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Sound Quality |
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• Good frequency response, but underemphasized higher frequencies.
• Low, even levels of distortion.
• Relatively even tracking.
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Tour & Design |
Page 3 of 12 |
Isolation |
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About our testing:
For more information on our tests, read this article.
Frequency Response (5.26)
What we found:
The SE530s had an average frequency response. The main problem we saw with then was that they sort of cut off some of the higher frequencies. As you can see, both the left an right channels dip below the limits towards the high end. This means that spoken sibilance will sound slightly muted, among other things.
While this is an issue, the rest of the curve is great. The bass is slightly emphasized, but not overpowering, and the rest of the response is more or less even.
How the Shure SE530 compares:
What is frequency response?
Frequency response refers to the decibel level the headphones play any given frequency. Some headphones add an emphasis to the bass or high end, which is called a dynamic response.
How the test works:
First we put the headphones on HATS. Then we play a frequency sweep through the headphones, which HATS records. Using the original sound file and the collected data, we can figure out exactly how much emphasis or deemphasis the headphones add to any given frequency. We award the most points to headphones that faithfully represent the frequencies they're being sent. For more info, look at the following link.
Distortion (4.59)
What we found:
The Shure SE530 didn't show a lot of distortion, but it did have some. In general, low, even levels of distortion aren't particularly noticeable. The average consumer should have no issues with the SE530s performance.
How the Shure SE530 compares:
What is distortion?
Disortion refers to any differences between the sounds being sent to your headphones and the sounds that come out of them. Unlike frequency response, which only measures emphasis, distortion deals with fundamental differences in the shapes of sound waves.
How the test works:
Like our frequency response test, we play a series of sounds through the headphones, using HATS to record the playback. We then compare the shape of the incoming soundwave to the original and look for differences. The percentages in the graph above reflect the percentage of distortion present at each listed frequency. For more info on the matter, check out our "How We Test" page, here.
Tracking (10.20)
What we found:
There really isn't a lot to say here. This line is just about as straight as you can get. The Shure SE530s have near-perfect tracking.
How the Shure SE530 compares:
What is tracking?
Tracking refers to the overall balance of the headphones, or the relative levels of the left and right channels. When instructed to do so, the left and right channels should always output equal decibel levels. When the left is louder than the right or vice versa, the headphones have poor tracking.
How the test works:
This test is similar to our frequency response test. We play back a known sound file that sweeps frequencies between 20Hz and 20kHz. Each channel is instructed to play at the same decibel level. HATS ears listen, then ship the data back to SoundCheck. Using SoundCheck, we compare the volume of each channel. When the left is louder, the graph above will peak; when the right is louder, the graph will dip. You can find out more about this test here.
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