Shure SE535LTD RED

manukmanohar

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Amazing Mids, Excellent comfort plus good isolation
Cons: Lacks treble extension, sub-bass rolled off, Pricey
Shure SE535 Reds have served me very well over quite a long period now. It has been one constant while I shuffled through other earphones. This review is long overdue, but better late than never :)

Intro:

Although these are not having a metal housing, they still feel solid, and have held up remarkably well. The pre-included cable, while having very good build quality, has become quite stiff, and I use it with other MMCX cables now.The only thing which I’m afraid of, and am very careful with are the nozzles, which have a very small diameter and are very long. However, this long nozzle ensures also means that with the right tips, it gets rather good isolation while still being very comfortable to wear for long periods.

I love red colour, and these look gorgeous in shiny red. :) (and the colour has also held up very well). Over this long period, I have use the IEM with a lot of sources including LHL Geekout V2+, iBasso D14, SMSL M8/Sapphire, various Bluetooth cables including NiceHCK HB1, and directly through One Plus 5, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Exynos phones. I have found that having a good DAC, definitely improves the sound for better, but it works decent directly from the phones, if necessary.

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Sound Quality:

Importance of tips: This was the first IEM where I encountered significant different in overall SQ depending on the tips. I remember, the first time I tried playing these with the stock silicone tips and being very disappointed. There was basically no-sub bass (say in songs like Limit to your love or Teardrop). It was only after I got my spinfit tips, that I was actually able to enjoy these earphones. I find using foam tips to be cumbersome because of the setup time (in office use, I might have to unplug/plug them more frequently), so didn’t spend much time with the foam tips, but remember that the olive tips also hadn’t worked.

So, how do these sound? Off the bat, what impresses you most is the amazing mid-range response. It picks up lots of micro-details, and is overall exceptional for any songs with prominent vocals. The bass quality is rather good, except for the sub-bass region, where it is not able to extend that well into sub-bass region(but still decent). Overall bass quantity, I found to be slightly lacking for my taste (+2-3 DB in 40 hz region was good enough), and although it is quite fast, it is not able to generate the bass slam.

Treble is where Shure SE535 Reds are supposed to differ most from the standard SE535’s. But, even with the improvements, I still felt there was treble roll-off. Any songs with large dynamic range such as classical, orchestra, many soundtracks, suffered a bit, as it was not able to fully bring the “liveness”.

It terms of soundstage, these have great imaging and slightly above average soundstage volume. Instrument separation is very good, and the music never sounds congested, even when it gets very busy.

Verdict:
These have been my daily drivers for long periods, while I cycled through other IEMs. (admittedly lower priced ones). One of the main reasons for the same has been that it is able to deliver the combination of good sound quality (great mids), good isolation and excellent comfort.

I have had the pleasure to try a lots of IEM’s, but unfortunately most of them have been in the sub-250 USD and a very few are in the above 1000 USD range. Because of this, I can’t claim to give a direct comparison with its competitor in this range. However, I have a feeling it would really struggle if judged solely based on sound quality in the 500 USD range, as I see lots of promising IEM’s now that cost much lesser, and outdo it in some aspects.

So, overall I feel at this price, you are likely to get a better IEM now if you are looking just for great SQ(especially if you don’t like the treble rolloff), but have seen this IEM go for half (or below) the price used, where it may have a strong value proposition. (Wanted to rate it 3.5/5 because of that)
vishal2410
vishal2410
Your right...if you can scavenge for them in the used market for 200-250$...they are quite a steal...nice review !!!

Dte102

New Head-Fier
Pros: Clarity is great, Mids are great, Highs sound good as well, Execelent soundstage, Detachable cables.
Cons: Lacking in the bass department
So I decided to jump ship from my old SE215s to the SE535LTDs.  Originally I thought these IEMs sounded like crap and I thought I got a chinese copy or something.  Though then when I attached one SE215 bud on one ear and a 535 bud on another, I came to realize that wow the 535 is lacking in the bass department compared to the SE215s.  I decided to screw it and keep them and burn them in to see how the sound changes. 
 
Sound:
 
After burning these guys in, it's safe to say that these were a great investment, the sound stage is excellent, the highs are crisp and the in house shure mids are great as always.  Listening to one of my favorite bands Yes, the acoustic guitar is so crisp and clear I get goosebumps every time I listen to them, and the vocals mixed in just give me a sense of high thanks to their clarity and great sound.  As stated before, these IEMs are lacking a bit in the bass department but turning up the bass in your EQ should fix the problem.
 
Comfort/Isolation:
 
I've always liked Shure's IEMs because they were always comfortable in my ear and I can usually listen for an endless ammount of hours.  Shure's regular olives are great isolators and feel great in the ear as long you put them in correctly.  I'm using UE900 wires that I've modded so that they don't have the memory wire from my 215s, but the stock wires that come with the IEMs are pretty good and comfortable when I worn them, though some people may not find the memory wire comfortable to wear.
 
Anyways, these were a great investment and I'm glad I've bought them, the only reason why I wouldn't recommend buying these are if you're a bass head, you'll most likely will not enjoy these IEMs.

erisearth

New Head-Fier
Pros: Everything
Cons: Nothing
Most people are looking for assurances that the reviewer of a product is qualified, so allow me to indulge briefly: I'm a lifelong musician, sound engineer, and headphone enthusiast/general audiophile. I love music not only for the artistry and quality of arrangement, musicianship, etc, but also for the beauty of sound that comes from the recording/mastering process, ultimately delivered through your speakers or headphones.

The first thing most listeners will notice with the 535's is their phenomenal mid-range response, which is largely out of style in most of today's popular (read: crap) audio products. The tight, clean bass is delightfully present in the mix without clouding over other ranges. The treble is bright and organic, not harsh and overpowering. The improved bass response, build design, and crossover sets these apart from earlier and lower models (I actually did an A/B test with the 425s vs 535s since I own both - the 535s won by a huge margin). I love cranking these puppies up...it feels like the music is emanating FROM MY BRAIN. Make sure you get a good seal on the 535's and they will change your life. Boom.

