[qib]

Since i stopped myself from going crazy and spending a scholarship allowance on UE-11s. I decided that i should go for the Shure SE530. Could i please have impressions from owners regarding its sound quality before i make my decision. I prefere a bassy yet airy type of sound if theres such a thing.

Any input is appreciated, Thanks.

 

[lewislink]

They are quite impressive. Very crisp, clear and detailed sound quality. Excellently refined, smooth and had a great soundstage. Instruments are well separated. But they lack the popular kind of big bass. These have bass but it's highly accurate bass. They reflect, truly, the normal amount of bass in a particular song and sometimes this can sound bass shy.

I believe the ones you might be wanting are the Ultimate Ears Triple fi-10s. They have a clearer, wider soundstage and plenty of bass. They are highly detailed without being bright. The Shures can sometimes sound very bright but not piercingly so. The midrange has good accuracy and is well balanced. The bass, is tight and well controlled but not as controlled as the SE530s.

There's is a cheaper, better alternative, the Westone UM2. They are everything the Shure SE530s are but better in a number of ways. They have the best soundstage and instrumental separation I have ever heard. They have a deep, impacting midrange and tightly controlled bass that is a bit more plentiful than the SE530s. From my perspective they have perfect instrumental separation. I feel like I'm right among the band members in a jazz group and the separation is the widest I've ever heard.They are truly awesome to hear, especially for drums. They produce a very powerful and impacting drum note. The highs may seem rolled off a bit but I find them to be quite perfect once accustomed to them. There is no better universal canalphone that I've ever heard than the UM2.

 

[WaxMan]

I am listening to my newly acquired SE530's as I type. I have owned them for about a week now. The only other IEM I have owned worth mentioning prior to these are the Sennheiser CX300, and the Westone UM2's. I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with these phones. They remind me of my beloved Sennheiser HD600's if I were to shrink them and jam them in my ear. They have a very crisp and refined sound, accurate tight and punchy bass, excellent highs, and a liquid sounding midrange that I love. They are extremely comfortable which I was pleasantly surprised to discover, as I did not think any universal IEM would match the comfort I experienced with my Westone UM2's. I would say that they are about equally as comfy as the UM2's. The only thing that I dread about the SE530 is the thick cumbersome cable, and this might be only because I was spoiled with the excellent cable that the UM2's provided. Once the music enters my cranium I find it pretty easy to ignore the cable shortcoming, and overall I would find it very easy to say that if you were to purchase the SE530 you would be very impressed, and satisfied with your purchase! I was actually torn between the Ultimate Ear's' offering as well, but they did not look like they would fit in my ears as comfortably as the Shure's, they seem to protrude just a bit too much for my taste. Good luck, and happy listening. -WaxMan.

 

[toughnut]

sorry if i make the decision making harder for qib, which will u guys recommend; SE530 or UM2, if both at same price point?

SE530 around USD270, UM2 around USD250

 

[lewislink]

UM2, hands down.

 

[qib]

Thanks for the replies.

What about the rolled off highs that i've been hearing about with the um2's? From that i assumed that the um2's are veiled and muddy but would the rolled off highs be very noticeable? Or would eq'ing the treble abit higher do the trick? Also, comfort is important to me hence the initial want of the ue11s. Therefore the triple fi's are out of the question.

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qib /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the replies. What about the rolled off highs that i've been hearing about with the um2's? From that i assumed that the um2's are veiled and muddy but would the rolled off highs be very noticeable? Or would eq'ing the treble abit higher do the trick? Also, comfort is important to me hence the initial want of the ue11s. Therefore the triple fi's are out of the question.

As far as the highs go, they are clear, crisp and clean. Highly detailed but not bright. It just depends on what people have come from when they hear the UM2s. If they come from an excessively bright canalphone, they UM2 will seem to lack treble. Once accustomed to the UM2, they will shine like a jewel.

I've read what people have said about the SE530s having rolled off highs but I think the highs are bright. Not overly bright, though.

The UM2 are a little mellower than the SE530 in the highs. I feel their highs are just right. And the UM2 are far from muddy. There isn't even a hint of muddiness in the whole spectrum of sound they produce. The Triple fi-10s, I've detected slight muddiness in the mids.

 

[musicmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaxMan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am listening to my newly acquired SE530's as I type. I have owned them for about a week now. The only other IEM I have owned worth mentioning prior to these are the Sennheiser CX300, and the Westone UM2's. I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with these phones. They remind me of my beloved Sennheiser HD600's if I were to shrink them and jam them in my ear. They have a very crisp and refined sound, accurate tight and punchy bass, excellent highs, and a liquid sounding midrange that I love. They are extremely comfortable which I was pleasantly surprised to discover, as I did not think any universal IEM would match the comfort I experienced with my Westone UM2's. I would say that they are about equally as comfy as the UM2's. The only thing that I dread about the SE530 is the thick cumbersome cable, and this might be only because I was spoiled with the excellent cable that the UM2's provided. Once the music enters my cranium I find it pretty easy to ignore the cable shortcoming, and overall I would find it very easy to say that if you were to purchase the SE530 you would be very impressed, and satisfied with your purchase! I was actually torn between the Ultimate Ear's' offering as well, but they did not look like they would fit in my ears as comfortably as the Shure's, they seem to protrude just a bit too much for my taste. Good luck, and happy listening. -WaxMan.

