[kjozsa]

I mostly listen music from Spotify Premium HQ, from my laptop, using a Fiio E7 USB DAC. I'm definetely no audiophile... and my taste of music varies from hard rock to jazz or even lounge music wildly.

I have a Sennheiser IE8 IEM which I bought more than 10 years ago (gasp) and use it as a daily driver since then. I always handled it with care, but this week it just started to malfunction - the right channel volume is about 40% lower now. I searched around and saw it a returning problem for this IEMs and it might get resolved with a new cable. However...

About 2.5 years ago I bought another, cheaper set of Sennheisers, a Momentum IEM, for snowboarding. Since the day of this purchase, I was unsure about my IE8 - the Momentum felt much brighter, sounded clearer and the IE8 sounded a bit muddy in comparison.. but then again, the IE8 still felt to have a wider soundstage and much more details. (Ideally what I apppreciate most in earphones is a huge soundstage and clean, less-punchy bass with balanced mids and clear highs, though the Momentum IEM has somewhat painfully crisp highs, that's a bit too much I think).

Now that my IE8 broke down this week, I wonder what I shall do next. Plans include:
A) buying a replacement cable for my 10+ years old IE8 (cable is ~$30 herearound)
B) use the Momentum as my daily driver from now
C) look for an IE8 replacement - maybe an IE40 Pro?
D) maybe try something completely different? But I have been pretty much satisfied with my Senns IEMs in the last 10+ years..

And to the actual questions:
- How do IEMs age? Can it happen that my 10 years old IE8 sounds much more muddy than at the time of purchase?
- Maybe technology has improved that much that I feel the Momentum better on several fields than my old IE8? 10 years is a long time for sure...
- How would an IE40 Pro compare to either of these 2 IEMs? I have no wide experience with various brands and products so I could only use openions comparing to these two unfortunately.

Thanks a lot for your openions and advices in advance..

 

[surfgeorge]

I checked a little bit the reviews and frequency response of the ie8 and the momentum ie. They both seem to have a strongly emphasized mid bass and reviews are not overly enthusiastoc about the sound quality.
It sounds like a chance to upgrade.

All of the IEMs below will have less mid-bass boost but should be much cleaner and more accurate sounding.
$100
If you want/need a microphone and remote control take a look at the 1More Triple Driver, they could fit your taste, with a V-shaped response - solid bass and clear upper frequency.
Anoterh option would be the iBasso IT01, with a little stronger V-shape, so a little more bass, best sub-bass in this group and a little more upper treble, but no mic afaik.

Budget IEMs (app. $50)
If you want to stay lower, the Final Audio E2000 and E3000 are excellent options at lower prices, with the E2000 being more balanced and the E3000 being a bit warmer and bassier.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

And to the actual questions:
- How do IEMs age? Can it happen that my 10 years old IE8 sounds much more muddy than at the time of purchase?

Some earwax build up that doesn't completely block all sound can effect the treble more. That said, that it would be even across both channels is highly unlikely vs your hearing losing the top end over the last ten years, which is a natural progression as people age.

- Maybe technology has improved that much that I feel the Momentum better on several fields than my old IE8? 10 years is a long time for sure...

The IE8x is innately skewed for that kind of sound balance so it just gets worse from there.

That said do you have the variable vent on the lowest bass setting already?