[alphaman]

Purch'd July 2021. Pretty much daily use. Orig cable de-laminated. But connections and no wire break on OEM cable. Replaced with good aftermarket cable.

Just today: I happened w/o warning. Channel cutting out ... mostly. It is the left channel. The problem is intermittent. Might be the connector on the L driver. Are these user serviceable?
Swapped cables. Same issue. Swapped connector (same issue -- of course). Cleaned connector (delicately with toothpick with DeOx-it -- no diff.
Wiggling the connection at the mating spot MIGHT be the culprit.
But simply powering amp off/on can restore sound--until one move one head.
The cut-out is not weirdly not always 100%. Some sound can be heard in L. Very intermittent.

Suspect solder joint. Don't think it's a blown driver -- when the sound does temporarily come back, it is full undistorted fidelity (normal).

Can't find any other reporting of this. Let me know!

There is no disassembly tutorial or tips.

Maybe how does one remove the red thing:

 

[alphaman]

It's still under Warranty until Mid July 2023 (per Senn's 2-year USA Warranty) so I should be able to get a free repair (USA). Yes????
Reliability wise, very disappointed in OEM cable and this $$ earphone.
I'm not going to force open anything unless Warranty service is denied.

===================
I recall my IE-8 giving me cable issue, but only after many years of reliable service --- and it was only cable issue -- not a driver-housing, inside-job issue. Yikes ... Sennheiser MADE IN GERMANY . Hope you don't disappear my $1400 item in your service center as never received. These days ... the major manufs should be at the top of the list for mistrust.

Not sure replacement and repair of Senn IEMs are this easy.

https://www.earphonediylabs.com/sho...gy-and-upgrade-option-to-micro-tesla-drivers/

Or as cheap as this offering from Ali:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804761528110.html
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803916531431.html

 

[alphaman]

Just going thru the 1- and 2-star reviews on Amazon (probably way under-reported).
Also, various Reddit thread including:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sennheiser/comments/sopgsu/no_sound_in_right_ear_ie_300/

Not sure if it's that MMCX connector (female/driver end). The center cylinder, where the pin fits, is extremely THIN and fragile.

It can snap or become distorted even if you don't swap cables very often. I never do. Until I had to because the OEM fell apart!
Or it might be the solder joint on the MMCX or even the driver.
Not sure why MMCX connector has become so popular. The two-pin is more robust. I think Senn's MMCX is also their own proprietary MMCX.

 

[Toddy]

Interesting… don‘t know if it is related, but my IE300s have (had) similar problems. The first specimen I had (ordered from Sennheiser directly) had the left channel cutting out so Sennheiser replaced it. But the replacement also has the same problem; this time it is the right one. I just simply suspected the cables as the culprit.

Unfortunately, I‘m still fighting a correspondence war with Sennheiser‘s mail bot, so I even couldn‘t send the second one in even after now several weeks.

 

[alphaman]

Unfortunately, I‘m still fighting a correspondence war with Sennheiser‘s mail bot, so I even couldn‘t send the second one in even after now several weeks.

What does this mean? How old is your IE300? Did you purch it new from an Authorized dealer (amazon ,etc)?
Did you fill out a Service Request? [Senn will send you an RMA within hours ]
Look at my other recent posts in the Sennheiser Warranty thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-warranty-service.561652/page-2

 

[Toddy]

What does this mean? How old is your IE300? Did you purch it new from an Authorized dealer (amazon ,etc)?
Did you fill out a Service Request? [Senn will send you an RMA within hours ]
Look at my other recent posts in the Sennheiser Warranty thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sennheiser-warranty-service.561652/page-2

It means I am still waiting for an RMA label to send it back (again) to Sennheiser Germany. From whose outlet store I had bought it. But all that happens is that my mails (to Sennheiser‘s German customer service that had opened a ticket) are read by a bot and sometimes a human answers a couple of days or even weeks later.

 

[alphaman]

It's surprising how BAD some of the major manufs are at connectors and cables .
Shure had lots of cable-crumbling issues with IEMs, even for high-end models. I sent back my 530 about every year for in-warranty service. They replaced the WHOLE thing, box and all about 2x or 3x. I ended up learning to take apart the 530 and soldering in new wires as necessary.
Sennheiser had (has) issues with springs in the driver disconnect.
Never had issues with Grado or older Beyer full-size cans.

 

[Toddy]

It's surprising how BAD some of the major manufs are at connectors and cables

And how bad repairs are. It seems to be quite common that stuff sent in for repairs is sent back defective (again).

Never had issues with Grado or older Beyer full-size cans.

