Shure KSE1500 Out of nowhere?!

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by GelockS, Oct 22, 2015.

  1. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Could you guys speculate on how Shure's use of a vented driver into a space enclosed in the shell addresses these concerns?
     
  2. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Anakchan's impressions (this is not a link)

    To me the KSE1500 had a very full sound. I didn't notice any lack of nor excessive bass. I don't think I would have classified electrostats to be bass-lite, it'll depend on expectations but I'm happy with the bass in my SR-007 Mk1s for example. A full sound is really the best I could describe it.


    To me there were no real sonic trade off's, no peaks nor dips. I know this sounds unrealistic but I really truly felt very satisfied with the FR, finesse, micro detail, speed, etc. I was happy with all of those. I would say though that they are picky with source and will reveal any flaws in the mastering of tracks. I picked up "imperfections" I didn't notice before but as mentioned in the thread, it at least gives the tracks some "character".

    I was excited but still rather cautious publicly on the thread but personally (and to Jude/Amos/Gavin I verbally mentioned) at this current date, financially permitting, this could well be my end-all earphone. I would even let my TH-900's, Zana Deux, and other earphones go, and just settle with just this KSE1500 & my Stax SR-009/007Mk1.



    That's why on the thread I felt this was more revolutionary than evolutionary to me - not to mention educational of how we may squabble about tiny differences here and there for little improvements from one model to another model of earphones in the past few years when this to my ears is a substantial leap. Now in the future maybe other makers will catch on and "evolve" on this but again it'll be the tiny evolutionary steps from this as being the new baseline
     
  3. briskly

    briskly Friend

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    Are you also talking about the bass cancellation with dipoles? The cancellation is from front-back air movement around the baffle, right? So restricting the air movement would at least keep the bass present and enable pressurization, as with any headphone. Is that incorrect?

    I disliked my experience with the closed Audezes, but I've never given the closed Ether a listen. Come to think of it, there was an old and rare planar magnetic IEM, was that an open design?
     
  4. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Regarding the bass, we're got a few reports of bass lacking impact.

    currawon kindly replied to my request for further comment on sub-bass with the following:
    "I didn't find the sub-bass extension that good on the tracks I had where it was noticeable.

    Very roughly speaking we're looking at an in-ear version of the later Stax Lambdas (e.g.: 404LE or similar). "

    I think that's helpful. Also, saved me $3,000 as I find that sub-bass extension really adds to music for me, even where the music doesn't have a lot of it, if the earphones are sub-bass capable, it seems to give a more real experience of music, for me.

    Having said that, I'm a little sorry to read it. You'd think Shure would aim for a sound that avoided bass roll-off after they went to such lengths with the 846.
     
  5. Judeus

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    i suspect these will be the he1000 of iems, where some people think they are the bees knees and some people think they are overpriced for what they are.

    i generally like shure stuff especially the 535 but the se846 were disappointing for me, I am not really treble sensitive but the trenble range on those was metallic and annoying as hell to me

    I look forwarded to testing these out.
     
  6. HitmanFluffy

    HitmanFluffy Hoping to see real genitals someday!

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    My pal that went to Japan who tried it didn't think much of it. He described it as being hollow sounding in the mids and having weird bass.
     
  7. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Arnaud heard Jude's set. He noticed a lack of extension "at both ends", and particularly at the bass, with a mid-bass bump to compensate.


    I'll copy/paste his post here:

    Originally Posted by arnaud

    Jude was kind enough to let me have a short listen to the new shure today, using his AK dap (380?) line out. Take the following with a pinch of salt as I had what, 2 songs only to make my mind as I was in a rush.

    I liked the shure but I was not mesmerized (I expected more I guess). In particular, I thought it was a bit short on both ends of the spectrum. The bass seem especially rolled off with some compensation in the midbass region. It gives it a nice punchy sound with good kick but maybe that would get tiring after a while.

    I thought the mids were good / not too forward / no shrillness.

    No much comment on the headstage, too little time to evaluate. It did not sound very open but did not feel claustrophobic either.

    I'd consider it betrer priced <1.5kUSD when compared to full size cans. 3k seems like a big stretch to me. Having said that, I haven't tested the latest high end iem offerings , so maybe it's just everyone has gone nuts over the price of iems and shure is just placing itself in light of the competition?

