Search the headphone forums and read the gadget blogs. You'll find many fans of the Shure SE215 earbuds. The praise is deserved - they do sound really good - but they aren't for everyone. The fit can be problematic.

Great sound; Cables detach and are replaceable if they wear out; Lots of tip options in the box

They aren't the most comfortable buds in the bin; Finding the correct seal and fit takes a lot of patience; No remote or microphone, so you'll be de-pocketing your mobile more often

These middle-of-the-road earphones perform well in certain situations, but pack too much bass for their own good.

Solid sound isolationClear; powerful driversLow cable handling noise

Bass overwhelmsAwkward fitLarge physical size

The Shure SE215 headphones are the entry-level offerings in the award winning SE Series. These in-ear isolation headphones come with a single dynamic driver and a frequency range between 17 – 22,000Hz.

The Shure SE215 headphones are built to last; The housing that connects the 3.5mm audio jack to the cable is nicely reinforced and as the cable comes out at a 90-degree angle accidental damage is kept to a minimum, Shure specialises in making kit for professionals so it's the little details that...

We like the heavy-duty appeal of the cable and plastic houses but we're aware they're not as sleek as other makes out there; The biggest problem with the Shure SE215 headphones is the rather large and bulbous driver housings, which make you look a bit like a TV broadcaster and will certainly prove a...

Marketing, public relations pros, and, yes, even journalists, tend to neglect the middle-priced products in most manufacturers' lines. It's easy to understand why. Budget-priced products can be praised for their value, and top-of-the-line items can be lauded for performance, but what do you say...

Shure isn't a company that needs to update its products often. Among the audio nut crowd, they're held aloft as one of - if not the - most reliable manufacturer of earphones around. The SE215 takes over from the classic SE210, adding a detachable cable and a new earpiece design.

Powerful; thud-tastic bass; Wide soundstage; Class-leading cable quality

Not the most detailed treble

Shure's consumer products use many of the same technologies as the company's famous stage equipment, but this lifts many of Shure's headphones above the budget of most non-enthusiasts.

I decided to purchase these earphones as I was looking for one to replace my other sets that had been broken a while back.

Splendid Bass; Amazing Isolation

The amount of time it takes to put these on; especially with the memory foams

Although these earphones generally sound pretty good, I'd never recommend or buy them again because of the Wireform cable design. They are just to much of a hassle to put on. I'll stick with Westone in the future.

Sadly, my puppy (back then) chewed them up as well as the replacement pair I begrudgingly bought after those. Needless to say after $300 and no headphones to show for it, I was reticent about purchasing a new pair. As with the old pairs, these new SE215s can only be heard to be appreciated.

I've used these as IEMs at my church. The sound is great; however, the left channel now cuts in and out sporadically. I've owned a set of the SE425s and have had the exact same issue. I'm switching to Westone.