Shure SE425 user reviews

thomasagrant87 28 December 2011

Good: Great Sound, detachable cables, range of tips (fit), clear housing design

Bad: Takes a bit of time to get on (at first), L shaped jack may be a problem for some iPhone users.

Comment: After owning a pair of SE215's for four years (had to get two replacement sets due to cable fraying) I made the decision to upgrade and get the SE425's, which arrived in the post this morning.

I can already can tell a huge difference in audio quality, as the bass is much more pronounced - although not overly, and the detail coming out of the two drivers is much cleaner and markedly improved. Songs that sound great on the SE215's sound brilliant on the SE425's, as long as you have the highest bit rate capable to fully utilise the improved audio quality coming from the two drivers.

As mentioned above, I had to get a new pair of SE215's (twice!) when the cable frayed. Luckily the range comes with a two year warranty and this proved useful when the old sets were replaced free of charge and without hassle. It is worth noting that this flaw has finally been addressed by Shure with the detachable cables, which will undoubtably save disappointment down the line if you experience a problem (new cables can be bought for £44 instead of a whole new set if out-of-warranty).

Another benefit is the range of tips provided - from foam to rubber in various sizes, which aid in getting the best seal and sound quality from the earphones. Although I find the large foam tips have done me very well over the last 4 years I have decided to upgrade and get custom moulded sleeves (getting made tomorrow from a local audiologist), so I will add a short review of cost/benefit when they arrive in a few weeks!

There is a small downside to the SE425's though, as I struggled at first to get the earphones on in a timely manner and sitting nicely in the ear due to the design. However, with a bit of practice i've now got a good technique. The reviews that mark this down should not put people off - it's worth spending a bit of time to get a good, tight fit for the best quality. Plus, the earphones are difficult to dislodge and look especially good with the clear housing in this over-ear design.

I've also read other users have snapped the nozzle off the earphones in the first few days of use....how hard were you guys pulling the sleeves?! I've always found that if you twist and pull the sleeves gently with a firm grip, they come off with no bother whatsoever! I'm sure with force they would snap off, but it would have to be quite excessive! So it's best to take a bit of care when handling - just in case.

The other problem could be the rather large L-shaped jack that could get in the way of some bumper packs. I recently changed to an acrylic 'incase' cover over Christmas, which is not a problem, but my old bumper design won't let the jack in all the way. Maybe an excuse to get a nice new cover...

I hope I've given you guys a good review to understand whether the earphones are worth your hard earned cash! In my view the positives far outweigh the negatives (what a cliche!) but it's true! I've never tried the rival Klipsch x10i's (for info) so can't really compare fully for some of you! But hope this helps none the less.

Naryan 21 June 2011

Comment: WTF is with you CNET UK? All I want to know about these earphones is how good they sound, OK? I can find out the price for myself.

I look at your review, and on the plus side "+Great audio quality"

I look at the negatives and I see "-Sound quality not the greatest"


Who the f*** writes this stuff? What an absolute waste of everyone's time.

andydandy 21 June 2011

Good: The removable cables

Bad: Snappy nozzles & Sound not great

Comment: I do not know what it is but the sound was not as good from these as from the SE 310s they repalced. Also, the word was is important, because as noted int eh article on changing the earbud the nozzle broke off.........