[AndrewH13]

Does anyone own HD600/650 and IE800?
How do they compare? Can the IE800 match or beat the HDs for soundstage and resolution? What about boomy bass?

ie800s don't do boomy bass. Just the opposite, tight fast articulate bass

 

[Dobrescu George]

ie800s don't do boomy bass. Just the opposite, tight fast articulate bass

 
Yes! Totally! 
 
Ie800 matches with HD800S mostly, Ie800 is better than HD650 to those ears in aspects of soundstage, resolution, and clear / tight bass. Also, ie800 does treble much better than HD650 or HD600. 

 

[Sound Eq]

ie800 nailed it across the board, its best is right spot on 

 

[cellarbro]

   
 
Exactly like @Vesperaudio  said, you could recable them, but it's a pretty bad idea i they still work. I also advice against wearing ie800 over the ear at this moment, it changes sound a bit too much and you might not like the changes made as much as you like them at this moment. 
 
Ie800 is best work straight down and that is true, you can check my method of stopping the cable noise with them using the included cable separator! 

So I have to say that after getting the SE846 in yesterday and trying them out, I originally wasn't happy that the IE800's had a better sense of detail and clarity. I was like is this thing worth $1000? It doesn't sound as great compared to my IE800 but after bringing them out around I can say that even in just one single day, the SE846 have easily stolen the title from the IE800's as the best portables.
 
The fact that, people have to consider recabling and finding methods to stop cable noise is nonsense. My grips with the IE800 were the short cable, microphonic, average isolation, fatiguing, non detachable cable. The SE846 literally has none of those issues. I took these to work with me and boy do they isolate. Isolate so well that I didn't hear the rumbling of the NYC subway while commuting. I didn't find the need to crank the volume up way above the regular listening volume to compensate for poor isolation.
 
The 846's are soo comfortable and non fatiguing. I had them on for 6+ hours without much of a break and my ears are still fine. The slight roll off at the top can be heard and a little annoying when you first hear it  but they are the masters of making an IEM with incredible isolation, bass, depth, and comfort. The IE800's are definitely better in treble and higher in clarity, detail and sound stage. The top end of the 846 isn't even all that bad, but noticeable coming from the IE800. Take them for a day out in the city where you get normally poor isolation and you will quickly change your mind. Both built like tanks, but I somehow feel that the 846 are more tanky due to the cable being detachable. 
 
I have found the IE800's to be kind of fatiguing to listen to and a genre specific IEM. Where some songs and genre's don't have a fun resolving musical characteristic about them. (Electronic music on the IE800)
 
Se846 do everything really and don't seem to have any harshness or trouble handling any kind of genre but are not as 'sharp sounding or detailed when it comes to the upper end.
 
Literally opposites of one another. I have to say that even after a short listening on the SE846, I prefer them (SE846) for an all around, every day carry. While the IE800 are if I want to hear super clear, wonderfully musical rock, classical, film score, acoustic music while at home. Still very impressed with both and really really glad I didn't pay the full retail price for them both. Which helps me rationalize spending this kind of money. 
 
Sorry for the long post. I remember discussing it with you about what I thought of the SE846 compared to the IE800.

 

[cellarbro]

I have the HD600 and IE800. What do you mean boomy bass? On which? The IE800?

 

[cellarbro]

   
Yes! Totally! 
 
Ie800 matches with HD800S mostly, Ie800 is better than HD650 to those ears in aspects of soundstage, resolution, and clear / tight bass. Also, ie800 does treble much better than HD650 or HD600. 

IE800 has better clarity and detail then the HD600 by a small bit. The sound stage on the IE800 is larger.  The HD600 is relatively flat in the frequency range but is pretty musical and doesn't sound that analytic (To my ears)
 
IE800  is a bass heavy, mid forward, sparkly IEM. I have heard the HD650, and its a little closer to the HD650 but the treble is better on the IE800. They don't necessary sound like each other tho. It could be that we are comparing IEM to full sized headphones. 