Thanks for your post Waxman.
I have heard a few people say that the SE530 and UM2 were very similar in sound.
What are the differences for you between them, and did you try use them with the same tips ?

Thanks in advance

 

[musicmind]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislink /img/forum/go_quote.gif As far as the highs go, they are clear, crisp and clean. Highly detailed but not bright. It just depends on what people have come from when they hear the UM2s. If they come from an excessively bright canalphone, they UM2 will seem to lack treble. Once accustomed to the UM2, they will shine like a jewel. I've read what people have said about the SE530s having rolled off highs but I think the highs are bright. Not overly bright, though. The UM2 are a little mellower than the SE530 in the highs. I feel their highs are just right. And the UM2 are far from muddy. There isn't even a hint of muddiness in the whole spectrum of sound they produce. The Triple fi-10s, I've detected slight muddiness in the mids.

Thanks lewislink, you answered the question before I asked

 

[qib]

Looks like the um2 is the way to go, thanks for the advice lewislink. Last question. Other than the rolled off highs of the um2, what else would you say that is bad about the um2? Portable amp issues etc...

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qib /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks like the um2 is the way to go, thanks for the advice lewislink. Last question. Other than the rolled off highs of the um2, what else would you say that is bad about the um2? Portable amp issues etc...

The only real issue I had with them was fit. The nozzle is too short to allow my wonderful choice of sleeve, the Klipsch gels, to seal securely, they just wouldn't go deep enough into my ear canal. I tried quite a few different sleeves and foams and even modded the nozzles with a simple add-on extension that allowed me to use the gels. But this failed because the orifice of the gels is smaller than the orifice of the OEM Comply foams. And because of this, the deep impact of the midrange, usually where drum strikes are, was negatively affected and I decided I'll break down and just use the Comply "P" Standards...the largest, longest foam Comply makes...rather than not have the wonderful sound.

Even though the Complys can be very comfortable and provide a great seal, I dislike them because they are so unreliable for equal seal and fit and they are very delicate, they destruct rather easily. I had one troublesome time trying to get the phones to feel the same for each one in fit and seal. One would feel tighter than the other and one would allow more noise than the other.

It was a pain but it seems to be okay now.

 

[pseudohippy]

Boy, they have more rolled of highs then my SE530. I use the SA6 alot due to the darker sound of the Sures. If the UM2 has rolled off highs I would definately prefer the Sures myself. Lewislink has a great opinion but I think you should also get some others. There are hundreds of thoughts on both of those headphones if you look around a bit. The SE530's are amazing and Ive read good things of the UM2's also so you should be good whichever you decide.

 

[myinitialsaredac]

Hello there Qib,

I only have expierence with the shures, and I have used them with my micro stack and straight out of an iphone. They sound great out of the stack, very controlled and detailed, the bass is notably strong but not overly so, it adds very nicely to all the music I've listened to. The highs are a bit rolled off, going from the 701s to the 530s theres a noticable difference, I wouldn't accuse the 530s of being too bright. Out of the iphone they sounded a bit flatter, the sound-stage definately compressed a fair amount, and the bass leaned out, but I don't find it deleterious to the point where I'd lug around my amps.

I definately enjoy the sound isolation they offer with the foamies, they allow you to sink into that place in your mind where your music doesn't merely surround you, it engulfs you. I often find myself reaching into my pocket around campus when I am feeling particularly introverted.

All in all I really would recommend the 530's from my own experience, they fit the bill on portables whether your carrying your amps or running out the door.

Best of Listening,
Dave

 

[Pianist]

I strongly disagree that Westone UM2 is better than Shure SE530 in SQ. I heard the UM2s and owned the Shure SE530s and I must say that the Shures were a significant step up from the UM2 to my ears! The UM2s sound dark, muddy and boomy by comparison. Don't get me wrong - they are certainly very good IEMs. It's just that Shure SE530 is on a whole new level of performance IMO. I say that if the Shures are only slightly more expensive than the UM2, they will be a much better choice for SQ. Now, comfort is another thing altogether and UM2s clearly win in that respect. They have better, much lighter cables than SE530 and will definitely be more comfortable for extended use. Still, I would go with SE530 - it's in a different league when it comes to sound quality IMO, and is also quite comfortable for most people to wear.

As for SE530 vs. Triple.fi, I say go with the Shures if you want realistic midrange, well controlled bass, good imaging and excellent overall balance. The Triple.fis' bass is a lot more forward and a tad blurred and sloppy compared to SE530, while it's mids are recessed, less detailed and quite unclear compared to those of SE530. Also, Shure has MUCH better imaging than the Trips IMO - with SE530 each instrument and vocal is clearly separated and occupies it's own well-defined space in the soundstage, while the Triple.fis sound like a sea of music with little to no separation between different instruments and vocals. Thus, overall, I think that Triple.fi only wins in the highs department perhaps, but while it's highs are more prominent and detailed, SE530's slightly rolled-off highs still sound more natural to my ears.

Of course this is all just my own opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. I know many people prefer Triple.fi over SE530, and I can understand why - the Trips do sound more exciting with that forward bass and sparkly treble. It's just that their sound sig sounds unnatural to my ears.

 

[toughnut]

i really wanna auditioned UM2, SE420, SE530, Atrios and another few IEM just to test which suit me better but too bad, it's impossible. at my place, there are no audio shop with those highend IEM, let alone selling it.

seem like i will be holding to my PK2 longer