$400 - $500 budget for earphones

[alfa147x]

A friend of mine is looking for earphones his budget is $400 to $500

He said he was interested in the Shure SE535-V

Any recommendations would be great!

Thanks!
alfa147x

 

[joetekubi]

I don't have any experience with high end ear phones, but these guys are the experts: http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/in-ear

 

[JAG87]

The 535s are an excellent choice. But make him aware that they have a tendency to sound a bit dark, focusing more on mids and lows than highs, because they have 2 low/mid drivers and 1 high driver.

Depending on the source, they need some equalizing to sound right. For example on my iphone with treble boost, they sound amazing. On my shuffle (no eq possible), still good but not as good.

Then again it all depends where he's coming from. If he's coming from high end headphones/speakers, he might notice this, if he's coming from craptastic earphones, these will simply amaze him, period.

 

[alfa147x]

I recommended him the following:
Earsonics sm3, Shure SE535, westone w3, audio technica ck100, and the Grado GR8

He didn't want to go with the Shure's because he had the shure scl4 just had a horrible experience with them.

It seems like he's going with the Westone w3

 

[JAG87]

I've never heard earsonics, the ATs, or the grados, so I can't judge. The westone 3 however are excellent also.

However let him know that the 535s are nothing like the SCL4 (I had those too). Completely different fit and completely different sound.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Wheew! WOW, never knew they could get that expensive.

For what use? Professional studio recording?

 

[uhohs]

custom molded ones easy go over $1k

 

[alfa147x]

I've never heard earsonics, the ATs, or the grados, so I can't judge. The westone 3 however are excellent also.

However let him know that the 535s are nothing like the SCL4 (I had those too). Completely different fit and completely different sound.

He ended up going with the Westone 3

Thanks for all the help!

Wheew! WOW, never knew they could get that expensive.

For what use? Professional studio recording?

A Fresh Marine with some extra money
He's just a guy who likes music

 

[Viper GTS]

$500 is enough to get into some "low end" custom molded stuff.

Look at JH Audio (by the guy who founded Ultimate Ears), you should be able to JH 5 Pro's with ear molds for under $500.

Doh should have finished reading the thread. Oh well maybe the next time he has $500 to spend on headphones.

Viper GTS

 

[The-Noid]

I have SE530's for my ipod they work great, very impressed with clarity.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I have done a direct comparison of the Sennheiser IE8 vs. Shure SE535s...and both fell flat compared to my UE Triple.fi 10 IEMs.

The Westone UM3x IEMs come highly recommended.