Shure SE115 for iPod

Last year Shure launched the SE110 earbuds which were respectable but weren’t necessarily anything to write home about. But what a difference a “5” can make, as the company’s new SE115 earbuds offer an expansive audio experience that’s head and shoulders above its predecessor despite the only mildly upgraded model number. In fact the improved audio experience os the SE115 was so immediately noticeable when we first tested it out at Macworld Expo that it ended up being one of our Best of Show winners despite a fairly crowded crop of new earbuds at the show.



In addition to awesome-for-its-price sound quality, the SE115 manages to offer noticeably better isolation of external noise than other competing products in its price range, another aspect which was immediately apparent in the cavernous and chaotic expo hall. As a bonus, the product comes in a choice of colors pictured above, something we don’t see often enough with earbuds of any price point.



The only catch is for iPhone users. While some iPod earbuds also come in a separate (modestly more expensive) model that includes the iPhone mic/button functionality, and other iPod earbuds leave iPhone users out in the cold altogether, Shure attempts to split the difference with a $49 adapter that replaces the bottom half of the SE115’s cable, placing the microphone closer to your waist than your mouth. The whole thing ends up being absurdly bulky and heavy in comparison to competing earbuds that have the mic and button built in. The misguided Frankenstein nature of Shure’s iPhone adapter kit (along with its inflated price) makes the SE115 not really recommendable for iPhone users who care about having a microphone or play/pause button. But that shouldn’t discourage iPod users who don’t plan on upgrading to an iPhone anytime soon, as the SE115 is an absolutely fantastic product for iPod users.