[glpsace]

It's not a persistent issue in a sense I only lost sound few times maybe for split second and only fiddling with the unit when I it was in my ear playing music. Consider it more like a general MMCX issue rather than my particular unit, but yes I am very well aware of such problems within all IE series. This connection type has a long story being problematic. Maybe if I wear it more outdoors, for sports and such the problem would become more obvious.

Apparently IE300 is being discountinued... at least according to polish official sennheiser distributor which is stated in unboxing of the new IE200 that suppose to replace IE300 in senn's portfolio.

According to Headfonia IE200 is a downgrade in almost all departments. For anyone who's still considering maybe it's the last chance to get IE300 at a good price before they'll be gone from stores and aftermarket prices skyrocket.

Unfortunetly, even with the cable I got from Amazon, the connection issues with the left item, happened. With less frequency, but still a defect. I had to send it back to the seller, at my own expenses, and therefore I asked for a refund since I was not gonna gamble with another unit (the problem seems more frequent than not) and have to send it back at my expenses again. I guess I´m surprised by the QC issues coming from Sennheiser (at least with these IEM) considering how many reports of the same just in this thread. Cheers.

 

[minimalist82]

I just wanted to share a good option I have found for an aftermarket cable for the IE300. A Chinese company called CEMA available from Ali Express, link below. They give an option to choose the type of MMCX on many of their cables. I bought the Raven 4.4mm cable with the N5005/IE900 connector and it fits like a dream on the IE300. Really nice quality also for the price.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005004799002938.html

I’ll probably buy more from them!

 

[barato]

Can a custom cable allow them to be used without cable hooking around the ear like more typical iem, or does the shell shape and connector angle also make it unsuitable for that?

 

[ongbenghui]

I just wanted to share a good option I have found for an aftermarket cable for the IE300. A Chinese company called CEMA available from Ali Express, link below. They give an option to choose the type of MMCX on many of their cables. I bought the Raven 4.4mm cable with the N5005/IE900 connector and it fits like a dream on the IE300. Really nice quality also for the price.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005004799002938.html


I’ll probably buy more from them!

Funny that I can't access the link. The link bounce back to aliexpress main page.

 

[ongbenghui]

According to Headfonia IE200 is a downgrade in almost all departments. For anyone who's still considering maybe it's the last chance to get IE300 at a good price before they'll be gone from stores and aftermarket prices skyrocket.

Some how, I am not sure to trust those reviewer these days ? I tested the IE200, IE300 & IE600 in a local shop using a Fiio M11s (from the shop) and just playing spotify. Rule out IE300 almost right away for overly boomy bass. Love the IE200 and IE600, while actually prefer the IE600, but not willing to spend 5x the price on the IE600, ended up getting the IE200 after a few days. The music/song that I played in the shop;
Blue Bayou, Linda Ronstadt
chris botti live in boston, cinema paradiso with Yo-Yo-Ma
yo yo ma ennio morricone, gabriel's oboe

Maybe it is just my ear is different.

 

[GoodBoy]

Maybe it is just my ear is different.

I'm guessing it's more about the fit, gear and prefferences. My IE300 never gets boomy maybe because I'm using silicone stock tips, there's probably a reason why they're so thin and actually don't make a full seal I mean they create enough sound preassure but I can still hear people talking with IEM in my ears. I imagine foamies provide much better seal and possibly boomier bass. Same thing with other tips I've read many people use 3rd party ones with or without that little foam in it, different silicone thickness and such. It all translates to how users experiencing bass. Also mentioned gear as it is almost as equally important to pair IE300 with neutral DAC as the earphones have already boosted bass, but with good DAC/AMP and stock tips don't go much into boominess territory.

As for the IE200 read/watched probably most reviews that came so far and I've got mixed feelings about it. First of all some people are still having connection (lost sound) issues, which I thought Sennheiser would 100% sure fix in the newest IEM addition. Secondly this double tuning thing as gimmicky as it is make problem of it's own by not staying strong in given position. Users say tips changing position randomly when putting them in ears resulting in bass light tuning in one ear and stronger bass in the other. What I also read a lot is somewhat sibilant treble, not that good soundstage and imaging compared to IE300.

