[stephancho]

I know Shure SE 215 seems to be all the rage FOTM on Head-Fi right now, but which of these two do you prefer?

 

[dweaver]

I own the SE215 now and used to own the MT. Going from memory I prefer the SE215 by a lot. The SE215 has a less impactfull bass but they somewhat similar in this area. The mids of the SE are much more forward and clear. The treble is similar on both as they both are not really detailed or extended in this area. The SE has a much better soundstage (think small concert hall (SE) vs basement/very small club (MT)). Comfort will be subjective but in my case I like over ear and like an IEM that helps sets the depth of the tip so I prefer the SE215, I also think the olive foam tips from Shure are extremely comfortable. The MT's are more solidly built in the casing but have a more microphonic cable so build quality is a draw.

 

[ThickT]

Shure SE215 Vs. Monster Turbine
 
These Se215's are fantastic! Absolutely Stunning. Lets start with the sound. 
 
The bass is clear and detailed. It extends well and has very good speed. There is just the right amount too. I would consider myself to be a basshead, having sought after bass themed iems constantly. i've owned the original turbines and sennheiser cx 150 and cx 475(bass marketed iem) Compared to the original Turbines, there isn't as much impact but the clarity and extension is far far far more superior and more than makes up for that. I'm standing behind these, certain you will not feel these are lacking in the bass. listening to dubstep with theses is a thrill. If you had to give up one attribute of bass i'd say impact is the one to sacrifice.
 
 The SE215's mids are missing a little detail, but overall very satisfying and highs have a slightly short range. but i think that the highs being that way makes these have virtually no sibilance or hissing. listening to heavy metal is good. needs better separation for that genre to my ears. acoustic, indie, soundscapes all sound excellent through these. 
 
the comfort is just excellent. not tiring and your not fijiting or frequently adjusting these at all. once they're in, they're in. one bad thing is the keeper on the cord is very difficult to move up and down. its pretty stupid. it feels like your gonna rip something. i also think the cord could be made of better material. there are no microphonics at all though. oh yeah the isolation is some of the best i've expirenced. i was 10 ft from my wife in my living room without the tv on or anything and couldn't really hear her talking to me..lol.
 
Bottom line, these amazed me. i want to commend shure on their take on dynamic driver iems. owning the se530's i would say these are certainly behind them in the mids and highs( not nearly enough to justifiy the price jump) and miles ahead in the bass department. these smoke the original turbines, making them seem outclassed and silly. actually i do like the turbines styling and construction better than the se215, but thats ALL.

 

[controlmajortom]

I had both at the same time and I prefered the Turbine. The only thing the SE215 had on the Turbines were soundstaging. The Turbines sound cramped in comparison.
 
But everything else: bass, treble, clarity, mids, all go to the Turbine.
 
Everything besides sonic qualities goes to the SE215 though, by far.

 

[ThickT]

Have you had fit issues with the turbines? And or sound changing when you move your head? I did. I even bought the pack of super tips and tried all kinds of variations with no luck. The fit temperment is too demanding. In my opinion

 

[bcasey25raptor]

Ah the shure se215. My very first and still only real credible iem. They are very good but i feel the bass is a little much for my taste. The mids are scooped and the highs are very very quiet. Positives of this allow no sibilance or harshness whatsoever but the negatives are that there feels like a lack of detail. These would be good for heavy metal or electronic music.

 

[ityk212]

definitely the 215s. I've used both before and I prefer the 215s.
Pros of 215s:
Clearer bass, better bass speed/decay, a soundstage probably 3x wider and deeper, better comfort and more secure fit ( turbines keep falling out of my ears)
Pros of Turbines:
I think the only area the Turbines win the 215s is in the treble. Treble on the 215 has a 'spike' and does not extend as much as the Turbines.
 
All in all I feel the 215s have their right to be the FOTM as they are a really good pair of IEMs
 

 

[Gilly87]

SE215. I used to own the turbine; the bass wasn't enough for me. It was punchy and compact, but didn't have the real wow-factor that the SE215s pack. Neither are a true basshead IEM, IMO, but even though the Turbines have better overall SQ and detail, the SE215s win on fun factor. The turbines were just boring to listen to; the SE215s really sound alive.
 
