[461299]

I'm sure there are posts out there already about this; I have read up on other posts like this on Head-Fi aswell. However, I think my case might be a little more picky. The se215 seems to not have as good of sound RHA MA750. I'm looking for good balance but a punchy bass. I listen to EDM and pop. The se215 seems to have better comfort and isolation though. I guess the question here is what is more worth it, sound and quality or comfort, isolation, and durability?

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

As an owner of the ma750 and someone who has demoed the se215, the ma750 far very much outclasses the se215 in several ways. First off, I the ma750 has a very good sub-bass and a bit less mid bass when compared to the se215, which to me led to much better clarity and overall a better sound signature. If you look at the reveiws for the ma750 the common theme is it has replaced the se215 as best IEM in the price range, even going so far as to knock the se215 off the innerfidelity "wall of fame". Now, these are just opinions, and because sound is subjective, you may find that you like the se215 much more than the ma750, but IMHO, get the ma750.

Feel free to ask me any questions!

 

[Kammex]

I guess the question here is what is more worth it, sound and quality or comfort, isolation, and durability?

For me, the most to least important is sound quality, durability, comfort, isolation.
I know a few people who want comfort to be the priority.

We can't decide what you want more.
You have to ask yourself what you're looking for. Both the SE215 and MA750 are very durable, so no need to worry about that.
Maybe you plan to use IEMs at work for long periods of time, so comfort is more important, or you only use IEMs during commutes, so comfort isn't a big deal to you.

 

[461299]

For me, the most to least important is sound quality, durability, comfort, isolation.
I know a few people who want comfort to be the priority.

We can't decide what you want more.
You have to ask yourself what you're looking for. Both the SE215 and MA750 are very durable, so no need to worry about that.
Maybe you plan to use IEMs at work for long periods of time, so comfort is more important, or you only use IEMs during commutes, so comfort isn't a big deal to you.

The most important to me is sound and comfort.

 

[Dulalala]

Well personally I think the MA750 are better in terms of "quality" but I hate the way it sounds (sound signature) so I would pick the SE215. Also the MA750 are rather uncomfortable for me so that's another thing to add but this is all my opinion I would say if you get the chance to try it out for yourself and see which one you like more. It'd be a waste if you bought a new pair of IEMs and didn't like it.

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

Well personally I think the MA750 are better in terms of "quality" but I hate the way it sounds (sound signature) so I would pick the SE215. Also the MA750 are rather uncomfortable for me so that's another thing to add but this is all my opinion I would say if you get the chance to try it out for yourself and see which one you like more. It'd be a waste if you bought a new pair of IEMs and didn't like it.

How long did you give them? They are notorious for having a long and extremely necessary burn in period to sound correct. Without the burn in they are very harsh and have no mid-bass whatsoever.

 

[Dulalala]

How long did you give them? They are notorious for having a long and extremely necessary burn in period to sound correct. Without the burn in they are very harsh and have no mid-bass whatsoever.

It was the store demo so I don't know if they were burnt in or not.

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

  It was the store demo so I don't know if they were burnt in or not.

They were probably burnt in then. Yeah looking at the graphs, they definitely aren't for everyone. There are treble peaks around 11kh and 16kh and I think the 16kh spike is what decides it for everyone. I think it isn't bad, but needs to be dialed back a bit. To me, it isn't bad at all though. 
 
To the OP: I think, if you can, try the ma750, and if you don't like them then try the se215. The ma750 are very good, and to many, much better than the se215 in the price range, but some people wont like them, mostly because of the treble (which isn't that bad unless you are very treble sensitive).

 

[461299]

Will the se215's frequency range rolloff be much of a problem?

 

[PL4Y3R 0N3]

Will the se215's frequency range rolloff be much of a problem?

That depends, define problem. Sound is a preference. Some people like roll-offs, some people don't. That is why there are so many sound signatures. But in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that the roll-off was a problem for shure, as the se215 are still to this day highly recommend to almost everyone asking for IEMs in that price range. I didn't have much time with the 215, but what little time I did have told me that I didn't really want it. However, Dulalala demoed the ma750 and did not like them. Just goes to show how sound is subjective.

 

[461299]

That depends, define problem. Sound is a preference. Some people like roll-offs, some people don't. That is why there are so many sound signatures. But in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that the roll-off was a problem for shure, as the se215 are still to this day highly recommend to almost everyone asking for IEMs in that price range. I didn't have much time with the 215, but what little time I did have told me that I didn't really want it. However, @Dulalala demoed the ma750 and did not like them. Just goes to show how sound is subjective.

I'm mostly just worried about if I will meet the rolloff in many songs or the ones I listen to.

