Two Shure Headphones

Not too long ago we reviewed the Shure SE530 earphones, which were no doubt brilliant, but just too darn expensive for India. It’s always been our mission to find something cheaper, and as far as possible with comparable sound quality, so let’s look at two lower-end Shure models (SE310 and SE420) and see if they deliver the goods.

Design and Features
SHURE SE310
The SE310 is lighter and more slender than the 530. It comes in two color schemes, and we got the black model. Each globular earpiece is rimmed right in the centre with a thin but conspicuous metallic strip. One side contains the outward facing matte surface that bears the Shure logo, while the other contains the needle-like protrusion that’s the driver.

A number of accessories are included with the product: rubber/foam buds, a neat oval pouch, and a modular cable extension that enables the listener to use different sources as players; e.g. a PC cabinet kept on the floor or an MP3 player in one’s pocket. We like the foam buds, and prefer them to rubber, as these are more flexible and take the shape of individual ear canals easily.

As for the stated specs, this unit has an impedance of 28 ohms, which is lower than in normal models, (due to the high-efficiency, balanced armature design) while the sensitivity is 111dB. Something tells me these headphones will be loud. The frequency range is from 22 Hz -19 kHz. The drivers are not normal voice coils; they are balanced armature drivers, which explains the high prices of these models.

SHURE SE420
Shure makes great sounding products, even at ridiculous price points, but form factor is not one of their selling points. Calling the SE420 ugly won’t be right; they’re anything but that, but they do have a very plain, no-frills design. Memory foam is a good decision; more for a right fit than any sound reproduction.

The drivers are positioned in a 45 degree angle from the center, which helps it into the canals without ado. It blocks over 90 percent of ambient noise, which is excellent. The kit includes three different sizes, so make sure you install the right one, for obvious reasons!

The impedance is 22 ohms, while the sensitivity is 109dB. The frequency range is 20Hz – 19kHz.

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Performance
SHURE SE310
While using the foam sleeves, care must be taken to properly insert the ear buds right in and wait for the foam to expand perfectly to take your canal’s shape. Otherwise most of the bass gets lost. Also, this one too is darn loud, like the SE530s. So lower the volume on the player already, or the spiking mid frequencies will make you cringe. A few dB less and things start to sound better.

Once a perfect volume is set, the sound is quite good. The mids are still very forward for my taste, and it could sound too crisp and sharp at times. Electronic music sounds bad; it’s well-recorded pop, rock, and jazz that sound quite brilliant. The frequency response has decent bass; it’s not thudding though there is a depth and thickness in the sound. The highs are also impressive, in perfect control and providing just the right amount of sibilance, if it’s uncompressed or lossless formats like flacs. The sound detail is impeccable.

SHURE SE420
This set is equipped with Dual TruAcoustic MicroSpeakers that are responsible for the pristine sound. Don’t crank the volume up high, or you risk losing your hearing. Additionally, you won’t even get to enjoy the true output of the SE420. It employs two balanced armature drivers that serve as dedicated tweeter and woofer. So you know there are different drivers separating the highs and lows.

Don’t get carried away and start peaking the volume, or the mids will drive you nuts. But as I have seen with most earphones that come with dual drivers, the highs are a bit accentuated. People who love jazz will simply love the individual sound schemes.