Happened to me with Beyers as well. But Sennheiser perhaps just fulfills the cliche that after a company or business is sold, the quality goes down.

 

[alphaman]

And how bad repairs are. It seems to be quite common that stuff sent in for repairs is sent back defective (again).



Happened to me with Beyers as well. But Sennheiser perhaps just fulfills the cliche that after a company or business is sold, the quality goes down.

Stay on top of YOUR ie300 issue, man!
One would think in this age of databases and automation that repairs and warranty would be streamlined.
But this is simply not the case as I noted in this and the Senn. In-Warranty thread. It may be much worse not than before because computerization and folks being into their screens ALL THE TIME takes attention away from important functions.
You've gotta search for solutions and put in the leg work and make calls and show the manuf who's in change. Make yourself a pain in their a s s .
I did fill out the RMA online form and get back an email with printable RMA and instruction on where to return the IE900.
I still have to call them to ask them how much of the orig package they want back. Sigh!
It's a costly, full-full time job to search for return info (this tread, other thread) and then package the unit and print out label and drive to UPS ... and pay for S/H with $1500 insurance.
Etc., etc.
Jezus!

 

[Toddy]

Stay on top of YOUR ie300 issue, man!

Oh, I‘ll do that. Just sent them a mail with an ultimatum – if they don't send the RMA by the end of the week, then I will ship it to them nonetheless and claim the cost of shipping.

 

[alphaman]

Mine was sent out Monday (13 Mar). I called Sennheiser SEC -- a long task of transfers from one dept to another (weird!) -- before sending out per the the very vague RMA instructions; and am glad that I did because they wanted the whole box/pkg back. Expensive to ship, too. And I did not insure, which would have cost $60 total ! Now how many good Chinese IEMs can one buy for $60? Hmmm ....

The channel cut out was weird as well. If I pinched my nose and very gently used that positive pressure to extend my eardrum, the channel would cut in and out. So that's why I suspect a cold solder joint on the driver (see photos of the mod kit I posted earlier in this thread; they show the inside of the 900). That Helmholtz resonator makes the whole aluminum cavity very active. We all know how LOW the 900 bass can get! So it's possible the same vibrations sonic UN-welded the solder attachment.

 

[Toddy]

Mine was sent out Monday (13 Mar). I called Sennheiser SEC -- a long task of transfers from one dept to another (weird!) -- before sending out per the the very vague RMA instructions; and am glad that I did because they wanted the whole box/pkg back. Expensive to ship, too. And I did not insure, which would have cost $60 total ! Now how many good Chinese IEMs can one buy for $60? Hmmm ....

Mine will be sent this week on Friday. The mail I sent on Sunday was read promptly by the bot (in Reykjavik), but of cause, nothing happened after that. Luckily shipping will cost just 5.49 €, but then the IEM itself was a real bargain for 99 € (i. e. one third of retail/the usual price).

 

[alphaman]

Got a full replacement (brand new -- whole, unopened, sealed box), just now, 22 Mar 2023.
Working normally. Glad they are back as I use them daily for 1-3 hrs. Not sure I recall if there was a "burn in period"??
New eartips are welcome as my fave -- small foam -- was very worn on the original. I tried to order OEM small foams from Senn directly, but they are always out of stock.
Senn sent me a new invoice, too. So I have a new 2-year warranty.
Was it worth the hassle, $20 out-of-pocket s/h and all the phone calls and research I had to do find out where/how to send it, and posting all these threads and messages, and not being able to use my default IEM for 1.5 wks? Also, I looked into other IEMs and found 7z Timeless AE that did I did purchase and experimented with and found them to be an interesting alternative to Senn DD iems. (See my posts in the 7h thread).
Well, if you that are reading these posts and are then are better prepared for your Senn's if/when they kaput ... then ... you'll know

Oh ... about the PRaT issue... as far as iems go, I still think my IE-8's are best I've heard in that dept.

 

[Toddy]

Got a full replacement (brand new -- whole, unopened, sealed box), just now, 22 Mar 2023.

Mine is still on its way to Sennheiser's repair facility. But should arrive there today. Although I don‘t expect a quick reaction.

Oh ... about the PRaT issue... as far as iems go, I still think my IE-8's are best I've heard in that dept.

That‘s why I still like my IE80s (and its Bluetooth version.)

 

[Toddy]

Oh boy… It took Sennheiser almost a week to simply confirm that the package has arrived. And if I have any questions, I'm supposed to contact the person in charge. Who is indicated as “Arvato-User“. Whereby Arvato is the name of the company providing the repair service for Sennheiser.