Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones with Push-To-Hear Control
by Shure
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Our Price: $380.00
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Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: ShureModel: SE530PTH
Product features:
- A first for sound-isolating earphones, the detachable Push-To-Hear Control allows you to activate the VoicePort microphone and adjust levels of external sound for clarity; ideal for brief conversations without removing your earphones
- Triple TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers for unprecedented sonic clarity
- Premium Accessories Kit includes sound-isolating Sleeves, modular 3-foot cable, 1/4-inch adapter, carrying case
- Evolved from personal monitor technology road-tested by pro musicians and fine-tuned by Shure engineers
- Manufacturer's Two-Year Limited Warranty
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones with Push-To-Hear Control
Customer Review: A rare, legitimate example of "You get what you pay for"!
Summary: 5 Stars
October 5, 2008
To all those who are skeptical about what seems like an almost obscene price for ear buds, please let me hasten to reassure you, if you have the disposable income to afford these, you will definitely not have buyer's remorse; that is, if you take the time to set them up properly, and play properly encoded music on your iPOD. I assume those who buy these transducers at this price are in search of the best "portable" music or private listening possible.
I have a very high quality audio system, am a musician, and there is no question in my mind that these ear buds have the capability of transporting a good 95% of what a system costing 100x more to a portable format. I had a library consisting of about 350 tracks of classical music in iTUNES, made originally in MP3 with the lowest compression possible(least distortion) when I was initially listening with Apple's ear buds. The Shure's were a revelation by comparison, even in the MP3 format, but when I listened with them to the original CD's via the phone output from my preamplifier, I realized, as I had hoped, that they were capable of far better fidelity. All of their wonderful sound characteristics, described below, with none of the compression induced opacity and tubbiness appeared in a seemingly effortless, natural manner. So much so that I scrapped my entire MP3 library, and starting anew, importing my music using uncompressed WAV format. Apple has its proprietary lossless compression(AAC) which reduces the file size by 50% but I have not tried that.(I guess much like LZW compression of TIFF images in Photoshop) In any event, if you have a 60 GB iPOD, and record the entire CD, you can get about 80+ CD's on the drive even with files of this size. For those of you who use iTunes to import media, go to Edit/Preferences/General and select the IMPORT button and choose WAV in the drop down menu, which will stay that way unless you change it. Default position is in moderate MPEG compression.
Also, in the later iPOD's, the Equalization selection(under the Settings menu) is helpful, especially in CD's that are overly bright and suffer from "digititis" where you can select "reduce treble", giving a smoother, but not dull sound. The "classical" setting is optimal for most well recorded CD's of all formats of classical music. The phone amplifier of the iPOD is of surprisingly high quality and does not introduce noise or obvious distortion into the sound.
One very important caveat when using these ear buds is to use the sound output limiter on the iPOD to avoid imparting excessive acoustic energy to your eardrums, particularly in wide dynamic range material. The wonderful quality of these transducers is seductive, and prolonged listening at inordinately high volumes can be ruinous to the inner ears. You don't have the buffer of the ambient air environment as you do when listening to an audio system at high volumes in a room. There is a volume pot included in the package which can be inserted in series with the phone cord, and is very useful for adjustment on the fly, say when you are hiking, and it probably doesn't affect the sound quality significantly, although purists might prefer to use just the iPOD's volume control. Having iPOD's limiter set properly is an absolute MUST safety backup, please!!!!
Getting a complete seal in the ear canal is absolutely critical, particularly for optimal bass performance. Shure provides multiple different interfaces fitting on the posts of the transducers, acknowledging the marked variety in sizes and shapes of ear canals which has lead some companies to even provide custom adapters made from impressions! Of all those that Shure provides, I have found the yellow foam adapters the most successful. You squeeze them down and then seat them snugly, without force, please, into the external auditory meati, after which the foam reexpands to achieve a very good seal. If you press gently on the bud for a few seconds while this expansion takes place, you will get a better fit which will tend to last longer. Do one transducer at a time, synchronously draping the wire over the groove behind your ear from back to front. Be patient...it takes a little practice. After you start listening, you can tell if you have optimal seating by pressing gently on the buds and listening to see if you get enhanced bass response. If you do, the buds are not optimally seated. I cannot overemphasize the importance of learning how to place these buds in your ear canals properly to get the best results for which you have paid dearly!
BTW, additional yellow foam cushions can be ordered separately and are relatively inexpensive. A set lasts quite a while, but ultimately will lose its springiness or become somewhat dirty and will need to be replaced which is easily accomplished by pulling them off and reinserting anew over the sturdy ear posts.
The build quality of the phones and their wires is very good. I have had mine for almost a year, and they show no signs of wear.
And now, for the best of all: the sound quality. Timbre of instruments, stereo separation, dynamic range, frequency response, retrieval of detail, particularly of low level information, and absence of ear fatigue are all absolutely astonishingly exemplary! There is just a feeling of "just right" naturalness about the acoustic experience using these transducers, particularly when the source material is of high quality. They are very revealing, so it is really a case of garbage in-garbage out, if you use either technically marginally recorded material as the source, or high compression when you import. Of course, because of the geometry, you get more of an in-head image without the layered sound stage or more spacious ambience afforded by a high end audio system in a well configured listening area; however the imaging of these transducers, right, center and left, is outstanding, and there is the offsetting bonus of hearing even more detail than even with the very best audio systems, due to the greater efficiency coupled with their extreme but not phony clarity. This can be very enjoyable, in its own way, for example in hearing all the voices in exquisite detail in smaller ensembles, even if it be perhaps a bit unnatural referable to a concert hall experience. These ear buds are really as good as STAX III electrostatic headphones which were way ahead of their time when they were introduced in the 1960's and are still the equal of virtually all those used today. They can certainly be used as reliable monitors for recording, both in the studio and in the field, if desired.
Bottom line: Unequivocally very highly recommended without reservation.
Important take home points: Take the time to learn how to seat the transducers in your own ears for optimal results, and, set output limiter as a safety backup to protect your ears.
Description of Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones with Push-To-Hear Control
Pure audio precision--the SE530 uses Triple TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers to create an expansive sound stage. A dedicated tweeter ensures that highs and mids are incredibly accurate and detailed, while dedicated dual woofers provide balanced, full-bodied bass. The Push-To-Hear Control (included with the SE530PTH) adjusts levels of external sound for maximum intelligibility.The Shure SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones with Push-To-Hear Control marks the bridge from the classic E Series line, to the new line of Sound Isolating Earphones from Shure. Evolved from personal monitor technology road-tested by professional musicians, and fine-tuned by Shure engineers, the SE530PTH earphones deliver an unparalleled acoustic accuracy rivaled only by live performances.
The Shure SE530PTH utilize three balanced armature drivers, one dedicated tweeter, and dual woofers, to bring you a listening experience that has been optimized for high-quality recordings and lossless formats. And with integrated passive crossovers that ensure high and low frequencies remain distinct and defined, you get an incredibly wide and detailed sound stage, distinguished by precision highs and robust bass. What's more, the SE530PTH includes sound isolating sleeves that block over 90-percent of ambient noise and provide a customized fit. Combined with a low-profile ergonomic design and modular cable options, this helps ensure interruptions from the outside world are minimized so you can focus on your musical passion. Not only are these earphones comfortable and audibly engaging, but the innovative triple driver configuration is a first in class for universal fit, sound isolating earphones.
For occasions when you must tear yourself away from the music, the SE530PTH includes an innovative Push-To-Hear control. A first for sound isolating earphones, the detachable Push-To-Hear control allows you to activate the VoicePort microphone and adjust levels of external sound for clarity. Similar to the microphones used in Shure QuietSpot cellular headsets, the VoicePort microphone is tuned to pick up the human voice, ensuring maximum intelligibility. Ideal for brief conversations without removing your earphones, the Push-to-Hear switch allows you to quickly and conveniently alternate between your music and your connection to the outside world.
Shure's SE530PTH comes with a premium fit kit that includes everything you need to get the most out of your new earphones. Because every ear is different, this kit includes three sizes: small, medium and large of both the flex and the black foam sleeves, as well as a pair of universal-fit triple-flange sleeves. These allow you to experiment with the size and style that creates the best fit for your ears, in order to provide a good seal for optimized sound isolation and bass response, as well as maximum comfort during extended wear. These earphones also come with a detachable cable solution that has been designed based on extensive user feedback to enable unmatched personal customization. The two included modular cables provided give you the option between a three-foot and a nine-foot option, so you can tailor your experience depending on your activity and application.
The SE530PTH earphones feature a sensitivity of 119 dB SPL/mW, an impedance of 36 ohms, and a frequency range of 18 Hz to 19 kHz. These earphones include a 0.25-inch adapter that allows you to use them with home stereos and other devices with 0.25-inch jacks instead of 3.5-millimeter jacks. The SE530PTH package also includes a carrying case as a convenient, tangle-free storage solution, and a level attenuator that allows for comfortable listening from any high-output audio source. What's more, they even include an airline adapter that optimizes compatibility with European airplane armrests for overseas travel. The Shure SE530PTH earphones come with a cable length of 18 inches, and a manufacturer's limited two-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Shure SE530PTH earphones with Push-to-Hear control, sound-isolating sleeves, 1 x 3-foot modular cable, 1 x 9-foot modular cable, 0.25-inch adapter, carrying case, level attenuator, airline adapter, user's guide and warranty information.
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