Empire Ears Raven VS Shure KSE1500

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Empire Ears Raven and Shure KSE1500 are in-ear monitors. Empire Ears Raven costs $3,600 while Shure KSE1500 costs $3,000. Empire Ears Raven is $600 more expensive. Empire Ears Raven holds a decisive 2.7-point edge in reviewer scores (8.6 vs 5.9). Empire Ears Raven has significantly better bass with a 3-point edge, Empire Ears Raven has significantly better mids with a 4-point edge, Empire Ears Raven has significantly better treble with a 2-point edge, Empire Ears Raven has significantly better dynamics with a 2-point edge, Shure KSE1500 has significantly better details with a 1-point edge and Empire Ears Raven has significantly better imaging with a 3-point edge.

Insights

Metric Empire Ears Raven Shure KSE1500
Bass 8 5
Mids 8 4
Treble 6 4
Details 9 10
Imaging 9 6
Dynamics 8 6
Tonality 8.2 4.3
Technicalities 8.9 7.3
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough Empire Ears Raven and Shure KSE1500 reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

Empire Ears Raven Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Precogvision Head-Fi.org
Jays Audio

Average Reviewer Score:

8.6

Excellent

Shure KSE1500 Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Precogvision

Average Reviewer Score:

5.9

Mixed

Reviews Comparison

Empire Ears Raven reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 8 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
S- Tech
Sounds quite hi-fi and grand sounding, but coherency could use work - bass is distinct from the EST tweeters.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: A+ Mids: A+ Treble: B Dynamics: A+ Details: S Imaging: S

Shure KSE1500 reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 5.9 Reviewer Score
C- Tuning
A- Tech
Top-tier detail and speed, just be aware that it's very bright.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: C+ Mids: C- Treble: C- Dynamics: B Details: S+ Imaging: B

Empire Ears Raven (more reviews)

Empire Ears Raven reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 9 Reviewer Score
S Tuning
S Tech
YouTube video thumbnail
V/W Shaped. Energetic treble. Great tech. Fun bass and engaging signature. Overpriced?
Youtube Video Summary

Empire Ears Raven delivers the flagship gloss without pretending to be a value king. Expect deep sub-bass rumble, clean driver control, and a warmer mid-bass emphasis that puts extra weight behind kick drums and bass guitars. That tilt makes Raven a better fit for rock, metal, and live band mixes—grooves hit with authority and instruments carry more body, while treble stays extended without getting spicy or fatiguing.

Against strong $1K contenders, the step up is more refinement than revolution: a roughly 10–15% lift in resolution and texture, not a night-and-day transformation. For pure hip-hop subwoofer thrills, sets with stronger sub-bass focus edge it out; Raven trades some of that in-your-face thump for fuller mid-bass punch and an all-rounder presentation that scales well but isn’t about flexing quantity. Stunning set if the budget is open and rock-first bass weight is the priority; otherwise, mid-tier heavy hitters already capture most of the experience.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Empire Ears Raven reviewed by Head-Fi.org

Head-Fi.org 8.8 * score rescaled + normalized
3 community members have rated the Empire Ears Raven at an average of 4.7/5 on Head-Fi. Overall sentiment: Exceptional.

URL to full Review

Head-Fi.org original ranking

Empire Ears Raven User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

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Shure KSE1500 User Review Score

Average User Scores

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Empire Ears Raven Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

7.1

Gaming Grade

A-

Shure KSE1500 Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

4.9

Gaming Grade

C

Empire Ears Raven Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • Expect a tasteful, well-judged response that feels both musical and true to the source. Great synergy with a wide range of genres.

Average Technical Grade

S-
  • The presentation is crisp and expansive, handling complex passages with impressive ease. Low-level details remain audible in quiet passages.
Bass A+
Expect a gripping low-end presence that marries clarity with visceral impact. Dynamic swings land with thrilling force.
Mids A+
It offers a luxurious, resolving midrange that captures micro-detail beautifully. Every vocal inflection is captured.
Treble B
Highs sound lively and extended while remaining controlled. Detail retrieval keeps shimmer intact.
Dynamics A+
You get a masterful mix of slam and finesse across every track. Music breathes with realism.
Details S
Resolution reaches the limit of perception, exposing layers you didn't know existed. Clarity remains pristine regardless of complexity.
Imaging S
Reference-class imaging delivers perfectly pinpoint accuracy in 3D space with zero positional drift. Localization is pinpoint-perfect in 3D.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Shure KSE1500 Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

C-
  • The tuning lacks refinement, jumping between dull and shouty without settling. Vocals frequently sound off-kilter.

Average Technical Grade

A-
  • A competent technical showing keeps separation intact while delivering modest staging. It feels tidy even when recordings stack layers.
Bass C+
Low-end delivery feels competent yet unremarkable, keeping a safe profile. Low-end bloom is kept in check.
Mids C-
The region is listenable but lacks the finesse and clarity of better tuning. A touch of EQ can smooth things out.
Treble C-
Treble is adequate overall, though its texture can feel coarse. Longer sessions may expose grain.
Dynamics B
Expect energetic dynamics that bring music to life without harshness. It injects enthusiasm into fast music.
Details S+
Every recording is presented with forensic clarity that still sounds organic. It reveals the recording environment perfectly.
Imaging B
Instrument boundaries feel well carved, avoiding smear or drift. Instrument outlines feel well-defined.
Gaming C
Minimal environmental definition provides only general audio cues. Suitable for games where positioning isn't critical. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Empire Ears Raven User Reviews

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Shure KSE1500 User Reviews

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