Exceptional in Every Detail: Say Hello to the IE 600

[rlw6534]

Btw anyone tried to use Fiio’s mmcx cable? Does it fit? I’m planning to convert fiio cable to 2pin but i’m also looking at ie600… thanks

No, it doesn't fit unless you destructively remove the blue and red rings at the mmcx... they don't just pop off.

 

[Billyak]

I done a similar thing with a **** copper cable. Luckily the red and blue identifiers came off quite cleanly.

 

[Menkau-ra]

what's the best cable for IE600 today?

 

[quimbo]

what's the best cable for IE600 today?

I am pleased with a Plussound X6 Series cable. It's the best for me.

 

[captainhook88]

Does the Sennheiser IE600 work with aftermarket "standard" MMCX cables? Or do they have to be explicitly compatible with it like with Etymotics?

 

[Opalius]

Does the Sennheiser IE600 work with aftermarket "standard" MMCX cables? Or do they have to be explicitly compatible with it like with Etymotics?

... That would be number two.. but the plus size is that it is much more stable, less likely to brake, then a standard mmcx. You can read up on the mmcx fidelity+ on Google

 

[captainhook88]

... That would be number two.. but the plus size is that it is much more stable, less likely to brake, then a standard mmcx. You can read up on the mmcx fidelity+ on Google

Thanks a lot for your reply I see you own also the ER4XR. How would you compare the IE600's to the ER4XR ? Which do you like more overall and why?

 

[gadgetgod]

Does the Sennheiser IE600 work with aftermarket "standard" MMCX cables? Or do they have to be explicitly compatible with it like with Etymotics?

I am using it with Effect Audio Cadmus, and also tested it with the Effect Audio Eros S. Compatible with both. Yet to try it with any other Aftermarket cable. I fear for MMCX connectors break on me so I don't change the cable oftenly.

 

[Opalius]

Thanks a lot for your reply I see you own also the ER4XR. How would you compare the IE600's to the ER4XR ? Which do you like more overall and why?

That's almost a apples and oranges comparison. Both are round and come from a tre... But...

Jokes aside here.

Aside from frequency response, , one is neutral and the other is U-shaped, the biggest difference is soundstage. The IE600 has better imaging and much much better soundstage. It can even soundstage outside if your head, - and that is impressive. Also it's bass and sub-bass response is very deep end expended... And that's where the trouble starts for the IE600. - sometimes.

On tracks that have a deep background subbass, the IE600 gets in trouble because this subbas will dominate the music to the point where it even can ruin things.

A exsample would be London Grammer - Californian Soil, this track mas great soundstage that plays go the IE600 strength with it's slightly elevated treble, but the subbass is just there constantly, and that starts to be tiresome. As this is a track with a soundstage "build in" it sounds just right, not to wide, not to bassy, on the ER4XR...
But this is only a problem when listening at 90db... At 80db spl everything sounds very neutral ( even if it isn't when looking at a graph)

Now the IE600 on the other hand.. if we take Five finger Death punch with the song Afterlife ... Now this is a sound that has bass, but not alot of subbass, some guitar, fats pace, and where you want to feel the music. The IE600 is just mind blowing with this track, where the ER4XR is borring, narrow, with little impact ( compared ).

Isolation wise the ER4XR wins hads down.
Comfort IE600....

Overall, when I'm listening to music, and don't need the isolation, I highly prefer the IE600. Its soundstage is wide ( wider then my HD650 ), so it is the IEM I take when traveling to hotels and so on. But it's best to listen to it when there is not to much noise around.

The ER4XR is the one I use when I need to cut out the world. I can listen at low low volume, I get great detail, and it's just "me and the music"

If I had to pick only one, it would be the IE600.

Hope that paints a picture...

 

[captainhook88]

That's almost a apples and oranges comparison. Both are round and come from a tre... But...

Jokes aside here.

