[jegarn]

(Posted this in the wrong section, so cut and past it here)
Which IEM fits which genre best? (e500/se530 and TF10)

Industrial
Indie
Rock
Metal
RnB
HipHop
Soul
Punk
Electronic
Funk
Grunge
(Manu Chao)

...that should be all i listen to

Is the bass of the Shures in someway muddy/overtaking the mids/highs?

Which instruments and so are in the lows/mids/highs?

Feels like stupid questions, but I don't understand it all at the moment.

 

[Spyro]

Unamped I would say TFP excels at orchestra, classical...music with lots of layering. I think SE530 does better with what you list. If you can amp the TFP, it can do everything well and becomes personal preference.

SE530 is a great product right out of the box with no amping or tweaking. It's ready to go as is.

The bass is pretty thick on both. TFP is heavy and texured but SE530 slams a little harder. You could almost call it a draw but both can be tamed with EQ.

 

[LnxPrgr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had two pairs and they both sounded that same way. The ears get use to it after a while but there is a real lack of sparkle and "SSSSSS" to cymbals, even compared to Super Fi pro. I found it rather alarming. I think a triple driver should be brighter sounding. SFP is much brighter sounding but certainly not better sounding.

You found the Shure darker than the TF10? That seems really strange...

 

[Spyro]

No. Few IEM's are darker than TF10. I'm saying even within the UE line up the lessor Super Fi Pro's treble is much brighter (good). I'm surprised in adding another driver and a more premium IEM costing double, they took the treble and made it dark sounding (bad) with TF10.

The overall presentation of SE530 is brighter sounding than TFP. Some think it is a little siblant but I find it quite smooth (in relation to other IEM's) and more natural sounding.

 

[LnxPrgr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif No. Few IEM's are darker than TF10. I'm saying even withing the UE line up the lessor Super Fi Pro's treble is much brighter (good). I'm surprised in adding another driver and a more premium IEM costing double, they took the treble and made it dark sounding (bad) with TF10.

I'm sorry -- I got that backwards. I meant to ask whether you found the TF10 darker than the Shure.

I have heard the TF10 and the SE310. From that, I can tell you, the TF10 is definitely MUCH brighter out of all but one of my sources (Shure's almost complete lack of treble was why I got rid of them). From what I can tell from comments on here and Headroom's FR graphs, the SE530 doesn't have much more to its top end.

 

[PixelSquish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had two pairs and they both sounded that same way. The ears get use to it after a while but there is a real lack of sparkle and "SSSSSS" to cymbals, even compared to Super Fi pro. I found it rather alarming. I think a triple driver should be brighter sounding. SFP is much brighter sounding but certainly not better sounding.

wow.

i came from the super.fi pros because i needed better highs and boy did i get them. what a lovely difference in clarity and sparkle in the highs.

triple.fi has exactly that sparkle that the super.fi doesnt and i think you are probably the only person who has ever said the super's had more highs than the triple's - and you will probably be the last too lol

 

[Spyro]

I have not heard the SE310 but I had the dual driver SE420 for a couple days and consider it the most dissapointing IEM purchase I ever made (from what I was expecting). Nasally, compressed, no top, little bottom. It sounds nothing like the one step up SE530. That being the case I have no use for anything in Shure's line-up except SE530.

As you have heard here, pay little attention to the charts as there is so much more to a good sound.

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by idiotekniQues /img/forum/go_quote.gif wow. i came from the super.fi pros because i needed better highs and boy did i get them. what a lovely difference in clarity and sparkle in the highs. triple.fi has exactly that sparkle that the super.fi doesnt and i think you are probably the only person who has ever said the super's had more highs than the triple's - and you will probably be the last too lol

What is your source?

So I am not misunderstood, TF10 is head and shoulders above SFP. SFP treble is bright like I think it should be but it is somewhat siblant, harsh and grainy. I find the TF10 treble with zero siblance or harshness mainly because it is drier and darker. Better detail but drier and darker.

Here is another good thread link to this topic:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/se5...arison-319905/

 

[cn11]

Man, there are so many conflicting opinions in this thread you don't know what to take to heart. I suppose it shows the wide range of sources & amps, as well as personal listening preferences.

 

[LnxPrgr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif As you have heard here, pay little attention to the charts as there is so much more to a good sound.

Graphs aren't everything, but it's hard to ignore highs dropping out harshly at 10kHz

I am curious to know what your source is though, as I have gotten the TF10 to sound very dark out of one source, but it seems like that's not at all the typical experience with them.

 

[LnxPrgr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn11 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, there are so many conflicting opinions in this thread you don't know what to take to heart. I suppose it shows the wide range of sources & amps, as well as personal listening preferences.

There's really only one way to be sure you're going to like what you hear out of an audio device

 

[Spyro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LnxPrgr3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Graphs aren't everything, but it's hard to ignore highs dropping out harshly at 10kHz I am curious to know what your source is though, as I have gotten the TF10 to sound very dark out of one source, but it seems like that's not at all the typical experience with them.

Nano and a Sony mini system but it shouldn't matter as I am comparing them head on with SE530, same equipment.

Think about this: Upper mid range of SE530 is insanely detailed while midrange in TFP is very recessed. If TF10 high frequencies extend farther would these almost cancel each other out?

 

[PixelSquish]

spyro im using the headphone out of a zune

 

[Al4x]

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_eleven /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just save yourself the trouble and cancel the 530's.

i disagree, i had them both, same time, and sold the one you dont like, thta way youll never wonder what if

 

[LnxPrgr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nano and a Sony mini system but it shouldn't matter as I am comparing them head on with SE530, same equipment.

Heh -- TF10 + Audigy 2 NX surprised and confused me. There were no highs to speak of at all. I've not seen that with either the TF10 + another source or the Audigy + other headphones. I'm still not really sure what was going on there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Think about this: Upper mid range of SE530 is insanely detailed while midrange in TFP is very recessed. If TF10 high frequencies extend farther would these almost cancel each other out?

Hmmm... you have a point about the recessed upper mids. That's never made them sound dark to me overall, but I have noticed some instruments sound a bit odd. Then again, recessed upper highs make the music sound unnatural to me too

Maybe I need to check out the ER4P sometime... or just break out the EQ