The earpieces are comfortablelistening sessions could last an entire evening without my ears becoming sweaty. There are, of course, multiple similarities between Shures spinoff electrostatic buds and the KSE1500, including the same translucent housings complete with multiple eartip options for the same uber-isolating fit, as well as the same custom-designed, Kevlar-reinforced cable with proprietary six-pin connection. victor ha-fw10000jvc . Still, the iSines open-back design reproduces a completely different sound, and theyre not nearly as easy to wear. On the back, theres a micro USB input for charging the internal battery a conventional 5V/0.5-1.0A charger will do. Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Veiti 23.03.2019. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. The payoff is a headphones system that is among the most accurate weve ever encountered. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Were less understanding about the supplied amps digital-to-analogue conversion circuitry, which loses a decent chunk of subtlety and authority compared with the 3.5mm line input. For such a compact unit it's surprisingly heavy, at 155g, largely due to a large Lithium-ion battery pack. We switch to Stravinskys The Rite Of Spring and the Shures continue to weave their spell with a performance that brims with insight and dynamic contrasts. 0. The $3,000 USD asking price made the KSE1500 one of the most expensive IEM systems on the market and it was also one of the first electrostatic IEMs ever made for consumers. Having listened to a number of electrostatic headphones over the past five years, I had very high expectations for the KSE1200. Because the KSE1500 amplifier has inputs and outputs on opposite ends of its case, it can't comfortably fit in a shirt or jacket pocket. Enter the Shure KSE1200. Scroll to continue reading. More recently I became an owner of Stax earspeakers too. Your email address will not be published. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty. What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. It's as good as the bass I've heard from any over-ear or IEM headphones, and faster and more real than others. Tonally these are beautifully even. Right-angled plugs simply rotate under tension and are far more reliable, in my experience. I have that set and really do love them, but admittedly they are harsh in poorly-mastered songs and not so great with modern genres. We reviewed these electrostatic buds back in 2016, and their combination of clever engineering and brilliant sound was enough to bag five stars and our whole-hearted affection. Shure Asia Limited, 22/F, 625 King's . . Look this is actually simple, you all spend thousands on amplifiers. I'd have to say these are the most transparent and natural-sounding earphones I've ever heard. In some ways, the KSE1200s dumbed-down analog system may be more future proofed than their digital cousins, though with the continual demise of the headphone jack in phones, you may want to buy a dedicated player. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Using the world's first and only electrostatic earphone design, the KSE1200s deliver astonishingly accurate and sublime sound. The final recording I made at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, in 1998, featured Mozart's Piano Quartet 1 in g, K.478, with Pinchas Zukerman on violin, Cynthia Phelps on viola, Eric Kim on cello, and Marc Neikrug on piano. The TV's XR 4K Upscaling will let you enjoy HD content in nearly 4K quality, while XR Motion Clarity ensures smoothness and clarity even when there are fast-moving images such as in action movies and sports programs. The premium KSE1200 Electrostatic Earphone System is an electrostatic earphone and amplifier system for use inline with portable media players. 2 Year Warranty. From left: Beyerdynamic Xelento, Noble Audio Kaiser Encore, Campfire Audio Solaris and Shure SE-846. So I never use the EQ. Shure include a nice complement of cables for connecting to all your devices. I found the fit comfortably snug and secure, and I could shake my head and jump about without any fear of losing the earpieces. Headphones - IEM/Earbud. The midrange performance is superb, giving vocals all of the clarity, detail, resolution, and texture they require to sound accurate. I have the impression of participating in a concert, during which someone has asked me to go out and I can still hear music seemingly still very clearly, but it is only a distant echo and an incomplete picture. That clarity can be something of an issue when it comes to system matching. The overall weight comes in at 6 ounces and while that might seem like something you dont want to carry around attached to your Android or iPhone, it actually doesnt feel that heavy when you carry it around. We're unlikely to see an OLED TV from Sony get this cheap again anytime soon. The KSE1200s are terrifically responsive too, managing to track transients and the dynamic envelope of a note with unusual agility. Very few companies have done it well over the past 80 years. These singledriver electrostatic Sound Isolating earphones provide an astounding level of clarity and detail for the most discerning audio aficionados. 