TechRadar Verdict
Pros
- +
They sound great
- +
Comes with carry case
- +
Plenty of bud-sizes to choose from
- +
Other accessories included
Cons
- -
They're pricey
- -
Can be filddly to fit
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
There are three types of earphones; those that look good, those that sound good, and those that look and sound awful.
The Shure SE535 earphones sit firmly in the second category. Stylish and good-looking they are not, but they do sound utterly fantastic.
It's only when you treat yourself to a pair of earphones like this that you realise how good music can sound. That said, if you're listening to low-bitrate MP3s, you needn't bother.
These earphones show up the inadequacies of compressed music more than any other earphones out there. Unless you're listening to decent source, the extra money you'd pay for these isn't worth it.
Our test album for these earphones was a FLAC copy of The King of Limbs. It's a well produced album which does a great job of showing off the ninja audio skills of these high-end earphones.
However, as we alluded earlier, they can be a bit of a fiddle to use. It takes a bit of practise to perfect the installation of each unit into your ear. And if you've got long hair, it's even more difficult. Like other Shure earphones, the bud is inserted into your ear drum and the cable is designed to go up and over the back of your ear.
It's not as simple as popping them in and out like a pair of iPod headphones. That said, is the effort worth it? Of course it is. These earphones are brilliant, and if you can afford them they'll do your music justice in ways most earphones can only aspire to.