I have been very loyal to Shure for the past 5 years or so for their honest sound, quality builds, and great customer service. I had the E4G's and SE425s for several years, and when the cord broke on the former pair, they shipped me a brand new pair without question.

Bottom line: these aren't for "pop" audio listeners looking for destructively rumbling bass and over-cranked, shimmery highs. Try Bose, you will be more happy with the inaccurate replication of the music. For those seeking full, powerful, honest sound with a great build and innovative features, buy these and don't look back.

mayi

New Head-Fier
Pros: sounds great, looks nice
Cons: pricy, fragile
Every thing about the se535 was great, but you have to stop it from falling apart, that just not great.
The connecting parts of the headphone is fragile, all the silicon parts just don't stay where they are.
I think it's unforgivable for this universal great brand and the price of it.
I mean the free headphone of sansung is much tougher than it.
I know it's a great item for it's sound, but these little issue would also drive a customer mad.
Shure, you've made it great, why don't you try harder and make it greater, it's all about the details.
whitemass
whitemass
Honestly, I gonna point the blame on you.
IEMs from Shure have always been great, not really fragile unless you're a rough, or reckless person.
I'm not saying you're doing bad for this review, but only due to the responsibility of the products damages.
IEMs are always gonna be products you've gotta be gentle with, same with the cheaper products, and customs.

hicrhodus

New Head-Fier
Pros: good sound precision, replaceable cable
Cons: High price, expensive cables
very solid stuff, the main cable is a bit too long. Since I got it, I never felt like needing another one.
interpolate
interpolate
This is one that's on my hitlist either that or the 846 whichever is more financially feasible on the day.

CalvinXC

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: The mids..velvety
Cons: Bass, not reaching low enough and not like in your face.
So this is my first review and please bear with me.

I had the SE535ltd for 6 months now, so I think it's time for me to put on a review. I bought this set as a birthday present for myself and I bought it after a 30 minute session at Jaben with the brown 535. As all knows, Jaben sold it slightly more expensive than street price but I still bought it because they showed me good service and reputation.

I don't have a pair of good ear, right ear got injured before so it's not perfect I assume, and I do not know how to describe a sound like writing novel.

Bass :
The 535ltd do have bass, I don't know what those guys that said 536 got zero bass, you probably have a faulty ear, or a super basshead. But I do have to say the 535's bass is not something like the 846, in fact, far from it. It have the punch, but not slamming in your face. It have subbass, but not ear shattering vibration that you feel. But they are there, just not reaching deep enough and slamming your face.

Mids :
This is the strength of SE535. Velvety smooth mids, lots of details, very interesting vocals. I had the Hifiman RE-400, switching back and forth and I'm always finding myself looking for the 535 for certain genre of songs.

Highs :
Hmm...I can't find the problem of retrieving details and the clarity is good. Just in certain moment, you will feel it's not quite there. But this didn't turn me off.

Rant :
The 535 seems to be having very high sensitivity that it make noise with lots of sources, even my iPhone 5 couldn't escape from hissing. My laptop, my Cayin C5, the DX50 that I sold, all of them make a noise with it, but the staff at Jaben advised me to bring it back for them to check, it might be a problem with my unit.

Mods :
Well, I didn't mod the earphone itself, but just trying with different tips. I've modded a set of Ortofon tips to use with it, IMO it's the best sounding tip but not inserting deep enough. The bass if good and the highs are more pronounced.


I'm a newbie so bear with what I wrote, and it might be totally wrong. Well, I haven't change the cable, hope it will bring the earphone further.

hardbop

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Details are plentiful, especially in the mids
Cons: Treble Roll-Off, Bass lacks punch, price vs. sound quality
I was looking for an excellent universal IEM with multiple drivers to fit my portable listening needs. Ideally, I would have my beloved LCD-2's in a portable package. I have become addicted to the effortless brightness of those headphones and their versatility. I'm sad that I can't wear them all the time, which is why I need something portable.
 
I have listened to and enjoyed many low end IEMs (including a sub $100 set of Shures) since my first pair of IEMs (Etymotic ER-4P's) were destroyed, but none of them were able to completely satisfy my needs. Towards that end, I had been eyeing custom molded IEMs, but I'm always too impatient and decided to try the upper range universal fit IEMs before trekking to the summit.
 
The SE535 came highly recommended on many sites, including this one. I wanted the clear ones, but they weren't available in a timely manner (again, impatient) and I was able to get the special editions for only about $20 more than what I would have paid for the bronze or clear versions
 
 
The resolution of these IEMs are immediately apparent as is their comfort and build quality. 
 
Up to this point, these were the most comfortable IEMs I've used. The construction of the driver housings are top notch and the detachable cable is an important detail. The cable connections rotate freely, allowing for multiple fitting styles, but it makes them more fidgetty to insert and keep in the right spot, sometimes requiring two hands to adjust them.
 
I tried most of the included tips (which are mixed up in the same baggy), but none of them were as comfortable as the Complys I bought along with the 535's. The fake Comply's came closest, but they have a thick plastic wax guard that altered the sound signature for the worse. As comfortable as these are, they still made my ears slightly sore after long listening periods, plus they required adjustments fairly often. I will put up with a lot of pain to hear the highest quality sound and, fortunately, these deliver their sound quality without much discomfort.
 
The included grey cord is too short, but it isn't very microphonic. The splitter is kind of clunky and it is terminates in a very chunky plug. It looks like it's getting ready for an 1/4" jack.
 
These IEMs are easy to drive, but they don't play well with poorer sources. I originally planned for them to be connected to my phone through the FiiO E-18 Kunlun (which didn't work out so well). I also used them with my Headroom Portable Desktop. I listened to all styles and qualities of music and the SE535 again were not well matched with some songs, even within the same genre.
 
Since I will primarily use these in a portable setting, my in depth listening was done with the FiiO X5 (which replaced my Kunlun), using FLAC files from ripped CDs and high resolution sources. I did compare with a couple higher end amps and DACs, but the results didn't vary enough to be noteworthy. I will write out my listening notes at the end of this review.
 
