[raffi117]

Hello everyone! 
 
First I would like to say that I have been a visitor of this site for over a year now but finally signed up just recently. I have enjoyed reading reviews and tips from some of the users here.
 
I need help deciding between the KEF M200's or the Sennheiser IE 80's.
 
I will start off by saying that I was going to purchase the ie80's but for some reason Best Buy stopped carrying them for a while. So instead I went with the M200's. I freaking loved them. They were the best IEM's I have ever owned but sadly I returned them to use the money to finish a gaming pc and because they had driver flex.  I was going to repurchase a new pair but I saw that the ie80's had returned to best buy's selection. So now I am mixed.
 
I have read through most of the KEF Appreciation thread and searched it for a direct comparison between the ie80 and m200. I could not find any. 
 
I know the prices are different but I do get a discount as I am a best buy employee. Do the Sennheisers have any major advantages over the KEFs two drivers? Is the bass similar? I am new to higher end iems and found the bass on the m200's to be superb. I have read the ie80's have too much bass but I suppose I am a little of a basshead so that shouldn't be an issue. Also I while the sound was excellent I found the m200's to be a little quiet. Am I disgracing either of these iems without using an amp like the fiio e6?
 
I am always listening to lossless music from an iphone 5 and spotify premium. My musical taste is varied but I primarily listen to movie/video game soundtracks. I have my fair share of electronic and classical music too. 
 
 
Thank You so much for any help. 

 

[raffi117]

Bump?

 

[kraken2109]

Surely you can get them and return them if you don't like them?

 

[raffi117]

Yes I could return them. I was just wondering if the ie80's are worth the difference in price. I just wanted opinions before I order anything because they take about a week or week and a half to get in.

Also not to mention that best buy doesnt just slap an open box sticker on my returned pair they get taken through a long and terrible process and the regional warehouse and...well I feel bad doing that to either pair lol.

I wonder how these sound for gaming...

 

[raffi117]

So I took the bait and went with the ie80's. I also recently switch to a galaxy s5. After using these for about a week I  am still unsure. They sound great and I have barely adjusted the bass screws(lol im afraid ill twist to hard or something). However I can't be sure that they sound better than the kef m200's. 
 
Perhaps I haven't burned these in long enough. Perhaps I am biased to the kef's since they were my first high end iem. I am not sure. I remember the bass in the kef's was like the bass from a good over the ear. Maybe the two drivers in each ear just provided a totally different sound... 

Im gonna give these some more time and see if I can find some bigger tips.

 

[kraken2109]

Personally I find downgrading is a lot more obvious than upgrading. If I move to something better I often don't notice immediate difference, but if after a few days I go back the difference is a lot clearer.

 

[willyvlyminck]

  Hello everyone! 
 
First I would like to say that I have been a visitor of this site for over a year now but finally signed up just recently. I have enjoyed reading reviews and tips from some of the users here.
 
I need help deciding between the KEF M200's or the Sennheiser IE 80's.
 
I will start off by saying that I was going to purchase the ie80's but for some reason Best Buy stopped carrying them for a while. So instead I went with the M200's. I freaking loved them. They were the best IEM's I have ever owned but sadly I returned them to use the money to finish a gaming pc and because they had driver flex.  I was going to repurchase a new pair but I saw that the ie80's had returned to best buy's selection. So now I am mixed.
 
I have read through most of the KEF Appreciation thread and searched it for a direct comparison between the ie80 and m200. I could not find any. 
 
I know the prices are different but I do get a discount as I am a best buy employee. Do the Sennheisers have any major advantages over the KEFs two drivers? Is the bass similar? I am new to higher end iems and found the bass on the m200's to be superb. I have read the ie80's have too much bass but I suppose I am a little of a basshead so that shouldn't be an issue. Also I while the sound was excellent I found the m200's to be a little quiet. Am I disgracing either of these iems without using an amp like the fiio e6?
 
I am always listening to lossless music from an iphone 5 and spotify premium. My musical taste is varied but I primarily listen to movie/video game soundtracks. I have my fair share of electronic and classical music too. 
 
 
Thank You so much for any help. 

Intresting as I have the IE80, which I like a lot, but I am also intrested in the KEF, because the fit might be better and this at a still good  price considering the Custom or semi-customs, but the IE80 is an incredible IEM with classic status since it´s release in 2011.

 

[Tail]

  I have read the ie80's have too much bass but I suppose I am a little of a basshead so that shouldn't be an issue. Also I while the sound was excellent I found the m200's to be a little quiet. Am I disgracing either of these iems without using an amp like the fiio e6?

IE80 doesn't have too much bass at all, it does if you crank up bass knob to max, than it becomes what they call bassy. Bass is there and in quantities but it's by no means too much, especially if you are a basshead. No idea about IE80 vs M200 tho since I never heard those KEF. 
 
Also IE80 are 16 Ohm impedance and extremely sensitive at 125 dB SPL which will make you deaf if you listen to max volume on lets say iPhone 6 for some time. I use FiiO X3 with IE80 and I'm always at 50-60 out of 120 volume levels, on low gain of course. So don't worry about loudness at all when it comes to IE80, can't get any more sensitive than 125 dB (maybe a couple but I never seen so sensitive earphone).
KEF are ~94 dB SPL which isn't sensitive at all, so it's natural you get noticeably lower volumes than with the likes of IE80. 
 
But again, no idea about KEF since I've never heard it, but maybe that info about IE80 might be of help.
 
 
EDIT: willy made me think this is fresh post by bumping it to the start of line... but what's written is written