Shure SE115 earphones (black)
Manufacturer: Shure Inc. Part number: SE115-K-MP
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- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- While they fall short on clarity and detail, the Shure SE115 earphones deliver impressive bass, making them a solid option for people who listen to a lot of hip-hop and reggae.
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CNET editors' review
Shure SE115 earphones (black) price range: $68.88 - $129.99
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 05/06/2009
The good: The Shure SE115 earphones offer a comfortable fit; full, beefy bass; multiple eartips; and a useful carrying case.
The bad: The SE115 earphones' sound isn't as detailed as we would have liked.
The bottom line: While they fall short on clarity and detail, the Shure SE115 earphones deliver impressive bass, making them a solid option for people who listen to a lot of hip-hop and reggae.
Shure has several models in its SE line of in-ear headphones, starting with the SE110s ($90 list) and moving all the way up to the SE530 ($500 list). Its newest model for 2009 is the SE115, which, at $120 list, is a step-up from the SE110 but still would be considered more of an entry-level model in the Shure line. The SE115s feature Shure's signature sound-isolating design and the Dynamic MicroSpeaker technology, which purports to offer a "warm, detailed audio listening experience." We're not sure we agree with the last part of that statement, but if there's one thing the SE115s do deliver, it's bass.
The SE115 earphones are Shure's most colorful set, available in your choice of black, red, blue, and pink versions. Like all Shure earphones, these come with a collection of foam-tipped and silicon eartips that let you find a nice, snug fit for your particular set of ears. The SE115s also feature an elbow-style plug that helps prevent shorts in the cord from having it yanked on or bumped when it's plugged into your MP3 player. Another plus: a protective carrying case is included.
The SE115 earphones' strong suit is bass--there's a lot of it (just make sure to really get a tight seal in your ear or you'll lose some low-end). However, while the bass sounds full, we didn't feel these earphones were terribly detailed; the SE115s sound a little lifeless (read: not incredibly dynamic) compared with some competing models that cost a bit more. The potent bass definitely pumped up the reggae and hip-hop tracks we listened to, but overall, these earphones just don't sound very open. As audiophiles like to say, the sound feels stuck in your head.
We compared them with Etymotic's HF5 earphones ($150 list)., and while the Etymotic earphones didn't deliver as much bass, they offered more detail. We prefer our music with the level of detail offered by the HF5. We also put them up against Altec Lansing's $40 BackBeat 326 earphones, and although the Shure 'phones offer a tad more bass, the BackBeats held up pretty well in comparison. That's surprising, considering the Altec earphones cost about $80 less than the Shures.
Overall, we were slightly disappointed with the SE115s. The big caveat here is that this reviewer's tastes run toward more detail over huge bass (of course, if you can have both, even better). However, if you listen to a lot of hip-hop and other bass-heavy material, the SE115s should appeal to you. At $120, they're not a good value, but we've seen them for closer to $70 online, which makes them more attractive.
User reviews
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Strong contender in the sub-$100 in-ear headphones
by techbliss on April 8, 2009
Pros: High quality product at a reasonable price
Excellent bass
Noise-isolating works wonderfully
Comes in different colorsCons: The heads are a little big
Might take some time for some to get used to the feeling of having something in your ear canals (and would force some to clean their ears more often)Summary: For those who are looking for a set of high quality and well built in-ear headphones that can handle bass really well, look no further than these SE115. For a ...
Summary: For those who are looking for a set of high quality and well built in-ear headphones that can handle bass really well, look no further than these SE115. For a price tag of $99, you cannot go wrong with these. It can handle mid to high ranges pretty good too but a little weak on the lower range. Shure's products are known for their quality and performance and the SE115 really reflects that commitment. With that being said, I have to say if you are not a bass-head and just want a pair that will give you an overall good sound with noise-isolating piece, consider going with the predecessor, SE110 ($70) or even the Apple in-ear headphones ($79). But if you are into rock, dance and even hip-hop music, and are willing to spend a little bit more, then SE115 is definitely the right one for you.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Sounding Headphones - Very Comfortable
by smoothbassman on November 16, 2009
Pros: Fit is very comfortable, Build quality seems good. Like the right angled plug in, Most other iPhone headphones are perfectly straight, making it difficult to stuff the iPhone in your pocket.
Cons: The control for the iPhone is a little big and not easy to use, due to the ridges in between the buttons. The sound if very flat, but its acceptable. I have head better earphones
Summary: These headphones are a little pricey at $120 bucks, but the fit is totally amazing. These are the most comfortable ear buds that I have ever had. The sound isolation ...
Summary: These headphones are a little pricey at $120 bucks, but the fit is totally amazing. These are the most comfortable ear buds that I have ever had. The sound isolation is the best that I have ever had as well. You have to get them pushed in pretty good to maximize the bass response, and sound isolation, but the foam inserts make it a perfect fit!
I can't even hear my motorcycle while wearing these while riding. If these drivers had a little bit more highs, I would be perfectly satisfied. I decided to keep them because of how comfortable they are over the Klipsch S4's. The S4's have a little better sound definition and separation, but they are not as comfortable for me as these. -
Disappointing
by allen_86 on October 22, 2009
Pros: Excellent fit and sound isolation
Great bass response
Looks nice?Cons: Flat, lifeless sound
PricetagSummary: These are the second in-ear design headphones I've owned, and by far the most expensive of any headphones I've used. That said, for how much I paid I ...
Summary: These are the second in-ear design headphones I've owned, and by far the most expensive of any headphones I've used. That said, for how much I paid I was quite disappointed with these. Considering that these cost me 10 times what I paid for my last set of in-ear headphones, I'd hardly say the increase in sound quality matches the tenfold increase in price. While these pack an excellent low-end punch, the overall crispness and clarity is hardly what I'd expect from something in this price range. Either do your wallet a favor and look for something in the $50 price range, or do your ears a favor and check out something from Klipsch, Etymotic, UE, or Monster. This will just have to be a lesson to myself to not buy something in this price range without reading some reviews first...