Overall sound quality is abundantly detailed. These are very revealing, very analytical IEMs. Unfortunately, they are also cold and quite lifeless. They don't sound good with large dynamic ranges either. They sound uneven at lower volumes and tend to be too harsh at high volumes.
 
The bass end is fast and defined, but is usually hollow and lacking impact whatsoever. There isn't much extension to speak of either. The SE535's don't seem to pull out much texture in the recordings, so while the detail of each note is reproduced, the feel of the instrument is behind the note is sometimes lost.
 
Mids are the sweet spot for these little guys, but there's a noticeable hump in the upper mids, which correlates to vocals and tends to exacerbate any bloat found at those frequencies in the recordings. The most detail and resolution is found in the midrange, but there isn't much warmth to speak of. Speed is again very quick and there is a little more room for the decay than in the higher frequencies.
 
Highs are rolled off.  The details are there, but they tend to become absorbed by the lower ranges once the roll-off begins. You won't find any warmth here either, just more analytic coldness. The highs are bright, but not particularly airy and they can become very harsh at the peaks. Cymbals, especially, attack very well, but the decay tends disappear too quickly.
 
Overall, the Shure SE535LTD IEMs are not all that musical. They become fatiguing with their cold edginess and analytical nature. They might be considered neutral, but they don't pair well with enough sources or genres for my tastes. The best qualities that they have are the fit and comfort, their speed and their clarity. I do feel that the might be too fast for their own good, however. The attacks are great, but there isn't any decay and they don't seem to allow for the textures of the instruments to shine. It's like the notes are always trying to get out of each other's way. As it stands, they are remarkably detailed, but they leave me wanting a more lifelike representation of my music.
 
For $500, I can be analytical right back. These are very detailed IEMs, but the resolution alone isn't worth the money when they aren't a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
 
 
 
 
Personal note: I was able to buy a different brand of IEM in the same range and try for a better sound signature while still being able to compare them. My previous daily use IEM was the Audiofly AF78's, which are a hybrid design. I got them about 6 months prior for 1/5th the price of the Shures. While they have a few issues of their own and they can't stand up to the SE535's in the detail department, they did have abundant texture, comparatively, and warm musicality, which I had been missing.
 
I ultimately went with Audiofly's new 4 driver AF180's for the head-to-head test. These also retail at the same price as the 3 driver SE535's and I will compare these two universal IEMs below. Spoiler: I will be keeping the AF180's and I'll have to do something I've never done before since I entered this hobby: send something back.
 
Good-bye, Shure SE535LTD! May you find a home in someone else's ears.
 
AF180 vs SE 535
 
[size=1em]X5, no amp[/size]
 
Norah Jones "Don't Know Why" 24b/192k FLAC
 
AF180: Highs are bright and well detailed, with a touch of warmth. Mids and bass are even and detailed. Piano sounds realistic.
 
SE535: Vocals are bright and detailed, but way too harsh at the peaks, percussion is veiled, but detailed, piano is a tad strident.
 
 
Baroness "Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)" 16b/44.1k FLAC
 
AF180: Lows are deep and ominous. Highs are crisp. Impact is felt well into the mids. Vocals are a little strained and veiled. Timing is precise despite the distorted vocals
 
SE535: Lows are deep, mids are crisp and highs are thin. Vocals are strident and pushed too forward. Percussion is too quick, sounds almost mechanical, tinny and has zero warmth.
 
 
Pixies "Dig for Fire" 16b/44.1k FLAC
 
AF180: Opening percussion is very twinkly, guitars and drums are fast and transparent, vocals are laid back.
 
SE535: Highs are veiled and mids are thin. Voices sound like they're coming from a tube. Details are present, but analytical and thin. They're quick, like they don't want to get in each other's way. These IEMs do this album no favors.
 
 
Goat Rodeo Sessions "Quarter Chicken Dark" 24b/88.2k FLAC
 
AF180: Instruments are dry and snappy, very engaging. Double bass doesn't overpower the mandolin or vice versa, very balanced throughout. Back up instrumentation are still very detailed behind solos and duets, while instrumentation in the main focus is still well detailed and finely textured. Slight bloat in the midrange warmth. Good attack and release in the instruments.
 
SE535 is transparent, if a lacking warmth. Mandolin is too quick, all attack, no texture or decay. Bass has texture, but no depth, sounds thin when the full quartet plays. Highs are lacking in extension, mids are powerful, but somewhat hollow. The bows sound are harsh and edgy on strings.
 
 
Chet Baker "Easy Living" 24b/192k FLAC 
 
AF180: Just enough warmth and evenly detailed throughout spectrum. Baker's breath on the microphone is felt. Flute is bright and effortless, even over the low saxes and heavy bass notes.
 
SE535: Highs are very detailed and cold. Bass lacks warmth and weight. Baker's voice is smooth and sweet. Saxes sometimes step on his decay, though. Piano drowns in other mids and bass. Cymbals are thin, but quick and without decay.
 
 
Project 86 "The Spy Hunter" 16b/44.1k FLAC 
 
AF180: Guitars are appropriately heavy and remain fast. drums and bass are impactful. Vocals are detailed. Every growly noise can be heard in the throat. Cymbals are ever present above everything, but not very bright.
 
SE535: Mid treble is slightly overbearing, vocals are edgy and bright. Bass is thin, but detailed, not enough separation to discern details.
 
 
St. Vincent "Black Rainbow" 16b/44.1k FLAC
 
AF180: Clark's voice is sweet and warm.  Bass sounds synthesized and has plenty of impact and texture. High details are quick and bright, no harshness in any frequency. Many sounds appear outside of headspace. Bassoon is deep and clear. The ending crescendo section is busy, but all details seem present.  The constant bass remains impactful and it tickles the ear. The ending decay is still high without too much shrillness 
 
SE535: Vocals are cold and slightly brittle. Woodwinds are very harsh, sound overblown. Bass is present sonically, but no impact. Distortion is grainy and violins are textured. Mids are slightly muddy until crescendo section becomes strident
 
Horace Silver "Song for My Father" 24b/192k FLAC
 
AF180: Sax and trumpet are punchy and slightly warm. Cymbals have good attack and decay, rides well over the rest of the music. Good texture all around. The snare rolls are absolutely stunning. Piano is smooth. Sax solo slightly laid back, but natural, drums and cymbals still won't let go of the song, bass is slightly punchy. 
 
