Shure SE535 Ltd Review – Red is best.

Shure SE535 Ltd Review

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Current testing methodology is v1.2

We have to say, this Shure SE535 Limited Edition Review was one of our most enjoyable reviews to do. For years we have dreamt of spending hours listening to these since they were a Japan/Asia only model (slightly different specs for Asia and Americas we understand – only slightly).

Shure SE535 LTD Review
Shure SE535 LTD Review. IEM’s that really do look great in red.

Update 2019 – there are now two models available for the Shure SE535Ltd. One is wired and one is wireless with the RMCE-BT1 cable

The Shure SE535LTD or Limited Edition comes in one colour, RED. If colour is important to you then you still have the options of the SE535 Clear and SE535 Bronze – while they have a slightly different sound signature, they are still Shure and still sound amazing. The SE535LTD have a few defining elements worth pointing out.

  • The first is that they fit beautifully and have a nice profile in the ear. Possibly the most comfortable IEM’s we have worn, even beating the Westone UM Pro 50’s.
  • A second is that they come with the iPhone compatible cables (2 in fact) which make these a great choice for commuters.
  • The third would be they have a wonderful sound signature (if it suits you, more on that below).
  • The fourth element, which we feel worth mentioning as we really weren’t sure at first, is that RED is a cool colour for these IEM earphones.

Shure SE535 Ltd Tech Specs

Sensitivity – 119 dB SPL/mW
Frequency Range – 18Hz – 19.5kHz
Cable Style – 2 detachable remote + mic cables: 57” M+ Cable for iPhone, 57” M Cable for other music enabled phones with 3.5 mm jack
Colour – Limited Edition Red
Speaker Type – Triple High-Definition MicroDrivers

Bass Notes

It seems wrong to lead with the bass notes for the SE535 LTD as it is the most contentious point for these IEM’s. For some the Bass is punchy and satisfying, for others the bass is punchy but slightly lacking for what they want.

Personally we felt the bass does sit back in the mix a little bit, but it is punchy and tight. We loved the feel and wanted a little more. The longer we listened to the these Limited Editions the more we became accustomed to the bass signature and it grew on us.

Like coffee and beer sometimes you just have to try it for a while to like it.

Mid Notes

Oh my, oh my. This is where the magic starts to happen. The soundscape is broad and open, the detailing is delightful and the instrumentation is rich.

This is why these earphones get 4-5* ratings as the norm. Be warned though, if your recordings are poor quality you might want to upgrade to a higher quality or these are going to make your music sound like the poor cousin.

The better the audio source, the better these perform. 

High Notes (Treble)

Nice nice nice. Some say these roll-off at the higher frequencies and we can see why, but for the majority or users the treble on these sits well balanced with the mids. They continue to accent the great sound stage and crisp sound signature. 

PRAT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing)

Bang on. All the time, every time. This is something Shure get right every time in our opinion. 

Emotional Quotient (EQ)

The bass signals for some people that want lots of bass might mean you don’t get the EQ from these. For us, we definitely loved these and felt the EQ especially on tracks like Neon Cathedral by Macklemore and Hush Yael by Oh Sleeper (get the story and it’s a moving song…honest!). 

Noise Isolation

Excellent like all IEM’s with the right foams. Would consider even getting custom moulds done for these beauties. 

Build Quality

Both excellent and impressive. It’s not till you get these in your hands till you realise they are a tightly designed unit that fits and feels fantastic in the ears.

Shure SE535-LTD Accessories

These come with:

  • Foam & Soft Flex Sleeves (S, M & L)
  • Yellow Foam Sleeves
  • Triple Flange Sleeves
  • Carrying Case
  • 1/4″ Adapter
  • Volume Control
  • M Cable (for Music Enabled Phones)
  • M+ Cable (for Apple Products)
Shure SE535LTD Accessories
Shure SE535 Accessories. A great selection including case.

Shure SE535LTD Review Conclusion

We’ve had feedback from customers who listen to a lot of Dubstep and Drum & Bass and they rave about the SE535 Limited Edition, even after previously owning a pair of SE535. For us some Skrillex and Jay Z did sound great through these. Some of the mid-level produced rock like The Fray and Imagine Dragons didn’t resonate as strong as some would like but we still liked it.

Other genres including Classical, Metal, R&B, Folk, Alternative came through strong – these handled everything well.

We LOVE everything about these earphones and if it seems we have laboured the bass issue it’s only because in earphones that are so nice for the price, the bass response was the only thing we could pick on. 

If you like these but need more Bass try the Westone B50Westone UM Pro 50 or the Shure SE846…but you’ll have a pay a little more. 🙂

Check pricing and more reviews & details

ALSO READ: Best in-ear Monitors Guide

Shure SE535LTD Review Image of IEM earbuds
Shure SE535 Ltd earphones
Build Quality
Features
Value for Money
Sound Quality
Comfort
What we like (Pros)
Colour - the red looks awesome
Bluetooth cable option if you go for the BT1 cable version
Light & Comfortable once you get them settled
Lovely sound signature
What we like less (Cons)
mmm...tricky this one. Maybe the price these days? But still so good.
4.4

Endless hours of experimentation, professional work, and personal investment in Home Theatre, Hi-Fi, Smart Home Automation and Headphones have come to this.

Former owner of Headphones Canada, a high-end headphone specialty retailer.


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