*Disclaimer - This is my first review on Head-Fi so please go easy on me.
The Sennheiser IE80 is the first set of high-end audio gear above 300$. I bought them second hand from an online store. My impressions will be different than most as I was able to pick these up for around 110$. I have owned these IEMs for around 7 months. I used them for listening to FLACs on my computer and Spotify Premium on my Nexus 6, occasionally with a digizoid zo2.
Build:
The IEMs feel pretty solid. The IE80s are built entirely out of plastic and feel like they can take a beating. The IE80s will scratch and scuff if handled poorly but the only thing that has suffered substantial damage was the cable. Speaking of the cable, it is horrendous. The cable is a very thing, very firm and feels poor. Luckily the cable is replaceable and many replacements can be found on amazon and eBay. The cable that I used to replace my cable is here.
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Four-core-twisted-silver-Upgrade/dp/B00MTB7678?ie=UTF8&keywords=sennheiser%20ie80&qid=1461658640&ref_=sr_1_12&sr=8-12
The tips that the IE80s came with are also sub par. Many of the silicon and foam tips that Sennheiser provided are either uncomfortable or just don't fit. I since swapped the eartips with comply foam tips linked here.
http://www.amazon.com/ZNARI-Earbud-Foam-Tips-Medium/dp/B015K33ZYE?ie=UTF8&keywords=znari&qid=1461658786&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
Overall, the accessories are very bad; however, the overall build of the IE80s are pretty solid and many would be satisfied with the IEMs.
Comfort:
I don't personally enjoy using IEMs for prolonged periods of time as they always end up irritating my ear canal. I definitely prefer Over Ear headphones but nothing beats the IEM for portability, My main purpose for these are my commutes to and from school and sometimes 1-2 hour breaks in my day. With the original accessories, my ears would start to hurt after 45 minutes but witht he new cable and ear tips I can go for around 3 hours without discomfort. These are the most comfortable IEMs I've used but in my opinion, they don't match the comfort of Over Ears.
Sound:
As said by literally every other reviewer on Head-Fi, Sound is the most important aspect of a headphone or IEM. This is all my personal opinion and my own impressions. To me the IE80s sound like classically Sennheiser. I listen to other IEMs and Headphones on a daily basis and these sound as if there is a blanket on my music. When listening to "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" by the Offspring, the band sounds as if there is a partition between you and the music. I haven't listened extensively to the HD600 or HD650 but from what I heard, it sounds similar to the Sennheiser veil where the highs are rolled off and recessed. Aside from this the sound is pretty nice.
While the Highs lack sparkle and excitement, the rest of the signature is pretty nice. Coming from many consumer headphones and IEMs these are the most pleasant set of IEMs I have listened to. Bass is extended low and is very well represented. As a person born in 1995, I listen to a lot of music like Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Hardwell and many more. Tracks with a lot of bass sound freaking killer. I always find myself dancing to the music or nodding my head and tapping my foot. If you look for bass, these will not dissapoint.
Mids in the IE80s are not super forward but they are not recessed either. The best way I can describe the Mids is that the Mids are like the awkward person at a party in the corner. They are there but the attention is never on them. Voices are pleasant and sound great coming from an IEM with a V sound signature. Anyone coming from the M50x or other V shaped headphones will find the voices to be full and pleasant. If you're a Mid head like Quinn Nelson, then look somewhere else. I'd like to reiterate that the mids are not supper recessed but they will not shine above the rest of the track.
Soundstage on the IE80s is above average for IEMs. you can definitely hear like a 6 inch room around your head. When listening to orchestral tracks from Walt Ribeiro, I can tell where the instrumental sections are but I can't distinct the individual instruments. If you want a wide spacious environment, I have no idea what you are doing looking into IEMs in the first place but the IE80s have the widest soundstage in an IEM that I have heard.
Conclusion:
Overall the IE80s are a good pair of IEMs for the budding audiophile. The veiled highs and blanket over the sound make them very pleasant for someone who isn't accustomed to a flat signature. Switching between my LCD-X and IE80s, I can definitely hear the difference; however, the LCD-X cost close to 4x the amount. I am very pleased with the IE80s and I haven't had the desire to purchase a new high-end IEMs yet. Maybe in the future I may sell these to buy something like the Shure SE535 or the Earwerkz Supra. I will note don't buy these for full price. Amazon sells them for <300$. Thank you for reading my review and please be nice, it's my first review
The Sennheiser IE80 is the first set of high-end audio gear above 300$. I bought them second hand from an online store. My impressions will be different than most as I was able to pick these up for around 110$. I have owned these IEMs for around 7 months. I used them for listening to FLACs on my computer and Spotify Premium on my Nexus 6, occasionally with a digizoid zo2.