2. Looking back at my notes, the one thing that sticks out is the degree of accuracy that the KSE1200 are capable of. I spent quite a bit of time stuck on a chair in the air this year. Did your favorite headphone win? Apart from the KSE1500 (which essentially just add more features and options for more money), there arent many headphones worthy of comparison to the KSE1200. Why does Shure supply an amplifier in the first place? All rights reserved. When it comes to in-ears, our custom-made Ultimate Ears UE18+offer a warmer, smoother sound, but they cant come close to the clarity or precision and at $1,500, they shouldnt really be expected to. We were somewhat confused by the KSE1500 markings on the earpieces the energizer unit features a KSE1200 branding which apparently indicates which model you are using. https://www.dropbox.com/s/pg6rsh6w2ollj4l/Shure KSE1500.pdf?dl=0, https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/9o2f5n/psa_oratory1990s_list_of_eq_presets/, https://www.head-fi.org/threads/shutatic-earphones.785377/page-326#post-15504417, https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/Auratory1990/harman_in-ear_2019v2/Shure KSE1500. Again, the earpieces' extended, weighty low frequencies allowed the bass guitar and kick drum to appropriately underpin the craftsmanship of these musicians playing at the top of their game. Theres really nothing quite like Shures Electrostatic buds. Report . They were all well below dangerous levels. The supplied Fit Kit includes five pairs of sleeves, made of Soft Flex rubber in small, medium, and large, as well as sleeves of Soft Foam and Triple-Flange sleeves. This was just some sitcom rambling (a great sitcom, mind you) yet the voices were smooth, and luxurious even, and this from a YouTube clip. How does the technology even work in the context of a pair of earphones? At the low end of this spectrum, a live recording of Grateful Deads Cold Rain and Snow sounded like it had been dug up among Mayan ruins. The short lengths of cable connecting each KSE1500 earpiece to the yoke are stiffer and heavier than those of normal in-ear monitors (IEMs), which makes inserting the earpieces tricky. Cymbals have a lot of energy and detail that never sounds hard making the top end rather clean with most recordings. This works a bit like a capacitor microphone in reverse: an incredibly light but strong plastic film carrying a static-electric charge is suspended between a pair of conductive grilles. A leather pouch with belt loop is available as an accessory for around $45! Upper midrange feels hollow, thin, and is extremely shouty. He used Crin's measurement I've posted earlier. The charging process is not very fast with the micro-USB plug and one should expect between 3-4 hours to fully recharge the energizer once it is fully drained. KSE1200 UPDATE (with some thoughts on form factor) And it includes the amp! Once you have the source sorted, theres little to complain about here sonically. Copyright 1999-2023 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. About $50 in parts. Even in the nerdified halls of audiophilia, thats a gulp-inducing number. Bravia is one of Sony's best TV lines. The separation is brilliant but would like to have even more space and more air between the instruments. Headphones: Sennheiser HD800, Beyerdynamic T5P. Why you should buy the 55-inch Sony Bravia XR A90J OLED 4K TV KSE1200 Electrostatic Earphones are labeled KSE1500. Essentially, each micro-driver consists of a tiny membrane suspended between two miniature plates. Conventional IEMs also start to roll off in the top octave. The dynamic inflection with the KSE1200 was palpable here, giving a bigger sense of space and expansiveness, realism, and immersion for a live-studio feel. Shure KSE1500 Review - Shure KSE1500 Sound Isolating Electrostatic Earphones, Has anyone had any experience of the Sony IER-m9 vs the 1500. If something is sharp or sibilizes, we will hear it. I cant find an official case for the 1200 amp so Im wondering if anyone else has experienced this and found a workable solution?? Was gegen den Shure KSE 1200 spricht kann nur der Preis sein. The inclusion of this amplifier adds considerably to the cost. It was the pinnacle of Shures product lineup offering state-of-the-art performance with a rather high price tag. Heres how it works. . The Shure KSE1500 are very similar in their operation to the STAX over-ear electrostatic headphones that require the energizer to operate. CW-L05QD vs Shure KSE1200 (vs Zeus)? Bass is deep, powerful and tightly controlled. Just over two years later, a new set was presented, which includes the same KSE1500 headphones, this time in pair with the KSA1200 amplifier without the DAC function, which allowed to lower the price to 1999$. The updated price of $1,999 USD is still on the higher side and whilst it is a lot more affordable than the original KSE1500 and some other flagship models within the segment it is still double the price of the Shure SE846 Gen2 IEMs and does it really deliver that much better of a sonic experience? They have good amount of bass but they are not bassy by any means. When I switched over to the Sony WM1A DAP, I was able to switch back to the 0dB position because its output is significantly lower. Strongly recommended. Bass is great on KSE and it's already boosted from neutral and I personally would not want anything more however it will not be as pronounced, hefty and massive as in Atlas even with the EQ. 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