Aside from frequency response, , one is neutral and the other is U-shaped, the biggest difference is soundstage. The IE600 has better imaging and much much better soundstage. It can even soundstage outside if your head, - and that is impressive. Also it's bass and sub-bass response is very deep end expended... And that's where the trouble starts for the IE600. - sometimes.

On tracks that have a deep background subbass, the IE600 gets in trouble because this subbas will dominate the music to the point where it even can ruin things.

A exsample would be London Grammer - Californian Soil, this track mas great soundstage that plays go the IE600 strength with it's slightly elevated treble, but the subbass is just there constantly, and that starts to be tiresome. As this is a track with a soundstage "build in" it sounds just right, not to wide, not to bassy, on the ER4XR...
But this is only a problem when listening at 90db... At 80db spl everything sounds very neutral ( even if it isn't when looking at a graph)

Now the IE600 on the other hand.. if we take Five finger Death punch with the song Afterlife ... Now this is a sound that has bass, but not alot of subbass, some guitar, fats pace, and where you want to feel the music. The IE600 is just mind blowing with this track, where the ER4XR is borring, narrow, with little impact ( compared ).

Isolation wise the ER4XR wins hads down.
Comfort IE600....

Overall, when I'm listening to music, and don't need the isolation, I highly prefer the IE600. Its soundstage is wide ( wider then my HD650 ), so it is the IEM I take when traveling to hotels and so on. But it's best to listen to it when there is not to much noise around.

The ER4XR is the one I use when I need to cut out the world. I can listen at low low volume, I get great detail, and it's just "me and the music"

If I had to pick only one, it would be the IE600.

Hope that paints a picture...

Thanks a lot for that very detailed feedback. Very interesting. Also impressive that the IE600 sound stage is wider than the one from the HD650, which is an open back over head headphone.

 

[Opalius]

Thanks a lot for that very detailed feedback. Very interesting. Also impressive that the IE600 sound stage is wider than the one from the HD650, which is an open back over head headphone.

Just for kicks, when visiting my dad today (who has a collection of some 80+ headphones....may the headphone gods forgive his wallet... ) got some measurements of my IE600 and ER4XR...

It surprised me how similar they look at the "ear gain" region. (And that is a very good thing)...

 

[Opalius]

And as mentioned before, remember that when listening at lower volumes (80 dB), we don't hear as much bass and treble because of eat sensitivity...

So the IE600 will at "normal" listening volumes in fact sound more flat then it measures...

Ps, if you have not seen this graph before, try looking at it upside down, it will make more sense.

It basically shows that if you want to hear the IE600 as it sounds on a graph, you would need to listen at 100db!

And at 80 dB we in fact hear about 10 dB less at 30 Hz. Just something to think about when talking about what headphones are "neutral", and what we perceive as neutral.

 

[BooleanBones]

Do you notice much difference between the null cable & the stock cable ?
I use the balance 4.4 cable with mine on the astell&kern sp1000m & ifi audio micro idsd signature which work great. I have also used the ie600 with my qudelix 5k bluetooth which is also good. I have been looking at the null audio epsilon series.

Did you ever get your Null cable? If so, did you go with the Epsilon or different model?

 

[dennisgerrard]

what's the best cable for IE600 today?

EROS S by Effect Audio

 

[captainhook88]

And as mentioned before, remember that when listening at lower volumes (80 dB), we don't hear as much bass and treble because of eat sensitivity...



So the IE600 will at "normal" listening volumes in fact sound more flat then it measures...

Ps, if you have not seen this graph before, try looking at it upside down, it will make more sense.

It basically shows that if you want to hear the IE600 as it sounds on a graph, you would need to listen at 100db!

And at 80 dB we in fact hear about 10 dB less at 30 Hz. Just something to think about when talking about what headphones are "neutral", and what we perceive as neutral.

Wow, thanks. Interesting how graphs compare to actual listening on (normal) levels. Did not know that.