    Would require much more thorough listen to judge properly.:..

    Cheers,
    Arnaud
     
  8. yaluen

    yaluen Acquaintance

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    Last edited: Oct 26, 2015
  9. Kunlun

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  10. Judeus

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    It's Jude. He also said the Layla competed with top of the line headphones "one of the best headphones i've heard regardless of form factor"

    when in reality they arn't even as good as the uerm. And the uerm arn't even close to a hi end system with an hd6xx/hd800/chingchong1k/he6/009

    Jude=hype maker

    obviously got paid by shure to make the hype video and say it was the greatest thing since sliced bread
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2015
  11. abernardi

    abernardi Friend

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    That's strange, I think these are great speakers, but in my listening experience with these, the placement was extremely finicky, otherwise they sounded really terrible.

    Frankly, I'm salivating over the promise of these things, but I'm wary because I've yet to hear an electrostatic headphone I could live with. The sound is incredibly impressive to begin with, but the STAX in particular (009, not the 007's) bring on hearing fatigue pretty quickly for me. I owned some Koss electrostatics a long time ago and found myself not listening to them all that much. I know many think I'm crazy, but I liked the King headphones with their tube amp. All of them however had a similar sound signature to me: Extreme clarity and detail, but something not quite right, almost like a very high resolution photograph that makes you go, "Wow, that is a very hi rez photo, look how clear it is, that must have a zillion pixels!!!" but never do you think, "Wow that looks REAL!" Maybe it's something similar to the original Technicolor or even Kodachrome (not for clarity, but colors, I mean)
     
  12. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    A pm from a kse1500 owner when asked about sub-bass and and realism of string timbre:


    "
    Kunlun,



    Sub-bass extension is excellent in home or office environments. I also tried on my morning commute, and have to report that sub-bass was pretty much wiped out. The closed design goes a long way towards damping outside noise, but commuting racket can still easily mask those low frequencies. This is equally true for other IEMs known for good bass, like the SE846.



    Orchestral recordings do sound very realistic, and as a fan of chamber music I can say that strings do sound quite nice indeed. I hope that you have a chance to audition these IEMs soon.



    Regards,

    "
     
  13. hawaiiancerveza

    hawaiiancerveza Friend

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  14. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Thanks!

    I like how he says "boomshakalaka" to himself like it's his little comforting power word.
     
  15. Kunlun

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    He's having no hiss issues, but bass is not doin' it for him. That's a shame, Shure.
     
  16. hawaiiancerveza

    hawaiiancerveza Friend

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    electro stats don't offer much bass do they? Maybe just enough to know its there but not much umph.
     
  17. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    Seems like it, no air-moving feeling that you get with a dynamic, for example.
     
  18. abernardi

    abernardi Friend

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    That's a general problem I have with all planars, speakers too...
     
  19. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    Pair em with a sub 70 Hz and down, that definitely gave life to my uncle's Maggie setup.
     
  20. roscoeiii

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    Thought I'd poke my head in, since I'm not seeing any KSE1500 owners over here. I came from the Shure 846 to the KSE1500, and great bass is an audio requirement for me (thus 846, duh). And you'd think that coming from the 846 to the 1500 would lay bare any bass deficiencies that the KSE1500 might have.

    Lemme tell you, the bass on the 1500 is excellent. While often a weakness of electrostats in headphone or speaker form, the amount of bass, bass extension and detail are excellent. Want a little more? Use the built in EQ on the DAC/amp.

    I also brought these to a local headphone meet and other folks who tried them were equally confused by reports of bass being lacking. Maybe due to a poor seal, was the speculation.

    I also got the Sensaphonics custom silicon shells, and they are fabulous with these IEMs. such excellent isolation. Not sure why but the shells also seemed to increase the soundstage (the one knock on these IEMs in my book, but this is a weakness of closed designs and IEMs in general).

    And I do think that Jude's video review captures one thing that is special about these IEMs: You get the electrostat detail and low distortion with major isolation from ambient noise. You're not going to get that any other way than a soundproofed room. Quite a special experience.
     

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