[synom]

Hi guys and girls, 
 
I have a pair SE110 and recently the cable broke down on me, so I was browsing a local forum and found a seller selling these SE530 he claimed new. However, he has no box or warranty card. 
 
Can you guys help me identify if they are legit? (he's selling for 200US)
 

 

[mvw2]

Tough to say.  I don't really know if they went through any revisions of what they do with the earphones or the accessories.  For example, the pair I owned had a printed on serial number on the Y splitter where your 0162 is.  Maybe you have something on the other side.  Mine had an 8 digit serial number printed on it.  The case is different too.  The weave on my case was significantly smaller, less than half yours for a much more dense and smooth looking surface.  My fit kit has a different package number as well.  Again, I have no idea how Shure has changed their manufacturing process and accessories.  Maybe the case is like that now.  Maybe the fit kit includes different things now and carries a new number.  Maybe they went away with the serial number on the cord.  I don't know.
 
I want to also point out that I got my SE530 PTH set for something like $230-$240, and it came with everything including receipt (for a good bit more).  This was about 3/4 a year ago and before the introduction of the new SE535.  Any SE530 now should have less value.  For my purchase the earphone itself was not original but a factor replacement that the guy grabbed right before his warranty went out.  He wanted to try something else, so he put the whole thing plus new earphone replacement for sale (basically a whole new set to me).  The SE530's resale value is quite low relative to the purchase price and among the lowest value used top tier earphones out there.  Pricing is normally in the low to mid $200s.  If real yours looks like an oem set (without all the packaging and accessories) and may or may not have been a factory replacement for the owner.  It should carry less value due to the lack of other hardware.  For reference, the Triple.Fi 10 can be purchased as a complete set or an oem kit without a lot of the extras.  The oem package was about $50 less on average.  A similar pricing scheme should put the value of the Shure version well below $200. 
 
As for purchase, I would avoid pretty much any Asian sites and sales.  There is just too many fakes produced and sold to even consider buying anything.  I'd opt to simply buy something from a fellow forum member.
 

 

[ClieOS]

As far as I can remember, I have never seen a fake SE530 before, even on Chinese forums I frequented. Also that is not 0162, but 0167. It is a date code Shure uses to identify the date of manufacture. In this case, this particular IEM is produced on the 16th day of 2007. The significant thing about the date code is that Shure announced the rename of E500 to SE530 on CES 2007 (6th or 7th Jan). The two IEM looks identical, but SE530 date code is 'xxxx SE530' instead of 'xxxx'. That being said, I think there is a good chance this is a late production E500, or one of the earliest SE530. One of the tell-tail signs is that the olive foam tips on teh IEM itself has no dots in the base to indicate size. Shure added the dots in a later time (olive is 'officially' announced on the same CES 2007, but Shure added it in E500 package since late 2006. Also, that is not an E500 or SE530 case, but a E5c's case (Shure EA625). Also, I didn't see any extension cable in the picture, which will be bad because SE530 / E500 has a two part cable design and it will be too short without the extension cable.
 
My suggestion is: avoid this. Though it is probably a real E500 / SE530, the age of the IEM itself makes it much less appealing. The questionable accessories issues are certainly not helping either.

 

[synom]

Thank you very much for your reply, I told the buyer that the price is still too high for a pair of 3 years old IEM's, and he said he only bought the OEM through a friend in the US lately. He's also willing to throw in the Shure MPA for free. 

 

[ClieOS]

If it is indeed new / slightly used than it will be a good buy, but as all second hand purchases go, you never know till you get it.

 

[synom]

Actually I get to test it out quickly first as we have to meet up to complete the transaction. The advantage of living in a small town, we don't usually complete transaction through post. Anything I should look for or listen for?

 

[ClieOS]

First thing to look for, cable hardening, crack or peel away, especially near the strain relief of the earpieces and the plug. Second, the sound should be warm, slightly thick vocal with good bass, not a lot of sparkle on the high

 

[synom]

Thanks so much man, let me tell you guys more after i get the product. 

 

[jleewach]

I've never seen a fake SE530, but like Clieos said, the carrying case is not the type that originally comes w/ the se530's, and the serial number matches the format of very early SE530's or E500's, meaning it doesnt have the reformulated cable, meaning it is more likely to crack. They're definitely not new though, by matter of the carrying case issue.