Shure KSE1500 Review - Shure KSE1500 Sound Isolating Electrostatic Earphones
Oct 10, 2017 at 8:38 PM Post #3,151 of 6,059
is there another cheaper IEM that has similar and excellent sound/performance as the KSE1500?.
i fell in love when i heard them but can not afford it.
 
Oct 10, 2017 at 9:08 PM Post #3,152 of 6,059
is there another cheaper IEM that has similar and excellent sound/performance as the KSE1500?.
i fell in love when i heard them but can not afford it.

I think if such an IEM existed, we'd all own it, and do away with the need for the electrostatic amp :wink:

I'll probably be lynched for saying this, but with silicone tips on the KSE1500, the IEM I've measured with the closest frequency response is probably the Sennheiser IE800. This has a bit of a nasty treble peak at about 11 kHz though, which you can't do much about because those eartips are proprietary. With the KSE1500, you can tame the treble with Comply foam or Shure olives. I personally can't take the IE800 for long periods - it's too fatiguing.

The FLC8S is a bargain for its price, and you can tune its FR to your liking. For me, it can get quite close to the KSE1500 in terms of being an enjoyable listen.
 
Oct 10, 2017 at 10:33 PM Post #3,153 of 6,059
I think if such an IEM existed, we'd all own it, and do away with the need for the electrostatic amp :wink:

I'll probably be lynched for saying this, but with silicone tips on the KSE1500, the IEM I've measured with the closest frequency response is probably the Sennheiser IE800. This has a bit of a nasty treble peak at about 11 kHz though, which you can't do much about because those eartips are proprietary. With the KSE1500, you can tame the treble with Comply foam or Shure olives. I personally can't take the IE800 for long periods - it's too fatiguing.

The FLC8S is a bargain for its price, and you can tune its FR to your liking. For me, it can get quite close to the KSE1500 in terms of being an enjoyable listen.

Thanks, i have not audition the IE800, definitely i will try them, neither the FLC8S, will have to try them too.
I currently own the Shure SE530, which has been with me for 11 years, so i am looking to upgrade in the 1000 USD range.
Did not like the SE846, did not feel a big difference vs the SE535/SE530, but the KSE1500... oh boy...oh boy.... maybe i should just start saving for the next 5 months and buy a used one.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 3:44 AM Post #3,154 of 6,059
I think if such an IEM existed, we'd all own it, and do away with the need for the electrostatic amp :wink:

I'll probably be lynched for saying this, but with silicone tips on the KSE1500, the IEM I've measured with the closest frequency response is probably the Sennheiser IE800. This has a bit of a nasty treble peak at about 11 kHz though, which you can't do much about because those eartips are proprietary. With the KSE1500, you can tame the treble with Comply foam or Shure olives. I personally can't take the IE800 for long periods - it's too fatiguing.

The FLC8S is a bargain for its price, and you can tune its FR to your liking. For me, it can get quite close to the KSE1500 in terms of being an enjoyable listen.

any peak above 10khz is acceptable than peaks below. The peak at 11khz and above has to be very huge to be actually noticeable. I usually apply a high shelf fiter starting at 11khz with 6dB boost as most headphones/iems usually rolls off signficantly after 10khz.

KSE1500 to me already have a close to perfect treble. Detailed yet non fatguing. I only apply a low shelf filter starting at 70khz with 5dB boost to give it a nice and pleasant body at the bottom.
 
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Oct 11, 2017 at 8:51 AM Post #3,155 of 6,059
Thanks, i have not audition the IE800, definitely i will try them, neither the FLC8S, will have to try them too.
I currently own the Shure SE530, which has been with me for 11 years, so i am looking to upgrade in the 1000 USD range.
Did not like the SE846, did not feel a big difference vs the SE535/SE530, but the KSE1500... oh boy...oh boy.... maybe i should just start saving for the next 5 months and buy a used one.

Hi.
I am in the same position with the SE530 and contemplating to upgrade to either the SE846 or the KSE1500, how is the fitment on the KSE1500 regarding to the ear-canal and such comparing to the SE530?, i dont have any good place to audition it but looking from the pictures it should be the same or perhaps smaller?.
Maybe someone else can fill in here as well?, are the tips the same between the KSE1500 and SE530?.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 8:57 AM Post #3,156 of 6,059
Hi.
I am in the same position with the SE530 and contemplating to upgrade to either the SE846 or the KSE1500, how is the fitment on the KSE1500 regarding to the ear-canal and such comparing to the SE530?, i dont have any good place to audition it but looking from the pictures it should be the same or perhaps smaller?.
Maybe someone else can fill in here as well?, are the tips the same between the KSE1500 and SE530?.

