guyjr
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2009
- Posts
- 4
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- 0
Hi all... noob here.
Just wanted to post about my recent experience in upgrading from my ever dependable Sony MDR-EX70s (had them since 2001!) I originally did some research into what would be the best sounding IEMs without completely breaking the bank, and decided on the Shure SE-530s. Put them up on my Amazon wish list, and for my birthday, received them.
After listening to them for a few hours, on many different styles of music, and on several different devices (iPod, Macbook Pro via Yamaha RX-V595 receiver, and my Technics 1210s via Numark DM-1180), I came to the conclusion that, at least out of the box, these phones didn't have the bass I was hoping for. Everything I had read about the amazing range and soundstage had me geared up for an epic experience, and it just wasn't happening for me. The mids and highs I will say were absolutely mindblowingly clear... one track in particular, Karmakoma by Massive Attack, really floored me - I was hearing things in the middle parts that I literally did not ever hear before. Unfortunately, even after trying all of the included covers, I just couldn't get the low end response I was expecting... honestly, after all of the rave reviews I've read about these headphones, I wonder if I just didn't get a defective pair. Well, at any rate, off to Amazon they went, replaced by...
Sennheiser IE8s. These bad boys just arrived today, and straight out of the box, I got what I was hoping for -- truly rich, deep bass, with very articulate mids (VERY articulate!), with a nicely warm, balanced high range. I think to my fairly novice ears that the highs on the IE8s are just a tad subdued compared to the SE-530s... but, I expect that after a reasonable amount of burn in, that they'll start to come alive.
Now, the sad part about the IE8s is that, this time, I most definitely received a defective pair... inserting the mini plug into my iPhone gives off some horrible static, as well as twisting it in the socket. None of my other headphones have this problem, and I tried it in a couple other devices with the same results. Fortunately, letting them just sit in place seems to be fine - no noise that I can detect. So I'll be returning these as well, but replacing them with the same set.
I have to give a thumbs up to Amazon through all this - both sets of earphones were sold by a 3rd party merchant but fulfilled by Amazon, so there's no issue with returning them to swap out. Given how expensive these things are, and lack of availability outside of specialty shops, it's good to know they handle the returns as efficiently as they do.
I'm really glad to have found this forum, perhaps a bit too late for this go-round. I've read up on others' experiences with the Shures, and it sounds like the bass might not be just in my head. However, when I put the Sony's back on to compare to either the Shure or Sennheiser, I am blown away by how bad they sound -- how could I have gotten by with them for so long!
Ah well... all good things as they say... and they have been mighty good to me for so long!
Just wanted to post about my recent experience in upgrading from my ever dependable Sony MDR-EX70s (had them since 2001!) I originally did some research into what would be the best sounding IEMs without completely breaking the bank, and decided on the Shure SE-530s. Put them up on my Amazon wish list, and for my birthday, received them.
After listening to them for a few hours, on many different styles of music, and on several different devices (iPod, Macbook Pro via Yamaha RX-V595 receiver, and my Technics 1210s via Numark DM-1180), I came to the conclusion that, at least out of the box, these phones didn't have the bass I was hoping for. Everything I had read about the amazing range and soundstage had me geared up for an epic experience, and it just wasn't happening for me. The mids and highs I will say were absolutely mindblowingly clear... one track in particular, Karmakoma by Massive Attack, really floored me - I was hearing things in the middle parts that I literally did not ever hear before. Unfortunately, even after trying all of the included covers, I just couldn't get the low end response I was expecting... honestly, after all of the rave reviews I've read about these headphones, I wonder if I just didn't get a defective pair. Well, at any rate, off to Amazon they went, replaced by...
Sennheiser IE8s. These bad boys just arrived today, and straight out of the box, I got what I was hoping for -- truly rich, deep bass, with very articulate mids (VERY articulate!), with a nicely warm, balanced high range. I think to my fairly novice ears that the highs on the IE8s are just a tad subdued compared to the SE-530s... but, I expect that after a reasonable amount of burn in, that they'll start to come alive.
Now, the sad part about the IE8s is that, this time, I most definitely received a defective pair... inserting the mini plug into my iPhone gives off some horrible static, as well as twisting it in the socket. None of my other headphones have this problem, and I tried it in a couple other devices with the same results. Fortunately, letting them just sit in place seems to be fine - no noise that I can detect. So I'll be returning these as well, but replacing them with the same set.
I have to give a thumbs up to Amazon through all this - both sets of earphones were sold by a 3rd party merchant but fulfilled by Amazon, so there's no issue with returning them to swap out. Given how expensive these things are, and lack of availability outside of specialty shops, it's good to know they handle the returns as efficiently as they do.
I'm really glad to have found this forum, perhaps a bit too late for this go-round. I've read up on others' experiences with the Shures, and it sounds like the bass might not be just in my head. However, when I put the Sony's back on to compare to either the Shure or Sennheiser, I am blown away by how bad they sound -- how could I have gotten by with them for so long!
