[Nosoupforyou]

I just got mine a few hours ago. Initial impressions, compared to the q-Jays:

-Less treble energy, and far less treble "sparkle". I never knew what on earth sparkle was until I compared it with the 530's that lack it comparatively. It's a bit of a downer. Upside is, the treble energy in the Jays sometimes caught me by surprise and hurt my ears, so no more of that! I miss the sparkle a bit, but I think I'll get on without it.

-The soundstage is much nicer, and there's a smoother transition when music goes from one side of the head to the other. Sadly, there's less of that tinkling I would get with the q-Jays during pianos sometimes, right at the top of my head; I think this was some of that treble sparkle again.

- Shure's are harder to get in or out of my ears, compared to the Jays which was ridiculously easy to put in or get out. However, once the 530's are in, they are the epitome of comfort. I do not feel them at all (except for the occasional tug to pull out my iPod). Very pleased.

-The low-end is warmer and more emphasized. This, combined with the comfort, means that I could probably listen to these things for hours without feeling wearied. Great for doing work! Terrible for paying attention to other stuff.

-I always imagined these things to be golden blobs. They are not. They have a very sleek, dark chrome-y finish that blends in well with my skin and hair. If they were all black or silver, I'm sure I'd get more stares. Nevertheless they are still expensive looking, and I feel proud walking down the street in them.

-So far, the Shure SE530's have no immediate problems. There's no sibilance, which was my big gripe against the Jays (and something I noticed on day one). They haven't 'wow-ed' me, but the fact that they have nothing that annoys me, is really all I wanted in a set of earphones. I want to pay attention to my music, not the earphones that play them.

All in all, they were worth $300. I am happy, and will hopefully write a nice, thorough review once I test them out on my trip to Paris.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosoupforyou /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just got mine a few hours ago. Initial impressions, compared to the q-Jays: -Less treble energy, and far less treble "sparkle". I never knew what on earth sparkle was until I compared it with the 530's that lack it comparatively. It's a bit of a downer. Upside is, the treble energy in the Jays sometimes caught me by surprise and hurt my ears, so no more of that! I miss the sparkle a bit, but I think I'll get on without it. -The soundstage is much nicer, and there's a smoother transition when music goes from one side of the head to the other. Sadly, there's less of that tinkling I would get with the q-Jays during pianos sometimes, right at the top of my head; I think this was some of that treble sparkle again. - Shure's are harder to get in or out of my ears, compared to the Jays which was ridiculously easy to put in or get out. However, once the 530's are in, they are the epitome of comfort. I do not feel them at all (except for the occasional tug to pull out my iPod). Very pleased. -The low-end is warmer and more emphasized. This, combined with the comfort, means that I could probably listen to these things for hours without feeling wearied. Great for doing work! Terrible for paying attention to other stuff. -I always imagined these things to be golden blobs. They are not. They have a very sleek, dark chrome-y finish that blends in well with my skin and hair. If they were all black or silver, I'm sure I'd get more stares. Nevertheless they are still expensive looking, and I feel proud walking down the street in them. -So far, the Shure SE530's have no immediate problems. There's no sibilance, which was my big gripe against the Jays (and something I noticed on day one). They haven't 'wow-ed' me, but the fact that they have nothing that annoys me, is really all I wanted in a set of earphones. I want to pay attention to my music, not the earphones that play them. All in all, they were worth $300. I am happy, and will hopefully write a nice, thorough review once I test them out on my trip to Paris.

I'll ask ahead of voltag3 here (

), but which tips did you use? Don't want this to become a broken record in this forum (too late?), but tips really do change the sound signature of the 530's quite considerably. For example, with my S639 (a fairly bright player) + yellow foamies + one notch boost in treble, I never feel as if I am lacking treble or high frequencies and sparkles are aplenty. With Shure Olives, I do find things a bit too boomy, though it's much more comfortable.

 

[mark2410]

i say keep the olives and just do a little treble boost see if you prefer that, the 530 respond very well to a little eq

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i say keep the olives and just do a little treble boost see if you prefer that, the 530 respond very well to a little eq

Yeah the 530's are definitely very EQ friendly. And of course there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration with tips, like comfort, fit, SQ and isolation. So try everything that you have to see which gives you the best trade off in all of those categories.