I would say the areas in which the SE215s surpass the Turbines objectively would be the warmth and forwardness of mids, the quantity of bass, and soundstage, but the highs can sound artificial sometimes. The Turbines are objectively superior in that they are more detailed and clear, and have better all-around quality and detail of sound, especially in the highs, but the bass is less than often claimed and requires a perfect seal to come through, and the whole sound is generally rather boring IMO.
 
My personal preference is for the SE215s. They have an awesome "fun" sound and just the right amount of bass for genres like trip-hop and house that ask for bass emphasis but not huge gobs; they sound good with dubstep and trance, too, and you do get some nice rumble with them (which the Turbines were not capable of, at least IME) with the right tracks and maybe a touch of EQ.

 

[Gilly87]

Also if you grab some standard Comply's from radioshack, you can stick them inside the Shure stock single flanges (medium or large) without any cutting and create pretty much the greatest tips in existence.

 

[buffalowings]

I have not heard the 215, but the turbine isn't a bad IEM per say, especially since it can be found for $40-60 (I'm actually willing to sell mine since i have the coppers as well) they have boomier bass, less resolution and the soundstage is pretty narrow but for $60 they're still a good deal IMO

 

[ThickT]

So a consensus being gathered is that the turbines have better detail and overall sq? Im going to respectfully disagree. I want to acknowledge too that i know everyone hears differently. I gave the turbines 2 to 3 weeks to impress me( having paid $99.00). I really wanted to like them. They are so cool looking and feel sturdy and awesome. and i found myself trying to convince myself despite my better judgement to deem these worthy. After reading so many positive reviews for them on head-fi, i guess i just expected to be wow'd. I was not. The mids in my opinion were recessed massively. There may have been detail to them but not of the quality or presence of the se215 And the highs were good. They never wowed me im guessing due to the unacceptable small soundstage. But that being said the se215 weak piont is the highs and i could see others opinions preferring the turbines in that area. I even bought the "premeium" tips for $20 ans still couldnt get the seal correct. They are a large nozzle and hurt to wear after a while. They also changed the sound whenever u moved my head. All in all it was too much effort to enjoy music. I think everone should keep this in mind when considering them. If you can get turbines for 60 or so, then grab some. Expect some fit challange and a underwhelming soundstage, boring bass and recessed mids. The build quality is perfect though. Has anyone else had the pressure issues or the sound changing alot when moving their head?

 

[Gilly87]

Yeah I could never get a good seal with the turbines, they are too heavy for an IEM without memory wire for the ears. and yeah, I was ready to be wowed by the turbines from what I'd heard here but their bass underperformed massively from what I had been lead to believe.
 
Shure's memory wire, OTOH, is awesome  and while I had trouble getting a seal at first (my left ear is oddly shaped), the combo of comply + shure single flange is flawless and provides the best isolation I've heard yet from an IEM. And the bass does not disappoint.

 

[controlmajortom]

I've never had fit problems with any IEMs before.
 
The Shure's are unbearable without EQ though. Not bad sounding, but there's just something about them that really irks me...
 
Turd, your impressions with the Turbines and SE215s are exactly the opposite of mine. The build quality on the Turbines are awful. No strain reliefs anywhere, thin tangling cable, and shells that have been known to randomly fall apart. The Shure's trump them mightily in that regard.

 

[ThickT]

yeah your right about the lack of strain relief. And the cables are thin. I guess when i said how great they were made i basically meant the fact that theyre not plastic. And i like the look and heft they have. But i do see your point. They are kinda lame build quality. The se215 keeper is almost useless its incredibly tuff to move. Annoying

 

[bcasey25raptor]

I may be biased because i would never buy anything monster but i still think the shure se215 is good. I was expecting more for $100 though. Something as small and plastic like iems shouldn't cost more then $100 at max. I would never bring myself to spend the $500 some people here spend.