Shure Aonic 215

amazon Shure Aonic 215 reviews

If Shure’s mission with its Aonic 215 headphones is to create something different from the well-known competitors in its field, well, mission accomplished. The audio company’s new $279 truly wireless audio technology sets itself apart from the masses, exemplified by everything from their design and matching the package they come in. But is that a good thing?

I wish I could answer bluntly with a yes or no and storm out of the gate with a statement about whether these headphones are better or worse due to their comparative uniqueness. But with the Aonic 215, it’s not so simple.

Case box

I wouldn’t go so far as to call it an industry standard, but there is a certain perception regarding the bundle of a bundled headset. Usually, but not always, it’s small and square.

Housed in a large, round package, as if they were trying to set the tone at once. Lifting the lid reveals the headphones, lying on a foam bed with their charging case sitting in the middle of the pair. Also in the package: Micro-USB-C charging cable, an assortment of replacement ear tips (I swapped the tips that came with the buds for a pair of smaller soft curl tips), and a quick start guide.

The Bluetooth pairing process is the lone segment of the initial setup that mirrors other earbuds. The Aonic 215 will automatically enter pairing mode when you turn them on, and you can easily find them in your phone’s Bluetooth settings. If they don’t, Shure includes a manual option to get connected. I don’t need it to pair with my smartphone, but it’s nice to know it’s not secure there.

Design

The Aonic 215’s ear hook style means the earphones have a larger footprint than the Samsung Galaxy Buds+. However, they are very light and comfortable, at least after you briefly fiddle with the bud’s stem behind the ear.

The part of the earphones that sit in your ear – blue for me, but available in clear black, white, or variations – isn’t so annoying you might forget they’re there. Otherwise, it should be the rest of the headset that clings to the back of your ear.

Plus, their style suits the on-the-go lifestyle. I didn’t experience a shift while wearing these while jogging in the park, while the traditional headphones failed to stay in place for more than a couple of times.

Cases are design exceptions. Most earbuds have used a compact, adjacent design for charging cases, but the Aonic 215 sits in a round case close to the size of a wallet. It’s not an inconvenient size by any means, but it’s not as pocket-friendly as other models available.

Featured

Compared to other earbuds in (and below) their price range, it’s hard to see past the lack of Aonic 215 in the features department. To be clear, the features they have are solid. But that’s 2020. To get close to $300 in headphones that ignore sought-after skill sets like active noise cancellation is a mistake.

Shure says the Aonic215 comes equipped with soundproof technology that blocks up to 37dB of noise, as well as an environment mode that reduces noise from your surroundings, and both worked well with my experience with them. But the active noise cancellation found in products like the Sony WF-1000XM3 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 ia excels.

The Aonic 215 lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge, with three additional charges built into their carrying case. Those specs checked in my time testing them. But, unfortunately for Shure, the bar was raised. As the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ can last up to 11 hours for half the price, I find myself wanting more – especially from a pair without ANC to reduce playback time, as is the case with both Sony and Sennheiser.

I had no connection problems thanks to the Bluetooth 5 technology built into the Aonic 215, except for a few times when my phone connected to the headphones but didn’t play media through them. However, I’m working with an older phone in the Google Pixel 2, so it’s more likely Google’s fault than Shure’s.

My biggest take on the Aonic 215 revolves around a very basic feature. The buttons, located at the bottom of each earphone, work well for their design. It takes a hard poke, but you can effectively play and pause music, answer and end calls, turn environment mode on or off, or activate your voice assistant. You can’t do what baffles me considering the price: adjust the volume or switch between tracks. These are very simple commands, the ones you don’t realize you miss until you’re forced to jog through the entire Pitbull soundtrack.

Shure has a unique feature compared to other earbuds at the end of the market – a modular design with detachable connections. Shure says that listeners can switch between wireless and wired as long as they have the right accessories to do so. More importantly, the ear hooks on the headphones – called the Secure Fit Adapter – can be purchased separately to make other compatible Shure headphones truly wireless.

I had no other Shure headphones to try at the time of the initial review. But the ability to turn other headphones — like the $999 SE846, $349 SE535, or $199 SE425 — into wireless versions of themselves is a significant selling point for existing Shure enthusiasts. Even so, the Secure Fit Adapter costs quite a bit ($229).

Sound quality

Shure has been in the audio business for almost a century and has a lineup ranging from budget options to price tags that only an audiophile can love – it’s a company with a proven track record of produces great sound from microphones to headphones.

After listening extensively with the Aonic 215, I can confidently say that these headphones fit the pedigree of their brand. They are very clear and some of the more balanced shoots that I have dealt. Experimenting with a wide range of genres has become so fun that I put songs like Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge on a loop, just because it sounds so good.

From my point of view, these are not well equipped for the great low end. Usable, but with songs like Brothers Osborne’s Rum, where a single bass note serves as the backbone of the entire track, I find the bass not as authoritative as I’m used. The equalizer on the included ShurePlus Play app helped, but it wasn’t a miracle worker.

Call quality is exceptional. However, Shure only supports mono audio with calls, meaning I have the audio right in my right bud. It’s not a deal-breaker by any stretch, but it’s worth noting.

Do these sound better than the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2? In a word, no. Is that a fair comparison? Normally not, but that’s the weight class the Aonic 215 is fighting for, thanks to their cost. Do they sound better than cheaper alternatives like the Galaxy Buds+? Though I’m not sure, the average listener will say their sound is twice as good.

where can you get a Shure Aonic 215 online

Shure AONIC 215 True Wireless Sound Isolating Earbuds, Premium Audio Sound with Deep Bass, Bluetooth 5, Secure In-Ear Fit, Long Battery Life with Charging Case, Fingertip Controls – Black [New Update]: Buy it now

Shure AONIC 215 Wired Sound Isolating Earbuds, Clear Sound, Single Driver, Secure In-Ear Fit, Detachable Cable, Durable Quality, Compatible with Apple & Android Devices – Black: Buy it now