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So there I was, all ready to go hunting for at good price on Sennheiser IE8 (maybe used) when...

post #1 of 6
9/22/10 at 12:48pm
Thread Starter 

I had pretty much decided to see, if I could get a pair of Sennheiser IE8 because they seem to fit my criterias for a new set om IEMs .

 

Then I read somewhere here on Head-Fi, that the SQ of the IE8 suffers if you get too good a seal (I might be paraphrasing). Then I did some more reading and read pretty much the same thing somewhere else here in the forums.

 

Could someone please explain the significance of this seal issue so I can understand it?

 

Today I use a pair of Philips IEM (see my signature) that probably haven't cost me more than a lot of you have spent on replacement cables to your headphones, but with a pair of Comply Foams on, I get both a lot of isolation (from the surroundings, which means I can enjoy music at a lower volume). The headphones have a (to me!) a 'fun sound' (bass) and the a soundstage that - compared to the Sony earphones I used before purchasing my Philips' literally made me go 'wow' (it was in my head, but still...).

 

Recently I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD 25-1 II (it's your fault, Head-Fi!) ) which even I can hear has a better sound than the Phillips but, apart from not being as portable, doesn't have the same isolation as the Philips with the Complys.

 

And that send me on a hunt for something that would give me the SQ of the HD25-1 II's (wouldn't mind a little more bass ) and the isolation of the Philips (read: enjoy my music without having to turn the volume all the way up, and without bothering my surroundings).

 

 

I don't want to spend a lot of money on a great pair of IEMs and use them 'the wrong way' (SQ suffers) and likewise I don't want a pair of IEMs that I cant use, like i use my Philips (bicycling, walking around town etc, enjoying my music without noise from the surroundings distracting me too much).

 

Please help me ease my mind on this seal issue, if it really is an issue. What is it all about? As I understand it, I shouldn't use Comply Foam (right?) but is that (only) because the SQ suffers directly from using the Complys, or is it (also?) because the seal gets too tight?

 

If there is something I've totally misunderstood, please tell me .

 

Thanks!

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Sennheiser IE 8 In-Ear Headphones
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Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Professional Headphone
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post #2 of 6
9/22/10 at 12:59pm

Even if you get a deep seal with the IE8s, they will still not isolate very well simply due to their design.

 

If isolation is what you need, I would recommend looking at something else.

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post #3 of 6
9/22/10 at 1:31pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks, but what is 'not very well' compared to, say, the HD 25-1 II's?

 

On their homepage Sennheiser claims: "Excellent attenuation of ambient noise" while they write this about the HD25-1 II's: "The closed-back HD 25-1 IIs are purpose-designed, professional monitoring headphones offering high attenuation of background noise."

 

To me "Excellent attenuation of ambient noise" sounds like more isolation than "high attenuation of background noise" while your "not isolate very well" sounds like just the opposite.

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post #4 of 6
9/22/10 at 2:46pm

They isolated plenty fine for me.  I don't get the problem.  Most people prefer to wear them loose though because it lessens the bass hump.  SQ is typically better with a good seal, but loose is done to help counter the frequency response (although you do get used to it).

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post #5 of 6
9/22/10 at 2:47pm

The info on sennheiseri's website can be misleading.

 

I've been using the ie8 for about 3 months now, and it's true that the sound isolation is mediocre. It's possible to get a good seal, but nowhere near, say the Shure SE line which I found to be very good at isolating IMO.

 

I was worried about this too at first but I read that this characteristic of the ie8 contributes to its expansive soundstage somehow. Maybe it's because the sound won't be all-in-your ear type of deal. Maybe someone else can clarify but I remember reading here that ie8 sounds better with wider soundstage because of it's mediocre sound isolation.

 

Because of this, I have to turn up the volume a little bit louder than when using my Shure but I enjoy the sound much more and even then, it's only about 30-40% which I don't think is dangerously loud.

 

I tried using comply tips but I found that takes away too much treble in my opinon, although the bass was phenomenal. I settled on a pair of sony hybrid tips and never looked back since.

 

If sound isolation is your top priority, then I'd suggest looking elsewhere maybe sm3, w3, or se530/535

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post #6 of 6
9/22/10 at 2:58pm

I owned the UM3X, SE530, and Triple.Fi 10 at the same time I had the IE8.  Isolation is near the others if you have a good seal.  I didn't find them lacking and not nearly as bad as people lead you to believe.  However, they don't sit tucked in the ear like others and loosen relatively easily if you're using shallow insertion.  With the strong bass, one doesn't readily notice them loosening up for a while.

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Sennheiser IE 8 In-Ear Headphones
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Sennheiser HD 25-1 II Professional Headphone
Powered by NexTag
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphones, Earphones and In-Ear Monitors › So there I was, all ready to go hunting for at good price on Sennheiser IE8 (maybe used) when suddently... (IE8 question)