Shure is a mainstay of professional audio products. They're known for their widely recognizable microphones, which have graced the stages of some of the most iconic concerts of all time, the garages of budding bands, and the studios of your favorite podcasts. Shure's headphone department is comparatively new but is backed by decades of experience. The Shure SE215 in-ear monitors (IEMs) are a no-nonsense, wired set of earphones. Their simple and well-conceived design prioritizes passive noise isolation, which uniquely positions them for monitoring on-stage audio or for enthusiasts who prefer warmer tunings during their listening sessions.
Our Verdict
The Shure SE215 are alright for neutral sound listening. They have a prominent bass and mid-range, making them sound a bit boomy and cluttered. Their treble range is also mostly recessed with a couple of sharp peaks. Like most in-ear designs, the small closed-back earbuds don't offer spacious and immersive soundstages. However, these are designed for monitoring audio, so the tuning makes sense for musicians on stage wanting to hear the rhythm sections and lead instruments with effective noise isolation. They have low distortion, so your audio sounds clean, and because they're in-ears, once you get a good fit, you'll have consistent audio delivery.
- Impressive noise isolation.
- Stable and portable design.
- No controls.
- Soundstage isn't spacious and immersive.
The Shure SE215 are passable for commuting and traveling. They block noise better than some active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones, have a compact design that will fit into your pockets, and feel comfortable for in-ears. Their build quality and case ensure they'll endure your commute. Unfortunately, they have no in-line remote or control scheme. Also, because they only block environmental noise through passive isolation, you can't switch to an ambient mode on the fly if someone starts talking to you, even if you don't need to worry about a battery.
- Impressive noise isolation.
- Stable and portable design.
- Minimal sound leakage.
- No controls.
- No microphone.
- No listening modes.
The Shure SE215 are acceptable for sports and fitness. They have a stabilizing over-ear cable coupled with a deep in-ear fit, so they don't move around much. The sound profile supplies a good amount of punch to motivate your workout. Their size is compact enough to carry on you, stowed in the zip case. While they lack an IP rating against water and dust, their build quality is robust. Unfortunately, they don't have a control scheme, which isn't ideal when working out or running.
- Durable build quality.
- Stable and portable design.
- No controls.
- Cable might get in the way while exercising.
The Shure SE215 are mediocre for office use. Despite a comfortable fit, they aren't ideal headphones to wear for your entire work shift due to their invasive in-ear fitting design. They lack controls and a mic for audio playback and online meetings. However, they barely leak your audio, so you won't bother your office mates. They also block a lot of passive noise, like communal kitchen and ambient noise. Plus, you don't have to monitor battery levels.
- Impressive noise isolation.
- Minimal sound leakage.
- No controls.
- No microphone.
The Shure SE215 are wired headphones; you can't use them for wireless gaming.
The Shure SE215 are not bad for gaming. Their elevated bass response helps you hear sounds like footsteps in games. They have a consistent frequency response delivery for predictable sound between wears. Their isolation performance also helps block out distractions. However, their sound profile de-emphasizes treble, which makes details less clear, and their poor soundstage isn't immersive and spacious. They have no mic or in-line controls, but you can connect them to your console's controller or PC for latency-free audio.
- Impressive noise isolation.
- Durable build quality.
- Stable and portable design.
- No controls.
- No microphone.
- Soundstage isn't spacious and immersive.
The Shure SE 215 don't have a microphone, so you can't use them for phone calls without a separate mic.
Changelog
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Updated Nov 18, 2025:
The Wired box has been updated to compare the CrinEar Daybreak.
- Updated Apr 12, 2024: This review's text was revisited with significant revisions throughout, aligning with our current standards and making it easier to compare to other reviews. No changes have been made to the scores.
- Updated Nov 01, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 17, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Shure SE215 come in several semi-translucent colorways, and our unit is the 'Black' variant. They also come in 'Clear,' 'Blue,' 'Green,' and 'Purple.' Some colors have changed or been discontinued over the years, like a solid black variant that's no longer available. The Shure SE215 PRO are virtually the same product, and sometimes their packaging doesn't even say 'PRO.' The main difference is that the 'PRO' variant comes with either a 3.83 ft or 5.33 ft cable rather than the 5 ft cable on our unit.
In addition, the brand produces a model with an in-line microphone and control module, the Shure AONIC 215, which comes with a larger case. There's also the Shure SE215 True Wireless Earphone Bundle Gen 2, which includes the same earbuds, adapters for Bluetooth audio, and a cable for wired listening.
The manufacturer offers a host of similar models that use the same basic earbud design and drivers. We expect these to perform similarly to our unit as they have the same '215' product codes and drivers, but we can't test for some features, like controls and microphone performance, that aren't on our standard SE215 unit.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Shure SE215 are a straightforward wired-only design at the second lowest tier of the brand's IEM line-up. Their deep in-ear fit is fairly low profile and stable with over-ear cabling. They uniquely block more of your environmental surroundings than most headphones without active noise cancelling (ANC). However, their sound profile favors a more bass and mid-range forward sound, so if you want something with a more balanced sound, there are other options like the high-end MOONDROP Blessing 3. If you like the extra boominess but still want a more excited treble response, the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are worth a look. The downsides of both are that they use more delicate two-pin connectors to the earbuds and don't block nearly as much environmental noise as the Shure.
See our recommendations for the best wired headphones, the best in-ear headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The Sennheiser IE 200 have a similar sound to the Shure SE215. While the Sennheiser have a warm sound, their treble range isn't quite as recessed as the Shure. Both buds are comfortable and have solid passive noise isolation performances, though the Shure are slightly better built. Both are viable choices for on-stage monitoring or as entry-level IEMs, and choosing between them could come down to small details and personal preference. Some might prefer the Sennheisers' foam tips over the Shures' silicone ones, for example.
The Shure SE215 and Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are pretty similar in-ear headphones, but each are slightly better in different categories. The Shure are better built as their detachable cable isn't as loose as the Sennheiser, and the buds feel a bit better-made. Also, they fit better inside the ears, making them more comfortable and creating a better seal for excellent isolation. On the other hand, the Sennheiser have a better treble range reproduction, as the Shure have a broad dip that affects the detail and brightness of those frequencies. However, the Sennheiser have a significant lack of low bass.
The KZ ZS10 sound brighter with a slightly more balanced bass range than the Shure SE215 in-ears. The KZ have a slightly more premium-looking design. The Shure, on the other hand, have a slightly more comfortable fit and better noise isolation than the KZ. Their overall sound is warmer. However, while both headphones are well-built in-ears with no in-line remotes, the sound of the KZ makes them more versatile.
The Shure SE215 and the Shure SE425 are very similar in design, but they have completely different sound profiles. The SE425 lack bass and over-emphasize frequencies in the mid and treble ranges, making them sound rather boxy and harsh. The SE215 sound significantly better-balanced in the mid-range but they lack detail and brightness, so they have a darker overall sound profile.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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