Best in-ear that doesn't need 'screwing into ear'. If you like hang down design, don't want a rolled-off dull treble, or artificial bassboomer, almost a bargain compared to some high-ends these days. And scales brilliantly up from phone to DAP to separate DAC/Amp, so bought for any future upgrades.
Best in-ear that doesn't need 'screwing into ear'. If you like hang down design, don't want a rolled-off dull treble, or artificial bassboomer, almost a bargain compared to some high-ends these days. And scales brilliantly up from phone to DAP to separate DAC/Amp, so bought for any future upgrades.
I feel the SE846 has a livier/moving/funner sound, mostly because of its forward mids and powerful mid-bass. But the IE 800 definitely wins for detail and clarity, especially with treble, as the SE846 doesn't have as much high freq reach. Separation on the IE 800 is delicious.
I still own both and love switching between them depending my mood. Run them from the iDSD BL and Mojo (had a hard time choosing between these two DACs too!)
Best in-ear that doesn't need 'screwing into ear'. If you like hang down design, don't want a rolled-off dull treble, or artificial bassboomer, almost a bargain compared to some high-ends these days. And scales brilliantly up from phone to DAP to separate DAC/Amp, so bought for any future upgrades.
With all seriousness, without a good upper treble extension, my brain cannot process or understand the soundstage as a large soundstage, it is interesting how some people can actually hear a soundstage even without having the upper treble extended the way ie800 does it.
You might want to and love to hear a HiFiMAN RE-2000 as well sometime in the future, I think about it like an ie800 on steroids at times. It is more expensive than ie800, but the sound is one that you got to hear to understand why it is so loved
Width is smaller, but instrument separation is much much better, there is a considerably better depth and a much better coherency in the sound. You can hear many different layers of music, but most music won't sound as wide as it sounds on ie80, especially if you keep the vent thingy open on ie80. I prefer ie800 by a considerable margin and if paired with a really good source the loss in width is much less evident, ie800 scaling a lot with the source.
But of course! ie80 is a nice 300$ or so IEM, ie800 is better in every possible way, although the size of the soundstage by itself isn't necessarily bigger. If someone hasn't heard both yet, it is rather hard to explain this, but ie80 feels rather vague / veiled in direct comparison with ie800 which is really clear and has a lot more precise instrument rendering. It is almost as if the two are not really related, ie800 being quite different, a strong sub bass, mildly recessed mids and an energetic top end, while ie80 is a bass strong IEM with a slightly recessed midrange but a smooth top end.
I feel that IE800 is tuned for instant massive wow factor. It sounds incredible at first with its deep and boosted extension at both ends and gigantic soundstage but frankly I grow tired of it very quickly. At this price and for Sennheiser's flagship IEM I expected something more balanced than this gimmicky tuning. Sure it is extended, clean, precise and detailed but the tonal balance is nowhere near natural sounding unfortunately, especially in the highs which are way too recessed apart from the top end IMO.
I feel that IE800 is tuned for instant massive wow factor. It sounds incredible at first with its deep and boosted extension at both ends and gigantic soundstage but frankly I grow tired of it very quickly. At this price and for Sennheiser's flagship IEM I expected something more balanced than this gimmicky tuning. Sure it is extended, clean, precise and detailed but the tonal balance is nowhere near natural sounding unfortunately, especially in the highs which are way too recessed apart from the top end IMO.
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