Headphone Reviews

Shure KSE1500 electrostatic in-ear headphone system Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Sources: Antipodes DX Reference v2.2 music server; PonoPlayer; Apple MacBook Pro running OS 10.11.4, Pure Music 3.0.6, iPhone 6S.
Headphone Amplifiers: Metric Halo ULN-2, Mytek Brooklyn.
Headphones: Audeze LCD-X, Ultimate Ears 18-Pro.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Coffee, USB, generic, FireWire; AC and analog: manufacturers' own.—John Atkinson

COMPANY INFO
Shure Inc.
5800 W. Touhy Avenue,
Niles, IL 60714-4608
(800) 257-4873
www.shure.com/americas
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
dalethorn's picture
Submitted by dalethorn on November 1, 2016 - 12:13pm

I had three of the Pro4AA's, from circa 1973 through 1975, and I remember them as bass-heavy and hot on the ears (most circumaural headphones don't bother me). Two of those failed, as well as my ESP9's, but I was able to fix all of them (earpiece wiring) at the time. I never heard the ESP6, but the ESP9 was fairly neutral I thought, or as advertisements declared at that time, "Flatter than water on a plate".

tonykaz's picture
Submitted by tonykaz on November 1, 2016 - 6:24pm

Especially considering you've got Ages of experience to base it on and your experience includes being a Recording Engineer that actually knows what your music sounds like, no guessing or guesswork for you. ( like Bob Katz, I think )

Hmm, universal fit design, all the better.

After 5 years of following headphones and Audiophile related stuff, I've discovered 4 consistently reliable Authorities who write : Joker, Tyll, JA and possibly Steve.G of CNET. I've been reading JA since the 1980s ( HFNews & RR ).

I hope that snap of JA crying in his Beer is only a 'funny'.

Tony in Michigan

dalethorn's picture
Submitted by dalethorn on November 2, 2016 - 9:23am

I have about 140 headphone reviews now with EQ charts. Been doing them since 2011, although the experience starts in the mid 1970's. Probably my biggest discovery is that EQ doesn't just balance frequencies, but done right it restores musical tonality, soundstage, and overall a natural sound experience.

tonykaz's picture
Submitted by tonykaz on November 2, 2016 - 11:09am

Human Ear transducers all have different response curves, as do individual's Brains.

Eq ( High-End's greatest Taboo, even greater than lamp cord speaker cable ), is critically important.

Don't leave home without it.

Tony in Michigan

dalethorn's picture
Submitted by dalethorn on November 2, 2016 - 12:45pm

But the music played live has only one response, and the proper role of EQ is to make your recordings sound just like the live music you hear. Ear differences are irrelevant.

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