 

[Unrealeck]

 
I have the HD600 and IE800. What do you mean boomy bass? On which? The IE800?

I'm struggling to describe it. I guess that deep subwoofer type sound. Impact. If I hear a wooden bass instrument too, will it sound deep and give that powerful hum.
I suppose I'd say the opposite of a boomy bass would be one that only pops. One that is very tame, maybe as if when you hit a kickdrum and something's pushing against the back to dampen it, you don't get that deep boom.
 
Sound is quite hard to describe for me.
 
Anyway, would you say the IE800s justify the price over the HD600/650 putting aside the portability of them? Are they simply better for presenting music?
 
Oh and bonus question for anyone else - Are there any other headphones or earphones in the £500 price range you'd say are a better buy than the IE800?

 

[jwbrent]

   
Oh and bonus question for anyone else - Are there any other headphones or earphones in the £500 price range you'd say are a better buy than the IE800?

 
Check out the JVC HA-FW01. Not as good as the IE800, but a fantastic sounding IEM for $450.

 

[Dobrescu George]

 
So I have to say that after getting the SE846 in yesterday and trying them out, I originally wasn't happy that the IE800's had a better sense of detail and clarity. I was like is this thing worth $1000? It doesn't sound as great compared to my IE800 but after bringing them out around I can say that even in just one single day, the SE846 have easily stolen the title from the IE800's as the best portables.
 
The fact that, people have to consider recabling and finding methods to stop cable noise is nonsense. My grips with the IE800 were the short cable, microphonic, average isolation, fatiguing, non detachable cable. The SE846 literally has none of those issues. I took these to work with me and boy do they isolate. Isolate so well that I didn't hear the rumbling of the NYC subway while commuting. I didn't find the need to crank the volume up way above the regular listening volume to compensate for poor isolation.
 
The 846's are soo comfortable and non fatiguing. I had them on for 6+ hours without much of a break and my ears are still fine. The slight roll off at the top can be heard and a little annoying when you first hear it  but they are the masters of making an IEM with incredible isolation, bass, depth, and comfort. The IE800's are definitely better in treble and higher in clarity, detail and sound stage. The top end of the 846 isn't even all that bad, but noticeable coming from the IE800. Take them for a day out in the city where you get normally poor isolation and you will quickly change your mind. Both built like tanks, but I somehow feel that the 846 are more tanky due to the cable being detachable. 
 
I have found the IE800's to be kind of fatiguing to listen to and a genre specific IEM. Where some songs and genre's don't have a fun resolving musical characteristic about them. (Electronic music on the IE800)
 
Se846 do everything really and don't seem to have any harshness or trouble handling any kind of genre but are not as 'sharp sounding or detailed when it comes to the upper end.
 
Literally opposites of one another. I have to say that even after a short listening on the SE846, I prefer them (SE846) for an all around, every day carry. While the IE800 are if I want to hear super clear, wonderfully musical rock, classical, film score, acoustic music while at home. Still very impressed with both and really really glad I didn't pay the full retail price for them both. Which helps me rationalize spending this kind of money. 
 
Sorry for the long post. I remember discussing it with you about what I thought of the SE846 compared to the IE800.

 
Very very nice comparation! It helps me a lot understand how SE846 sounds! 
 
Sadly,, I am a man of treble, without treble I can't really like a headphone/IEM so I'll have to pass it solely for the roll off. Roll offs are not possible to fix. 
 

 
IE800 has better clarity and detail then the HD600 by a small bit. The sound stage on the IE800 is larger.  The HD600 is relatively flat in the frequency range but is pretty musical and doesn't sound that analytic (To my ears)
 
IE800  is a bass heavy, mid forward, sparkly IEM. I have heard the HD650, and its a little closer to the HD650 but the treble is better on the IE800. They don't necessary sound like each other tho. It could be that we are comparing IEM to full sized headphones. 