SE535: Sax and trumpet attacks are super quick. Cymbals are recessed, but details are present. Piano is cold, but gentle and well defined. Snare is poppy. Sax solo is transparent and smooth. Bass lacks presence.
 
 
 
Sansa Zip Clip 16/44.1 FLAC
 
AF180 are warm, but there's bloat in the mid treble with female vocals on certain recordings.
 
SE535 is cold/analytical. Treble is harsh until it reaches the roll off point. Details are very present, but require EQ help to become palatable.
 
 
Note 3, Ampless, 320kbps MP3 streaming, 16/44.1 FLAC
 
SE535's: Cold, harsh highs, thin bass, Details are are plentiful, if a bit hollow in the higher treble, Cymbals and bass lack impact. 
 
AF180 Cymbals are twinkly and extend, mids and bass are impactful and textured, less separation than the Shures. Highs are warm and detailed. Overall resolution is slightly lacking across the board.
 
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Shini44
Shini44
got to agree on that, the reason why i moved from V-shaped sound sig to more Detailed IEMs was this IEM , the mids on it are so dreamy and epic you won't be able to be happy with V shape anymore ,

but yes for 500$ its a super rip off, Rolled off treble and not a punchy bass, and a very bad cable too,  even going custom with Custom Art will give you better options for that price. 
piotrekfronc
piotrekfronc
Try Phonak 232.
Wilderbeast
Wilderbeast
Enjoyed this review. Well written.
 
"For $500, I can be analytical right back."
 
Brilliant :)

MattiaFalsetti

New Head-Fier
Pros: Astonishing mids, awesome trebles, great construction quality.
Cons: Maybe not so many bass frequencies.
First of all, before the SE535 I had a pair of Monster Turbine Copper Pro, so I was habituated with many bass frequencies and forced to put them repetitively inside of the ear because of their weight. I’m absolutely not saying that the Turbines wasn’t a good pair of earphones, in fact they were my personal favorite pair in spite of their defects. After 2 years of happiness with my Monsters, I decided to go to the next level, with a more comfortable and more detailed pair of earphones, but without spending more than 500 dollars.. I finally opted for the Shure SE535. The first time that I wore them, it took me about 30 minutes or more just to understand how to put them in my ears, but at the end of that complicated process they were so magnificently comfortable and well inserted in my ears.. that I struggled to understand that they were in my ears.
However let’s go directly on the sound review: I use them with an iPod Classic 7th Generation and rigorously all WAVE format songs, with a Fostex HP-P1 amplifier with DAC and an AudioQuest silver plated high definition cable; simply I've never heard Mids and Trebles so perfectly in a pair of earphones like in these, I can hear details, voices, instruments and effects that I’ve never heard before with other earphones. The voices of the singers are so greatly evidenced, pure and naturals that seems to have them in front of your eyes, amazing details with an astonishing speed of response, really.. I’ve never heard something like these beasts. I simply can’t describe the sensations that I feel when I use them, just with words, you have to try them before judge.
The only defect that I could find in these, is the bass frequencies.. yes, there’s so many basses don’t worry, but not so many as I expected.
 
Final Judgments:
 
TREBLES: 8/9
MIDS: 8/9
BASSES: 7
CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: 8/9

drewfig

Head-Fier
Pros: great soundstage and mids
Cons: stock cable is short, expensive
will write a review soon :)

FromSoftware

New Head-Fier
Pros: Sound quality, punchy bass, great cable.
Cons: finding the perfect seal will take some time
I will write a short review soon :) 

itsmejulieeye

New Head-Fier
Pros: Excellent Quality Well Defined Sound Through All 3 Ranges
Cons: Can Be Difficult To Find The Best Tip To Extract That Amazing Sound
Hi,
I've been patiently waiting for my 535Ltd's to get a good few hours run in (this includes the stock cable & an upgraded 3rd party cable purchased from eBay, OFC Silver plated copper with Oyaide Plug). I'll just be giving you my thoughts on the 535 reds & try to refrain from too much into towards cable choice etc...

Unboxing ;
The Shure Red's Packaging was nothing special & thus would probably lead you to think there's nothing special inside... Not like say Unboxing something like a set of Monster Miles Davis Trumpet Buds where the packaging is exquisite to say the least... But that's no bad thing as sometimes fancy looking packaging gets your hopes up too much :wink:

Contents ;
The 535Ltd's Come with pretty much what you'd expect in the box like your usual sets of small/ medium & large Foam + Silicone Eartips with a yellow Foam tip that seems to fit medium & large sized ears... But in my own personal case after trying them all + a few 3rd party Tips I bought along with the cable upgrade I actually found that the x2 best fitting Eartips for me were made by Westone & I for now use their Foam & Silicone tips in a large size (Pretty weird to me as I'm %99 of the time a medium tip).
Also they come with your airplane adapter + a Volume control adapter + also a jackplug for converting your 3.5' - Full size headphone socket & TBH with you all 3 of these accessories look & feel very cheap as I guess their the same 1's used with even the cheapest of the Shure SE range so because these are their Limited Editions I guess I was expecting better quality accessories but it's certainly not a deal breaker for me.

