[Partlys4int]

They don't sound like other iems they sound like open back headphones. The sound is resolving, smooth, balanced, effortless.

Thank you, I like that.

Do you have any impressions on running them through a balanced connection too?

 

[Partlys4int]

Day after day, the included balanced pentaconn cable sticks ever more out as a criterium...still, a question remains:
Excuse my nagging, but how are these for sleeping in terms of comfort?
I've heard that Senn doesn't include oval eartips like they did with ie800 (probably because Klipsch managed to patent oval tips)

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

I've heard that Senn doesn't include oval eartips like they did with ie800 (probably because Klipsch managed to patent oval tips)

Correct about the non-inclusion, but I don't know that it's a patent issue. For one, the oval tips are still included with the IE800. Also, the oval tips are sold separately on the Sennheiser website, so an owner of the IE800S can still acquire them. The IE800S includes Comply tips, which are not included with the non-S version, which I think is a more likely explanation for the non-inclusion of the oval tips with the S version. Either way, they are still available.

The IE800S are very light and comfortable. If you sleep on your back, you should be able to wear them just fine. If you roll over on your side, they'll push into your ear. While that may be true of pretty much any IEM, the Senns do not fit flush to the ear. Rather, they stick out at a perpendicular angle.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/accessories--ie-800--ear-cushion-oval

 

[Partlys4int]

Correct about the non-inclusion, but I don't know that it's a patent issue. For one, the oval tips are still included with the IE800. Also, the oval tips are sold separately on the Sennheiser website, so an owner of the IE800S can still acquire them. The IE800S includes Comply tips, which are not included with the non-S version, which I think is a more likely explanation for the non-inclusion of the oval tips with the S version. Either way, they are still available.

The IE800S are very light and comfortable. If you sleep on your back, you should be able to wear them just fine. If you roll over on your side, they'll push into your ear. While that may be true of pretty much any IEM, the Senns do not fit flush to the ear. Rather, they stick out at a perpendicular angle.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/accessories--ie-800--ear-cushion-oval

Thank you, that sounds good.

Regarding the oval tips. I do not know if there was a certain ruling or how widespread Klipsch's patent is. But they do have it for 'oval tips'. Not a specific oval tip but just in general; they brag about it on their website often.
I really really like oval tips. And I'm glad to see that you can still get them from Sennheiser somehow. I assume these should fit the IE800S too?

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

Thank you, that sounds good.
I assume these should fit the IE800S too?

Yes. I bought them specifically for use on the 800S. The couplers are the same on both the 800 and 800S, so all the tips for either model are interchangeable.

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

Regarding the oval tips. I do not know if there was a certain ruling or how widespread Klipsch's patent is. But they do have it for 'oval tips'. Not a specific oval tip but just in general; they brag about it on their website often.

I see Klipsch's press release about their patent dates to 2010, three years before the IE800 came out. The press release touts the ingenuity of developing an oval-shaped ear tip, as opposed to the ubiquitous round tips, implying the patent was for the shape itself. If so, then it is entirely possible Sennheiser violated the patent by including their own oval tips with the IE800. If that's the case, then the question would be what, if anything, Klipsch did about it. Obviously they didn't completely bar Sennheiser from using oval tips. Possibly the two companies reached an agreement that Sennheiser could continue to sell the tips only with/for the existing product, but no future products. Or perhaps Sennheiser now has to pay a licensing fee for the design. I'm just spitballing, but some combination of those two possibilities would explain the situation. It would also explain why the individually-available tips are sold only as replacement tips for the IE800, and aren't ever mentioned as being for the 800S, even though they fit both models.

 

[kalo86]

Hi everyone,

Opinions are quite heavily opposed regarding these IEMs.
I wonder, is there anyone who could give me a nuanced view?

I'm looking to upgrade and am in doubt between these or the Xelento.
I've been using Klipsch's X10's the past three years and really like the tiny design without ear loop, which is where the IE800s have a plus.

