[snappyaxolotl]

Quote:

 
Ahh hell no lol. I wouldn't stand for buying a fake and at $300.00 are you joking me? Can't you get your money back? I went through an ordeal just like this myself and in the end got my money back. Still I just learned to stay away and only buy from authorized dealers. Just not worth the risk. If it seems too good to be true it just is guys . But at $300.00 that doesn't sound too good to be true. Looks like this asses are getting good at the game (charging more to reassure you they are real). But pretty much if they can't prove they are an authorized dealer then by all means they really can't trick you into buying them.

 
I was convinced since the retailer sold genuine IE8s However they still sound pretty good.

 

[Ivabign]

I have had both real and fake IE8's - I have also seen a number of fakes from other vendors over the years and one thing has never changed with the fakes and that is the quality of the foam in the carrying case - with the real thing the foam is denser and the cuts are clean, sharp and uniform - the fakes have less dense foam and the cuts are softer and not quite as uniform - the edges aren't as sharp. These photos are from my genuine IE8's....
 

 

 

 

[Ivabign]

Now these are from a guy who is selling IE80's and IE8's like hotcakes for $150 - $200 - I asked him to send me photos of the foam insert - and sure enough, they were the softer edge variety.
 
 

 

 

 

[lee730]

These people should go to jail for selling such things. Its like fraud. Unless they disclose replica in the sale add it is robbery!
 

 

[Ivabign]

It's not like fraud - it IS fraud - but too many people turn their heads and too many people can't tell they're being taken - the guy selling fakes has great feedback - It's sad, really.

 

[BRAC]

Quote:

 

 
So I bought these for 80 euros. They definitely seemed real, the sound signature matches the descriptions online.
I bought them from: http://myworld.ebay.nl/chunmei_518/?_trksid=p4340.l2559 he has a 99% positive feedback score, with over 1300 customers.
 
They had decent enough detail for in ears, good soundstage but the midbass was way to overpowering.
I liked the ie80s better than the shure se425s and I bought these from an authorised seller. 
 
I did end up selling these because I like my closed headphones better in every single way. 
I do think they were real, but take a look at the photos and see if you can see any anomalies.
 
EDIT: I did win them in an auction. 80 Euros was not the standard price.

Sorry, but those are most definitely fakes. I did much research on this before buying my ie80 from an authorized dealer last month. The two most obvious tells, besides the pricing, are in the packaging. First, the foam inserts should fit the phones perfectly flush without any space around them. They fit snug and the cutouts are very precise on the genuine product. The fakes are said to have a more universal foam, like in the picture you posted above. Second, and the most obvious way to tell a fake, is the "S" on the brushed aluminum case. The genuine will have very smooth, long and gradual curves, whereas, the fake will have sharp, short and more defined curves at the top and bottom of the "S".  

 

[LooseLeaf]

I saw that a link to the thread with some unboxing photos is not posted in here yet so here's the link.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/580838/sennheiser-ie80-unboxing-photo-and-initial-impression-will-update

 

[DrTone]

Real or fake?

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAdLargeImage?AdId=434715589

 

[LooseLeaf]

You may want to ask the seller for more photos, then compare them to the ones posted here. I had a look at the ad in question and the seller claims the IE80s are bought from Canada Computers. FWIW Canada Computers is an authorized dealer (see here: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/canada-computers-sennheiser-ie80-iem-249-99-a-1250691/). Interesting to note that they still have it on sale for $250.

 

[DrTone]

You may want to ask the seller for more photos, then compare them to the ones posted here. I had a look at the ad in question and the seller claims the IE80s are bought from Canada Computers. FWIW Canada Computers is an authorized dealer (see here: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/canada-computers-sennheiser-ie80-iem-249-99-a-1250691/). Interesting to note that they still have it on sale for $250.

That deal has long since expired or i'd be all over it.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

That deal has long since expired or i'd be all over it.

You can get IE80 directly from Amazon.de (Germany) for around $270.00.
 
The reason it is cheaper there is because Germany is Sennheiser's motherland ....

 

[pclov3r]

I would only buy products of this price form well known authorised resellers. 

if a product has a $400 price tag on it do you really think you are going to get them for 100 USD? Use common sense, I could see 100 less but no more. 

 

[soundtech]

 
$150 for a IE80 is not possible. below photo for your reference.

 

[Sylaw]

Quote:

You can get IE80 directly from Amazon.de (Germany) for around $270.00.
 
The reason it is cheaper there is because Germany is Sennheiser's motherland ....

Tax???????????? 

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Tax???????????? 

Not sure that may be part of it but I think its more so that they can just charge you higher prices and if they can they will .