[Sennheiser]

Hello Head-Fi!

Our lineup of audiophile earphones is growing thanks to our latest addition to the family: the IE 200. With a balanced and punchy sound that trickles down from our best-selling IE 300 and IE 600, our newest dynamic universal-fit in-ear puts powerhouse performance in your pocket at a tremendous value.

TrueResponse for True Audiophiles

At the core of the IE 200 is our TrueResponse transducer – a 7mm driver that offers cohesive sound with low-end thump that doesn’t sacrifice the clarity or range you’d expect from Sennheiser. The diaphragm's unique polymer blend offers the rapid rest-and-response times needed for busy musical passages, with a warm and rounded signature sound that gives you hours of exploration without the fatigue. The form-factor is virtually identical to the IE 300, 600, and 900, with an ergonomic housing that practically disappears in your ear. A frequency absorber is built into the earphone to mitigate detail masking, much like the IE 300 (single resonator), IE 600 (dual resonator design) and IE 900 (triple resonator).

Double down on sound

Our patent-pending dual-position nozzle lets listeners choose from a bass-focused experience (below, right) to a vented, relaxed one (below, left) in seconds. Simply lock the ear adapters in one of the positions to change the sonic experience on command. Set it and forget it, or experiment with your favorite tracks (and upstream gear) to unlock a new way to immerse yourself in the groove.

An upgrade from basic cable

The new, 1.2m / 3.9 foot braided cable brings lightweight, low-mass flexibility to the IE series, with Fidelity+ MMCX connectors for simple cable swaps. This cable design also improves the effectiveness of the bendable earhook thanks to the reduced heft and increased pliability. Included are two types of ear adapters, in (3) sizes each (S/M/L; silicone and foam). A gold plated 3.5mm plug is ready for connection to the vast assortment of DAPs, DAC-amps, and dedicated amplifiers in your collection, with an audiophile-friendly 18 ohm impedance for great synergy right out of the box. A low-profile snap-shut pouch keeps it all together for tangle-free transport in your pocket.


IE 200 features

• Balanced and detailed sound with a warm-yet-versatile signature
• TrueResponse 7mm dynamic transducers crafted at our state of the art factory in Ireland, known for their phase integrity and ultra-low distortion
• Integrated frequency absorber mitigates spikes from frequency clusters, revealing crucial treble detail without harsh sibilance
• Unique back-volume manages air flow behind the transducer for low-frequency intelligibility
• Bass focused, noise-isolating fit or a spacious sounding, vented fit offers two unique listening experiences in one earphone
• Fidelity+ MMCX connectors for easy swapping
• Recessed cable sockets for improved strain relief and long-term durability
• All-new, ultra-flexible low-mass braided cable with 3.5mm single-ended termination (fits balanced cables with Fidelity+ MMCX connectors, sold separately)
• Includes 3 sizes each of silicone and viscoelastic memory foam adapters (S/M/L)
• Adjustable ear hooks for a secure, comfortable fit
• 6 Hz - 20,000 Hz frequency response
• Efficient 18 Ω impedance for use with a wide range of audio sources
• Clean, faithful response at both SPL extremes with <0.08% THD (1 kHz)
• Up to 119 dB SPL sensitivity (@1 kHz / 1 Vrms)
• Protective snap-shut storage pouch

This new earphone will be available for pre-order this January. We will provide availability updates here in this thread. For more information including pricing visit our website or contact your local Sennheiser dealer. We are so excited for you to hear it, that we are kick-starting the launch with an IE 200 tour. Simply jump over to the thread to learn more.

 

[ericpalonen]

I've got one in hand, so feel free to ask away!

 

[552609]

Cool, wonder how they sound.

 

[kirancr7]

I've got one in hand, so feel free to ask away!

On the paper atleast it looks just as good as the ie600 with lower bass shelf. What do you think?

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

I’m definitely interested in this if it’s not as v shaped and smoother than IE300

 

[mochill]

I'm interested as well

 

[ipaddy]

On the paper atleast it looks just as good as the ie600 with lower bass shelf. What do you think?

I would like a straight-up comparison with the ie600, and will await such with baited breath.

 

[ipaddy]

Actually, I take that back, since I just checked the price. If the ie200 is selling for $149, there is no way Sennheiser would be selling an iem for that price that would meet or exceed the currently lauded ie600, which sells for 3 times the price.

My best guess is that we will be seeing an ie500 that sells for the same price as the ie600, and improves on that sound.

 

[kirancr7]

Actually, I take that back, since I just checked the price. If the ie200 is selling for $149, there is no way Sennheiser would be selling an iem for that price that would meet or exceed the currently lauded ie600, which sells for 3 times the price.