Included too is I believe a slightly thicker/ better quality cable rather than the basic SE range stock cable which I thought was a step in the right direction after all Special Edition stuff usually is Special because it has better quality versus it's stock base models :)

Fit ;
These Over Ear style IEM'S fit pretty much perfectly & once you hit upon your chosen Eartips of choice their very easy to put in & take out again as long as you bend the Kevlar to shape round your ears correctly... I HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE LEAVING NEGATIVE REVIEWS OF THE 535'S SIMPLY BECAUSE THEIR TO DUMB TO FIGURE OUT HOW OVER EAR IEM'S FIT & THATS JUST SAD :wink:
As mentioned once you eventually get your best fitting tip = You'll probably be like me & barely notice their even in & I can quite easily fall asleep with them in after a long listening session :)

Build Quality ;
Shure have learned from previous mistakes you can tell a lot & I mean a lot of though has gone into making these 535Ltd's IMHO Pretty indestructible barring dropping them in front of a steamroller I think these should last you many many years to come as the build quality on the ear pieces is excellent & The cable looks & Feels really really tough so I don't forsee many returns regards the 535's.

Sound Quality ;
Now my own 535Ltd's have only ever been fed on a diet of my Colorfly C4 Pro & Lossless Flacs with the odd 320kbp MP3 thrown in to compare it against.
If you plan on feeding your 535Ltd's on a diet of uncompressed Flacs or Wavs then you'll most definitely not be disappointed you shelled out the big cash for these just Excellent IEM'S as their by far & away the best IEM'S I've ever had the privilege to own/ hear their just Flawless on all 3 ranges & Make me Smile from ear to ear :)
Now I did notice when trying Mp3's that they can pick up on any bad rip & expose it's weakness with such ease that if your planning on maybe buying these for your eh Ipod then your just wasting your money as you should buy much more cheaper headphones that don't expose MP3's & Compressed files' weaknesses as easily as easily as the 535Ltd's do.

So to some up then ;
These Shure SE 535Ltd's are targeted at users who prefer Quality & by god do they provide Quality in abundance but please save your cash if your plans were to feed them anything other than uncompressed music from a decent source.
1 last thing is that a 3rd party cable can improve sound, but IMHO only slightly as the stock thick grey cable is great in its own rights, so it's just a matter of preference if you upgrade the cable :)

Hope this review will be of help to potential 535Ltd Buyers out there & accept my apologies for not mentioning all the colours of the rainbow to describe sound LOL.


Thx J.

jginnane

New Head-Fier
Pros: an ethereal existence on gossamer wings
Cons: only two ears to use; how can I get to 7.1?
When we were over in Asia last year I had a couple chances to visit the Hong Kong tech meccas.  I was very pleased to buy one sealed set of these, thinking I might pass the favor on to a fellow head-fiér.  As it was, I put an ad up but the closest I got to a reasonable bid was still below my out-of-pocket.  And YES, I did pay the customs duty when I brought them in!
 
Since no one was that eager to pay what I was asking, I decided to open the box in mid-December, awarding myself an early Xmas present.  I'm so glad I did!  These Shures have a very different sound from my bronze and clear Shure sets.  (Incidentally, all my IEMs are now on Comply tips, the deep-foam ones if available for the IEM.  Some IEMs don't have long Complys available though. It all has to do with the size of the shnozzle; length and diameter. SE535s take the same as tips as Westone 4/4Rs, FWIW. )
 
The sound ... well, along the way, my kit expanded to a Cowon Z2, 32GB internal and an extra 64GB microSD.  It has been hard to start to write this review because the upgrade of the Cowon over my last-generation Zunes is sheer amazing... and the Cowon is also Android, meaning I can play (smartphone-like) anything, while also listening to my music.
 
Let's put the sound this way:  You will abandon your previous rigs, perhaps in their entirety, when you buy these two pieces of kit.
 
Ranking, I'd put the red SE535s in the top two of my collection.  I still prefer the discontinued Sony MDR EX1000 for its precise soundstage imaging.  But I haven't seemed to have found time to put those IEMs on while this is such a fantastic pairing!
 
 

tmtmnet

New Head-Fier
Now im in love with these <3
autumnholy
autumnholy
5 stars? Bro u are generous lol.
inb4 i own one too.
tmtmnet
tmtmnet
lol, did i give 5 star? it is 4 and 1/2 =)
autumnholy
autumnholy
audio quality. btw, where'd u get this?
plan to swap cables?

UpWaiting

Head-Fier
Pros: Deep Soundstage, Crisp Highs and Mids, Durable, Range of Tips
Cons: Price, Can't keep up with fast songs
Ω
Night Crawler
Night Crawler
Thanks! Bought 6! ^_^

autumnholy

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Good Clarity, Deep Soundstage, Balanced Sound, Beautiful!
Cons: May not be the best for universal flagship IEM, price, short cable.
After struggling to find an ideal universal flagship IEM, I finally chose Shure SE535SE.
 
Reason:
Cheaper deal I got over here, compared to W4R which will be around USD$100 more.
A strange affinity towards Shure brand.
Beautifully painted body and beautiful packaging.
 
Honestly, I'm not really particular in auditioning the IEM before purchase. Reason is because it takes time to appreciate or get used to the new sound signature. And I wanted a flagship IEM so that I can stop (temporarily) searching for a better IEM while learning what BA drivers can do. Probably later I'll go for W4R or EX1000, where the latter would be more intriguing.
 
I'm a dynamic guy. So BA is kinda fresh to me. What this IEM lacks compared to dynamic ones is the bass punch. It's decent, but not as airy and powerful compared to dynamics. But the thing that impressed me right out of the box is the sense of depth in soundstage. Boy I was really enjoying the chanting and whistling behind the back of the songs in Hell Freezes Over.
 
Frankly speaking, this thing is not 50% much better than any IEM 50% cheaper than it. Value wise, it's better to go for cheaper alternatives, like SE425, or what I've tried myself: GR07, EPH-100, and those ultra value buy dynamic IEMs. However, there'll be time when I felt discontented with the lack of something in the sound by those IEM, and wanting more. Thus here I am, listening to the SE535SE.
 
This IEM is highly dependent on the source you feed it. The better the source, the more it will be able to perform. In short, Source>Headphones.
 
Edit (11/23/12): After a few month using it, I noticed that:
1. Bass: Bass is deep, but not having much impact. While remaining airy, the bass don't punch the ears. Even on pop songs which normally have powerful bass, 535LTD isn't really portraying any much punches.
2. Details: Arguably one of the better IEM with good details However, due to the nature of the FR (rolled off treble), much micro details isn't really in-yo-face. Well, I guess 535LTD is more towards fluidity of the presentation rather than a microscope analyzing all the details (or defects) of the song. It's very enjoyable, yet not for those who demands excellent micros.
3. This thing isn't really isolating 100% of the sound. It blocks out most of the little annoyance, but not moving trains or roaring thunders. I'm not sure if it's due to my use of the Olives, but 535 to me is brest used with the Olives.
 
Thanks for reading. And enjoy your music :b
autumnholy
autumnholy
Clarity? I can't say 535 exceeds by miles, but in some tracks, 535 can portray micros with ease, while EPH-100 tends to mumble away the details. Treble wise, both are rolled off.
A
Angels and Air
Hey, thanks for the info!
autumnholy
autumnholy
No problem. It's just impressions. YMMV.

Colquist

New Head-Fier
Pros: excellent sound quality, excellent build quality, great isolation and comfort, awesome color, good tips and accessories
Cons: cable is a bit short, very pricey
These have excellent mids, vocals sound very sweet, typical Shure.
Good treble with some sparkle, although less sparkle/piercing than the normal SE535, but more refined.
Bass is great, low and punchy, not overly emphasized, just the way it is meant to be heard.
Soundstage is okay, not as big as the Westone 4.
 
Sound isloation is excellent, for me it's better than Shure SE315 and SE215.
Very comfortable and snug with the black foam tips.
Cable is robust, but I wish it is longer by like 10cm, right now it's 116cm.
 
Although they say "enhanced high frequency response", the red 535 aren't that much better than the normal 535, just a little less emphasis on mids and a bit more details in the treble, same bass reponse.
 
The red SE535 are much more passionate and engaging than the Westone 4/4R, which are probably their biggest competitor, I prefer the Shures over the Westones; just my opinion. I highly recommend these earphones.
 
 
UPDATE:
I've had them for over a month and I'm very pleased with what I'm hearing. They don't seem to change that much with burn in.
I've also realized the black foam gives a better sound than the gray silicone tips, the foam has more bass, and has a fuller, richer sound, while the gray silicone has a cold, metallic sound with harsh treble, and less bass. It's a very minor difference by the way.
The nozzles of the red 535s seem quite delicate, I could heard squeaky sounds from them when I was changing the ear tips.
 
 
 
 
 

sue4

Head-Fier
Pros: Great clarity & details, no coloration (neutral), good soundstage
Cons: lame bass response, the high is too harsh when combined w/ my amp
When I listened to the sound for the 1st time, I was hit by it. I was punched by the not-punchy-bass. I was hoping it would offer much better bass response than SE315.. equals to Klipsch Image X10i. It gives better bass than SE315 but still far from Image X10i. The bass is still too weak, or just say not punchy. I am not a bass lover. I just want the sounds  to be there whenever they are there, incl the punch. It's just the bass, fortunately. As for other details & freqs, I can listen to them more clearly than my other IEMs. I like the neutrality of the presentation & the soundstage. (Maybe the price that made me overexpecting, it is more expensive than X10i!) Another hit for me is when my eardrums were kicked by the high when I combine it w/ headphone amp from SoundMagic (A10). The high becomes very much harsh & felt intruding. The rest of the sound will better though w/ the combination, incl the bass. So, now I think this IEM is a little picky to headphone amps

realguy123

New Head-Fier
I mostly listen to rock (U2, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Buckethead, etc) and classical (Yo-Yo Ma, etc), but also blues (BB King, Albert King, etc) and some electronic & rap (Prodigy, Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, etc).
 
Overall, this is a fantastic IEM.  The highs and mids are amazing and the bass is adequate.  The bass has been discussed fairly extensively in the forum and while I agree that a bit more punch would be nice, the detail of the bass provided is superb.  The highs are in no way too strong or aggressive.  And the mids are as great as others have said.  One aspect that I really appreciate is that the vocals shine and are exceptionally audible compared to other headphones I have owned (Denon 5000s).  I am finding myself actually learning lyrics that I didn't know previously just because the detail on the vocals on the reds is so amazing.
 
I now have about 50-60 hours on these and I have seen a slight improvement over that period of time.  But the first 10 hours probably made the biggest difference, with the IEMs opening up quite substantially during that period.
 
I previously owned the regular SE535s and sent them back to Amazon to order these instead.  Overally these are marginally better (esp highs), but I would not recommend a replacement of your SE535s unless you are an extreme audiophile and listen to alot of classical music.
 
Until now, all of my headphones (Denon 5000s, regular SE535s and these) have been used on an iPod classic with the regular headphone jack.  I have ordered a Pico Slim and can update my review once listening to the reds on the Slim.  Truthfully I'm a bit skeptical how much the reds will improve on the amp because they sound fantastic already.
 
All in all, you can't go wrong with these IEMs.  If you desire super punchy bass then perhaps you would want to look elsewhere.  But if you appreciate nuanced bass (even in songs from groups like Prodigy, Beastie Boys, etc), then you should go with these.
 
UPDATE
I want to provide an update after listening to these with the Pico Slim and the SR-71A amps.  Although the Pico Slim has the upper hand in resolution and clarity, I think these pair better with the SR-71A.  The Pico Slim is known to do well with mids and highs and these happen to be the strengths of these earphones.  When paired together, however, there was an edginess and strain to the highs, almost to the point of being hard to listen to with some tracks.  On the other hand, the SR-71A and SE535LTD red combo seemed to be more complimentary, with the SR-71A providing a nice boost to the bass while not undermining the mid and high strength of the reds.  The highs are a bit smoother than they are coming staight out of the ipod jack and don't have the edginess to them that they had when coming from the Pico Slim.
GL1TCH3D
GL1TCH3D
Depending on which generation ipod you have, I think the amp will really help ;P
I'm not sure if it was defective, but my 6th gen ipod video is horrible for playing music straight from the jack.

