Background:
I have been listening to in-ear-canalphones for over 10 years, having owned the Sony EX-71, Etymotic ER-6i, Ultimate Ear Super.Fi 5 Pro and now the Shure SE530PTH.
I have paired the canalphones with a Corda Meier 3Move DAC and listen to either 256k iTunes Plus or equivalent codecs as my source.
Purchase:
I purchased the canalphones from an authorised, Australian reseller at $548AUD. The reseller would not discount further as there was a recent price increase in the later half of 2009 from his distributer.
The canalphones come in a well packaged aluminium box.
Included accessories include:
- Canalphones PTH module
- Two different modular cable lengths with a 3.5" straight plug
- In-line volume limiter attachment
- Airline attenuator and adapter
- Tri-flanges, Black Shure foam tips, Silicon tips in S/M/L
- Paperwork
- Ear wax cleaner
As most are aware, the Shure's use three armature drivers, two for the bass/mids and one for the treble. It is controversial whether they require break-in or whether it is a placebo effect as the person gets used to inserting these optimally and gets used to the sound signature.
The main competitors are:
- Triple-Fi Pros (Ultimate Ears): which are more detailed and bright, stick out of the ears more and since being bought over by Logitech have only a 1 year warranty.
- Westone 3 or U3MX which are also triple-armature drivers but with a braided cable and a triple, not a dual crossfeed circuit. The Westone 3 is purported to have a brighter, more sparkly top range but also an emphasis on the bass with the mid-range less strong than the Shure Models. However, reviews so far have been quite positive, especially given the fact that earphone solutions and other online retailers have them cheaper than the Shure's.
Overview of the PTH module
The PTH module measures approximately 7cm by 3cm and is 1.5cm deep with a clip attachment. It is powered by a AAA (included) alkaline battery with a battery-life of several months with 'normal use'. I have yet to find an accurate online description of battery-life.
One end of the cable connects to the source, the other to the canalphone. The cable attached to the canalphones themselves are quite short (<50cm) which is why there are two different modular cable extensions available which are not necessary with the PTH attachment.
The microphone for the PTH module is at the end where the canalphones plug into it.
You slide a switch to activate, which turns on the LED light and almost mutes the music (to just audible). Voices sound slightly unnatural (like an early dictaphone or headset) but are easily audible and clear enough to hold a conversation with.
The canalphones and the PTH unit are made in China and it does feel 'plastic' in nature. However, it works fine and there have been no published reports I could find concerning build quality of the PTH unit.
Canalphone experience:
Fit IS EVERYTHING. Next is having an adequate source.
Low quality MP3's or sound-card/processor (hence why people use headphone amplifiers with a line-out or DAC) will be revealed as a very disappointing experience not worth the $500 paid. You will lose detail, body and hear artifacts with a poorly encoded source and a bad quality headphone amplifier/source will also unsettle the balance of these canalphones.
If your fit is too loose, it sounds overly bright, thin and with no bass and poor isolation. Too tight, and the treble gets rolled off and the sound is muddy and bassy, although sound is fuller. So if you think the canalphones are 'terrible', chances are the fit is suboptimal.
Everybody has to find the tip that works best for them out of all the ones included. I recommend spending the time listening to an entire track with different tips until you find the best one for you. Unfortunately, some people are unable to find an optimal fit and spend the money on custom ear impressions.
The canalphones are very easy to drive with <50% of the volume on the iPhone being plenty loud. A headphone amplifier will improve the sound only marginally unless you have a poor on-board sound card or music player in which case, a dedicated line out and amplifier will do wonders.
In my experience:
- The tri-flanges are quite long and uncomfortable compared to the Etymotic offerings and did not work for me (I had previously preferred the Etymotic triflanges with the ER-6i) although some people have posted they have cut the tip off to make it comfortable.
- The black foam medium tips are my preference.
- I found the silicon tips to be very comfortable but could not get the best fit (I'm somewhere between the large and the medium) to enable me to enjoy the canalphones fully.
