Sennheiser IE200

[Hare Hare]

Are these very bright iems? I have moondrop Starfield. Can anyone share short comparison with these?

 

[adelaidestevens]

Are these very bright iems? I have moondrop Starfield. Can anyone share short comparison with these?

I want to know as well, everyone seems to have contradicting opinions. I know it has less treble than IE600 but people find that particular one bright. As long as it's no brighter than HD600 I'm happy

 

[Dazerdoreal]

I want to know as well, everyone seems to have contradicting opinions. I know it has less treble than IE600 but people find that particular one bright. As long as it's no brighter than HD600 I'm happy

I dont own them so feel free not to trust me, but looking at frequency response graphs, I expect them to sound very different from each other in the first place.
They are bright in very different areas then the 600s. Basically, it is hard to predict if you will perceive them as bright.

The IE200 is bright in the mid treble (7-9k) which is an area where the 600s is rather dark. On the other hand, the IE200 is dark in the upper midrange/lower treble (3-5k) where the HD600 is slightly on the bright side.

While I expect the IE200 to sound warmer overall (more relaxed, less "shrill", but maybe also less clear), the mid treble area is where the IE200 is bright is a rather controversial area. Some people love a slight boost in the area as it gives a perception of "high detail", others perceive it as sharp and piercing. You most likely just have to check it out by yourself. https://squig.link/?share=Crinacle_2023_Adjusted_Target,Sennheiser_IE_200_(D1)

 

[Leif]

Anyone has IE200 delivered yet? Any opinons?

I’ve had a pair for a month or two. The main criticism I have is not Sennheiser specific. The cable always gets tangled up with itself, it’s a real pain, and they are fiddly to put on. As for the cable being microphonic, mine isn’t. I go for hour long walks with them and there is no cable noise. There is however little sound isolation. When a car drives past, the noise drowns out the podcast I am listening to, which is why I went back to my Bose QC25 when walking outdoors. The sound is decent, certainly fine for the price. They are somewhat bright, but I prefer that to an exaggerated bass which is popular these days. My Sennheiser HD600 has far superior sound, but that’s hardly a surprise.

 

[IAtaman]

I got a pair earlier this week and have been using them for a while today.

I like them quite a lot.

First of all, they are comfortable. Very comfortable. I forgot I am wearing them after a while. Similar to JBL Endurance Run 2 in comfort, but without the silicon "baffles".
Second, they are the only IEM I own that I can use without EQ. Others I have either sound very boxy or pierce through my ears, or both, without EQ. IE200 does neither.
Bass is very good. Its strong and clear. Rest of the tuning is also well balanced and clear as well.
If you are a bit younger, maybe the upper treble (10KHz+) might bother you a bit and might use some toning down. It does not bother me at all.
I am using them with medium size silicon tips. They come with 3 silicone and 3 foam tips, which is also very convenient.

Here are the measurements from Oratory1990.

Only complaint I have is the cable length - they are a bit short in my opinion.

Overall, I am very happy with them. I do not like IEMs and rarely if ever use them but I think these might change that.

 

[Sebby]

I have a pair of these too and they are my favorite IEMs.
I use the stock eartips, but I managed to seal the hole on the nozzle and the bass is there. I love his tone and his tuning. I've tried the IE600s but they are so similar I can't justify the price.
I changed the cable with a €10 fabric Tripowin and now it's perfect.
For €150 this IEM is a no-brainer!

 

[IAtaman]

Here is the EQ settings I use for IE200 in the off chance someone is interested.

Preamp: -3dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 70 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 0.7
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 200 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 0.7
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1500 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 1.4
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 8500 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2
Filter 5: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2 dB Q 0.7

This is how the FR graph looks like after EQ.

Also attached is the same PEQ settings in RME format.

 

[Sebby]

Here is the EQ settings I use for IE200 in the off chance someone is interested.



This is how the FR graph looks like after EQ.

Also attached is the same PEQ settings in RME format.

View attachment 342835

As for the bass, have you tried the MOD of the hole on the nozzle which consists in plugging it?
Now they sound perfect even with the original eartips.
Placed side by side it is difficult to understand the differences between IE600 and IE200...

 

[IAtaman]

As for the bass, have you tried the MOD of the hole on the nozzle which consists in plugging it?
Now they sound perfect even with the original eartips.
Placed side by side it is difficult to understand the differences between IE600 and IE200...

No I haven't. How do you do that?

 

[Sebby]

No I haven't. How do you do that?

Whatever malleable material you have on hand.
I used a microscopic amount of rubber/glue...

The same effect can also be had with some eartips (not all), but you lose comfort.

 

[IAtaman]

Whatever malleable material you have on hand.
I used a microscopic amount of rubber/glue...

The same effect can also be had with some eartips (not all), but you lose comfort.

I thought pushing the tips all the way in already sealed the port, doesn't it? Nevertheless, I will try tomorrow with a minute amount of blue tag to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Sebby]

I thought pushing the tips all the way in already sealed the port, doesn't it? Nevertheless, I will try tomorrow with a minute amount of blue tag to see if that makes a difference.

In theory it should have been like this.
some talk about bad engineering, but in my opinion it's intentional.
If you look carefully, after the hole there is a small depression/vent that continues past the eartips.

 

[Adamant11746]

When I had a pair of IE200 I simply used a tiny strip of scotch tape. It worked quite nicely to seal the holes, and is fully reversible if you want to sell them later (good thing too, since I couldn't find small enough ear tips and ended up returning them).

 

[Blorg]

Been looking at these, but some reviews have turned me away from them a bit.
Apparently the cable is extra microphonic, kinda garbage and uses a proprietary connection so your only other "supported" option is $99.

It's not really proprietary, it's standard MMCX but recessed. You can use most MMCX cables if you clip the red and transparent plastic bits off the cable, which is super easy, they are held on by just one little plastic bit and cut that it will fit. Apart from that, you can get recessed MMCX cables that work without modification, I have a $9 cable on mine. AKG N5005 uses the same system and cables sold for that will also work. It's a slight annoyance and cables that work without the clip mod are not as common, but by no means a deal breaker. Plenty of $10-20 cables even if don't want to cut a regular one. Stock cable is rubbish.

Cable options here:

https://imgur.com/a/2TtoyQC

 

[isostasy]

Been using some EQ to bring my ER2XR closer to the IE200 and I must say I think I prefer it. It's not an exact match and I don't think would be possible anyway due to the different fitting - it's hard to see where the 8kHz resonance peak is on the Sennheiser. But the lower 2.7kHz "peak" and slightly reduced upper mids thereafter is matched quite well I think. Then I just raised the treble roughly in the corresponding areas without going too extreme, so obviously the big peak around 6-7kHz isn't as big and above 10kHz is raised a bit but not exactly matched.

I've been wondering about how Sennheiser tuned this and guessing from what they've said in their "Beyond the Curve" videos that there was some kind of equal-loudness EQing going on, where you get a group of people and ask them to match loudness of tones heard over speakers and on the device (headphones or in this case IEMs). I'm assuming the strange looking mids is due to trying to reaching a compromise between those different perceptions, because frequency response at the eardrum is different for everyone. It definitely works for me: I think the apparent forwardness/"shoutiness" attributed to Etymotics may be less due to the apparent bump at 1.5kHz and more to do with needing a reduction above that as in the IE200.

Preamp: -10.0 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 20 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 0.250 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 3700 Hz Gain -6.0 dB Q 1.000 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 6000 Hz Gain 5.0 dB Q 1.000 Filter 4: ON HSC Fc 12000 Hz Gain 5.0 dB Q 0.700

 

[Sebby]

My EQ for IE200