 
Exactly! You read my thoughts! 
 
I was not a big fun of HD650 because it lacked that spark in the treble though...
 

 
I'm struggling to describe it. I guess that deep subwoofer type sound. Impact. If I hear a wooden bass instrument too, will it sound deep and give that powerful hum.
I suppose I'd say the opposite of a boomy bass would be one that only pops. One that is very tame, maybe as if when you hit a kickdrum and something's pushing against the back to dampen it, you don't get that deep boom.
 
Sound is quite hard to describe for me.
 
Anyway, would you say the IE800s justify the price over the HD600/650 putting aside the portability of them? Are they simply better for presenting music?
 
Oh and bonus question for anyone else - Are there any other headphones or earphones in the £500 price range you'd say are a better buy than the IE800?

 
Ultrasone Signature Dj + HM5 pads is smoother but keeps many of ie800's qualities that we all love! 

 

[Unrealeck]

I just went and ordered the IE800.
An Amazon Warehouse deal, so hopefully they're legitimate and not fakes someone's put into a legit box/case etc and sent back.
I hear the fakes can be very hard to distinguish even to Sennheiser engineers.
 
I'm hoping to be quite wowed after about a year or so of listening almost solely to my Fidelio (and Fidue A83 which I recently returned).

 

[cellarbro]

   
Very very nice comparation! It helps me a lot understand how SE846 sounds! 
 
Sadly,, I am a man of treble, without treble I can't really like a headphone/IEM so I'll have to pass it solely for the roll off. Roll offs are not possible to fix. 
 
 
Exactly! You read my thoughts! 
 
I was not a big fun of HD650 because it lacked that spark in the treble though...
 
 
Ultrasone Signature Dj + HM5 pads is smoother but keeps many of ie800's qualities that we all love! 

 
 
Yeah, SE846 may not be for you. I thought the SE846 compared most to the HD650 actually with better portability.
 
You may want to try Katana and Andromeda if you haven't already. Treble focused and very clean, accurate, musical and detailed with the speed of the BA drivers that are also making me justify them because their not the same as the SE846 or IE800 so I have to have em lol.

 

[cellarbro]

  I just went and ordered the IE800.
An Amazon Warehouse deal, so hopefully they're legitimate and not fakes someone's put into a legit box/case etc and sent back.
I hear the fakes can be very hard to distinguish even to Sennheiser engineers.
 
I'm hoping to be quite wowed after about a year or so of listening almost solely to my Fidelio (and Fidue A83 which I recently returned).

What was wrong with the A83?
 
What type of music do you listen to?

 

[AndrewH13]

Yeah, SE846 may not be for you. I thought the SE846 compared most to the HD650 actually with better portability.

You may want to try Katana and Andromeda if you haven't already. Treble focused and very clean, accurate, musical and detailed with the speed of the BA drivers that are also making me justify them because their not the same as the SE846 or IE800 so I have to have em lol.

I would say the Katana is a more accurate listen, but not a more exciting one

 

[Dobrescu George]

I would say the Katana is a more accurate listen, but not a more exciting one

 
Oh... I think I'm good with ie800 then! All the exiting parts for me, please! 

 

[Unrealeck]

 
What was wrong with the A83?
 
What type of music do you listen to?

The treble was piercingly loud in some music. For example Oasis's Definitely Maybe album, the electric guitar in most songs was piercing. But I think it could have been a lot to do with the fit of the earphones as they were an odd shape and dug into my ear when I tried to get them as deep as possible and to get a seal. I don't think they're bad at all because I suspect the problem was down to the tips and fit, but I tried all the included tips including the Comply ones. I have pretty small ears too.
 
Music I listen to is mostly rock/hard rock. Lately mostly Nirvana (unplugged is one of my favourite albums ever), Oasis, Gary Clark Jr, The Black Keys, Black Pistol Fire to give an idea. But I also like listening to orchestral music from game soundtracks as well as some electronic music on occasion.