[GiantCowOfDeath]

Several years ago I bought Shure E4Cs after doing my research on these forums. They were $300 MSRP but I paid $190 or so. The high end at the time was the E500s I believe which could be had for around $300-$350 (MSRP around $500). My memory isn't so good so this may be a little inaccurate.
 
I've sent my E4Cs (now SCL4s) in under warranty 3 or 4 times now. Their warranty service has been great but I'm tired of sending them back and want to replace them. Sometimes the cord would become damaged internally and one side would stop working. I decided this was likely from twisting them to get them in the case, so I stopped using the case. The other times were cracking from wearing them over the ear. I have oily skin.
 
So I came here for the expert reviews on what to buy next. I loved the sound of the SCL4s, though they're the only high end earphones I've heard. My first reaction was to see if the high end Shures have the same issues, and I was happy to see the SE535s have a replaceable cord. I just can't get myself to spend $500 on them though. Is this really what people pay or is it like a few years ago when there were hidden deals that the official retailers just can't advertise? I noticed Earphone Solutions no longer has the "e-mail us for a special price" link.
 
Also, am I right to be paranoid about my next pair having cord issues, or are these kinds of problems mostly just in the old Shure pairs? I noticed all of the RE-ZERO praise and was considering buying those, but I see some build quality complaints. This worries me because I use my SCL4s all the time at work and end up carrying them between buildings multiple times a day. Take them out of desk, bring them to another building, put them on desk and use them, pack them up to take them back to other desk so I can go to lunch, etc. I can't imagine this is very good on a cord.
 
So I guess what I'm wondering here is if the RE-ZERO is the right headphone for me if I don't want to have to worry about cord problems. I like a neutral sound and I do like the isolation the SCL4s give, since I often work in a temperature controlled lab and the air conditioning is quite loud. I'm not against spending more for quality if I know I won't have to deal with cord problems once the warranty expires, but I just can't get myself to spend above the $350 or so range for SE535s. I'm also noticing the RE-262 news, which I am not dismissing, but my concerns on those are similar to the RE-ZERO. Is there a firm date on when those will be available though?
 
Sorry for all the questions. My wallet made me do it.

 

[rawrster]

First off the E4 has a manufacturer defect in their cable which causes it to fall apart when it touches human skin.
 
The RE-Zero is a good earphone at $99 and you will soon notice that since you bought the E4 good quality has gone down in price. The days of ER6i being the only option under $100 is over. They are good but won't give you the isolation the the E4 will give you. They aren't bad but not as good. I've never had cable issues with Hifiman earphones but I've also never used the chin slider since that would probably break the cable in about a week.