Sennheiser IE 200 earbuds review: reconnecting with music — literally

Sometimes you need a break from your Bluetooth headphones. I’m tired of recharging them. In heaven, I accidentally put my phone in my left pocket instead of my right pocket while I was out and started noticing choppy audio. (Yes, this can also happen with today’s best wireless his earbuds and cellphones.) And by settling for his Bluetooth codec rather than wired, the true potential of the lossless music library he’s cultivated is deprived of the ear. I’ve been feeling wireless fatigue lately, and Sennheiser just happened to release a new pair. Wired IE 200, an earphone that seems worth a try.

These $149.95 earbuds promise balanced and detailed sound in compact in-ear monitors (IEMs) with adjustable ear hooks and detachable braided cables. No built-in microphone. These are buds dedicated to music. Sennheiser lets you choose the amount of bass thanks to its unique “dual adjustable” ear tip design. In some positions the IE 200 packs a punch in the low end. But when the eartips are attached to the outer position, the bass becomes more neutral.

The IE 200 borrows much of its DNA from Sennheiser’s $700 IE 600 earbuds (which rank among the best IEMs), and aims to bring some of that magic to you at a more affordable price. increase. The company sent me a pair of IE 600s to test alongside their latest buds so I could compare and contrast. But my focus in using these was to keep things casual. I didn’t run them through his DAC or do intense analytical listening at home. I just wanted my music time to be more intentional and purposeful. Wired headphones always work better than a set of AirPods Pro or his Sennheiser’s own Momentum True Wireless 3. Who suddenly heard me say so.

How you consume music depends on the phone you’re currently using. If it’s your iPhone, you’ll be carrying thousands of music tracks encoded with the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) that you’ve collected over the years. Regardless of your current Spotify or Apple Music subscription status, you always want your favorite albums close at hand. And I tried to save my personal collection with a decent quality, that too Overboard; when you need high-definition lossless audio, look to Amazon Music, Qobuz, and more.

ALAC is somewhat out of place when I’m on an Android phone, but for the most part I stick to the ones in my personal library that I upload to Spotify, Amazon, and YouTube Music. (I can’t really recommend any service that’s good enough to store hard-to-find tracks in the cloud. It doesn’t do any of Apple Music’s error-prone track-matching nonsense, it just uses the files and track metadata you feed it..you If you’re a meticulous geek like me, it’s great – and it’s free.)

But the dilemma was the same in both scenarios. I was immediately thrown back into the modern reality of the lack of a headphone jack on a typical smartphone. So I put my pride aside while testing IE 200 and always carry his two dongles with me. One is a 3.5mm to Lightning adapter for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the other is a USB-C equivalent for the Pixel 7.

You can tell the difference between the IE 200 and the much more expensive IE 600 right out of the box. The 600 comes with a hardshell case, while the 200 fits in a soft carrying pouch. A better case would have plenty of spare space for a backup/replacement cable, but it would fit snugly in the pouch.Both the IE 200 and IE 600 include 6 sets of chips. 3 sizes of silicone and 3 foam alternatives. I’m a form person whenever I’m given a choice, and the largest size was fine through all of my testing.

The two pairs of earbuds share the same exterior shape and are very similar in size, but they use different materials. The IE 600 is made from a very clean zirconium shell that is 3D printed and hand finished. Sennheiser wasn’t going to match that level of craftsmanship with his mainstream IE 200, opting for a stealthy all-black plastic shell instead. It may not age gracefully, but it still looks sleek. Both are reasonably secure—especially with the foam tips. Sennheiser has done a great job with ergonomics here.

The braided cable that comes with the IE 200s is super light and I didn’t feel anything while wearing it. That’s a good thing, though, as the cord is immune to moving microphonics and surging noise.Like Sennheiser’s other IEMs, these use MMCX connectors to attach to the cable, but the The recessed connector design can cause problems with some aftermarket cables. Make sure they are specifically compatible with Sennheiser products.

Sennheiser describes the IE 200 as “very neutral”, but that’s not quite right. After all, the neutral presentation is less exciting for many average consumers, and his V-shaped sound similar to the IE 600 he no doubt shares a signature with. The bass boost in cheap earbuds isn’t obnoxious and never veers into bloated territory. The IE 200 is clear, detailed, and fun to listen to.

But you won’t get exactly the same experience as the already famous IE 600. These two sets of earbuds share a similar frequency response, but you don’t need fancy audio equipment to notice that the more expensive pair has a smoother, more dynamic tone. It is fulfilling. All are less rich and clinically sharper than his IE 200, with a less condensed soundstage. The IE 600 has a special touch of warmth and authority. There’s a reason these buds are hundreds of dollars apart, but I believe the $150 IE 200 are a good option if you want to spend a little more on wired earbuds. I wouldn’t worry too much about making a baby, and they sound good enough. not. I’m sure you can find all sorts of discussions on the subject on headphone forums and YouTube.

But Sennheiser’s “dual adjustable” eartip concept seems very gimmicky. Most people wear their eartips flush with the casing, and this is where the IE 200 perform best and have more bass. To cut the low end of the “Analysis” listening mode, the tip has to be pulled forward to the second position. The easiest way to do this is to remove them completely and put the tip back in very gently. They just naturally catch in that first outside position. Pressing further will move you to a lower-pitched seat. The problem is that the chip moves very easily when I put the IE 200s in my ear. So be careful if you want light bass tuning. In the end it’s not worth it. These earbuds sound better with richer bass. This idea seems a little too clever for its own good.

It was nice to revisit wired earbuds during the IE 200 review. I still lament the dongle’s longevity, and sometimes forgetting that these don’t have a mic when answering a call can be awkward. But none of these things are enough to stop me from occasionally holding out my Bluetooth earbuds. and where it sounds best. Most days he still grabs his preferred wireless earbuds. It doesn’t change. But when you pick up Sennheiser’s latest earbuds, you might find yourself enjoying the same occasional reprieve from the wireless world.

Photo by Chris Welch/The Verge