[Mooses9]

Even with my SE846 now there are times I switch back to the SE535 for the sweetest midrange I have ever heard.

exactly, i find the se535 midrange to be phenomenal, vocals male and female are excellent, alot of mid range detail...hard to beat imo

 

[kabuljange]

  exactly, i find the se535 midrange to be phenomenal, vocals male and female are excellent, alot of mid range detail...hard to beat imo

agreed but I feel that the instrument separation isn't as distinct as I'd like it to be.

 

[Mooses9]

agreed but I feel that the instrument separation isn't as distinct as I'd like it to be.

Well I would say that depends on your rig. Dap,dac,amp,interconnects,cables ect...this can greatly change your perception of the instrument separation and how distinct they sound to you.

 

[spook76]

agreed but I feel that the instrument separation isn't as distinct as I'd like it to be.

If you are seeking greater treble response and you do not own either the SE535 or SE535 Special Edition buy the SE535 Special Edition. If you already own the SE535, change the filter to get a greater treble response. There is a great thread here at Head-Fi that explains the easy DIY modification.

If you are seeking greater clarity and some instrument separation, silver cables and/or a balanced amplifier will truly increase the clarity and some of the separation especially a balanced amp.

Unfortunately, the only way I found really improved instrument separation was upon upgrading from the SE535 to the SE846. I would explore silver cables and a balanced amp first as upgrading to the SE846 is the most expensive option. After that if you still want more, the nice thing is the upgraded cables and amp will work great with the SE846. This is exactly the journey I just traveled. I started with the SE535 Special Edition a year ago, then bought OCC silver cables from Headphone Lounge 3 months later, then an RSA Protector balanced amp and had my silver cables re-terminated with a balanced end, finally I purchased the SE846.

Edit: Yes, I am constantly chasing the "perfect sound" which is an impossible goal but the journey is what matters if your wallet and your significant other can tolerate it.

 

[Spyro]

Why wouldn't you steer the guy to the W4R??
 
Don't want to crap the thread but the W4R midrange is undeniable smoother than the SE535.   It just is...
 
The SE535 is more forward, more present but there is a bit of graininess or very mild harshness that is completely absent with the W4R.  Throw in the fact that the W4R is a touch more transparent with superior detail retrieval and it seems like a no-brainer solution.
 
I was wrong.....the only thing SE535 does better than W4R is bass qty/slam.  I think W4R beats it in every other cirteria.

 

[pacman46]

Spyro... What tips are you using with the w4r?..cause I can not find a decent tip from the tips provided?

 

[spook76]

Why wouldn't you steer the guy to the W4R??

Don't want to crap the thread but the W4R midrange is undeniable smoother than the SE535.   It just is...

The SE535 is more forward, more present but there is a bit of graininess or very mild harshness that is completely absent with the W4R.  Throw in the fact that the W4R is a touch more transparent with superior detail retrieval and it seems like a no-brainer solution.

I was wrong.....the only thing SE535 does better than W4R is bass qty/slam.  I think W4R beats it in every other cirteria.

And the SE846 is better in everyway than the Westone 4r. This is the SE535 appreciation thread.

 

[Spyro]

And the SE846 is better in everyway than the Westone 4r. 

Wrong thread....3 times the cost.
 
...and really?  better in every way....including treble?

 

[Spyro]

Spyro... What tips are you using with the w4r?..cause I can not find a decent tip from the tips provided?

I have REALLY messed around in every regard with tips.  Comments below are strictly regarding W4R only!
 
With any IEM that has sharp treble or is siblance prone (W3) I am a huge fan of comply tips even though I hate using them.  At this price point, you have to throw away convenience and go with whatever sounds best.  With W4 here is what I find......
 
Comply or foam tip:  W4 is already very smooth with no sharp spikes anywhere and the comply basically makes it overly smooth where the presentation lacks any bite or real articulateness and makes it a little boring.  Not bad....just a little boring.  Don't really like it.
 
"Old" style Westone grey flex tip:  Not bad but because it is a "bulb" round type of tip there is a specific sweet spot and if you move or are active, this tip is not good.  Since I exercise while listening this tip is a problem for me.
 
White tri-flange modded to a bi-flange with stalk cut down flush to bottom of largest flange:  Certainly best most secure fitting after comply but for some strange reason I am hearing more siblance than I would expect or more than I hear with star tips.  Not sure why this is?
 
Star Tips:  This is certainly my favorite tip but there is too much variation between medium and small tips where on one of my ears....the medium is too snug and tight and the next one down is almost too loose.  It's a shame because I think these are the best tips for W4R.  Despite this I have been using some variation of star tips.  Don't be afraid to use different sizes in each ear if that's what it takes.  If bass sounds unbalanced your tip selection may be wrong.  Try to achieve total balance regardless of tip size.
 
Two (2) observations.....
 
1) I own UM56 custom tips.  They fit perfect, they aren't uncomfortable, but I do not like the sound from them.  Bass is weak and it is a very closed in claustrophobic presentation.  This is my experience so beware.  May be different for others.
 
2) I am not sure whether or not I hear any difference between tips with larger openings (star and comply) versus the smaller exit hole of a tri-bi-flange or a grey flex tip.  I would love to know or understand the science behind this.  I guess no matter how large or expansive any tip opening is....you are still limited by the size of the exit hole of the nozzle itself.

 

[pacman46]

That's awesome thanks. I put one the long comply that came with my 535"s the long grey ones.. I find that the stem is long on the 535"s for them and I can't get a very good seal with them but on my w4r I get a great seal with them cause of the stem being smaller.. Anyways the sound is actually pretty good.. A little too smooth like you said but really not that bad.. The highs are still kinda there and the separation.. Like I said with them being a small stem I may try the shorter comply tips and see if its any better... Anyways with this being a 535 thread don't want to p off people here lol anyways thanks again spyro..

 

[truckdriver]

I don't think anyone should mind if the threadstarter compares the IEM in the title to another IEM. I think source synergy and tips matter a lot in any comparison of essentially same tier IEMs. I have always maintained that if you start with an Apple DAP,  you'll probably end up thinking the 535 is too mid forward. I thought the W4 paired better with my various Apple DAPs (amp or not) than my 535. But since I don't like Apple DAPs for music, that fact was somewhat irrelevant for my use case. I was just thoroughly testing the W4 in as many circumstances as I could.
 
My use case for tips is that I need tips that isolate very well. The very same sound characteristics that make the 535 sound (oh, let's say) "harsh" in the mids are the same characteristics that make the 535 sound good under vacuum sealed isolation. The W4 under a vacuum seal sounds (oh, let's say) "boring".
 
The treble of the 535 has to be turned up (for me). It turns up nicely too with just a treble control. The W4 cymbal sounded thin and a little artificial  (with a slight fatiguing potential) when turned up. Mind you, this is with Poweramp (my player of choice). The bass couldn't reach the levels of the 535 (which was barely enough in the truck, I really couldn't go lower).
 
Now that I have the 846, the 535 is an IEM mostly relegated to 'round-the-house use. I've got it on as I type this post. It's no 846, but I still like it.

 

[spook76]

I don't think anyone should mind if the threadstarter compares the IEM in the title to another IEM. I think source synergy and tips matter a lot in any comparison of essentially same tier IEMs. I have always maintained that if you start with an Apple DAP,  you'll probably end up thinking the 535 is too mid forward. I thought the W4 paired better with my various Apple DAPs (amp or not) than my 535. But since I don't like Apple DAPs for music, that fact was somewhat irrelevant for my use case. I was just thoroughly testing the W4 in as many circumstances as I could.

My use case for tips is that I need tips that isolate very well. The very same sound characteristics that make the 535 sound (oh, let's say) "harsh" in the mids are the same characteristics that make the 535 sound good under vacuum sealed isolation. The W4 under a vacuum seal sounds (oh, let's say) "boring".

The treble of the 535 has to be turned up (for me). It turns up nicely too with just a treble control. The W4 cymbal sounded thin and a little artificial  (with a slight fatiguing potential) when turned up. Mind you, this is with Poweramp (my player of choice). The bass couldn't reach the levels of the 535 (which was barely enough in the truck, I really couldn't go lower).

Now that I have the 846, the 535 is an IEM mostly relegated to 'round-the-house use. I've got it on as I type this post. It's no 846, but I still like it.

I could not agree more Truck. I spent 2 months and about $100 to find the right tips for my 535 and the nice thing was the same tips work great on my 846. I also still use the 535 mostly for vocal tracks as it reminds of the black filter on the 846.

 

[DerStig]

Here is my review : http://www.head-fi.org/t/692656/my-review-of-se535-ltd-not-suitable-for-everyone-everyday-use
 
Probably the worst buying decision I made in a very long time.

 

[HiFiwilliam1109]

How's the westone w-line sound isolation compare to shure se line?

 

[spook76]

How's the westone w-line sound isolation compare to shure se line?

As both are universal IEM, sound isolation is completely dependent upon the fit of the ear tips and with a good seal about the same. As both use a 2.5mm nozzle there are a lot of tips included with the monitor as well as numerous after market choices from companies like Comply. In my case, I find the best fit for my SE535 are the Westone Star Tips.