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BTW, I ordered these JVC-style gel tips.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320770895153?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_500wt_1180
If its anything like the Monster Turbine gel tips, then sensational as I had success with them.
Hey Metro, I have the Monster Supertips (the gel ones), and they do not fit me at all. When I tried them on my IE80, I couldn't get them to stay in even when sitting still, ah well.
The JVC ones do, though. They are really nice, as they fit the nozzle perfectly and are not too tight on the IE80 stem. Now they've unlocked the sound (I used foam tips for better isolation, but the sound with silicon tips that fit properly is just much less blatantly coloured), 'sensational' is a good way to describe them. I hope you like em!
any comparisons with the ie 800? thank you
Ero, I listened to the IE800 for a good 20-30 mins at Stereo @ Ion. I was generally very impressed with them - of course I want to buy a pair now, as I thought they sounded great, but it would be illogical (I've only had my IE80 a few months anyway).
Sound-wise, the two are very different monsters. I love my IE80, which has a smooth treble, thunderous, impactful but nicely textured bass and what I think are rich mids, though they tend to be a little shrouded by bass. Btw, as of a week ago, I'm now an IE80 tape mod user, but this time I'm comparing them stock. The stock IE80 has an exceptionally relaxing sound, good with all kinds of genres and pretty forgiving of recording quality.
The IE800 trumps the IE80 handily in detail and resolution - to my ears, the soundstage is just as wide if not wider, but it's also more believable due to its depth. I could really hear the 'height' of particular instruments and sounds (like applause) relative to the mic in live jazz recordings. The bass is powerful, but not loose like the IE80's - it stays well out of the way of the mids, and I really enjoyed the presentation of mids (vocals, instruments, you name it) on the IE800. I guess they were forward, but there was just a lushness to the sound of mids which reminded me of my favourite Momentums. The highs are much brighter than on the IE80, but for the record I did not find them sibilant on any song I tried. I don't care for sibilance, but the IE800s just manage to reproduce highs just shy of that 'too-bright' border. I was pleasantly surprised that even though they pack bass emphasis, micro-details and the breathiness of vocals were well conveyed by the IE800. I guess you could say I've been poisoned by their sound, it's just addictive (and while it does a great job with my favourite jazz, its sound signature seems like it was made for electronic, which I love).
Disclaimer time - the beautiful ceramic construction, fit and finish of the IE800 may have biased my view, as well as my short audition time and my excitement at the time, haha. Also I was stationary while listening - they are a pain to wear over the ear and can thus get microphonic.
Nonetheless, I would say that, as expected from the price, they are a much more capable IEM than the humble IE80, and the IE800 is at the top tier of portable audio for me. I am not so sure I would recommend them for just home use, as the bass quantity is possibly a little out of hand if you want reference-grade sound (which I really don't, not often anyway). The IE800 thread is filled with impressions from actual owners, like cooperpwc and james444, so do go check that out here - http://www.head-fi.org/t/605438/sennheiser-ie800-iems/885
I hope my limited thoughts are useful!