EmailBest Reviewed
Earphones
- Best-value earphones Etymotic ER-6i *Est. $80
- Budget earbuds for the gym Sennheiser MX75 Sport *Est. $30
- Best noise-canceling earphones Panasonic RP-HC55 *Est. $60
- Best audiophile earphones Shure SE530 *Est. $450
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Best audiophile earphones
- Excellent sound quality
- Triple-driver design
- Better bass than most earphones
- In-line volume control
- Expensive
- May protrude
The Shure SE530 earphones, an update of the old Shure E500PTH, receive more recommendations than just about other any in-canal earphone. Sound quality and detail are top-notch thanks to their triple-driver design: a tweeter (for high-frequency sounds) and two woofers (for low-frequency sounds) in each earpiece. This gives the SE530 more bass response than competing earphones, which often disappoint in the low end. Shure updated the tweeter design when it renamed the E500PTH the SE530, but experts say that for all intents and purposes, the two are identical. Reviewers say the earphones are comfortable, though some complain that they tend to protrude. Useful extras, such as airplane and quarter-inch adapters, a hard-shell carrying case and a push-to-hear adaptor (when you need to mute your music) are also included.
The Shure SE530 earphones earn glowing reviews on CNET, one of the most comprehensive review websites for earphones. PCMag.com and iLounge.com are also thorough and well-regarded sources for earphones reviews, and both give the Shure SE530 a positive review. The SE530 earphones are at or near the top of the best-buy lists compiled by EarphoneSolutions.com, HeadRoom and OnHeadphones.com.
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Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET's Jasmine France lists the Shure SE530 as her top choice among high-end earphones. She praises their stellar sound quality, durable build and useful extras. Bass response and detail are both very good, although France says that the triple-driver earphones are a bit large and may protrude.
Review: Shure SE530 Sound Isolating Earphones, Jasmine France, Aug. 20, 2007
In addition to occasional roundups, editors at PCMag.com also review new headphones individually. The Shure E500PTH (now the Shure SE530) win the Editors' Choice award for in-canal earphones, with Mike Kobrin saying that they're comfortable enough to leave in all day and sound "amazing."
Review: Shure E500PTH, Mike Kobrin, Oct. 8, 2008
3. iLounge.com
iLounge.com reviews iPod and iPhone accessories, including headphones and earphones. Writeups by editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz are detailed, though some older reviews are less so, and site navigation is difficult at times. He gives the Shure SE530 an A grade, saying that they test better than all other high-end earphones across all musical genres.
Review: Shure E500PTH / SE530PTH Sound Isolating Earphones, Jeremy Horwitz, July 27, 2006
EarphoneSolutions.com tests and sells earphones, ranking the best models. Grado headphones are used as reference, and all earphones plugged into an iPod for evaluation. Site navigation can be tricky, and the thoroughness of reviews varies from model to model. The Shure SE530 earphones finish second behind the Westone 3 True 3-Way Driver Earphones, but are cited as best for sound and comfort.
Review: The Best Earphones for iPod and Other MP3 Players, Editors of EarphoneSolutions.com
This site gives provides ratings with pros, cons and a bottom line. Editors' Choice designations don't appear on summary pages; you have to pull up the full review for this information. The Shure SE530 gets an Editors' Choice rating for its balanced sound and isolation, and the interchangeable parts and cables are also praised.
Review: Shure SE530, Editors of OnHeadphones.com, April 17, 2007
6. HeadRoom
While HeadRoom only rates headphones it sells, editors give useful overviews based on technical testing (though they tend to push other products they sell, like amplifiers and cables). Editors say the Shure SE530 is "for serious music lovers always jamming on the move, these are likely the flagship earphone."
Review: Shure SE530, Editors of HeadRoom
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