Short answer: the FiiO FH3. It ranks #367 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $119.99. The Shure SE215 ranks #384, rated 3.1/5, at $109, $10.99 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the FiiO FH3 does well: Bass and sub-bass sit within about 1 dB above the Harman target, giving kick drums and bass guitar a full, warm foundation without bloat. The tradeoff: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 5.7 dB below target, with a dip of 7.4 dB near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and cymbals lose bite and detail.
The case for the Shure SE215: Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is lifted by about 4.2 dB with low mids up 2.2 dB, giving a warm, full sound that suits rock, pop and hip hop. Watch for: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 3 dB low with a 5.9 dB dip near 6.7 kHz, and the top octave is down 2.7 dB, so cymbals and air sound dull.
Buy the FiiO FH3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $10.99 saving on the Shure SE215 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| FiiO FH3 | Shure SE215 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.99 | $109.00 |
| Ranked | #367 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #384 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) | 63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.86 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.78 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature | 1 x dynamic |
| Impedance | 24 ohms | 17 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 114 dB/mW | 107 dB SPL/mW |
| Weight | 0 lbs (7.3 g) per earbud | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 22Hz - 17.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to FiiO FH3:
- Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs FiiO FH3
- Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 vs FiiO FH3
- iBasso IT01S vs FiiO FH3
- FiiO FH3 vs Jabra Elite Active 65t
- Sennheiser IE 40 Pro vs Shure SE215
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
FiiO FH3: $119.99 Amazon AliExpress eBay
Pros: Bass and sub-bass sit within about 1 dB above the Harman target, giving kick drums and bass guitar a full, warm foundation without bloat. The hybrid design pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with two balanced armatures, and 114 dB/mW sensitivity at 24 ohms means a phone runs it easily. A preference score of 65 suits listeners who like a warm, bassy tilt.
Cons: The 3 to 6 kHz presence region sits about 5.7 dB below target, with a dip of 7.4 dB near 6.5 kHz, so vocals and cymbals lose bite and detail. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is also about 2.2 dB low, which makes the sound dark and a little veiled. The KZ PR1 has a higher rating.
Full FiiO FH3 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.59 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 2 balanced armature) |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 65 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 114 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+1.1 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.86 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (7.3 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,061 Hz | +4.3 dB | 1.02 |
| Peak | 178 Hz | -2.5 dB | 1.19 |
| Peak | 1,183 Hz | -3.9 dB | 2.64 |
| Peak | 60 Hz | +2.7 dB | 0.83 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 545 Hz | +1.1 dB | 2.57 |
| Peak | 2,365 Hz | -2.4 dB | 4.99 |
| Peak | 6,488 Hz | +2.3 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 2,972 Hz | +1.8 dB | 5.25 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Shure SE215: $109.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is lifted by about 4.2 dB with low mids up 2.2 dB, giving a warm, full sound that suits rock, pop and hip hop. A 17 ohm impedance and 107 dB SPL/mW sensitivity make it easy to drive from a phone, and the single dynamic driver keeps the design simple. Upper mids sit right on target, so vocals are not pushed back.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 3 dB low with a 5.9 dB dip near 6.7 kHz, and the top octave is down 2.7 dB, so cymbals and air sound dull. The warm balance can make the mix feel thick. The iBasso IT01S and the FiiO FH3 both have higher ratings.
Full Shure SE215 review and specifications →
| Released | Jan 2011 (15 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.78 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 22Hz - 17.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 17 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.78 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 174 Hz | -4.6 dB | 0.68 |
| Peak | 811 Hz | +3.1 dB | 1.42 |
| Peak | 3,430 Hz | +3.8 dB | 4.37 |
| Peak | 6,943 Hz | +5.4 dB | 2.76 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,725 Hz | +8.1 dB | 1.13 |
| Peak | 5,056 Hz | -10.9 dB | 2.93 |
| Peak | 7,269 Hz | -6.3 dB | 3.47 |
| Peak | 2,278 Hz | -2.1 dB | 2.94 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons