Shure SE535 In-ear Headphones Review

Tour & Design

Tour

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The Shure SE535s are a set of high-end in-ears. They feature detatchable ear buds, which either allow the addition of in-line accessories or allow users to replace a broken cable. Cables are the weakest part of a set of in-ears, and are also the cheapest part to replace. You should consider the SE535s an investment in this regard, since you'll just have to replace a relatively cheap part of them when they break down.

 

Like other Shure headphones, the SE535s feature long, open nozzles that will get filled with all kinds of gross stuff from your disgusting ears. Don't fret, however: they also come with a cleaning tool for extracting all the biological waste they collect.

 

Also like other Shure headphones, the SE535s feature a very robust cable. It's thick with insulation, which should keep the cable from breaking down as quickly as it would on another, less beefy set of headphones. The neck split is also pretty well protected. The word "rugged" is often over-used in tech journalism, and while we'll avoid using it here, if any set of in-ears *could *be considered rugged (they can't), it'd be a pair of Shures.

 

And, for the denoumont of our thrilling tour, SE535s end in a typical 1/8-inch plug. It's somewhat thick, however, so don't expect to easily hook up to a recessed port.

 

And finally, the SE535s in a white rubber ear. In addition to this wear style, the SE535s' cord can also be wrapped around the back of the ear.

 

 

In The Box

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Inside the SE535's fancy metal box, you'll find a bunch of sleeves, some adapters, a volume control switch, and a carrying case.

**Durability**     (*9.00**)*

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Shure's in-ears are usually durable, and the SE535s are even better in that regard than their predecessors. The SE535s have lost the modular cable in favor of detachable ear buds. That means if any part of the cable breaks down, you can just swap it out for a new one.

Of course, the open nozzle allows gunk to get inside your headphones. They're not too tough to clean, though.

 

 

**Aesthetics**     (*6.00**)*

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Like the rest of the SE series, the SE535s have some Plain Jane aesthetics. They're a mix of greys, and all they have going for them is their design, and that runs the risk of annoying users. This being said, the SE535s aren't bad looking. Overall, the SE535s don't have anything to catch anyone's eye, for better or worse. TK