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Sounded more like $30 earphones
by yurma on May 20, 2009
Pros: hard to say given the price. they look nice?
Cons: flat, lifeless sound, especially if you had to buy them. if they were given to you, not so bad.
Summary: i bought these in an effort to get a midrange priced replacement for my recently deceased Ultimate Ears Super.Fi Pro 5's (rip). my bad for bargain hunting. the ...
Summary: i bought these in an effort to get a midrange priced replacement for my recently deceased Ultimate Ears Super.Fi Pro 5's (rip). my bad for bargain hunting. the shure's were supposed to be my everyday/commuter phones while the $29 UE MetroFi's i bought on amazon were going to be my sweaty gym phones.
what i found was that the $29 UE's sounded equal to or superior to the Shure's. there was more bass to the Shure's, but i think the lack of dual drivers lead to the low end and high end drowning each other out. basically, it felt like i was listening to a cheap boom box. luckily the store i purchased them from offer a 14 day return policy on earphones. -
Shure quality and sound on a budget
by Greg Lowe on May 19, 2009
Pros: Great sound, lots of bass. sound isolation Shure quaility. Secure fit. 2 year warrenty
Cons: Must be patient when putting these things in your ear
Summary: I bought these earphones to replace a set ot ageing Sennheiser MX75's, which I discovered after buying a Samsung P3 mp3 player, they where woefully inefficient when compared o ...
Summary: I bought these earphones to replace a set ot ageing Sennheiser MX75's, which I discovered after buying a Samsung P3 mp3 player, they where woefully inefficient when compared o the stock earbuds that came with the player. So I decided to take a chance on the Shure SE115's. After all these earbuds have pretty good pedigree. The SE115's sound great, lots of bass, but over all even keeled when listening on the P3. The isolation allows me to listen to my music at lower levels The bass is great especially when used on my daily walks to and from work on busy city streets on on the subway.
putting these things in your ear can be a bit of a challenge. But once you have them fitted, your patiance will be rewarded.
Shure's build quality beats out my out Sennheisers, No 'bits' to loose, and Shure makes it easy to order replacement accessories on line. All that and a 2 year warranty! -
A lot of Bang for the Buck
by amanoa on April 8, 2009
Pros: Finally, an ear phone that stays in. I have a small ear channel, and about 99% of in-ear phones fall out. On top of that, the sound is amazing. Great all-around value. The noise canceling is like you are actually wearing ear plugs. Just pure sound.
Cons: It stands out of the ear a bit far. The piece itself is quite big. Also, they didn't seem to have put too much effort into the design. But the pros by far outweigh the cons. Push play. And enjoy.
Summary: If you are not a high-end music afficionado and all obsessed with every single possible frequency one can pull out of the spectrum but would rather enjoy a really great ...
Summary: If you are not a high-end music afficionado and all obsessed with every single possible frequency one can pull out of the spectrum but would rather enjoy a really great all-around sound quality then this is a great value. You don't have to feel guilty that your ear phones cost more than your mp3 player, and choosing shure over any mainstream brand shows that you know what you are doing. Again, a lot of bang for the buck.
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High end headphones for a reasonable price
by brl_25 on March 21, 2009
Pros: Lots of Bass
Isolaton second to none
short cable (extension included) - awesome for clipping an iPod shuffle onto your sleeve at the gym
loud compared to other headphones - dont need to max out iPod volume with theseCons: high ends not as crisp as SE210's
Summary: I had the Shure SE210's and loved them til they got stolen. The 115s have much more bass but that comes at the cost reducing clarity and crispness of ...
Summary: I had the Shure SE210's and loved them til they got stolen. The 115s have much more bass but that comes at the cost reducing clarity and crispness of high frequencies that the 210s do so well. For my uses (gym/running) these headphones are amazing. I paid 100$ canadian on apple.ca. I paid 200 for the 210s and I prefer the bass of the 115's (if I was using them in a quiet environment or listening to jazz then the 210's sound better... but im not. I also had the ultimate ears hi5 extended bass headphones... they sounded similar to the 115's but broke in less than 30 mins.. also the ear pieces are too large on the UE's (fall out of ears while running). Ive also used the high end sony earbuds but the sound isnt great on those (especially at 140$ per pair)... I guess ive gone through a lot of high end headphones....
Summary: Shure SE115's are awesome sounding, though bass-heavy, headphones for a great price. For my money, Shure makes the best headphones on the market and the 115's are exactly what Shure says they are.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Shure Inc.
- Part number: SE115-K-MP
- Description: Developed by Shure Incorporated, the world's leading manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics, the SE115 is the most affordable and most colorful member of the company's acclaimed family of Sound Isolating earphones. Delivering audio nirvana - the SE115 continues Shure's legacy of unparalleled sound and design quality and breaks new ground in technology and style. With the SE115, Shure engineers have developed a dynamic driver that fits into a sleek, compact form factor. The result is bigger sound and more bass in a smaller and more beautiful package than ever before.
General
- Product Type Headphones
- Series Sound Isolating
- Color Black
Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor In-ear ear-bud
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
Remote Control
- Type None
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Headphones cable - Integrated
Power
- Power Device None
- Battery None
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 2 years warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 2 years
Product series
Manufacturer info
- Shure Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Shure Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.shure.com
- Address:
5800 West Touhy Avenue, Niles, IL. 60714-4608 - Phone: 1-847-600-2000
- Email: info@shure.com
- Fax: 1-847-600-1212













