[devilsadvocate]

   
IMO JVCS are better across the board. Bass goes deeper, has more control, treble has more air to it and maintains a smooth signature. Mids are more detailed, the FX850 has more clarity, timbre is quite a bit more natural sounding. The entire sound doesn't come across as muffled or cloudy as the IE80 can sound when directly compared. Then again the JVC themselves can sound muffled next to the 1Plus2 or Flat 4 Suis. There aren't any bad IEMs is also an opinion (although I've heard some pretty ****ty IEMs myself, but hey that's just me).

 
There are definitely some use cases for the IE80s over the FX850s.  I agree that generally speaking the FX850s are better from an audiophile perspective, but note the following:
- The FX850s are semi-open.  Outside you will hear street noise, public transport noise, etc.  Any advantage they have quickly evaporates due to outside sound.
- That mid-bass is great for mobile devices.  If the device can't EQ well I would rather have the IE80. 
- The IE80s are supremely comfortable.
- I suspect the IE80s are more durable.  Wood is just not a resilient material even if it sounds fantastic. 
 
But yeah, pretty much everything else is better on the FX850s. 

 

[Tail]

Can anyone tell me if comply foam tips (t500, that "normal" isolation ones) will affect sound on IE80? Usually when the seal is better that mid bass can become overbearing, and on IE80 is overbearing even without good seal so I'm wondering... Thanks!

 

[lee730]

   
There are definitely some use cases for the IE80s over the FX850s.  I agree that generally speaking the FX850s are better from an audiophile perspective, but note the following:
- The FX850s are semi-open.  Outside you will hear street noise, public transport noise, etc.  Any advantage they have quickly evaporates due to outside sound.
- That mid-bass is great for mobile devices.  If the device can't EQ well I would rather have the IE80. 
- The IE80s are supremely comfortable.
- I suspect the IE80s are more durable.  Wood is just not a resilient material even if it sounds fantastic. 
 
But yeah, pretty much everything else is better on the FX850s. 

 
Can't argue with that the IE80s do isolate better but not a whole lot better personally. They are an open design themselves just not as open as the FX850s .
 
I think the JVCs are on par in terms of comfort with the FX850s. My ear eats them both up lol. But the IE80s sit more flush. JVCs are still very comfortable for me and easy to maintain the seal.
 
IE80s definitely more durable overall. JVCs totally win though on appearance and finish. Something about that wood and brass .

 

[castleofargh]

 I already wished the IE80 would isolate more, and usually go out with something else only because I want good isolation :'(.
thank you for mentioning it, I can stop having wet dreams about trying the FX850 now. it's just not for me.

 

[davidcotton]

   I already wished the IE80 would isolate more, and usually go out with something else only because I want good isolation :'(.
thank you for mentioning it, I can stop having wet dreams about trying the FX850 now. it's just not for me.

Thought about acs custom tips for the ie80's?  Other users have recently said they help with comfort and isolation.

 

[castleofargh]

 

   I already wished the IE80 would isolate more, and usually go out with something else only because I want good isolation :'(.
thank you for mentioning it, I can stop having wet dreams about trying the FX850 now. it's just not for me.

Thought about acs custom tips for the ie80's?  Other users have recently said they help with comfort and isolation.

I've been thinking about it but the IE80 never was my main IEM so I never really bothered to "invest" in it. I got to try lots of tips only because I tried a lot of tips for the 334 and they were the same size. I'm a bad parent to those IE80 and tend to use my jh13 as my main rig anyway.
right now I'm going in the opposite direction, trying to get uber isolating IEMs to actually sound like something open. it's also a fail, but at least I end up with 2 opposite kind of IEMs and I can use one or the other depending on my needs. I'm trying to EQ a pair of etymotic mc5 right now, and if there is no way in hell that it will get some bass like the IE80, it does get more bass(quantity) with EQ than the hf5 or the er4 so I keep trying ^_^. but they clearly don't come as a replacement for the IE80(even as a joke it wouldn't work), the soundstage on the mc5 has no depth at all removing all sense of being surrounded by sound like the IE80 does. very different beasts with totally different sound. but strangely enough I enjoy them all.

 

[krismusic]

Thought about acs custom tips for the ie80's?  Other users have recently said they help with comfort and isolation.

The ACS Tips do isolate well but you are well on the way to the cost of trying another mid tier headphone which may before beneficial. The tips do not so much alter the SQ of the IE's as give you more of the same IME.

 

[devilsadvocate]

I've got the IE8. I don't know what Sennheisers designers were thinking with the sound sig!

 

[krismusic]

Great if that's what you want. At the time they were Sennheisers flagship IEM. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to move on.

 

[devilsadvocate]

Great if that's what you want. At the time they were Sennheisers flagship IEM. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to move on.

There's definitely demand for that as well.  I'm a huge basshead but I still want high end headphones - in fact, I bought 2 sets.  Based on what I see on head-fi, the IE80s sold very well. 

 

[krismusic]

There's definitely demand for that as well.  I'm a huge basshead but I still want high end headphones - in fact, I bought 2 sets.  Based on what I see on head-fi, the IE80s sold very well. 

I don't disagree that they obviously sold well. Then there are endless posts on here about burn in, silver cables, bits of tape. All to try and deal with the mid bass hump or "veil".

 

[devilsadvocate]

I don't disagree that they obviously sold well. Then there are endless posts on here about burn in, silver cables, bits of tape. All to try and deal with the mid bass hump or "veil".

 
But the "veil" isn't limited to the IE80.  Read any thread about the HD650 and you'll hear exactly the same discussion, despite the fact that the HD650 has far less mid bass.  I would say that the "veil" has more to do with some of the choices that Sennheiser has made in order to increase the perception of soundstage.  The result is that it feels like the sounstage is massive despite the small size but it does in fact sound more veiled.  Also, if you listen to electronic attempts to simulate soundstage you will also notice the introduction of the "veil" that we all see in the IE80 and the HD650.

 

[krismusic]

But the "veil" isn't limited to the IE80.  Read any thread about the HD650 and you'll hear exactly the same discussion, despite the fact that the HD650 has far less mid bass.  I would say that the "veil" has more to do with some of the choices that Sennheiser has made in order to increase the perception of soundstage.  The result is that it feels like the sounstage is massive despite the small size but it does in fact sound more veiled.  Also, if you listen to electronic attempts to simulate soundstage you will also notice the introduction of the "veil" that we all see in the IE80 and the HD650.

An interesting theory.

 

[Fadem]

 
Thought about acs custom tips for the ie80's?  Other users have recently said they help with comfort and isolation.

Quote:

The ACS Tips do isolate well but you are well on the way to the cost of trying another mid tier headphone which may before beneficial. The tips do not so much alter the SQ of the IE's as give you more of the same IME.

I tried Comply tips and they isolate much better than any of the stock offerings included in the IE80 package.

 

[extrafuzzyllama]

hi all
just got these but the tips seem a bit big for my right ear.
I tried the foam tips and fit best but no included tips stay in my right ear.
they just are loose and end up falling out.
I used to have the klipsch s4 and those silicone tips fit great. are there any tips like those klipsch silicone tips for the ie80s?