First of all, thanks so much for everybody's helpful reviews and for putting me on to these earphones in the first place.
I thought I'd share some of my experiences with the SE215s. Bear in mind that I'm no expert on sound, just using my Mac and iPad without any amp (so far) and plowing through my music library.
First a little about my past earphones - just to see what I'm comparing these phones to. I have had two in-ear earphones in the past (don't know if they qualify as IEMs or not): Sony MDR-EX70LP (those were the days...) and AKG K370. The EX70s were very bass heavy and that's what I wanted back then. However, once I got the K370s I could hear wonderful highs and the sound picture was just so balanced. I always left the EQ set as 'Flat' with the K370s, because I missed the dips created by the different EQ settings more than I enjoyed the exaggerated peaks. Basically, the K370s are very under appreciated in my opinion. Their soundscape is so easy to listen to, with everything just were it should be. You forget about everything but the sound... However, they never stayed in (annoying; biggest gripe I had with them) and finally died on me a few weeks back. Sigh. AKG and cable issues... So I was looking for something around the $100 mark to replace them.
Enter the SE215s that everyone here so kindly recommended to me through thoughtful comments and reviews. My first thought was that they were terribly busy-sounding and boxed-in, albeit with excellent bass. However, after playing around quite a bit (currently only around 10 hours' worth of playtime I'm afraid, but it seems they don't need much burn-in) I discovered something I had never expected: Change to a non-linear EQ (eg. 'Classical', 'Electronic', 'Acoustic', 'Rock' etc.) and suddenly the whole soundscape opens up. Instrument separation improves no end and the boxed-in feeling goes. I feel like there's still a slight 'veil' over the highs (which I kind of expected since these are not exactly tuned towards the highs). But the presence and feel of the music is still excellent. Please bear in mind that this is entirely subjective. I'd break it down as following:
1. Classical music. Turn on 'Classical' EQ.
Verdict: Good recordings really shine! All instruments are firmly in place.
example: Schubert - Symphony No 8 'Unfinished' by Berliner Philharmoniker with Herbert von Karajan
The presence in this recording really comes out. The timbre of each instrument and the dynamic of the music is presented in all its deserved glory. Horns and and strings in combination don't drown each other out. Bass is firm and precise.
example: Ladies in Lavender Original Movie Soundtrack
Surprise surprise! Wonderful sound. Sorry to gush but the instrument separation and timbre of each instrument is exceptional. I think that especially for violin and cello lovers (I am one for sure) these phones provide exceptional value for money. Rounded out, sweet and precise sound. They shine!
I read somewhere that the SE215s are a perfect for the cello. I'm inclined to agree. The extreme highs of the violin are not as well presented as the lower ranges. If you want a cello WOW experience, listen to Grieg's Holberg Suite, Movement II. Sarabande and when the cellos get going halfway through there is no stopping the goose pimples.
However, these phones will rudely show up faults in inferior recordings of classical music.
2. Rock. Turn on 'Rock' EQ (although strangely sometimes 'Electronic' works really good too, unless it's a live set).
Verdict: Rock is a mixed bag in my opinion. Can sound a bit busy. Precise studio recordings come out really well though.
example of good studio recording: Muse - The 2nd Law
Each sound, each word is presented in a precise and non-ambitious fashion. It's not over-bearing, neither understated. The heavy synth chords and bass riffs are glorious however. Such grip and authority, such rounded out sweetness in the chords! This was a WOW experience. But then, this album is made for that purpose I think. Bass is precise if a bit heavy (but turning off EQ to get less weighty bass kind of ruins the soundscape too much).
example of a more live-sounding recording: The Strokes - Angles
This is where it becomes clear that not all earphones are good at live rock. However, this is one place where changing from flat EQ to 'Rock' really opened up the sound. However, it gets a bit busy at times. Certain fine details get a bit blurred in the mid-to-high midrange. Bass is still tight and lovely. But the atmosphere feels a bit ruined.
3. Electronica. Turn on 'Electronic' EQ for bringing out the extremes, or 'Classical' for a more mellow sound.
Verdict: This is the SE215 cannot be faulted in my opinion. Designed soundscapes come out as intended and that's that. Deep deep bass and sweet chords.
example: Kavinsky - Nightcall (feat. Lovefoxxx)
The bass! It doesn't punch you. It doesn't hit you. It grabs you, picks you up and puts you down. Authority in the lower ranges, oh yes. However, every layer of the music is brought out beautifully separated and clear.
example: Elektric Music - Esperanto
Controlled and precise sound. Each sound in its place, clear and separated. No need to mention the bass... you know.
example: Jean-Michel Jarre - Teo and Tea
Each song is presented precisely and yet it's fun to listen to. Engaging and rich. Sweet!
4. Trance. Turn on 'Electronic' EQ. 'Dance' sounds too distanced in my opinion.
Verdict: Since I love trance music and I have a large collection, I was eagerly anticipating instant euphoria. However, this was a bit of a let-down. Perhaps it's because the Shures are so unique in their sound, or perhaps it just gets a bit much with all the sounds going on all at once. The sound is engaging but a bit too crowded sometimes. Simple-ish songs come out better. However, the bass is sweet as anticipated. Just the right amount to get your head bobbing.
example of a good-sounding track: Above and Beyond (Club Mix) [feat. Richard Bedford] - Thing Called Love
The soundscape is sweet here. Because there are not tons of strings and harmonies, the flow is clear and enjoyable. Male vocals are sweet, realistic and precise. Very nice. Needless to say, bass and percussion are solid.
example of a busy-sounding track: DJ Tiësto - Just Be (Antillas Dub Mix)
This dub mix has got a big range of harmonies and lines in the mids and highs intertwining and this is were the SE215s show their weakness in my opinion. Perhaps it's the single-element design, I don't know. The more ingredients you add to a song the less engaging they sound. It doesn't sound really bad, but since this is one of my favourite tracks of all time it was a let-down to listen to such a relatively distanced and busy-sounding rendition. It's a bit blurry. Such a shame!
Unless you are just a bass-head and/or get an indescribable itch to dance whenever you hear a bass line at 120bpm (which means you will be distracted from hearing the slight blur in the mids and highs) you well might want to test listening to your favourite trance/dance/house/dub etc tracks before buying into the SE215s.
Sorry to bore you guys out of your minds with all those details, but I felt that some finer points about the sound hadn't been brought out in earlier reviews. I know I should probably look into amps (some reviews say the SE215s are nicely unveiled when using a good amp) and I know that to EQ or not to EQ is an issue, but these are my impressions. Whereas I never used the EQs on my AKG K370s (which I used as earphones and not a handsfree btw) I will have to start changing EQ settings when taking the SE215s for a walk. However, overall I'm very pleased with these earphones, albeit for some unexpected reasons. I now will enjoy classical music even more than before!
One thing I haven't seen anywhere else on the web that may be helpful: To change buds, just twist them round first, then pull slowly, and they come off very nicely without any hassle. Use any other method and you'll either go insane or damage your equipment.
PS. I'll just give all you who were born in the 80s a suggestion: Try playing this simple eurodance oldie (if nothing else but for the fun of it): U96 - Love Sees No Colour. It's a perfect fit for the SE215s. Set EQ to 'Electronic'. You are in for a ride! Just don't tell other people you're into eurodance. It doesn't sit well with everyone...
i found shorter replacements on ebay but i wouldnt like anything to damage my brand new earphones, nor to pay an extra 30$ as of now...
