For many, the thought of spending even a quarter the amount forked out for an MP3 player on accompanying headphones is a big leap. The Shure SE530s blow that notion out of the water – you’d be hard pressed to find an MP3 player that even comes close to this pair of earphones’ RRP. Read our full Shure SE530 review to see if it really is worth it.
Out to impress, the SE530 buds have a shiny, petrol-like finish that’s a far cry from the relatively sober looks sported by the rest of the SE series. Since they’ve got a look that’s got the potential to repel, it’d have been nice if there was a reassuringly everyday black version on offer too, especially when the price tag pretty much confirms that you’re a chooser rather than a beggar.
They’re fairly large by the standards of in-ear ‘phones too, but then there’s a lot going on inside each SE530 bud. Each houses three separate drivers designed to give a sound that’s stunningly even in its awesomeness across the whole frequency range. And yes, they sound pretty special – as you might imagine – but do they justify the almighty price tag?
Considering that two of its three drivers are dedicated to bringing banging bass to your ears, it’s no wonder that it’s what the SE530s excel at. It’s big, it thumps and will give your ears a hiding if you crank the volume – and these earphones are some of the loudest we’ve tested. The bass isn’t overblown though. Thrills are cheap, but fidelity comes at a premium, and it’s what you’re paying for here.
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The mid-range is impressive too, sounding smooth and detailed, supplying the signature warm Shure sound in abundance. In fact, the only sonic complaints we have about the SE530 earphones are in its treble. Don’t get us wrong, the high end sounds great, but a rolling off of the top frequencies leads to the SE530 ‘phones sounding less detailed than the top offerings from the likes of US earphone maestros Ultimate Ears, and even the much cheaper Jays q-Jays.
Sure, the Shure SE530s can top both in the bass stakes but when these earphones cost significantly more than either, we were really hoping they’d be able to blow all comers out of the water, on all fronts. Still, with excellent sound isolation from the supplied array of tips and a sound that’s hard to beat, if not in absolutely every aspect, we can’t help but give the Shure SE530 earphones a hearty thumbs-up.