Loquah

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Instrument separation, sound stage, smooth & liquid sound
Cons: Price, can be sibilant with poorly mastered recordings
I've now finished getting used to these so the full review is complete and the score is accurate. Continue on past the review for a short tale about getting used to these phones... I hope you'll stick with me and I hope that this tale helps in the discovery process of new headphones or earphones.
 
The Review
 
Many people will balk at the price of the Shure's and I nearly did too, but I'm glad I went ahead. I have jumped straight from Re0s to the red 535s so I can't provide a comparison with other IEMs in between. No doubt there is some level of dimishing returns at play when you spend $450 on IEMs, but I bought these as much for their design as for their sound.
 
Audio Quality - Balanced awesomeness. Yep, that's pretty much it. They do everything like they should without colour or emphasis. The stock cable leads to a slight mid-range focus, but it's not major like I've heard of some other Shures. I have added the aftermarket Baldur Mk2 cable and it completely counters this emphasis and balances the sound beautifully.
 
With the Baldur cable, the Reds are clean, super detailed and balanced. Their sensitivity is quite awesome and you'll be hearing things that you never knew were in a recording and you'll be able to place exactly where they're happening. The texturing and clarity is truly amazing.
 
Bass is balanced and full without emphasis. Plenty of body, good attack when necessary and no bloat or boom. With amplification, the attack gets even better.
 
Because of their sensitivity, the Reds can tend to sibilance on poor sources (recordings, rips, etc.), but they are not a sibiliant or harsh phone. They will only give you what's already there in the recording or source.
 
Note: despite using balance armatures, the Reds do require burn-in. Chatting with a number of other head-fi'ers has confirmed that a number of us have noticed underwhelming sound and a pretty nasty top-end before allowing time to burn-in.
 
Design & Comfort - I love the look and fit of these. They never come loose, they create no wind noise and they look great too! The stock cable creates absolutely no microphonics. The upgrade to the Baldur cable does bring with it some very mild microphonics, but not enough to worry about.
 
The 535 series are all designed for over-ear cable management. Initially, it took me some time to get used to fitting them in my ears and guiding the cable correctly over my ear, but I soon got the memory cable adjusted to suit my ears and have never looked back. They are very comfortable phones.
 
The Reds come with heaps of tip options and will suit almost everyone. I have struggled a bit with the standard tips because I have very small ear canals. The smallest silicone tips provided by Shure were almost the right size, but seemed to add some strange resonance at around 10kHz. A fellow head-fi'er, spkrs01, was kind enough to supply me with some Sony hybrid tips and with a bit of modification they now fit perfectly and sound better than any other options.
 
Isolation is truly superb. With music playing I can hear absolutely nothing from the outside world. Without music on, everything is a mild murmur. These are great for loud environments such as public transport, planes, etc.
 
Overall I would guess that there might be a better IEM out there, but it'll be by tiny margins when compared to the Reds. They are subtle, detailed and beautifully under control. I'd highly recommend them.
 
The Story
 
I have owned a pair of Re0 IEMs for a couple of years and really loved their detail and balance. Unfortunately, they developed a loose connection in the right phone and had to be replaced.
 
After a lot of reading (and limited options in Australia without buying online and having things shipped), I decided on the 535 Reds because of their flatter bass response and musical presentation (according to what I'd read).
 
Update 1: 15th February 2012
 
Running them from my Cowon X7 with no EQ / BBE, etc. I was far from blown away on first listen. I found the sound was still a bit to creamy and thick for my liking and there was a harshness around 6kHz (based on some quick EQ testing), but figured I'd give them a chance...
 
Next, I plugged them into my Creative X-Fi HD USB sound card and discovered their impressive texturing and detail. A track from Jimi Hendrix' "Blues" album blew my mind with the textures of the bass and guitars, but I still wasn't sold - impressed in one area of excellence, but not sold overall.
 
Flipping and flopping back and forth between my X7 and computer (X-Fi USB) with FLAC files all the way I tried to find something to really love about the red 535s and then it happened...
 
While focussing on some emails, I turned down the volume on the X7 and magic happened... the "Reds" sounded better at lower volume!? No, not because I couldn't hear them anymore! I think I was so used to the volume levels required to drive my other phones that I set the starting volume a bit high for the Reds. The Reds are very easy to drive and were obviously providing a higher level of volume than I'm used to, but their clean, smooth style meant the sound wasn't uncomfortable to my ears.
 
When volume is set too loud, our ears react to protect our hearing and I think I was just on the borderline of that reaction. Not enough to notice any discomfort, but enough that my ears weren't relaxed and able to soak in the sound.
 
Suddenly, with the lower volume, I was noticing textures and details that were subtle and unobtrusive, but undoubtedly present. String sections had presence, acoustic guitars had resonance and character, and the overall experience was lush, but not too thick as it previously seemed.
 
As I mentioned earlier, I had been concerned about a subtle harshness in some treble notes from the Reds, but this too was gone with the lower volume - perhaps confirming my thoughts that I'd had them too loud and not even realised. Maybe they're so good that they sounded better than average when too loud!?
 
I've only just made this discovery so I'm excited to continue listening at lower levels and see if the magic continues. I'll report more soon and write a proper review once I give them a fair chance at proper volume and as my ears adjust to a different sound signature...
 
Update 2: 18th February 2012 (4 days in)
 
I've had much more time with my Reds now and I can honestly and definitely say that they do benefit from burn-in. The differences I'm hearing could not be solely from my ears adapting to the sound style. The harshness has completely subsided and the soundstage has opened up.
 
As my ears have adjusted, I am now hearing more and more subtle details throughout the music. This could also be due to burn-in.
 
I recall reading someone else's review (I'm sorry that I can't credit the writer as I don't remember who it was) which said the 535s seemed agile enough to reproduce multiple songs at once and I tend to agree. They seem completely composed and in control. It's actually a hard trait to describe, but they just don't seem to break a sweat no matter what I throw at them.
 
My next update will come some time next week when I add a custom cable to my Reds. Fellow Head-Fi-er, spkrs01, has been extremely helpful in helping me to source the best possible cable to link my Reds to my Cowon X7 player. Next week I'll finalise the full review and a discussion of the changes resulting from a custom cable.
 
