
Philips SHE9550
Inexpensive IEMs that offer great value for money.
Pros
- Deep bass, smooth mid-range, sweet highs, comfortable to wear
Cons
- Bass may be a little too booming for some, a little lacking in mid and treble detail, soundstage could be wider
Bottom Line
Despite having a few minor issues, the overall quality of the audio is excellent considering the price tag. They are a great option for users looking to upgrade on a budget.
-
Price
$ 69.95 (AUD)
During the last year or so Philips has consistently managed to produce high quality IEMs that are reasonably priced. The SHE9550 headphones are its latest effort and they are no different. With a price tag just a little over $50, they are extremely affordable. While the audio is a little unrefined at times and can be quite bass heavy, the overall clarity is excellent. They are an excellent option for users looking for a cheap upgrade from their stock earbuds.
Right out of the box it is obvious that these IEMs have a fairly heavy emphasis on bass. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but purists who prefer a more neutral balance will probably be disappointed. We found it generally quite pleasing during our tests and it created a rich, dark sound in a lot of our heavy tunes. The bass was extremely booming and a little uncontrolled, but not to the point of being too bloated. There was enough detail and it extended very deeply.
Treble notes sounded good, although they could have used a little more sparkle. On the plus side they weren't harsh or too bright, which is a flaw we often encounter on lower-end headphones. Piano-based tunes sounded rich and there was plenty of pluck to acoustic guitar strings.
The mid-range was extremely smooth. Separation wasn't quite as good as on some other headphones but it was adequate. Everything tended to blend together nicely to create an enjoyable easy listening experience. If you're looking for a full-on, fun, lively presentation then the SHE9550s may not be for you but considering the price tag we're more than satisfied.
The soundstage is somewhat on the flat side and is probably the weakest element of these IEMs. Everything sounds quite two dimensional and lacks the immersive quality you'll find on some other units. It is still a step up from any kind of default earbuds but there are units that perform better in this regard on the market right now.
Noise cancelling is one of the big reasons to buy a set of IEMs. They offer all the portability of earbuds while blocking out a considerable amount of ambient sound. The SHE9550s did a reasonably good job in this regard. They aren't particularly large, so they don't shut out as much as some bigger units like the E500, but they do an adequate job and are fine for blocking out annoying ambient noise in your office.
On the flip side, the smaller build means they are extremely comfortable. We experienced no fatigue or pain at all, even during long listening sessions — making them ideal for arduous trips or all-day wear. The cord is a little short, measuring just 1.2 metres, but apart from that we have no complaints about the design.
Brand Post

Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Miofive 4K Dash Cam review: This friendly road watcher is ‘here for you!’
- 2 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 3 Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A review: This 4K monitor plays nice with consoles
- 4 Firewalla Gold review: Powerful home network security in a tiny box
- 5 Acer Aspire 5 review: An affordable laptop that’s enjoyable to use
Latest News Articles
- Huawei launches 2022 Mother's Day promotional offers
- Multitaskers can celebrate: Sony's LinkBuds promise to let you hear it all
- Telstra’s Black Friday sale includes tech and accessories
- New Belkin earbuds come with dual wireless charging pad
- Amazon’s new Echo Buds offer Alexa with much less noise
Resources
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers

Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world

Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles

PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D

The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G

Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65

This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76

It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- 25 Essential Party Games On PC And Console To Play With Family And Friends
- Mesh Wi-Fi vs Traditional Routers: Which is better?
- Which flagship TV is best? Sony 4K HDR Bravia 2016 versus LG 4K HDR OLED 2016
- 10 Blu-ray movies / Best looking Blu-ray movies