My best guess is that we will be seeing an ie500 that sells for the same price as the ie600, and improves on that sound.

I mean it uses the same driver as the ie300, 600, 900.
With that fact out of the way and seeing that it graphs similar (imo better than ie600 in the upper mids) its not unreasonable to think that it would perform similarly. Atleast I hope so.

 

[ericpalonen]

Cool, wonder how they sound.

To my ears, there are many similarities with the IE 600 in terms of shape, presence, and balance, with a hint of IE 300 in there. The TrueResponse DNA is strong!

On the paper atleast it looks just as good as the ie600 with lower bass shelf. What do you think?

I'll echo the above but say that the 600 and 900 have that "extra gear" of detail retrieval. Someone comparing the 600 and the 200 will hear both the similarities and differences, and probably find a slot for both in their rotation.

I’m definitely interested in this if it’s not as v shaped and smoother than IE300

Absolutely smoother. The dual staging of the ear tips opens up some additional possibilities. Versus the 300 it will come across as more relaxed. Versus the 600 perhaps a bit warmer but very similar... Once again it straddles the line between engaging and non-fatiguing.

Actually, I take that back, since I just checked the price. If the ie200 is selling for $149, there is no way Sennheiser would be selling an iem for that price that would meet or exceed the currently lauded ie600, which sells for 3 times the price.

My best guess is that we will be seeing an ie500 that sells for the same price as the ie600, and improves on that sound.

You are correct that it does not exceed the 600, and was not designed to. However, this is a gateway product. We want others to join this great hobby and you can't convince them that the journey is worth it unless they start off with an immediate reward. I think it will be a daily driver for some, a backup for others who maybe do not want to take a 600 or 900 on a 2-month backpacking trip, and for many will be the first serious in-ear to compliment their over-ear collection. I think it will have a similar affect that the 5x5 (and 5x8, 5x9) series had.

I mean it uses the same driver as the ie300, 600, 900.
With that fact out of the way and seeing that it graphs similar (imo better than ie600 in the upper mids) its not unreasonable to think that it would perform similarly. Atleast I hope so.

"Same" is a slippery slope especially as it comes to graphs. There's a lot of shared DNA but there are so many variables and ways to achieve a final sound beyond the driver. We are definitely proud of the driver and love its flexibility however it is not the "same" as the 600 or 900 or even the 300. For example the IE 900 voicing is noticeably different, and then you have The implementation of frequency absorbers and acoustic vortex milled into the earpiece which is highly complex and intensive. We do hope you hear the shared elements though, because it gives you a good idea of what it is capable of as you go higher up the chain. All that said I agree with your comment "it's not unreasonable..." as the team has worked hard to establish a "house IE sound". I'm excited for you to hear it so that you can connect the dots.

 

[Jenz]

What justifies the big price difference between the IE900 for 1500€ and the new IE200 for 150€ if both models use the identical driver?
In between there are the IE300 and IE600, also with this 7mm driver.
What's next? An IE1 for 10€ and also this 7mm driver? Especially since the price-performance ratio is rather poor.
I was able to test the IE300 and IE600 and wouldn't buy them for 50€.

 

[PopZeus]

I hope the IE200 and any upcoming IEMs for this line can tame that excess treble. Even the IE600, which admittedly came closest, was too aggressive for my taste.

 

[kirancr7]

Thanks for the reply it clears up a lot of things. The information about the drivers being identical is from the product description of the ie200 from the official website. That being said I get that the implementation is different with the models.

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

What justifies the big price difference between the IE900 for 1500€ and the new IE200 for 150€ if both models use the identical driver?
In between there are the IE300 and IE600, also with this 7mm driver.
What's next? An IE1 for 10€ and also this 7mm driver? Especially since the price-performance ratio is rather poor.
I was able to test the IE300 and IE600 and wouldn't buy them for 50€.

There’s a lot more than goes in to tuning and refining the sound quality than the transducer alone.

 

[ericpalonen]

What justifies the big price difference between the IE900 for 1500€ and the new IE200 for 150€ if both models use the identical driver?
In between there are the IE300 and IE600, also with this 7mm driver.
What's next? An IE1 for 10€ and also this 7mm driver? Especially since the price-performance ratio is rather poor.
I was able to test the IE300 and IE600 and wouldn't buy them for 50€.

They don't use an identical driver. If you wouldn't like the IE 600 for 50€ you probably won't like the IE 200 for free and I won't try to convince you otherwise -- it's just not your flavor and we respect that. Cheers!