Love my IE300 for darker yet balanced presentation. These are fun but at the same time detailed and spacious. Might try IE200 down the road if price will get closer to 100Euro-ish and make my own comparison. But for now reading all the stuff about IE200 and the fact IE300 is phased out despite probably being best selling in the entire IE lineup is confusing enough.

 

[barato]

What I also read a lot is somewhat sibilant treble compared to IE300.

sources??
the review you linked above clearly describes less warmth and smoothness in the ie300, and people, esp less experienced, often confuse smoothness and warmth for less 'detail'/'openess'/'air', which may explain all the other conclusions in that comparison.
The ie 300, while clear, was not smooth to me, partially due to poor tuning, but I have also found some of that boominess or rather a weird quality to the bass regardless of tips, as they describe above. The ie 300 mids were really good, but nearly impossible to appreciate because of tuning.
So far I have more hope for ie 200 than ie 300, even if it is somehow technically inferior to ie 300, which is really not possible to quantify due to variations in hearing and preferences , the tuning is a step in the right direction for me.
I bought the ie 300 based on a bunch of similar positive impressions, they turned out to be quite different to how they were described (some ways good, some ways bad) e.g " dark yet balanced" this is like the opposite of ie 300, they are fairly u- shaped, neither dark nor balanced, but you can figure this much from an FR graph.

I think I might be lucky one in that iem FR graphs so far have reflected pretty closely what I hear.

 

[minimalist82]

Funny that I can't access the link. The link bounce back to aliexpress main page.

Ah sorry I’m not sure why seems to be working from my side, I’ll take a look later. If you search for CEMA on AliExpress you should be able to find the shop. I have the Raven Series cable

 

[minimalist82]

Can a custom cable allow them to be used without cable hooking around the ear like more typical iem, or does the shell shape and connector angle also make it unsuitable for that?

I don’t think so, the shape of the IEM and the fact that the socket points upwards and at at angle would prevent this.

 

[GoodBoy]

sources??
the review you linked above clearly describes less warmth and smoothness in the ie300, and people, esp less experienced, often confuse smoothness and warmth for less 'detail'/'openess'/'air', which may explain all the other conclusions in that comparison.
The ie 300, while clear, was not smooth to me, partially due to poor tuning, but I have also found some of that boominess or rather a weird quality to the bass regardless of tips, as they describe above. The ie 300 mids were really good, but nearly impossible to appreciate because of tuning.
So far I have more hope for ie 200 than ie 300, even if it is somehow technically inferior to ie 300, which is really not possible to quantify due to variations in hearing and preferences , the tuning is a step in the right direction for me.
I bought the ie 300 based on a bunch of similar positive impressions, they turned out to be quite different to how they were described (some ways good, some ways bad) e.g " dark yet balanced" this is like the opposite of ie 300, they are fairly u- shaped, neither dark nor balanced, but you can figure this much from an FR graph.

I think I might be lucky one in that iem FR graphs so far have reflected pretty closely what I hear.

From my experience sticking to stock tips/pads is crucial if you don't want to mess with the tuning, which generally applies to most sennheiser headphones. Even more so those with boosted bass.

Don't care much for graphs as they not really represent how hd sound besides general tonality. That's the thing with IE300 and the reason why so many people like it is that these are clear yet dark, bass heavy yet not muddy and still very detailed. Senn's IE300 not up to your likeing doesn't mean bad tuning. To me this is very tastefully done U-shaped with great imaging and suondstage with the level of microdetail retrieval beyond 300Euros MSRP . For the same reason I'd choose IE900 over IE600 without hesitation, despite some people claim IE600 being a better upgrade, which in reality translates to just their prefference leaning more towards neutral. I like energetic sound profile more than a "refference", especially when the latter doen't translates to above average technical performance. And that's the general theme in most IE200 reviews even though they've got good tuning to some, they lack in performance being departure from other IEs in the Senn's lineup. Still that's fine if IE600-esque tonality is the most important decision factor, especially at 150Euros and when they possibly go on sale later on. The problem is IE300 (still) exist, which based on most reviews I've seen is technically superior even though might not be someone's cup of tea in terms of tonality. From what I recall those interested in IE200 would like IE600 tuning + at least IE300 technicalities at 150E, but then I guess we would be talking about IE350 or IE300S at much higher price point. Again I think there's a reason they named it 200 and not 300-something.

