Shure SE425, or look at something else?

[bugeyed]

I have a pair of Shure E4C IEMs & the cable is damaged. I can send them to Shure for replacement with SE425 for $155. I generally like the sound or the E4Cs, but am open to suggestions for replacing them with another unit that runs aprox. $155. Any insight is appreciated.
 
Thanks,
kev

 

[mark2410]

well you wont really get "better" for that money but you could get more entertaining sounds.
 
unless you really have a particular sound signature in mind then its hard to suggest anything in particular

 

[bugeyed]

Quote:

well you wont really get "better" for that money but you could get more entertaining sounds.
 
unless you really have a particular sound signature in mind then its hard to suggest anything in particular

Thanks,
I knew that I shouldn't expect a recommendation without any personal info. I do like clean bass & sometimes lots of it, but not at the expense of the highs & mids. I listen to such a variety of music, jazz, classical, electronic, acoustic. I find the Shure E4C to be easy to listen to, but not very exciting or engaging. I do like the mids. So, all that said, I would prefer a unit that is well balanced without being bass heavy. Must have accurate bass, clear & open sounding mids & smooth highs. I am not looking for the Grado sound, probably more in the Sennheiser camp, but maybe not so dark. These phones would be for music enjoyment & should be detailed without being fatiguing. If the SE425 would be an improvement over the E4C, I would probably be happy, but if there is another IEM for $155USD that is markedly better,I would be interested.
 
Thanks,
kev

 

[mark2410]

well the 425 woul db an improvement os your E4 is more equvilent to the 315 being singeled drivered. 
 
since you dont mention isolation then you may care to look at the Gr07 as its a tremndous all rounder but its a dynamic so the isolation given is far less.  things like the R-50, q-JAYS, and GR01 are also options, but again are more of a sideway move than being actually "better"  the GR01 may have a the bit more low end your after, not as much as the 7 of course but with greater isolation.
 
 
if i was you though, unless you want a quite significantly different sound signature then the sift up to the 425 is probably going to do you well.  still you may want to have a read of my reviews on the R-50, GR07 and GR01 to better gauge where i think they all lie in comparison.
 
 
 
or you could go with a PL-50 to get what you have now and spend the other US$100 on something V totally different.

 

[blueangel2323]

Agreed. I don't think the SE425 is very impressive for the price, but $155 I doubt you can do better. The best value in that price range would be the GR07, which btw also comes in an extra bass version, but it's quite neutral as opposed to the more midcentric Shure sound.

 

[Mooses9]

Quote:

Agreed. I don't think the SE425 is very impressive for the price, but $155 I doubt you can do better. The best value in that price range would be the GR07, which btw also comes in an extra bass version, but it's quite neutral as opposed to the more midcentric Shure soagreed

agreed

 

[imackler]

Quote:

I have a pair of Shure E4C IEMs & the cable is damaged. I can send them to Shure for replacement with SE425 for $155. I generally like the sound or the E4Cs, but am open to suggestions for replacing them with another unit that runs aprox. $155. Any insight is appreciated.
 
Thanks,
kev

Yeah, tough to imagine better for $155. For that money, I'd probably take one. Maybe the BA-200 is a rival at cheaper... But i'm always impressed at Shure's out of warranty service.