[melons]

I'm curious where you ordered these that gives you confidence that they are not counterfeit at that price. I have seen new IE800s available eBay for around this price but I worry about whether the earphones are legitimate.

A quick google search throws up 3 Genuine 'bricks & mortar' UK retailers offering the IE800 (not 'S') for £399, guess Sennheiser are clearing out stock

 

[Cheesedoodle]

Thanks. I'm searching from the US and I didn't see anything quite so low, although now with a little more searching I see there are a few deals from reliable retailers.

I have wondered if Sennheiser is discontinuing the IE 800 because inventory seems to be limited.

 

[officerdibble]

I'm curious where you ordered these that gives you confidence that they are not counterfeit at that price. I have seen new IE800s available eBay for around this price but I worry about whether the earphones are legitimate.

Purchased from Harrow Audio in the UK a very well reputed Hi-Fi shop. I have absolute confidence in them. I also notice that hifiheadphones.co.uk also has them at this discounted price at the moment.

 

[Audiofiend1]

Thanks. I'm searching from the US and I didn't see anything quite so low, although now with a little more searching I see there are a few deals from reliable retailers.

I have wondered if Sennheiser is discontinuing the IE 800 because inventory seems to be limited.

Might just be pushing the S version more.

 

[Cheesedoodle]

I ended up buying them in the US for $539. They do sound as good as advertised.

 

[essex853]

Does anyone know if the IE800s with 4.4 pentaconn cable will offer enough of an improvement over the original IE800 with standard 3.5mm?

I have a Sony NWZ-X300 Walkman which has both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced output so I'm keen to utilise the 4.4mm but with £400 price difference between IE800 and IE800s it's a big leap of faith!

Thanks in advance!

PS also shortlisted Sony XBA-N3 but at £220 I'm not sure they'll do the NWZ-X300 justice.

 

[audio123]

Might just be pushing the S version more.

I think it is better in my opinion. The IE800S has a smoother presentation and it is less v-shaped which helps to tackle vocals.

 

[analog'd]

i finally got an IE800S in to compare with my IE800. once i gave myself time listening my initial reaction (that the regular ie800 was more fun due to being more dynamic,"punchier" and having more "snap" or something) was overridden by my enjoyment of what sounds like a slightly more refined presentation. as people have said, the 800S is "smoother". the mids are indeed seductive and after acclimating a bit i no longer hear a loss of anything. i think i do tend to turn up the volume by a tiny bit on the ie800s on some recordings. between getting used to it and doing that i find no lack of pizazz.

i have to say though, the regular ie800 sounded fantastic to my ear when using them with a Resonessence Labs Herus as a portable rig with android foobar playing hi rez files. i did begin to love the refinements that i hear in the 800S, and have passed the IE800 to a family member. The Herus and the IE800S is superb from top to bottom. My full sized rig uses an Ether Flow Open driven by a Burson Soloist, and either rig is plenty fine for me.

I do not miss my HD800 or 2016 version LCD-3. At least not much.

 

[Xbmyc]

Nothing has the same signature as IE800, literally nothing.

The closest you can get is HIFIMAN RE800 and HIFIMAN RE2000, but both have a slightly different signature than IE800, and neither is below 400 USD.

The only thing I can recommend is getting a custom fit tip for your IE800, that might help quite a bit, but otherwise, you're either going to be looking for a different signature (which you might like even better, who knows ), or EQ what you're getting

I actually find ie800 very similar to my HD600 but more clear and sharper highs.

I was surprised how great the ie800 sounded when I first got it. Coming disappointed from the ie80, I didn't expect much from the ie800 at first. But the moment I put them on, I was instantly wow'd. It was so POWERFUL. That is the word I think best describe this earphone. The sound experience simply does not feel like an iem since it felt like I was wearing a big can headphone.

In terms of signature, I really liked HD600, and the ie800 is almost like an upgraded HD600 but spiced up with more sparkly and defining sounds in certain areas. One thing the HD600 has though is that it is more comfortable to listen to, as the sound is less in your face than the ie800, and the separation between layers of sound is better which is as expected from a big can.

I bought my ie800 used, and if they break, I will definitely pay the full price to get a brand new pair. Its just so good.

 

[765227258]

Thinking of getting one in the future though I've already got pp8s.

 

[sebiambrus]

In short, vocals on ie800 take backstage a bit while highs and lows are more emphasized.

Andromeda are more balanced and have bigger soundstage. They tend to be slightly brighter than the ie800.

Highs are more detailed and lows are more powerful on ie800.

My sources: LG V30 and Sony WM1A.

This is why I mentioned they are very different.

HEy I want to buy the IE 800 , and i have the LG v30 , and the Dragonfly Red dac, how the LG v30 sound quality vs DFR with ie800 ? the lg v30 are good pair with Ie 800 ?

 

[sebiambrus]

IE800 sounds better than Philips Fidelio X1 and X2, MUCH better. Better bass, better soundstage (yes, no joke, wider than that of the X2), much more clear and transparent, much more detailed, full bodied. X2 in comparison sound cheap, unrefined, wrong and boring after IE800. Sold them (X2) after 2 weeks because they do not compare to IE800 and Denon D600 (a closed can that is more comfortable and still sound just better/detailed/livelier than both X1 and X2). IE800 (to me) sound better than HD700 and Hifiman HE-400i (which I like very much) and both destroy X2 (well...bass on the X2 has more quantity but that´s all). Just my opinion based on direct comparisons.

Hi can you do a full Comparsion within the HD700 and the Ie800 ? since i have the hd700 and i planning to buy the Ie800

 

[iems0nly]

Thought this forum might be interested in having a look at IE800's little baby brother, IE 40 Pro.
Could be a little cousin as it has a 'Pro' tagged to its tail.

 

[yangian]

I actually find ie800 very similar to my HD600 but more clear and sharper highs.

I was surprised how great the ie800 sounded when I first got it. Coming disappointed from the ie80, I didn't expect much from the ie800 at first. But the moment I put them on, I was instantly wow'd. It was so POWERFUL. That is the word I think best describe this earphone. The sound experience simply does not feel like an iem since it felt like I was wearing a big can headphone.

In terms of signature, I really liked HD600, and the ie800 is almost like an upgraded HD600 but spiced up with more sparkly and defining sounds in certain areas. One thing the HD600 has though is that it is more comfortable to listen to, as the sound is less in your face than the ie800, and the separation between layers of sound is better which is as expected from a big can.

I bought my ie800 used, and if they break, I will definitely pay the full price to get a brand new pair. Its just so good.

Same opinion here. I didn't feel big difference when I took off HE400i ans immediately put on IE800.

 

[Xbmyc]

Did anyone experience the ie800 ear buds coming off too easily? I have had one bud that flew away when I took off the ie800. Another one got stuck in my ear when I took the earphone off...
After buying replacement buds from Sennheiser Parts they also are pretty loose. Any possible easy fix?