Shure SE425-V Dual High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Metallic Silver)
Review by Theodore D. Olson "KINGTED" : 425s vs 535s vs 530s

This is a review of both the Shure 535s and 425s. I have previously owned the Shure E5s and 530s. I am replacing my 530s because I accidentally left them on a plane in a rush between flights, bummer.

So after reading other peoples Amazon reviews of the 425s and the 535s I decided to try the 425s to save some money. My first impressions were: Nice build. Cool detachable wires. I am glad they brought back the formable wire around the ears. The cord is lighter, stronger, and nicer. The cord is not modular anymore. I like the silver color under the clear plastic. They fit kinda differently, mildly uncomfortable in my concha (not the ear canal). The sound is the clearest yet. Where is the BASS? (yes I know how to make a proper seal in my ear canal)

I hoped maybe the 425s needed to be broken in properly, though I previously haven't had a need to break in my other Shure headphones. So I let them play for a few days and then tried again, but as I had feared the 425s still sounded very lacking in the low end. The odd part is they can reproduce frequencies all the way down to 20Hz, but they really roll off in volume at about 100Hz. If the music had any mids or highs the bass felt lacking. So I ordered the 535s.

First impressions of the 535s: Exactly the same shape as the 425s, the cords are interchangeable and the dimensions are identical. I like having the clear plastic option again but think I prefer the new color on the inside of the plastic style. Here is the bass the 425s lack. The 535s sound very much like the 530s but even clearer. With the increased clarity, they also sound brighter than the 530s.

To my ears the 425s and 535s sound the same above about 100Hz. In fact, to me, the 425s sound like a great pair of bookshelf speakers with a misplaced subwoofer. Keeping with the speaker analogy, the 535s would be towers in the same line with the same tweeter and mids but also integrated subs. In terms of production I cannot imagine the 535s cost $200 more to make, but to my ears the 535s are the only way to go. As someone else mentioned if you only listened to older recordings or classical music (without timpani or cannons) the 425s would most likely work well, but they do not work for rock, rap, or electronica.

I think I actually would choose the 530s over the 535s or the 425s. The reason is, I find the 535s a bit too bright despite them being clearer (I am the type of listener who prefers tubes and electrostatic speakers). And while the new cables are better, have the formable wire around the ear again, and are replaceable I miss the modular design and don't like how the headphones rotate. Since they rotate around where the wire connects to the headphone it is harder to use the formable wire to maintain the proper alignment in my ear and insert them. All of my comparisons to the 530s are based on memory, because I lost them. I will be returning the 425s and keeping the 535s.

I did most of my listening using my zune 120 and hp laptop with a nuforce icon mobile headphone amp using high bitrate ripped wmas and amazon bought mp3s.

Shure SE425-V Dual High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Metallic Silver)
Review by Carl Capasso : Great sound but.....

....I purchased a pair of SE425 ear buds to replace a set of Shure e4c earbuds that died a premature death from wire insulation "rot" thinking that the replaceable cords would solve the problem. Well they do, but there is another problem inherent in the design that is not readily apparent....until you try to replace the sleeves with new ones. With my pair, the sleeves(only had them for 5 weeks)had become fused to the stems. So upon trying to remove them following the instructions in the manual, the stems snapped off!!! Well, with e4c buds they are replaceable but with the SE425 buds the stems are an integral part of the earbud and are NOT replaceable. My suggestion to those who purchase these is that the 1st thing you do when you get them is to try to swap out the sleeves sometime before the Amazon 30 day return policy expires. Hopefully the 2 year warranty will save the day for me. I will keep you posted!

OK.... its 2/24/11 and I got my replacements already from Shure. Great turn-around! Raised the star value up to a 4 from a 1. They sound great but I am still disappointed in the fact that the stems are not replaceable. Although the sleeves remove easier on this pair, I would guess that this will happen again sometime in the future. Maybe with the next generation of earbuds, they will get it right. Would I buy them again? Yep! I like them that much!

Shure SE425-V Dual High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Metallic Silver)
Review by S. Amin "mshahnoora" : Brief, Direct review of Shure SE425

Hi Everyone,
I just received my SE425's 2 days ago, and have had ample time to "break them in". After spending almost $300, I'm not sure if they're exactly as I expected. I previously had the Shure E2C, SE210, and SE310; all of them were wonderful in their own ways at their price points.

However, the SE425 have very similar sound to the now-discontinued and discounted SE310 even with two discrete drivers, while costing more (after SE310 price discounts). The cables are too rigid near the ears, making for uncomfortable wearing. Also, the nozzles/earpieces don't go as deep in the ear canal as previous models, but surprisingly without sacrificing sound isolation. The bass is too understated, even compared to Shure's "flat-sound" standards. The detachable cables are an amazing innovation (finally implemented), especially since my previous models have gone through 3-4 cable warranty repairs (crackling sound) while the drivers themselves were perfectly fine.

Beware, the earphone plug-in piece is quite large, making it very difficult to fit in iPhone/MP3 player cases (especially the iPhone 1st gen and iPhone 4 w/ bumper). The previous Shure models didn't have this problem, as their plug points were quite narrow.

Overall, the Shure SE425 seems more durable than previous models, but their high price point with only marginal improvements makes it slightly difficult to justify over previous Shure models, which are now heavily discounted.

I'm do not claim to be an audiophile who listens to music only through Amps and such, though I do value and understand quality audio. I mainly use these headphones with my iPhone 4 and laptop with higher bitrate songs (320 KPBS+ VBR).

Hopefully this helps, and good luck in your earphone search!!

Shure SE425-V Dual High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Metallic Silver)
Review by Chris Marciano : A good alternative to similar M-Audio IEMs

For a while, M-Audio had a very good reputation for making Dual/Triple Driver IEMs (In-ear monitors). For whatever reason, they have canceled the product line. So, when looking into picking up a pair for myself, I was wondering where to turn.

Bottom line: these are a great option; in fact, an improvement on what could be considered the now-obsolete M-Audio offerings. These are certainly pro in-ear earphones; as a DJ myself, I would highly recommend them to anyone of similar interest. They make for a good alternative to the conventional clunky over-ear headphone that has been the popular choice for years. They are also a good alternative to custom-made IEMs meant to fit your ear canal precisely. The issue with the latter is that they completely block out any ambient noise. Legendary DJ, Laidback Luke, has been known to take the custom route, but decided recently that he would like to hear the crowd when he plays, so he's currently using something very similar to Shure's product.

Find out what works for you, it's all that matters. Personally, I purchased these sight unseen and I was lucky, but some people may be hesitant to. I can assure you though, you'll fall in love with them. Less-than-stellar reviews you may read about weak bass are nonsense, and clearly these people are not true audiophiles. You're not buying a car stereo here to play 'Beamer, Benz, or Bentley' with; you're buying a discrete professional alternative to the more cumbersome over-the-ear headphone.

Shure SE425-V Dual High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Metallic Silver)
Review by Rory : Sound Amazing... Miss Old Style

I bought these to replace my broken SE420's which sounded amazing.
These also sound great but aren't as comfortable on the ear. I can wear them for about 2 hours until the redesigned body start to really press against my lower ear causing discomfort.
I also really miss the detachable cable wear the two wires split. Ideal if you are using the "Push to Hear" device.