Recording - January 2013 - 50

B Y PA U L V N U K J R .

Shure SE215
The SE Series is Shure’s newest line of personal in-ear monitors, an upgrade to the company’s former E and SCL lines. The SE215 is the entry model in the line; it is a single-driver design using what Shure calls a Dynamic MicroDriver. I’ve been using and loving the SE215 for some time now, and when I learned of the monitor-specific focus of this issue of Recording, I volunteered to write up my experiences with this affordable, comfortable, good-sounding inear. Why in-ears in a recording magazine? Read on. A new design The predecessor of the SE215 was originally known as both the E2 and then the SCL2. The biggest and most obvious change between those and this new model is the overall physical design. The E/SCL-2 made use of a large, odd teardropshaped bulbous body with an attached cable. Also it had a larger ear tube that required model-specific ear sleeves. Its upper-level siblings, the E/SCL 3, 4 & 5, while smaller in size with smaller ear tubes that were the same from model to model, all also had slightly different body designs. The new SE line has simplified this and each model from the SE215 up to the triple-driver SE535 makes use of the same outer body style, and all of them have adopted the smaller ear tube. The new models sit better in the curves of the ear and ear canal. In fact, at a quick glance they appear similar in style to professional molds, and when worn are less visible to an audience. The old E/SCL-2 model especially used to stick out from the ear a bit too much for my taste. The other big physical change to the SE series is detachable cables. The new cables are a Kevlar-reinforced design that is more durable than the previous models, but still just as flexible. The cable snaps on and off via a gold-plated MMCX connector that also allows the cable to swivel a full 360 degrees. This relieves stress and minimizes possible damage or breakage. Here are a few specs: the SE215 has a sensitivity of 107 dB SPL/mW, a 20 ohm impedance and a frequency range of 22 Hz–17.5 kHz. They have a 64" cable length and are available in two colors, clear or translucent black. As is customary for in-ears of this type, the SE215 comes with a selection of small, medium and large coated foam and soft flex silicone rubber ear sleeves, and a small black fabric travel case. The SE215 is a single-driver design, as was its predecessor. Its specs compare quite closely to the original E/SCL-2’s 105 dB sensitivity and 16 ohm impedance, and at least on paper its frequency response is the same. But similar specs doesn’t always equate to a similar listening experience, as I quickly found...
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RECORDING January 2013

Sound Isolating Earphones
In use I have been using both the SCL-2 and the step-up E4 for a number of years now, so I am very intimate with their sound and fit. I always liked the sound, but placing them in your ears could be best described as fiddly, and if you were a person with small ear canals the E/SCL-2 could be a no-go altogether. I was pleased to find that the new SE line was a vast improvement in that respect. Placing them in the ear is a simple twist and turn affair, and once they are in your ear, the cable next to the earbud has a flex wire that nicely molds around your ear. While they have the same frequency plots, I do think the new models sound fuller than the older version, but as with all in-ear models, this could have more to do with proper fit than with the electronics. Compared to the E4, the SE215 (like the previous E2) exhibits a fuller low end, but is not as crisp and clear in the highs. Overall the 2s are my preference for tracking, live performance and for casual listening use, while my E4s are used for more critical listening applications. That said, however...

A working musician’s in-ears give solid results on stage or in the studio

Studio applications Are you wondering why we are reviewing a predominantly live application device in a magazine with a focus on recording? We’ve reviewed in-ears before and we will again, because they can provide very good sound while being handy in certain applications that actually beat out standard headphones! I have found two huge uses for in-ear monitors in the studio. First, they are invaluable for microphone placement, especially around loud sources like snares and guitar cabs, thanks to the fact that they block out leakage better than most over-the-ear headphones (in this case by up 37 dB). Second, I find them great for tracking, where they not only filter out external sound, but keep sound from things like a click track in your ears where it belongs and not bleeding into a mic. The conventional product here would be a sealed headphone, but I actually prefer in-ears. And while this is not a studio use, they are similarly valuable for checking mixes when recording from a front-of-house console in a live situation. Being able to at least partly exclude the outside world can be a huge boon. Conclusions Sonically, Shure continues its tradition of high-quality in-ear monitors, and ergonomically Shure has knocked it out of the park with comfort, fit and ease of use, not only over their previous models, but much of the competition as well. At this price, the SE215 is an easy choice for recording musicians who’d like to give in-ears a try as a multipurpose listening tool. I hope the folks at Shure won’t mind my giving a shout out to what has proven to be the handiest investment in “wearable monitors” I’ve made recently; if they wish I’d reviewed a fancier multiple-driver model, I can be reached through the Recording offices...! Price: $99.99 • More from: Shure, www.shure.com

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Recording - January 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2013