Short answer: the Shure SE425, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #434 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 1.9/5, at $299; the Mackie MP-360 ranks #439, rated 1.7/5, and costs $419.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 450 in-ear headphones, and the Truthear Nova, ranked #2 at $169.99, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The case for the Shure SE425: Two balanced armature drivers with a 22 ohm impedance and 109 dB/mW sensitivity, so it plays loud from a phone without an amplifier. The tradeoff: A preference score of 48 in crinacle’s measurement places its tuning far from what most listeners prefer, so expect a clearly colored sound.
Why pick the Mackie MP-360: Three balanced armatures with 15 ohm impedance and 117 dB/mW sensitivity make it effortless to drive from a phone or a stage belt pack. The tradeoff: oratory1990’s measurement shows presence averaging 9.1 dB below target with an 11.2 dB dip near 2.8 kHz, so vocals and snare lose clarity and sound muffled.
Buy the Shure SE425. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Mackie MP-360 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Shure SE425 | Mackie MP-360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 | $419.99 |
| Ranked | #434 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #439 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 48 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 45 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.17 dB standard deviation | 4.37 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.59 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 x balanced armature | 3 x balanced armature |
| Impedance | 22 ohms | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB SPL/mW | 117 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
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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
Shure SE425: $299.00 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Two balanced armature drivers with a 22 ohm impedance and 109 dB/mW sensitivity, so it plays loud from a phone without an amplifier. It is rated above the Etymotic ER4SR at the same price and the Westone W10.
Cons: A preference score of 48 in crinacle’s measurement places its tuning far from what most listeners prefer, so expect a clearly colored sound. It is wired only, with no wireless features or microphone remote listed.
Full Shure SE425 review and specifications →
| Released | 2010 (16 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.17 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 2 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 48 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 22 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB SPL/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.59 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | +6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 223 Hz | -3.2 dB | 0.57 |
| Peak | 8,943 Hz | +6.2 dB | 1.83 |
| Peak | 48 Hz | +0.8 dB | 1.86 |
| Peak | 5,492 Hz | +5.0 dB | 3.43 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,734 Hz | -2.7 dB | 4.45 |
| Peak | 2,114 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.77 |
| Peak | 9,102 Hz | -3.1 dB | 5.33 |
| Peak | 895 Hz | +0.7 dB | 2.99 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Mackie MP-360: $419.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Three balanced armatures with 15 ohm impedance and 117 dB/mW sensitivity make it effortless to drive from a phone or a stage belt pack. The closed in-ear design isolates well from outside noise, and the low mids sit about 2.3 dB above target for listeners who favor a thick, warm midrange.
Cons: oratory1990’s measurement shows presence averaging 9.1 dB below target with an 11.2 dB dip near 2.8 kHz, so vocals and snare lose clarity and sound muffled. Sub-bass falls 6 dB below target by 47 Hz, leaving kick drums and bass guitar thin at the bottom. A preference score of 45 places it far from what most listeners prefer.
Full Mackie MP-360 review and specifications →
| Released | Feb 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.37 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Balanced armature |
| Drivers | 3 x balanced armature |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 45 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 15 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 117 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | +3.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 221 Hz | -4.7 dB | 0.39 |
| Peak | 2,560 Hz | +7.1 dB | 1.07 |
| Peak | 1,435 Hz | -3.1 dB | 1.30 |
| Peak | 4,853 Hz | +4.2 dB | 2.17 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,637 Hz | -2.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 5,624 Hz | +2.2 dB | 5.97 |
| Peak | 3,933 Hz | +0.9 dB | 4.38 |
| Peak | 4,727 Hz | -1.4 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons