Moondrop Blessing 3 vs Shure SE215: which needs more amplifier?

The Moondrop Blessing 3 is 14.8Ω at 101.7 dB/mW; the Shure SE215 is 17Ω at 107.0 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Moondrop Blessing 3 needs 5.3 dB more than the Shure SE215 to reach the same loudness — 0.68 mW against 0.20 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationMoondrop Blessing 3Shure SE215
Impedance14.8 Ω17 Ω
Sensitivity101.7 dB/mW107.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)120.0 dB/V124.7 dB/V
Power for 100 dB0.68 mW0.20 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.10 V58 mV
Current for 100 dB6.8 mA3.4 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
1.85 Ω2.12 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
280280

Where the two part company

Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.

3 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Shure SE215 under the one-eighth rule but not for the Moondrop Blessing 3 (Astell&Kern HC3, RME Fireface UFX II, RME Fireface UFX III).

8 sources stay below the audible-hiss threshold with the Moondrop Blessing 3 but cross it with the Shure SE215 (FiiO BTR11, FiiO K11 R2R, Lake People G103-S Mk II, 5 more).

280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Moondrop Blessing 3 and Shure SE215. Every figure on this page comes from what Moondrop and Shure published, or is derived from it — what Moondrop publishes and what Shure publishes, both counted.