Shure KSE1500 Review - Shure KSE1500 Sound Isolating Electrostatic Earphones

[Roscoeiii]

So did you guys noticed any changes in the sound after few days of listening?

Not I, but haven't really been listening for it and haven't revisited much of the same music since buying.

 

[windwolf447]

Hey, here is my impression video of the Shure KSE1500 

 

 

[audionewbi]

Nice impression, I am in middle of doing a proper review for the kse1500. I on the other hand thing the microdetail of kse1500 is the best and most revealing. For instance Adel video clip hello at 1:08 where she moves her neck with all my other IEM I hear a nothing to just a faint nock but using kse1500 she is actually cracking her neck! This gave me goosebumps. 
 
I think the magic of KSE1500 will show after a period of usage, give it more time. Let your mind/ear be detox and you will find it harder going back to other gears. 
 
Here is an idea, what if, yes what if once of those famous amp makers decide to make a portable tube stax amp for the kse1500?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I would suppose that this is input clipping, not the amp for the 1500 clipping at its output? You just need to lower the volume at your source and use the volume knob on the 1500's amp for whatever volume adjustment you want. There should be no need for riding any volume knob to avoid clipping.

Um, there is the Input Pad setting that can help avoid clipping. Options of 10 & 20 dB reduction. With those settings, clipping should not be a concern.

audionewbi

 

[audionewbi]

Yes I tried that but I felt there was a minor sacrifice in sound. 

 

[audionewbi]

Here are some info of the test track I used, hope it helps you guys, i will include more chart later as I do my review.
 
Track:06-Shkast
Album: Dawar
Artist: Chemirani trio
 
 
Applied a 50 Hz Low-pass filter using audacity. 

 
Spectograph, still looking for a good spectrogram software. 
 

 
I might be getting MusicScope if I can learn to use it fully. It is a great tool to review albums but it lacks certain features like LPF, HPF and things of such nature that lets you disect your test tracks properly. 

 

[DatGuy]

i discussed with an authorized Shure Dealer about my impressions of the DAC in the unit and he told me that at the Shure launch event that they attended, some people had asked a Shure engineer present about the apparent weakest link in the unit which many felt was the DAC and they gave this response. (Roughly paraphrased 2nd hand)
 
“The reason they went with a lower end DAC chip is because it was the compromise they had to go with. Using a better/more powerful DAC meant it required more power, a very rare commodity in a portable DAC/Amp unit meant for an electrostatic IEM. In order to use a better dac they had to make the DAC/Amp unit larger, which defeats the original purpose of the IEM’s which is a Portable Electrostatic IEM above all else. By making a larger dac/amp unit you deviate from the original vision/objective of a portable unit. Thus the compromise they decided to go with is a less power hungry but not as good DAC, but a smaller DAC Amp unit”
 
Seems pretty reasonable

 

[ubs28]

  i discussed with an authorized Shure Dealer about my impressions of the DAC in the unit and he told me that at the Shure launch event that they attended, some people had asked a Shure engineer present about the apparent weakest link in the unit which many felt was the DAC and they gave this response. (Roughly paraphrased 2nd hand)
 
“The reason they went with a lower end DAC chip is because it was the compromise they had to go with. Using a better/more powerful DAC meant it required more power, a very rare commodity in a portable DAC/Amp unit meant for an electrostatic IEM. In order to use a better dac they had to make the DAC/Amp unit larger, which defeats the original purpose of the IEM’s which is a Portable Electrostatic IEM above all else. By making a larger dac/amp unit you deviate from the original vision/objective of a portable unit. Thus the compromise they decided to go with is a less power hungry but not as good DAC, but a smaller DAC Amp unit”
 
Seems pretty reasonable

I agree. And when you have them in the office, you take out the Chord Hugo for example to increase performance. Or perhaps carry the Hugo with you if it's no issue.

 

[audionewbi]

I am well accustom to the sound of chord HUGO and when I pair it with KSE1500 it losses some of its 'magic'. I truly think they are handicapping their IEM, the smart thing for them to do perhaps is sale the IEM as a stand alone and develop different amp modules and allow the buyer to decide what they want to purchase.
 
To me currently the only issue I have is the amp module. 

 

[goodvibes]

Be careful with things this revealing as sometimes they are too telling of sources. I find the PAW as stock VG but a bit lean and never like PCs as sources. Lack of sig can be off putting as well. I'm not saying this is what you're hearing as the variables in expectations, preference and kit here are always great but I've found 'too many notes syndrome' occur with top kit in the past. 
 
This is not to counter anything audionewbi has posted or to say this is occurring here and your impressions are more than welcome. 

 Just something that came to mind.
 
If we knew what the input impedance of the Shure amp was, it may be possible to implement a simple inline resistor bridge if you don't care for their own padding. 

 

[audionewbi]

There are so many different variable that one need to look into, honestly as I am trying to right my review I keep thinking about all the things I need to include and than I realise it is over complicating things and perhaps all I am doing is making it harder than what it should be.
 
Part of me things the reason why the tube came back so big in high end world is because to compensate for the revealing nature of the speakers. 
 
Just to clarify I was feeding HUGO with an optical input. I like the sound of HUGO more than Mojo when I pair it with something like EX-1000, kaede II, dita truth. it sounds really larger with paired with the former two IEM however I dont quiet hear the sound large soundstage when i pair it with KSE1500. That is what puzzled me. I was expecting a dramatic improvement between A16 walkman and HUGO but I dont. Can it be because I cannot use hugo at a larger vrm? 

Lotoo paw gold and kse1500 pairing did not work for me. It just was way too surgically clean. I had a similar encounter at times when I paired the ex-1000 with LPG. 
 
I am planning to get another 30 hours of head time and decide whether I should keep it or return it. I think transparency is very important however can a transparent sound be musical too? 

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I am well accustom to the sound of chord HUGO and when I pair it with KSE1500 it losses some of its 'magic'. I truly think they are handicapping their IEM, the smart thing for them to do perhaps is sale the IEM as a stand alone and develop different amp modules and allow the buyer to decide what they want to purchase.

To me currently the only issue I have is the amp module. 

Since the KSE amp is the only amp you've heard the 1500 with, what makes you think it's holding back the hugo?

FWIW James was interested in producing an amp module for the X7 that can drive the KSE1500 earphones directly--the DAC on the X7 is one of the top-of-the-line offerings the ES9018S. We haven't received any feedback from Shure so far... but then I had only been able to email their generic sales@ email. Maybe someone here who knows Shure better than me can pm me the email of somebody whose attention I can grab and who can in turn grab Shure's attention?

 

[audionewbi]

Since the KSE amp is the only amp you've heard the 1500 with, what makes you think it's holding back the hugo?

FWIW James was interested in producing an amp module for the X7 that can drive the KSE1500 earphones directly--the DAC on the X7 is one of the top-of-the-line offerings the ES9018S. We haven't received any feedback from Shure so far... but then I had only been able to email their generic sales@ email. Maybe someone here who knows Shure better than me can pm me the email of somebody whose attention I can grab and who can in turn grab Shure's attention?

I answered this briefly above. To me Hugo has a larger soundstage than what I hear from kae1500. What remains true of Hugo regardless of what iem I test it with is the soundstage. Assuming kse1500 is a more capable iem than my other iem the only thing that perhaps holding it back is the amp module. Other stax all showed sign of improvement when paired with third party amps.

I wish I knew anyone, if James does that and Shute decides to sale the ear unit as standalone and allow the market the right to develop various amp(etc) this can be a big deal.

Jude mentioned some of Shure guys are members here, he mentioned his username in the video, sugar something maybe try pm him here.

 

[musicday]

Yes it be a wonderful idea to have a different portable DAC to power the KSE1500.
Something to allow to play everything including DSD and 24/192,and a better battery life.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Yes I tried that but I felt there was a minor sacrifice in sound. 

Always takes some tinkering to get the best possible gain structure. The amps - 10 dB pad didn't produce a noticable decrease in sound quality for me on the Dawar album you mentioned. Could be related to the output of my source (LG V10). I'll eventually get around to comparing lower output from my source and no pad to see where the sweet spot in my setup is.