I have not heard the Klipsch X10's, but have had the pleasure of owning a pair of Shure SE530s for about a year now. These were preceeded by the SE420s and E3Cs before that, so you could say that I am a Shure fan...must be all those years of watching singers with Shure mics and more latterly Shure in-ear monitors on stage.
So I am biased. That caveat aside, I am filled with nothing but admiration for the se530s - they are more than a league above the SE420's, which are incidentally very, very good. I use the 530s with an iPod Classic and now iPhone to listen to mainly 320kps Apple lossless rips, but also a few downloaded movies and TV shows. Yes, the earphones cost more than the iPod, but boy do they transform the listening experience. I also have an oldish pair or Sennheiser HD 600s - but the Shures have made these redundant.
Getting the right fit for the Shures for some is a challenge. That gets easier, and a good fit is key to 1. the best bass response and 2. full exterior noise isoloation. It is the isolation that I feel is part of the reason these earbuds are such an involving, detailed and revealing listen. Once fitted properly the 530s amaze straight out of the box with a wide spacial soundstage and depth to the music that belies their tiny size. Bass registers lower than any other ear budsI have tried, but also extends and decays at the just right rate and with a lovely reverberation where the recording needs it. Bijork's "All Is Full Of Love" contains the sort of sub bass that is very hard for some sytems to reproduce, let alone control. The Shures are spot on. The detail in the mid range is clear as a bell and never tiring but always involving. WHiFiI think mention some sibilience in the treble in their review which I have have failed to detect. Of all the hi fi bits I have bought, these ear buds definately most improve their performance after a few weeks use. Cons? Playing with ipod EQ they can bottom out on some heavy rock and Massive Attack type stuff, but this is occasional and more about the physics than product design/build, plus I generally listen with EQ controls set at flat. I have US spec (derestricted vol controls) iPod 160gb Classic, and you could definately do some damage if you listem near maxium on a modern dynamic recording.
What is still thrilling about these is that I am still hearing 'new' bits in old familiar recordings and more cohesion in many old favourites. Ryan Adams "Harder Now that It's Over" from the 'Gold' CD comes up trumps every time witha new register to the tom tom drum fill just after first chorus. Makes me smile. The Red Hot Chili Peppers "Hey" from Stadium Arcadium thrills with just a fantastic-sounding two string harmonic bass line, with the lead guitar just fizzing around it, before it's Hendrix-like solo rips away. Listening nirvana for me. Richard Hawley's "As The Dawn Breaks" from his great 'Truelove's Gutter' CD, my current fav go to sleep sound, has so much engaging timbre and ambience that just allow his soft vocals to wash me to slumber. Bliss.
On long haul flights, in cars (as passenger...), trains etc, I can now isolate the world and transport myself away with really high quality sounds. A downside is that I can't always hear our 3 year old yelling, or the 13 nd 15 year olds squabbling, but there you go.
I have been catching up with 'The Wire' series and really got hooked into the excellent theme music. I had to stop watching Paranormal Activity in bed on the iPhone whilst whole house was asleep, 'cos the eerieness of the sound and building tension through the Shures was scaring me.
I bought the Shures without demo - hard to find somewhere who can/will demo in ear buds (cost, hygiene etc) but have never onceregretted it. I have spent more on a cable in pursuit of less sonic gain. I paid £250 for mine on line. I believe they were the thick end of £500 when first released. I would happily pay £500 as the sonic thrills are worth every penny. They are a bargain at £230. I say this to myself (in a non-mantra way) everytime I put them on.
10/10 for the Shure 530s. Best VFM piece of HiFi I bought in a while (next to Squeezebox Classic and Audioengine A5s for my office). I am now off to listen to the new God Is an Astronaut "Age Of the Fifth Sun" recording on my Classic, whilst I do my diary for this coming week. I feel no need to upgrade. But never say never.