7 replies to this topic

[ΓΛPTΘΓ]

Hi, it's another review from me. This time we are looking at some 'mid' range IEM or just entry level Shure. They are designed to work with music players on-the-go with high noise isolation.

Bundle
Nothing really special here, 4 sets of silicon tips of different sizes, a carrying case, a extender cable (you will need it useless you hang your iPod on your face.)

Build
Real solid product, looks and feels like it can withstand many years of abuse from me. Cables are tough and a bit on the hard side, the cable leading from the headphone isn't that high quality, its just like standard cable to me, massive room for improvement. Worth noting that the extension cable have build quality leagues above the whole headphone, lots of copper, thick, strong yet very flexible. If you wonder why this is the case, it is because it is the same extension cable used on the high end SE530 too.

Initial Impression
OHSHI~!
...
...
Have I brought a fake?

Well to be honest, it sounds TERRIBLE out the box. Worse than all my headphone collection, including iBuds, gaming headset... So I throw them in a drawer and start burning-in with pink noise before returning them.

After Burn-in
OHSHI~!
...
...
Again, I am shocked, but pleasantly surprised that how much it transformed. From a piece of junk, into a pair of wonderful headphones. The mid is slightly recessed, so is the low-end, the headphones are leaning toward to being a bit bright, however I really liked the end result, its pleasant to listen to. It have lots of detail but quite slow(Dunno how being slow and detailed at the same time), can't cope with really complex passage that well. Having said so, it's still a solid product.



Isolation

The strength of IEM is isolation, these performs really well in this area once you get a good fit. They isolation just enough so that normal noises can't detract you from the music but not enough to disconnect you from the current world. I think this a good as you can hear loud noise like a car's horn or someone shouting loudly for help, still they are not a good product to use on a busy street as you are less alerted. One interesting note, even you are isolated pretty well the IEM, amplify internal noise quite loudly, footsteps will become quite loud and you may even hear you own heartbeat when it is quiet enough. (I certainly do.)



Overall

They are excellent replacement for your stock headphone bundled with your music player and irreplaceable to a frequent traveller. The isolation certain with reduce more noise than active noise cancelling headphones, but does increase internal noise. The sound is above average, but have room for improvements, built quality is rather good and comes with a 2 years warranty. Not recommended to bassheads due to its light bass, or people who need full attention due to its isolation. I still found them excellent for a small portable setup.



RRP: £75

Street/Internet Price: Around £50

Rating

8/10

[BeefJeRKy]

I didn't realize burn-in could be so important for headphones.

[Alias]

Burning in does jack shit (especially with just noise), so you just got hit by a placebo.

[ΓΛPTΘΓ]

Alias, on 15 Jun 2009, 21:54, said:

Burning in does jack shit (especially with just noise), so you just got hit by a placebo.

No, I haven’t been listening to them for 2 days while it burn-in. As they dynamic IEM, the driver cone moves. As you know when you stretch a material repeatedly its elastic properties will change. Be it placebo or not, it sound better because of my brain (highly doubt it) or just the physical change in the driver.

Still being said so, burning in doesn't do much to my D1001, but changes my SE102.

FYI pink noise have every frequency at the same energy level.

[Alias]

I'll let Shure do the talking for me.

Quote

Shure earphones do not require a break-in period. Some headphone websites recommend "burning in" or "breaking in" new headphones with an audio signal for some length of time before use. There is a legitimate logic behind the idea of a break-in period for loudspeakers and even full-size headphones. The part of the speaker that is being "broken in" is called the surround, which is the part that flexes when the speaker diaphragm moves in and out. In the case of the tiny speakers used in earphones, the diaphragm only moves about 1/1,000th of an inch in either direction when exposed to normal signals. So, it is doubtful that a break-in period would significantly alter the compliance of the diaphragm. Shure has not measured any difference in performance between earphones that are brand new and earphones that have been used extensively. Because hearing is subjective, however, different users may hear different things when comparing new and used earphones.

The only difference you're hearing is your brain convincing you that your money was well spent.

Burning in is fine when the technology you're burning in is of a decent size, with in-earphones/canalphones it's really not worth it as it does nothing.

Edited by Alias, 16 June 2009 - 09:21.

[ΓΛPTΘΓ]

Alias, on 16 Jun 2009, 10:14, said:

I'll let Shure do the talking for me.

Quote

Shure earphones do not require a break-in period. Some headphone websites recommend "burning in" or "breaking in" new headphones with an audio signal for some length of time before use. There is a legitimate logic behind the idea of a break-in period for loudspeakers and even full-size headphones. The part of the speaker that is being "broken in" is called the surround, which is the part that flexes when the speaker diaphragm moves in and out. In the case of the tiny speakers used in earphones, the diaphragm only moves about 1/1,000th of an inch in either direction when exposed to normal signals. So, it is doubtful that a break-in period would significantly alter the compliance of the diaphragm. Shure has not measured any difference in performance between earphones that are brand new and earphones that have been used extensively. Because hearing is subjective, however, different users may hear different things when comparing new and used earphones.

The only difference you're hearing is your brain convincing you that your money was well spent.

Burning in is fine when the technology you're burning in is of a decent size, with in-earphones/canalphones it's really not worth it as it does nothing.

This earphones uses a DYNAMICS driver instead of all other Shure which uses BALANCE ARMATURE driver, what Shure said is totally right for balance armature headphone that they sell 99.9% but not the DYNAMICS ones. BA driver doesn't really benifit from burn-in but dynamics diver does, to a certain extaned. To be honest I do know burn-in really changes some headphone and some don't get affected by it what so ever, I have owned both kind of them.

[Waris]

Interesting. I have owned earbuds, headphones and IEMs of different kinds but not one of them sounded terrible right off the bat.

I also didn't care about burning in every phones that I own. Once I got them they got used straight away

The phones that I have owned for long enough, so far, are my AD900 and the SF5pro. Honestly I couldn't remember how the 900 sounded from Day 1 I agree about BA driver IEMs not affected by burn-in/break-in. My old Ety sounded the same since the day I got them till it got sold. My SF5pro was returned due to damage and when the (completely new) replacement arrived, it sounded exactly the same as the old broken pair.

[Alias]

ΓΛPΤΘΓ, on 17 Jun 2009, 3:04, said:

This earphones uses a DYNAMICS driver instead of all other Shure which uses BALANCE ARMATURE driver, what Shure said is totally right for balance armature headphone that they sell 99.9% but not the DYNAMICS ones. BA driver doesn't really benifit from burn-in but dynamics diver does, to a certain extaned. To be honest I do know burn-in really changes some headphone and some don't get affected by it what so ever, I have owned both kind of them.

Whether it's dynamic or balanced does not change the fact that the driver is way to small to be affected by anything.