[migohos]

Hey people, after reading through this forum ive realised that ive finally found the right ppl to ask my question, so hear we go.
Ive been searching for some quality in ear phones for a long time, and ive found the brand (Shure) but not the model for me. Im not an audiophile, (trust me, ive read thru some of your reviews and the technical terms have escaped me)however i Strongly appreciate good sound. I use a video ipod 80 gig, listen to all types of music, and use no amps.
Im stuck on which model to get, either the Shure se310, e4c, se420, or se530. Im going to be using it heavily, but will i, as a non-audiophile, manage to determine the difference? B/c it will Definitly help my budget to go with the se310 or e4c if their still good quality(but i dont mind stretching it if there is a great difference to the se530).
What do you guys think?
Thanks for taking the time
Mike

 

[Jeffreybar]

If can afford the E500s (SE530), they're definitely the best of the batch. If the extra $150 over the E4s sounds like a lot to you, then I'd say go with the E4s -- they're 90% as good (better in specific applications, although the E500 is better overall), and if the E500s are going to really stretch your budget, I think you'll be happier with them. The differences between the two have been discussed in a lot of threads, but if you're relatively new to high-end sound, I think it's important to remember that a "huge" difference to a hardcore audio geek is probably going to translate to a pretty small relative difference to less jaded ears.

 

[Arjisme]

No way to know what you will hear. I can tell you, though, that I used to use Shure E2Cs, then bought E500s (same as SE530) and that was a major step in in sound quality. And, if you shop a bit on eBay, you will likely find the E500s for around $280/290.

 

[shiezan]

When I went from e4g's to e500s, I didn't notice that big of a difference. The bass was a lot more powerful and overall everything sounded more balanced and full, but the sound signature was still the same.
Jeffreybar is right about the e4's sounding about 90% the same and being better in some cases.
Either way, you can't go wrong with either earbuds because they're both great. I actually prefer the shape of the e4's over the e500s because they're a lot smaller and they seem to block out more sound.

 

[fallen.angel]

I went from Shure E3c to E500PTH and didn't regret at all. The sonic improvement is definitely worth the extra investment. E500s (now SE530s) are one of the best out there.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by migohos /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey people, after reading through this forum ive realised that ive finally found the right ppl to ask my question, so hear we go. Ive been searching for some quality in ear phones for a long time, and ive found the brand (Shure) but not the model for me. Im not an audiophile, (trust me, ive read thru some of your reviews and the technical terms have escaped me)however i Strongly appreciate good sound. I use a video ipod 80 gig, listen to all types of music, and use no amps. Im stuck on which model to get, either the Shure se310, e4c, se420, or se530. Im going to be using it heavily, but will i, as a non-audiophile, manage to determine the difference? B/c it will Definitly help my budget to go with the se310 or e4c if their still good quality(but i dont mind stretching it if there is a great difference to the se530). What do you guys think? Thanks for taking the time Mike

Then get yourself a pair of Shure SE310s - you won't be disappointed! I listened to them about two weeks ago and was really impressed! They are very small - much smaller than my Shure SE530s - and are very easy to insert and to take out of the ears. The sound quality on the SE310s is great for the price - they have weaker and simpler sounding bass compared to my SE530s and the soundstage is not as deep, but they still have excellent detail across the spectrum and the same honest sound signature as the SE420/SE530. I would say, I prefer them to my UE Super.fi 5Pros - the Shures have more detail, especially in the midrange and are much more balanced.

 

[Rise To The Top]

Get the E500, 280 shipped on eBay, same thing as the SE530, just without the black foams.

Hey, not to ruin your thread, but if I could ask, what size black foam should I get for E500s? Medium tips like soft flex and flex dont fit in my ears, so should I go with small? People have been telling me to get medium if the Yellow ones fit, but other tips dont.

 

[boomana]

I disagree with the poster who stated to go with the SE310s. I was lucky enough to have the whole Shure line (they let me borrow them for the last Florida meet) for three weeks in my home. The 310s sounded okay for a minute (and are real tiny), but there are serious tone problems that I also experienced with the 210s. On one track, a flute, guitar, and trumpet (all playing in the same range in a minor chord progression) sounded the same. I knew which instrument was which, but the tones presented were remarkably similar. Not good. I didn't have that problem with the 420s or the 530s, which I considered buying, but I like my Etys and don't wear iems that much anyway.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Arjisme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiezan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually prefer the shape of the e4's over the e500s because they're a lot smaller and they seem to block out more sound.

It's the tips and how well they fit that will determine how much they block out the sound -- not the shape of the phone itself.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Welcome to Head-Fi ...

Whichever you get, save your receipt and purchase information. Shure is known for excellent customer service, and in the event something goes wrong, you want to be covered. Maybe a Shure-authorized seller would be worth a slightly higher price, just to be ... Shure (sorry about that).

And another bit of advice -- try to go with the E4 series or above. With any brand, the most expensive of your options might be out of your price range, by try to go above the least expensive you're considering, to cut down on the number of future upgrades (or "sidegrades," as I have done) or the amount of second-guessing after the initial purchase. In other words, pay as much as you can (and then some

) now, so you might not get tempted to do so quite as frequently in the future (also known as Head-Fi Upgrade-itis).



__________________________
Phones (in order of purchase):
Sony MDR71, Sony MDR51, Etymotic ER6, Panasonic RP-HJ50, Shure E3C, Koss PortaPro 2, Creative EP630, Etymotic ER6i, Sennheiser PX-100, Sennheiser HD555, Future Sonics Atrio M5 (on the way)

Sources (in order of purchase):
2nd Generation 10GB iPod for Windows (retired)
Creative Muvo 256MB
Creative Muvo 1GB (out on loan)
Rio Carbon 5GB
Cowon iAudio 5 1GB (out on loan)
Rio Karma 20GB (low-mileage collector’s item)
Creative Zen Nano 1GB
Samsung YP-U2 512MB (out on short-term loan)
4th Generation 40GB iPod (monochrome; used as home jukebox)
2nd Generation iPod Nano 4GB
Creative Zen Stone 1GB
iRiver T60 2GB

 

[Arjisme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaBreaHead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whichever you get, save your receipt and purchase information. Shure is known for excellent customer service, and in the event something goes wrong, you want to be covered. Maybe a Shure-authorized seller would be worth a slightly higher price, just to be ... Shure (sorry about that).

This has been discussed multiple times in various threads on this site. Shure's will cover your headphones no matter who you buy them from. There is a date stamped on the plug end of the phones and they will warranty for 2 years from that date if you don't have a receipt. Of course, a receipt will ensure you get a full 2 years from your date of purchase.

 

[tbonner1]

Quote:

Shure's will cover your headphones no matter who you buy them from.

Correct. Read the Magnusun-Moss act regarding warranty in the US. A manufacturer cannot deny you warranty (no matter what they claim) because you did not buy from an authorized dealer.

 

[Mors]

Buy the E500/530's -You need them! Everybody needs them! lol
I've got the E4G's and the E500's and I would without a doubt buy the E500's again if I lost them. Awesome IEM's.