Build:
The IEMs feel pretty solid. The IE80s are built entirely out of plastic and feel like they can take a beating. The IE80s will scratch and scuff if handled poorly but the only thing that has suffered substantial damage was the cable. Speaking of the cable, it is horrendous. The cable is a very thing, very firm and feels poor. Luckily the cable is replaceable and many replacements can be found on amazon and eBay. The cable that I used to replace my cable is here.
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Four-core-twisted-silver-Upgrade/dp/B00MTB7678?ie=UTF8&keywords=sennheiser%20ie80&qid=1461658640&ref_=sr_1_12&sr=8-12
The tips that the IE80s came with are also sub par. Many of the silicon and foam tips that Sennheiser provided are either uncomfortable or just don't fit. I since swapped the eartips with comply foam tips linked here.
http://www.amazon.com/ZNARI-Earbud-Foam-Tips-Medium/dp/B015K33ZYE?ie=UTF8&keywords=znari&qid=1461658786&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
Overall, the accessories are very bad; however, the overall build of the IE80s are pretty solid and many would be satisfied with the IEMs.
Comfort:
I don't personally enjoy using IEMs for prolonged periods of time as they always end up irritating my ear canal. I definitely prefer Over Ear headphones but nothing beats the IEM for portability, My main purpose for these are my commutes to and from school and sometimes 1-2 hour breaks in my day. With the original accessories, my ears would start to hurt after 45 minutes but witht he new cable and ear tips I can go for around 3 hours without discomfort. These are the most comfortable IEMs I've used but in my opinion, they don't match the comfort of Over Ears.
Sound:
As said by literally every other reviewer on Head-Fi, Sound is the most important aspect of a headphone or IEM. This is all my personal opinion and my own impressions. To me the IE80s sound like classically Sennheiser. I listen to other IEMs and Headphones on a daily basis and these sound as if there is a blanket on my music. When listening to "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" by the Offspring, the band sounds as if there is a partition between you and the music. I haven't listened extensively to the HD600 or HD650 but from what I heard, it sounds similar to the Sennheiser veil where the highs are rolled off and recessed. Aside from this the sound is pretty nice.
While the Highs lack sparkle and excitement, the rest of the signature is pretty nice. Coming from many consumer headphones and IEMs these are the most pleasant set of IEMs I have listened to. Bass is extended low and is very well represented. As a person born in 1995, I listen to a lot of music like Panic! at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Hardwell and many more. Tracks with a lot of bass sound freaking killer. I always find myself dancing to the music or nodding my head and tapping my foot. If you look for bass, these will not dissapoint.
Mids in the IE80s are not super forward but they are not recessed either. The best way I can describe the Mids is that the Mids are like the awkward person at a party in the corner. They are there but the attention is never on them. Voices are pleasant and sound great coming from an IEM with a V sound signature. Anyone coming from the M50x or other V shaped headphones will find the voices to be full and pleasant. If you're a Mid head like Quinn Nelson, then look somewhere else. I'd like to reiterate that the mids are not supper recessed but they will not shine above the rest of the track.
Soundstage on the IE80s is above average for IEMs. you can definitely hear like a 6 inch room around your head. When listening to orchestral tracks from Walt Ribeiro, I can tell where the instrumental sections are but I can't distinct the individual instruments. If you want a wide spacious environment, I have no idea what you are doing looking into IEMs in the first place but the IE80s have the widest soundstage in an IEM that I have heard.
Conclusion:
Overall the IE80s are a good pair of IEMs for the budding audiophile. The veiled highs and blanket over the sound make them very pleasant for someone who isn't accustomed to a flat signature. Switching between my LCD-X and IE80s, I can definitely hear the difference; however, the LCD-X cost close to 4x the amount. I am very pleased with the IE80s and I haven't had the desire to purchase a new high-end IEMs yet. Maybe in the future I may sell these to buy something like the Shure SE535 or the Earwerkz Supra. I will note don't buy these for full price. Amazon sells them for <300$. Thank you for reading my review and please be nice, it's my first review