The Shure Black foam is high-density foam that rapidly expands in a matter of seconds. They are more durable and easier to use than the Comply Tips. It is durable and washable and should last weeks to months, depending on use before needing replacement ($30AUD for 5 pairs). The foam tips are comfortable and sits nicely in the ear - I have not had trouble wearing these canalphones for extended periods of several hours.
They are HARD to take off initially for the first time and require putting the earphones in two zip-locked bags into the freezer for 10 minutes, before a very firm, twist and pull to get them off. Thereafter, they are easy to change. The foams are comfortable and isolate well. I find they fit me and provide better sound quality than the more durable but also comfortable gray silicon tips - but you will need to try them for yourself.
The sound itself is exceptional! As one would expect from a flagship canalphone.
Trebles: Are NOT rolled off significantly unless compared to the bright Triple-Fi Pro canalphones or equivalent. The treble range extends well and is detailed, pleasant and natural. If your treble is rolled off, perhaps try a different tip or I have been informed the Shure's respond well to a slight treble EQ boost.
The mids are where these canalphones excel and they have no equivalent in their price-bracket. They are forward sounding, liquid and silky smooth. Close your eyes and you can hear the vocals in every exquisite detail, as if you were at the concert itself.
The sound is slightly warm and exceedingly pleasant and not too clinically neutral.
Bass is tight, focussed and accurate. I prefer a slightly smaller fit and so did not notice the slight mid-bass emphasis which other people have commented upon. To me, the balance on these canalphones are perfect. Those who prefer a more bass oriented sound should try lean towards the larger silicon tips. I did notice a treble roll-off when wearing these.
Soundstage: Unfortunately, like most canalphones - although the soundstage is present and better than most, it does not quite compare to being at a live concert or benchmark open headphones.
Overall: As detailed as the Etymotic ER-6i (if not more so) but as full sounding and with far better balance and presentation of the mid-range than the cheaper super-fi-5 pro's. I am most impressed. I have heard the TF-10's and prefer the silky smooth Shure SE530 and comfort over them.
As a comparison, I should add that the TF-10's are slightly harder to drive and than the SE530 may work better paired with an headphone amp (though still drivable with an iPhone/iPod).
Highly recommended, especially for those who love vocals (mandarin popular music also excels), jazz, blues. Also suited towards classical music.
Those who love electronic and heavy metal will also enjoy these, but the Westone 3 may be more appropriate in their sound signature.
BUILD QUALITY: Shure have undergone several cable revisions since the initial e500 release. My reseller tells me at least two, maybe three. The initial cables were prone to 'hardening' on reacting with the oils in the skin and after 6-24 months would become brittle enough to crack. The cables were reformulated last in late 2008 and although time will tell, there have been as yet no reports of this problem with the new cables.
Although slightly plasticky, there are no other significant build quality / common issues with the Shure SE530's.
Shure provide a 2 year warranty FROM purchase from AUTHORISED RESELLERS only. If you lose your receipt, all SE530's have a datestamp next to the plug. 1508 is intepreted as day 150 in the year 2008 as the date of manufacture.
Update: The 3Move DAC paired with the shure SE530 provide a bright, detailed sound with no treble roll-off and vocals that are quite forward and exude presence. I stand by my review above.
A listening test with the iPhone headphone out (no line out dock) really brings out the disappointment in a poorer source. It still sounds good, but in comparison there is an immediate noticable difference in the sound signature and quality. The sound is slightly warmer but with less clarity and detail. The treble is definitely less bright and I could argue the top end does not extend anywhere near as well (hence, why people may say they are rolled off). Whether this is due to the the fact that the 3MOVE DAC is tuned that way or the individual headphone out of the iPhone I don't know but I suspect the latter has more of a role.
As such, I do recommend pairing the Shure SE530 with at least a decent DAC or amplifier/line-out-dock if you wish to get the most of it.
Recommended:
