RE-2's, maybe a little more tinny. Both devoid of bass of almost any type.
The mids were thin and tinny, the treble harsh, and virtually no Bass anywhere. They were also somewhat sibilant.
I listened to them on a 4th and 5th Gen iPod, a Computer Sound Card output, an Audio-Gd Sparrow and Audio-GD fun.
Compared them against The HiFiman RE-2, the Yuin PK-3's, Grado SR225's, 325's, HF-2's, Denon D-5000's and Beyer DT-770's. to make sure my ears and equipment worked well.
First I thought that both Bass drivers were dead. Then I read that they were single drivers. Both sides sound exactly the same and balanced.
I either got a bad set or I don't know what happened. I applied for an RMA to send them back within 24 hours.