Shure Aonic 215 review: True wireless never sounded so good

Once we started listening, we just didn't want to take the Shure Aonic 215 true wireless out of our ears. The audio quality is simply sublime. Only slow manual switch-on and rare connectivity glitches count against these wireless in-ears.

Fantastic sound with plenty of detail and warmth; Ear hook design means you can swap out earbuds; Great battery life; Noise isolation is effective; Nice snug fit;

Don't automatically switch on; Design might be off-putting for some; Setup process is a bit clunky; Minor connectivity issues; No active noise-cancelling;

Shure Aonic 215 Review

Shure's first true wireless earphones, the Aonic 215, are nothing if not unique. The earpieces have ear hooks for added stability, the charging case looks more like a zip-up pouch, and the accessories include multiple in-ear fit options and a cleaning tool. What really stands out, however, is the detachable design that allows for wired playback in addition to true wireless streaming. Sonically, the drivers deliver accurate, rich, detailed audio, and a companion app allows you to dial in the EQ settings to your taste. But ultimately, for $229, the earphones offer a less graceful user experience than the Apple AirPods Pro, which deliver strong active noise cancellation and better on-ear controls for less money.  Design Available in black, blue, clear, or white models, the earphones use an over-ear, hook-like design to ensure a secure fit. The earpieces are on the bulky side, and look more like on-stage in-ear monitors than typical true wireless earpieces. Internally, each earpiece e...

The Aonic 215, Shure's first true wireless earphones, get many things right, but not quite enough to justify their high price.

Accurate audio performance with rich lows and clear highs; Detachable connections allow for cabled usage; Solid passive noise reduction

Pricey; Not for those seeking booming bass; Limited on-ear controls; EQ only works when music is played within the app

Shure Aonic 215 Review

Weird-looking for sure, and while the market is not short of choice where expensive true wireless in-ear headphones are concerned, the Shure Aonic 215s belong in the ‘really, really good’ category with a splendid audio performance

Open, balanced, detailed, punchy and all-around splendid sound; Decent battery life; Robust wireless connection;

Flat-out odd looks; App updates can’t come soon enough;

Shure SE215 Wireless Review

In 2011, we reviewed the Shure SE215, $99 wired earphones that still sound ridiculously good for the price and come with a removable cable. Few earphones in this price range offer removable cables, which can add years to the life of the product (replacing a cable is a lot cheaper than buying an entirely new pair). Now Shure is bringing the swappable cable to the wireless realm with the SE215 Wireless, Bluetooth earphones with a removable neckband wire. At $149, they deliver superb audio performance, with full, round bass response and crystal clear highs, and easily earn our Editors' Choice thanks to the value of that replaceable cable. The big secret here is that the earpieces are the exact same ones found on the wired SE215 model—they're simply sold with a different cable. This means if you already own and love the SE215, you merely need to purchase the wireless Bluetooth cable in order to also have a wireless pair. The bad news is that the cable costs $99 on its own—only $50 le...

The Shure SE215 Wireless earphones offers some of the best in-ear Bluetooth audio performance available under $200.

Excellent audio performance; Super-secure in-ear fit, with some passive noise reduction; Removable/replaceable audio cable

No extra cable included; Mediocre mic quality