[luisdent]

I've posted part 1 of 2 535 reviews if anyone is interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0tkKyz7aRI
 
I'll be putting a written review on the product page here soon as well.

 

[luisdent]

Part two is up  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTKgRyYDZQ

 

[truckdriver]

Quote:

Part two is up  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTKgRyYDZQ

It sounds like you'd be happy with the Shure LTD edition 535 (reds). It (supposedly) is tuned for “extended highs”. I'm going to demo them at some point. I personally don't think “realism” will be solved by less of a roll-off (but that's just me). BTW, what was your testing source(s) for this review?
 
As for the PFE232, the rumor around here is that Phonak is getting out of the earphone business, so....
 
 

 

[LFC_SL]

It is not a rumour, there is a notice when you visit their site

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

It sounds like you'd be happy with the Shure LTD edition 535 (reds). It (supposedly) is tuned for “extended highs”. I'm going to demo them at some point. I personally don't think “realism” will be solved by less of a roll-off (but that's just me). BTW, what was your testing source(s) for this review?
 
As for the PFE232, the rumor around here is that Phonak is getting out of the earphone business, so....
 
 

 
I'm not sure.  The westone 4 don't have the best realism either, but when eq'd they do.  When I refer to realism, i'm referring to the soundstage, as if you can hear things in a real space.  Treble does not necessarily fix that, but usually it helps.  I think the shure with more treble would be pretty awesome.

 

[luisdent]

http://www.audeoworld.com/en/US/Products/PFEwithMicrophone/AudeoPFE232.htm  wow... that's sad.  they are definitely the best value in my opinion for the pfe112.  That's too bad.  You should buy them before they get rare and cost 2x as much. haha

 

[truckdriver]

Quote:

 
I'm not sure.  The westone 4 don't have the best realism either, but when eq'd they do.  When I refer to realism, i'm referring to the soundstage, as if you can hear things in a real space.  Treble does not necessarily fix that, but usually it helps.  I think the shure with more treble would be pretty awesome.

The sound-stage of the 535, in my opinion, is much better with the triple-flange tips and also by not using an Apple DAP (two mid-forward devices don't match well together IMO). I don't have expansive earphone experience, but I do have an IE8, (and now)  a UE900 (and the various headphones in my profile) and the 535 is more 3D than all (but one) of them using my T'Mo Galaxy SI or S2 with Poweramp Tone-on EQ-off for max V-shape. Well, it's more 3D than all of them, if Poweramp is the software used.
 
Another example of how source and software matters in sound-staging is with my old Shure E5 which was all in-head (small sound-stage) on my iPod Touch 3G (using Apple's software player). However, with the Galaxy SI/ Headstage Arrow 4G combo (using the Maven player), it suddenly becomes the biggest sound-stage I've every heard outside of real speakers. When I play Bill Wither's Use Me, it sounds like a near full size synthesizer is being played just above my head to the left (about 3 to 4 inches out). While 3 to 4 inches above my head to the right someone is strumming a near full size guitar. Bill himself is at the back of my head about mouth level and the bass guitar is throat level. It's not the last word in clarity (more like FM radio) but everything is so freakin' big that you end up hearing a lot of detail.

 

[uchihaitachi]

I love these!!!

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Part two is up  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTKgRyYDZQ

 
 
Sean - if you get the chance to demo the SE535 Reds (Ltd Ed) - it really does solve the treble roll-off.
 
And if you don't mind some constructive critique - IMO shorten your video reviews a little.  Part 2 was 11 minutes - you could have done it in half that (maybe even less).  Toward the end you were really repeating what you'd already said.  But good job.  I'd love to try the PFEs at some stage - but for now, the SE535 LE really hit the sweet spot for me.
 
Quote:

The sound-stage of the 535, in my opinion, is much better with the triple-flange tips and also by not using an Apple DAP (two mid-forward devices don't match well together IMO). I don't have expansive earphone experience, but I do have an IE8, (and now)  a UE900 (and the various headphones in my profile) and the 535 is more 3D than all (but one) of them using my T'Mo Galaxy SI or S2 with Poweramp Tone-on EQ-off for max V-shape. Well, it's more 3D than all of them, if Poweramp is the software used.

 
Interesting thought - but I'd hardly describe the iPhone4, Touch 4G or the Touch 3G 'mid-forward'.  If anything - they are pretty much ruler flat (at least they seem to measure that way).

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

 
 
Sean - if you get the chance to demo the SE535 Reds (Ltd Ed) - it really does solve the treble roll-off.
 
And if you don't mind some constructive critique - shorten your video reviews a little.  Part 2 was 11 minutes - you could have done it in half that (maybe even less).  Toward the end you were really repeating what you'd already said.  But good job.  I'd love to try the PFEs at som,e stage - but for now, the SE535 LE rally hit the sweet spot for me.
 
 
Interesting thought - but I'd hardly describe the iPhone4, Touch 4G or the Touch 3G 'mid-forward'.  If anything - they are pretty much ruler flat (at least they seem to measure that way).

 
I agree.  Ipod = flat.  This has been shown in many measurements as well.
 
Brooko, I really didn't want to post the shure review as it was, but I didn't really have a choice.  Earphonesolutions was letting me swap them for the Westone 4R so I only had a very short time before I shipped them that night to do a quick review.  I definitely would have done a better review if I had more time.  I was trying to get every thing I could off the top of my head without any preparation. :-/  And what you saw was already edited heavily. haha.  I got sick of editing. ha.  
 
