Another Short Review: Shure SE215 IEM

After a few years of using solely Sennehiser IEMs (In Ear Monitors, a fancy name for in-ear headphone or earbuds), I was convinced to buy the Shure SE215. These earphones are the lowest in Shure's range of IEMs that includes the SE315, SE425 and SE535. I always perceived Shure as a firm that makes very good high-end models, but neglects the middle range. Apparently, the SE215 is a break from this tradition, which they made in order to cash in the ever growing number of portable media players and smartphone. The SE215 received excellent reviews, like "the best under $100 you can buy" and another review "$100 earphones should not sound that good".

My own opinion is not different: the build quality is great: the design is utilitarian and sturdy but pleasant, with detachable cables and memory-foam or silicone tips. The SE215 feel like a quality product and they make me believe that they won't start disintegrating like the Sennheiser IE6 did. They are also very comfortable: even though my ears are quite small, they fit perfectly, though the bendable ear hooks could have been a bit more comfortable. The sound signature is different then the Sennheiser earbuds, with much less emphasis on the bass and it's more flat and smooth. The bass is much more subtle and detailed then on the IE6, which allows the mids to shine. Yes, these earphones are for those of us who like guitars and vocals, which sound great and realistic - in other words, rock and indie lovers. The weakest point are the highs: they really are not emphasized enough, but it can be fixed relatively easy with an equalizer. In my honest opinion it's a small price to pay for the excellent bass and mids. The isolation when using the memory-foam tips, is amazing. I really think they can give active noise cancellation headphones a run for their money.

In conclusion: if you want great IEMs which sound great but you're on a budget, they should be on anyone's shortlist. With the exception of the slightly annoying bendable ear hooks and the weak highs, I found nothing really bad in those earbuds. They sound great, the design is restrained, they are comfortable and it seems like they're built to last. I'm sure that they will not be audiophiles' choice, but they will satisfy almost anyone else.

A note: I know that everything today are being compared to Beats by Dr. Dre, but according to some reviews to get comparable quality from Beats, you'll need to pay about twice. It means that in addition to everything I said, they're also practically a bargain.