 

[robm321]

I'm a big E530 fan!!! I think they are great IEMs.

I don't have EQ since I am using an IMOD (and don't want to import CDs EQ'd into Itunes). I will have to try the yellow foamies or biflange. The highs are the only real issue I have with them.

They are appreciated

 

[Bolardito]

Yeah the treble booster of the Ipod makes them really shine

 

[Nosoupforyou]

Yo. These earphones rock. Like, that's it. They're awesome. I've been using them continuously for four hours now, not a hint of fatigue. DAMN. Everything sounds so natural!

I am using the silicone small tips. They are a little hard, but they isolate well! I don't know how i could've possibly thought they don't isolate. @K_19, I am rigorously anti-foam (as I've read they need more frequent replacing, plus I just don't like the feel of them... sorry.) They've actually got copious amounts of treble already, but I'll try the treble boost, see if I like it. At this point, as I write, I really don't want to change anything... I just want to sit here and listen forever. Wow, I've never had earphones like this, so clean, so easy to listen to, yet still detailed. What a great purchase, I'm so thrilled.

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nosoupforyou /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yo. These earphones rock. Like, that's it. They're awesome. I've been using them continuously for four hours now, not a hint of fatigue. DAMN. Everything sounds so natural! I am using the silicone small tips. They are a little hard, but they isolate well! I don't know how i could've possibly thought they don't isolate. @K_19, I am rigorously anti-foam (as I've read they need more frequent replacing, plus I just don't like the feel of them... sorry.) They've actually got copious amounts of treble already, but I'll try the treble boost, see if I like it. At this point, as I write, I really don't want to change anything... I just want to sit here and listen forever. Wow, I've never had earphones like this, so clean, so easy to listen to, yet still detailed. What a great purchase, I'm so thrilled.

told you they where good.

i agree i dont find they really need the treble boost some song do benefit from it though

 

[Bonthouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I will have to try the yellow foamies or biflange.

Oh do try the biflage trick, it will enhance your experience.. tenfold!
Shove it all the way up to the barb an not an micrometer further. It will look weird, but it will sound like heaven

 

[VoLTaG3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonthouse /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh do try the biflage trick, it will enhance your experience.. tenfold! Shove it all the way up to the barb an not an micrometer further. It will look weird, but it will sound like heaven

Yes your tip is very useful dude. I gotta ask ya something..

Do you ever experience unbalanced sound?? When the bi-flanges are mounted like you stated it make it easy for the hole to be blocked as the tip makes it's way into the ear canal...The flanges can easily bend everywhere. I love the sound they produce but this unbalanced sound problem is just too much...I gotta figure out a way to aim these tips down my canal...

 

[Bonthouse]

Hmm, not really actually. I have pretty strange ears (can't fit them nicely in a HD555 or DT770) so that might be a good thing when using this tweak.
I agree that it takes a little time to get them set up just right but when that's done, man..
It sounds just that awesome

 

[VoLTaG3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonthouse /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, not really actually. I have pretty strange ears (can't fit them nicely in a HD555 or DT770) so that might be a good thing when using this tweak. I agree that it takes a little time to get them set up just right but when that's done, man.. It sounds just that awesome

I can tell when the sound is balanced when I hear the vocals in the middle of my head and then that is when the sounds just captures me and fills my head and the outside which such beautiful tunes...I kind of found away to get them in...I have to moisten them...I tried the lotion trick and for the whole night and morning I was getting a perfect seal. I think the lotion's smoothness wore off the tips. Umm. do you lotion them up all the time or have you done it once and it remained smooth?

 

[Bonthouse]

I sometimes use some bodybutter for extra smoothness, but I think the biflanges also have to be "burned in" by usage. The longer you use them, the smoother they get

It's a bit of a pita in the beginning, but after a month or more, you'll be glad you went trough with it

 

[Nosoupforyou]

Anybody know what date (month and year) Shure updated the cables? I want to know whether I have the good cable or the disintegrating one. Mine's dated 2008/08/04

 

[dissembled]

So Shure did update the cables on newer models? Good to know.