I think most of the other reviews I've done have been better, and I hope to streamline them more in the future while retaining as much info as I can.  As for the SE535, I'm really dying to try them out, but I don't have a lot of money to drop on them with everything I've been buying for audio. :-o  I just got some over-ear phones as well as the 4R and I might grab a C5 amp in a few weeks when jds labs releases it.  Either that or an o2 perhaps.  So that's pretty much past the hole in my wallet. ha.
 
I liked the shures a lot though.  If that really does fix the treble they have a winner in my book.  Do you own a pair?  I can't say anything without hearing them, but I "think" the se535 would be more accurate and smoother than the pfe232 if the treble is truly better.  So I wouldn't worry about hearing the 232 personally if you like the 535.  But the pfe232 are still excellent.  I just prefer the wesonte 4r though and 535 with treble extension.

 

[Brooko]

Sean
 
Yep - I tried the standard 535 briefly (a friend had them), and I already had the 425's (which I loved).  The 425's were essentially very flat - but had the same treble roll-off.  With my 46 yo ears, I have no problems with a little boost in the upper registers (I rarely find headphones too sharp - see my stable ... K701, SR325i 

).  So when the 535 LEs were released, I took the punt, sold my 425's and bought the 'reds'.  Haven't regretted it.  Great fit, great isolation, same delicious Shure mid-range - but with sparkle up top.
 
If I was going to describe them in one word it would be 'intimate' - some have said they have a wide stage - I don't hear them that way.  Imaging is good though.  Definitely no regrets buying them.  Bass is really well articulated - sometimes I'd like a little more (and I'm not a basshead) - but they do respond really well to EQ.
 
BTW - with the Shures (I'm a long time user) - mold the ear guides, swing the cable out, fit them, then swing the cable back.  It becomes second nature after a while.  The only reservation I'd have with the 535 Reds (for you) would be your fit.  Pretty sure the 535 and 535LE body is the same.  So if the fit hurt your ears - the reds may not be ideal for you.  For me though - they fit perfectly - I've slept with them in on long-haul flights sometimes). 
 
Keep up the good work with the reviews.
 
Paul

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

Sean
 
Yep - I tried the standard 535 briefly (a friend had them), and I already had the 425's (which I loved).  The 425's were essentially very flat - but had the same treble roll-off.  With my 46 yo ears, I have no problems with a little boost in the upper registers (I rarely find headphones too sharp - see my stable ... K701, SR325i 

).  So when the 535 LEs were released, I took the punt, sold my 425's and bought the 'reds'.  Haven't regretted it.  Great fit, great isolation, same delicious Shure mid-range - but with sparkle up top.
 
If I was going to describe them in one word it would be 'intimate' - some have said they have a wide stage - I don't hear them that way.  Imaging is good though.  Definitely no regrets buying them.  Bass is really well articulated - sometimes I'd like a little more (and I'm not a basshead) - but they do respond really well to EQ.
 
BTW - with the Shures (I'm a long time user) - mold the ear guides, swing the cable out, fit them, then swing the cable back.  It becomes second nature after a while.  The only reservation I'd have with the 535 Reds (for you) would be your fit.  Pretty sure the 535 and 535LE body is the same.  So if the fit hurt your ears - the reds may not be ideal for you.  For me though - they fit perfectly - I've slept with them in on long-haul flights sometimes). 
 
Keep up the good work with the reviews.
 
Paul

 
Yeah, ultimately I think the shures are too painful for me, but I'd still love to hear them.  I'm really curious now. ha.  I'm diggin the 4r though.  They sound very good out of my duet.  Not as much from the ipod without eq, which is a bummer, but I'll be looking into an amp to see if that helps.  The c5 from jds labs.  I've heard amping helps them.  I'm not too hopeful, as I consider the ipod good, and I'm guessing the difference on the duet is impedance, which just happens to change the frequency response in a good way.  But we'll see.  They still sound excellent flat on the ipod.  But the duet makes you go "oh man, these sound REALLY good".   ha

 

[truckdriver]

Quote:

 
 
Interesting thought - but I'd hardly describe the iPhone4, Touch 4G or the Touch 3G 'mid-forward'.  If anything - they are pretty much ruler flat (at least they seem to measure that way).

 
 
Quote:

 
I agree.  Ipod = flat.  This has been shown in many measurements as well.

 
Well, I don't know what that means. But, if human hearing is most acute between 1khz and 4khz, wouldn't that make “flat” essentially mid-centric?
 
Regardless, I disagree with EarphoneSolution's advertising claim that the 535 is best paired with the iPhone 5. I've never heard the PFE 232, but I have no doubt its native V-shape probably produces a more dimensional sound on an Apple DAP. I'll continue to tell everyone (who asks) that Apple DAPs and the SE535 do not pair well.
 
When I first stumbled across my original T'Mo Galaxy S2 and SE535 combo (using Poweramp), I thought that those two products should have come in the same box.

 

[Brooko]

Hey - great that you prefer the S2 with the SE535.
 
I can tell you now though - that the 535LE (IMHO) pairs fantastically well with both the iPhone4 and iPod Touch4.

 

[truckdriver]

Quote:

Hey - great that you prefer the S2 with the SE535.
 
I can tell you now though - that the 535LE (IMHO) pairs fantastically well with both the iPhone4 and iPod Touch4.

Well thanks, I'll keep an open mind when I go to demo the LE535 Red. I'll bring along an iPhone 4 or 4S (I have access to both) in addition to my iPod Touch 3G. So , we'll see if it suits my fancy.
 

 
 
I hope InMotion lets me make another appointment. I keep canceling. In my town's airport (if you're not boarding or exiting a plane) you have to be escorted thru the concourse by an InMotion employee (when there's more than one in the store).