As for the IE200 treble here's latest review on that matter, jump to 7:30 in the video

 

[barato]

As for the IE200 treble here's latest review on that matter, jump to 7:30 in the video

We are discussing IE 300 compared to IE 200 and there is no mention of IE 300 there ... or anything really, without some frame of reference the review is useless.
He could just as easily be talking about IE 300 and I wouldn't disagree.

Back to my original point of people possibly confusing better technicalities with greater treble issues and/or emphasis in IE 300, that maybe senn have tried to addressed in IE 200.

If these measurements are any way reliable we can see IE 300 has more ragged and peaky treble (often a sign of ringing) and more significant mid-treble imbalance ("dead" sucked out mids)
https://squig.link/?share=Sennheiser_IE_200_(D1),Sennheiser_IE_300

That's my most trusted piece of evidence right now, still looking for more comparisons with IE 300 and if people find the IE 200 smoother/less fatigue, which the first review you posted seems to support.


Just found that Super* Review specifically comments on unnatural treble of IE 300 and that IE 200 is a big improvement in all ways.
FWIW Gizaudio and Super* both greatly prefered IE 200 tuning over the 300... I'm not seeing at all where you have got this strong idea that IE 200 is a downgrade.

 

[GoodBoy]

We are discussing IE 300 compared to IE 200 and there is no mention of IE 300 there ... or anything really, without some frame of reference the review is useless.
He could just as easily be talking about IE 300 and I wouldn't disagree.

Just found that Super* Review specifically comments on unnatural treble of IE 300 and that IE 200 is a big improvement in all ways.
FWIW Gizaudio and Super* both greatly prefered IE 200 tuning over the 300... I'm not seeing at all where you have got this strong idea that IE 200 is a downgrade.

Well it can be useless to you, but he dosen't need comparing IE200 vs IE300 to hear somewhat fatiguing treble in the first one. Nor does majorhifi review https://majorhifi.com/sennheiser-ie-200-review/ Despite extended IE300 high-end it never gets piercing, at least not to my ears, probably thanks to darker/warmer tonality, while IE200 similarly to IE600 have brighter tunings more prone to problematic treble.

Super's review said nothing about IE200 being technically superior to IE300, he only explained why IE200/IE600 is he's preferred tonality. Not to mention his take on IE200 is a mixed bag too. I've watched most if not all IE200 reviews published on YT so far + posts on forums + amazon reviews + reviews published other places. So far it doesn't seem like these IEM will be applaud as good as IE300.

 

[barato]

Are you sure you actually read and watched those reviews?

Keep watching the Super* review, he ranks IE 200 higher in technical performance, and If unnatural and fatiguing treble is not a technical flaw then what is?


And from the review you just posted:
"In the treble, the IE 200 has some bright spots. While I never felt any areas of tone were harsh, there is a lot of intensity to this response. "

"However, I personally had more fun with the IE 200’s bass response, as it offered more excitement to the tone, especially in the sub-bass."

"but the IE 200 is just snappier and more resolving with its details."

"Its tone just feels more alive, and it brings more height and crispness to the sound signature than the IE 300 ever could."

" I think the IE 200 is a worthy upgrade from the IE 300"

So every comparison so far has preferred IE 200 either because of tuning, "technicalities" or both.
Since you like the IE 300 it sounds you will really love the IE 200.

 

[GoodBoy]

Yes I'm sure and suggest you read again what's been posted. You asked about the treble I already gave you two sources, while you gave nothing only trying to turn so so reviews into praise for IE200. The majorhifi review was not reffering to IE300 so why you made seem like it did?

 

[barato]

That is taken from Sennheiser IE 200 VS IE 300 Comparison Review

Again, as a previous owner of IE 300, I asked about IE 200 vs IE 300 and you provided nothing.
I managed to provide quite a bit, but you seem to have some reading issues.