Sennheiser IE800 Impressions

Then we're talking about IE800. Previously I disliked this thing a lot, but recently I picked up a pair to verify if some other members claim that IE800 needs some additional patience was true.

Well, it seems that I have blamed IE800 too much. The evil was the fit of stock tips. The one who sold me his IE800 included some comply tips, which have better fit, better isolation, and consequently, better sonic performance. In addition, if you wear the cables straight down, there will be a ton of noise. Over-ear style mitigates 99% of the problem (virtually no microphonics), at the expense of barely enough cable length. I'm 180cm or somewhere close to 5'10" or 5'11", and the cable is just long enough to reach my jeans' pocket.

It seems that IE800 is quite sensitive, and any portable source shouldn't worry about having much power problem. However, as its impedance being 16 (or 18?), some device with higher output impedance may have some troubles. My AK100ii will probably fall into this category, but using iPhone 6 I did not find wildly different results. So take my impressions with a heavy grain of salt.

When fit right with the right music, IE800 displays some good characteristics. It overall made me though Sennheiser was trying to create the mobile version of HD800. The coherency problem was gone. Soundstaging is good as IEMs, though don't expect too much. Imaging is reference level precise. The bass is for sure boosted, and very typical DD sounding. I hear a slightly muscular mid-bass, which is consistently more solid and "sinking" (or impactful) than T8ie. Sub-bass remains well-extended and coherent with mid-bass. Let's say a dynamic driver IEM sounds like a dynamic driver IEM and I guess most seasoned IEM veterans can tell blind if something is dynamic or multi-BA (we're not talking about hybrids here). To my ears, compared with multi-BA configuration, DD seems to display a more prominent, fuller bass response and particularly in the mid-bass region, but is also vulnerable to some insufficient bass slam. Not necessarily one is superior over another - pick your like.

However, with maximum sealing IE800 seems to be quite problematic with modern bass-heavy music, on which bass can be excessive and annoying. If I wanted to mitigate such, sealing would be sacrificed and thus other more annoying headaches will arise in the mids and highs. The performance are highly dependent on which tips you use, and how do you fit them. However, there seems to be two problems inherent in driver implementation.
a. grain across the vocal spectrum. Sounds like the vocal cord is vibrating with a thin piece of metallic film on it.
b. lean, hot lower-treble and higher-mids. Which is pretty f'ing annoying. Lots of instruments sounded overly metallic and sibilant. Most severe when stock tips are used.
And when you lose the maximum seal, expect these effects to be amplified. A lot. Using Comply tips can mitigate these problems a lot, yet they still show up from time to time, particularly b. Yet if how effective Comply can be remains a personal question, and my answer is not effective enough to make IE800 shine TOTL for me.

 

I’ve tried these no fewer than seven times according to my notes- and at different places each time. I’m pretty sure each time was with stock (medium?) silicon tips. As a disclaimer, I’m not overly sensitive to brightness as I haven’t modded my HD800s and I don’t find my DT880s bright at all. Although, I did end up selling my DT990s (the only headphone I’ve ever sold) and maybe I got a ‘good one’ for the 880s.

I think the IE800s put Ultrasone to shame in the brightness department. I tried these so many times wanting to like them but just couldn’t. I have no doubt that the Complys would help; but I totally believe that they don’t make that metallic and grainy sound go away. I also have no doubt that the people who like these are hearing something completely different due to fit or ear canal profile. At the time these came out they were considered expensive for universals. And I remember thinking to myself, “I guess this is what rich people like to hear.”

 

Thank you for sharing impressions. I was going to purchase IE800 and now decide not to. I might find something else. You guys saved me a lot of money....

 

@Griffon In the 4th paragraph you are comparing ba to DD, it looks like you said the DD lack bass slam compared to ba, is that what you are saying? Thanks in advance for the clarification.

 

That's what we do. Saving your money (which you then spend on something you'll be happier with).

 

To clarify, I found DD bass in IEMs I've heard sound more or less floating, slow, and indecisive.

 

Definitely is slower, agree with you in that.

 

Linus just posted his review of the IE800, although he isn't your stereotypical audiophile, I think it's a great honest review:

 

Thank you for sharing. I watched the review and it makes me really want to try this IEM......

 

Linus' blankie reviews are always on-point as well, I've found. </peanuts joke>

 

Just got IE800. I could not resist temptation and went ahead... Started burning in now. Brief 1st impression is that it has very wide soundstage and airy treble. Treble is very clear and has noticeable sub-bass. This will be a great companion with my fav iem, ER4S....

 

Doesn't the IE800 midrange sound very weird coming from the ER4S?

 

I just had brief 30 minutes listen and still burning in... What I notice is that IE800 has U shape sound sig... emphasis on bass and treble but I did not notice that mid is veil or hiding back... I hear vocal very clearly... Strangely, I hear tiny bit more hiss comparing with ER4S...

 

One of the worst items I've ever heard and terribly designed.

 

I heard negative and positive feedback on this iEM and I was also very reluctant to own this. For me, the fit was fine. Very comfortable and cable length is not great but I prefer short cable so it is fine for me. The sound is great and I like it a lot. What I learned from this is that gather as much facts as possible from reviews and other people's feedbacks but follow my gut and test it with my own ears whenever possible. And I am glad that I went ahead this time.

 

I loved the IE800 from the very first moment I'd tried it on, bought it right off the bat on this initial listen. I love the clarity, sparkly treble, mids that don't sound recessed at all (but if it's so, it's very mild) and nice thumping bass that while emphasized, doesn't sound bloated at all. I'd owned a number of IEM's over these two years (since I'd started down this slippery audiophile slope), sold off a few but have NEVER considered selling this badboy.....as of now, I have it, together with a Fitear Parterre and CampFire Audio Jupiter. It really depends the mood I'm in as to which I'd use, but I do find myself reaching for the IE800 the most.