 

[Kammex]

I'm mostly just worried about if I will meet the rolloff in many songs or the ones I listen to.

EDM and pop won't require much extension in the treble. But would benefit in the bass though.

 

[IEMsearcher]

Maybe I can help you in this regard as it seems that we're in the same boat.

The things I was searching for in a good IEM (mainly for listening to EDM, rock and rap), were a good balanced sound with a "punchy" bass without being too "boomy" or "muddy", while still being accurate, clear and crisp, and having a good soundstage.

In my search for a good IEM, I first bought the Sony MDR-EX650AP because they are reviewed pretty darn good, and as a bonus there was a "try for 30 days" deal which enabled me to try them risk-free. While they have a "full" and clear sound, the bass was decent, but at the same time too "boomy" for me as it seemed to smother the music a bit. Overall they weren't bad, but they just weren't what I was looking for.

Shortly after I found a good deal for the Shure se215, so I bought them. They are accurate and crisp with a focus on the mids which make vocals come through very clear and up front, but they lack sub-bass and therefore lacking the "punch" that I like in my music, while having loads of mid-bass which bleed into the mids a bit which makes them sound a bit muddy, and the highs are rolled off too early to a point where they sound a bit "smothered". Even with EQing the lows and the highs up I couldn't accomplish a good sound coming out of them without them sounding bad. Overall the sound quality was better than the Sony MDR-EX650AP, but again, not what I was looking for.

Next up was the RHA MA750i. First off it needs to be said that these need a substantial amount of burn-in before they become pleasant to listen to, because right out of the box they sound horrible. The sub-bass is nice, but the mid-bass and mids are recessed up to the point that you can barely hear vocals, male vocals in particular. The worst of all are the highs, they just sound harsh, "metallic" and a bit sibilant. When I listened to the MA750i at first, it even made me feel unwell....

With the bad points of how they are right out of the box out of the way, here's how they sound to my ears after 70 hours of burn-in and usage (my burn-in goal is 200 hours):
The sub-bass sounds even slightly better (DEEP and lush), the mid-bass and mids have come more forward, although still very slightly recessed but now to the point that they sit well, which in turn made vocals come forward too, and the highs have settled down quite nicely as they are no longer sibilant or too harsh. With that said, the highs are still very present, but luckily the MA750i handles equalisation very well (it also accepts EQing the lower frequenties up very well if that's what you wish), so EQ'ing the high frequencies down without losing sound quality makes all the difference and it makes them very pleasant to listen to. What I've basically done is look at the frequency response chart and invert the peaks in the high frequencies down (3kHz - 6kHz and 9kHz - 16kHz).

In conclusion, to me, the RHA MA750i beats the MDR-EX650AP and the se215 HANDS DOWN, but only after giving them a proper burn-in and EQing the high frequencies down a bit. The soundstage is excellent, they are accurate and crisp. Also when it comes down to comfort, I personally like the MA750 better than the se215. Yes, the ear-loops of the MA750 are not as stiff and malleable as the ones on the se215, but the fit is better and I don't even notice them sitting in my ears.


If you want to follow the progression of the burn-in process that I'm giving the RHA MA750, have a look at my thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/823494/need-iem-advice-dont-know-what-to-do-anymore

 

[Frozer]

As an owner of the ma750 and someone who has demoed the se215, the ma750 far very much outclasses the se215 in several ways. First off, I the ma750 has a very good sub-bass and a bit less mid bass when compared to the se215, which to me led to much better clarity and overall a better sound signature. If you look at the reveiws for the ma750 the common theme is it has replaced the se215 as best IEM in the price range, even going so far as to knock the se215 off the innerfidelity "wall of fame". Now, these are just opinions, and because sound is subjective, you may find that you like the se215 much more than the ma750, but IMHO, get the ma750.

Feel free to ask me any questions!

Im also looking for the Shure se215 or the ma750, just like the op. I was wondering how the cable quailty is of the ma750? since my last 2 in ear headphones (Sennheiser CX.500) stopped working after 1 year because the cable broke, im searching for something that can survive a bit longer . Since the cable isn't replacable, is it strong enough to survive active use?

 

[Kammex]

Im also looking for the Shure se215 or the ma750, just like the op. I was wondering how the cable quailty is of the ma750? since my last 2 in ear headphones (Sennheiser CX.500) stopped working after 1 year because the cable broke, im searching for something that can survive a bit longer . Since the cable isn't replacable, is it strong enough to survive active use?

They have pretty long metal strain reliefs on the bend points (and they're really springy) and the rubber is thick but not stiff. It's good enough to not be detachable IMO.