The tips are the same of the 846, the body of the earphone is smaller than the 846, it weight less and doesn't come out from the ear as much as the 846. Personally I feel it's a very conformable earphone.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 9:00 AM Post #3,157 of 6,059
Hi.
I am in the same position with the SE530 and contemplating to upgrade to either the SE846 or the KSE1500, how is the fitment on the KSE1500 regarding to the ear-canal and such comparing to the SE530?, i dont have any good place to audition it but looking from the pictures it should be the same or perhaps smaller?.
Maybe someone else can fill in here as well?, are the tips the same between the KSE1500 and SE530?.
Shure’s IEM designis the most comfortable and stable iem i used. SE846 was very comfortable with me. KSE1500 feels the same.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 11:08 AM Post #3,158 of 6,059
Hi.
I am in the same position with the SE530 and contemplating to upgrade to either the SE846 or the KSE1500, how is the fitment on the KSE1500 regarding to the ear-canal and such comparing to the SE530?, i dont have any good place to audition it but looking from the pictures it should be the same or perhaps smaller?.
Maybe someone else can fill in here as well?, are the tips the same between the KSE1500 and SE530?.
530TPH or 535 both well fit than kkse1500 a litle because of mmcx connectors while on kse it is fixed cable. But kse is lighter than 530 and much lighter than 846. Looking kse body it is flater inner side ond more crown outer face( no affect to fitness)
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 11:10 AM Post #3,159 of 6,059
Hi.
I am in the same position with the SE530 and contemplating to upgrade to either the SE846 or the KSE1500, how is the fitment on the KSE1500 regarding to the ear-canal and such comparing to the SE530?, i dont have any good place to audition it but looking from the pictures it should be the same or perhaps smaller?.
Maybe someone else can fill in here as well?, are the tips the same between the KSE1500 and SE530?.

Well for my ears the KSE1500 were confortable, the design is similar as se530, did not feel a difference and i can see myself wearing them for long times.
The se846 in the other hand, i will advice to try them first, they have a different design and was unconfortable for me, or probably is that i am not use to wear them.
There is a store in most US airports(inmotion? I think) that has different shure models for demos.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 11:13 AM Post #3,160 of 6,059
Peak in FR range of 100 to 10000. How is your guys unit? Mine, center frequency 6900hz/ Q6.0 /Gain -9
(Opposite +9, minus 9 is EQing).
I use very slow sweep wav and find that information.
Q6 is very narrow so on or off EQ sometimes difficult to recognize, depending how much those range appears in a track.
Btw correction is better than do nothing
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 9:51 PM Post #3,161 of 6,059
The more I hear and read about the Beyerdynamic Xelentos, the more I am impressed! 3 consecutive 5 star reviews on here. Might be a decent, cheaper alternative to the KSE.

I bought IE800 and 846 together a while back to keep one and return the other, ended up keeping the IE800 for couple months longer because they sounded more fun. Definitely more precise at imaging.
 
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Oct 11, 2017 at 9:53 PM Post #3,162 of 6,059
The more I read about Beyerdynamic Xelento, the more I am impressed. 3 consecutive 5 star reviews on here. Might be a decent, cheaper alternative to the KSE.

Just because of 5 stars reviews you cannot compare the 2.
Completely different technology, and based on that also the sound signature is quite different.
 
Oct 11, 2017 at 10:23 PM Post #3,164 of 6,059
The KSE1500 is the only one I tried, if you want a cheaper electrostatic then go with the Stax SR-001MK2.
I have no idea how does it sound but is an electrostatic earphone.

I didn't test all the earphones on the market (unfortunately), but none of the ones I tried can be comparable to the KSE1500, as sound signature of course.
 
Oct 12, 2017 at 1:03 AM Post #3,165 of 6,059
The more I hear and read about the Beyerdynamic Xelentos, the more I am impressed! 3 consecutive 5 star reviews on here. Might be a decent, cheaper alternative to the KSE.

I bought IE800 and 846 together a while back to keep one and return the other, ended up keeping the IE800 for couple months longer because they sounded more fun. Definitely more precise at imaging.
Nah, perhaps several bottles of beer later and will be close
 
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