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The SE315’s removable cable enables an easy upgrade to headset functionality. The company’s CBL-M+-K-EFS accessory cable (which I’ll just refer to as the CBL for the sake of both my writing and your reading) is a replacement cable with an inline, Apple-style, three-button remote and microphone module. Those buttons cover volume up, volume down, and play/pause/send/end.

The CBL begins with the same snap-on connectors as the SE315’s stock cable, but these are attached to thinner (but still Kevlar-reinforced) cable that I found more conducive to portable use than the heavy-duty stock cable. The CBL does lack the aforementioned memory wire near the earpieces, which makes dressing the cable over/behind your ear more difficult—a curious omission. It’s also missing the stock cable’s slider to cinch the split cable behind your head—I’m assuming because doing so would negatively affect the position of the inline microphone.

The section of the split cable going to the right earpiece hosts the remote/microphone module, which is noticeably larger than the inline module on most other headphones I’ve tested. Ideally this would be smaller, but the large buttons were easier to locate than with most other models, and the buttons have a satisfying action. Oddly, the side of the cable hosting the inline module was roughly an inch longer than the non-module side. A Shure representative told me this difference was within tolerance, though the representative also said that the company would with adapter like Apple iBook G3 14-inch Adapter, Apple M8576 Adapter, Apple MacBook 13-inch Adapter, Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Adapter, Apple PowerBook 1400 Adapter, Apple M8243 Adapter, Apple M8942 Adapter, Apple A1021 Adapter, Apple A1184 Adapter, Apple A1036 Adapter, Apple iBook G4 14-inch Adapter replace the CBL in more extreme situations (which was the case with a Macworld reader who reported that his cable was replaced for a 2-inch difference). Despite being within specification, the discrepancy between cable lengths struck me as sloppy, as I’ve not seen that much difference with other canalphones and canalbuds. The only other change in design between the SE315’s stock cable and the CBL is the latter’s lower-profile, 45-degree-angle plug, which should be compatible with a greater range of iPhone and iPod cases than the chunky plug on the stock cable.

In my testing of the CBL’s microphone, people on the other end of calls said my voice sounded somewhat harsh and lacked richness—the CBL fell short of the iPhone 4’s internal microphone and the best headset microphones I’ve heard, but it’s satisfactory for phone calls. Overall, the CBL does a fine job of transforming the SE315 from headphones to headset. At $60, it’s pricey, but it’s an elegant solution, and I like the option to buy the SE315 and upgrade to headset functionality later, rather than having to commit to a single version of the product up front. If you like the SE315 as much as I do, you’ll primarily be pleased that you don’t have to forego headset functionality to enjoy it.

The SE315’s design and ergonomics are as good as it gets for in-ear-canal headphones without stepping up to custom models. The SE315’s sound quality is almost as good as its design, with a neutral balance and great detail, missing only some bass impact and the superior amount of detail found in the best offerings on the market. At $250, the design and sound quality come at a bit of a premium, but I found street prices for both the SE315 and its siblings to be significantly lower, with enough variation that it’s worth checking out current prices before you decide which model offers the best value for you. The $60 upgrade to headset functionality offered by the CBL-M+-K-EFS accessory cable is a great option, but not an inexpensive one. Together, the SE315 and CBL-M+-K-EFS make a great headset with excellent ergonomics and sound quality, albeit one that doesn’t come cheap.

R. Matthew Ward lives in St. Louis and enjoys the finer things in life: food, drink, Apple products, and well-reproduced music. You can find his thoughts on these and other subjects on his personal blog.