Update 3: 3rd March 2012 (17 days in)
 
Thanks to spkrs01 I now have a perfect cable for the Reds. The cable is the Baldur Mk2 dual strand version (there are quad strand versions available).
 
With the new cable attached, the staging and separation of the Reds is hugley improved. The sound has more air and better balance between the bass, mids and treble. The sound just seems more open and returning to the stock cable, the sound seems almost strangled (relatively speaking).
 
The Bladur cable does create very mild microphonics so the stock cable would be better for any significant activity, but the Baldur is perfect for basic working and walking.
 
For some reason I have had troubles with my ears reacting negatively to the sound of the Reds, but this may be due to a cable fault that was causing unbalanced sound. Since fixing the cable, my ears are still a bit sensitive, but I'm relaxing into the sound more and thoroughly enjoying what I'm hearing.
 
The key here is to give your ears time to adjust. If you have new phones with a significantly different signature to your normal tastes, start at low volume and gradually increase as your ears adapt.

underhysteria

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: excellent soundstage and imagery, musical, a masterpiece for vocal and orchestral songs
Cons: mediacore cables, lacks transparency compared to W4, still not a good choice for fast and heavy songs, warranty only available in asia
 
Shure SE535LTD Review
 
 
Packaging and Ergonomics
Nothing much to expect, they are very similar to the SE535 with the exception of the cheap packaging. Maybe shure is going green as i expected a much better presentation coming out from a high end universal IEM (haha even the Westone UM series has nice solid packaging). Accessories however are excellent, no different from the usual (olive foam tips, yellow foam tips, triple flange sillicon tips, cleaning tool, airline adapter, 1/4" adapter, attenuator and a hard clamshell carrying case)
 
Now here comes the disappointing part; the cables. I just feel that the cable is a tad flimsier than the SE535s and the cheap grey colour does not do any justice. Maybe someone can clarify this as I tend to be nitpicky with IEM cables. The metallic red shells are just sweet but the dirty grey cable doesn't complement it! Black would be waay suitable.
 
The cables just feel as cheap as my sennheisser's CX300. Shure has also reduced the length here (~1.2m) making it restrictive for tall people and monitoring purposes (i wouldnt recommend it anyway). However if you're fine with the original shure SE535 cables, then im sure this wont bother you much (it is just that i am so used to westone's excellent twisted multi stand cables) . Luckily the cables are removable and you may want to consider unique melody's "beat audio cable" for the shure series.
 
 
Sound
Source: Cowon J3 unamped, FLAC, no EQ 
 
The SE535LTD has a total different sound from its predecessor. The massive soundstage upgrade is the most prominent difference here. Presentation is more spacious and expansive and songs will no longer feel compressed and confined which is prevalent in the SE535 and UM3x. The soundstage size is definitely larger than the westone 4 and the shure 535. Coming from an orchestra and contemporary classic listener, I would say that the LTD has a better sound depth than the SE535 and separates the instruments even better. Play a string quartet band or the fleur du mal's of sarah brightman and you will definitely be impressed with these red candies. Strings feel much more alive and 'eargasmic', cymbals seem to be placed at the right distance and piano gives a much fuller and accurate sound tested on a variety of genres ranging from pop punk band Hedley to new age Jon Schmidt.
 
I would describe SE535LTD sound signature to be warm and colored similar to that of its predecessor. This might be good or bad news to some as sound coloration is indeed subjective :). I find the warm and colored signature to sound weird in some genres particular rnb and clubbing songs.
 
You would still expect intimacy from vocals but they give you more room unlike its predecessor and the UM3x. I would place the intimacy range somewhat in between the SE535 and the Westone 4. But what impresses me most is the fact that shure had managed the vocals to remain full and realistic despite the increase in soundstage size. As a result, vocals are more lively and the added soundstage makes them even more realistic to listen to unlike the SE535. As much as I liked the Westone 4 for its smooth and balanced vocals, I just feel that they are not 'alive' enough in which I believe the shure triumphs over this area based on my subjective views. 
 
Now back to our comparison with the SE535.. all you need to know is that the lushful and smooth midrange orientated LTD provides more realism and breathing room than its predecessor .
 
I would say there is a substantial improvement in the highs. Trebles are a little more prominent and the LTD does a better job at picking up fast and heavy music. I still wouldnt recommend the Shure series to iron maiden or metalheads. But do not get me wrong here.. the highs are nicely extended than what the SE535 was able to offer. 
 
Previously on the SE535, i was dissapointed that the cymbals sound 'clustered' on mainstream pop punk/rock bands. I think the trick was to improve the soundstage and yes it does the job. Trebles are more extended making it even better for classical music. The biggest improvement here is how the cymbals sound as compared to the somewhat not 'fulfilling' sound its predecessor provides. The cymbals retain more detail providing a richer sound which is indeed a huge feat coming out from a midrange universal IEM.  Unlike its predecessor, the LTD has no difficulty in picking up the heavy double pedals from the fast guitar riffs of  death metal band kalmah while making mainstream bands such as simple plan enjoyable to listen to.
 
Well, don't pin your hopes high on this area as there are many IEMs out there with impressive highs. The SE535LTD is just not as alive and accurate as compared to the EX1000 and the westone 4.  But i can assure you, the LTD does a much better job in this area as compared to its predecessor and the um3x 'dead and lazy' highs.
 
The lows remains well extended and pleasant to listen to, coming in only when necessary. They are tight and accurate and still lacks the impact of the westone 4 and hence basshunter and cascada fans might still have to look elsewhere.  
 
Conclusion
 
The Shure SE535LTD is of a total different new level of its predecessor. I am still confused at shure's attempt in making this as a limited edition instead of branding it as a new series. Please pair the shure with the triple flange tips as i feel that it brings out the best of this series.
 
x Impressive wide and balance soundstage
x Less intimate vocals than the SE535 but remains lush and smooth
x Improved highs making the it suitable for a wider range of genres
x Bass performance is somewhat simillar to the SE535  
x Warm and coloured signature 
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