I've got a sony NW-Zx300. Again a plus for the Senns as they come with a 4.4 mm cable.
But I do like a punchy sound too with snappy treble. And some reviewers state that the IE800s are more analytical, lacking pleasure...

I would love to hear some honest opinions.

I had the Sony ZX300: it is a nice DAP, great quality considering the battery life and its dimensions.
But if you want to make your IE800S shine, then you need to supply more and more power.
The Sony ZX300, even through the balanced output, is not enough powerful and it's not the best pairing with the Sennheiser IE800S.
I noticed some distortion in high-low frequencies, I don't know how to explain this strange behavior.
I can give you an example: in orchestral music it's very common to hear some "pianissimo" which dynamically become "fortissimo". When all the orchestra is increasing the intensity of the tone through the "fortissimo" I noticed a slight distortion in the tone, which is really bad!
The Sony ZX300 is sold as a Hi-Res and Hi-Fidelity music player.
The Sennheiser IE800S are sold as Hi-Res in-ear's.
This pair is not the best, but still acceptable.

Another bad thing that I noticed: pain. After a while I had to stop listening to the music because of pain in my ears.

When I moved from the Sony ZX300 to the iBasso DX220 I was completely shocked: the distortion (as described before) disappeared as well as the pain.
I don't know how to explain the pain in my ears, but the pairing between DX220 & IE800S it's something that made me stopping looking at new DAPs and IEMs.

The only thing I am waiting is the factory-modded AMP8-EX.

I hope it helps you!

 

[Partlys4int]

I had the Sony ZX300: it is a nice DAP, great quality considering the battery life and its dimensions.
But if you want to make your IE800S shine, then you need to supply more and more power.
The Sony ZX300, even through the balanced output, is not enough powerful and it's not the best pairing with the Sennheiser IE800S.
I noticed some distortion in high-low frequencies, I don't know how to explain this strange behavior.
I can give you an example: in orchestral music it's very common to hear some "pianissimo" which dynamically become "fortissimo". When all the orchestra is increasing the intensity of the tone through the "fortissimo" I noticed a slight distortion in the tone, which is really bad!
The Sony ZX300 is sold as a Hi-Res and Hi-Fidelity music player.
The Sennheiser IE800S are sold as Hi-Res in-ear's.
This pair is not the best, but still acceptable.

Another bad thing that I noticed: pain. After a while I had to stop listening to the music because of pain in my ears.

When I moved from ZX300 to the iBasso DX220 I was completely shocked: the distortion (as described before) disappeared as well as the pain.
I don't know how to explain the pain in my ears, but the pairing between DX220 & IE800S it's something that made me stopping looking at new DAPs and IEMs.

The only thing I am waiting is the factory-modded AMP8-EX.

I hope it helps you!

Thanks for the advice. I'm really not planning on throwing my ZX300 out already. I love almost everything about Sony's players.
Hearing is subjective though and pain in ears after listening through IEM's is normal. I've had it with two previous in--ears (both klipsch); it's like the brain needs to adjust somehow...

Anyhow, your words don't fill me with joy but it's appreciated either way. I hope I've got a better experience than you did when I eventually try this combination

 

[Partlys4int]

I had the Sony ZX300: it is a nice DAP, great quality considering the battery life and its dimensions.
But if you want to make your IE800S shine, then you need to supply more and more power.
The Sony ZX300, even through the balanced output, is not enough powerful and it's not the best pairing with the Sennheiser IE800S.
I noticed some distortion in high-low frequencies, I don't know how to explain this strange behavior.
I can give you an example: in orchestral music it's very common to hear some "pianissimo" which dynamically become "fortissimo". When all the orchestra is increasing the intensity of the tone through the "fortissimo" I noticed a slight distortion in the tone, which is really bad!
The Sony ZX300 is sold as a Hi-Res and Hi-Fidelity music player.
The Sennheiser IE800S are sold as Hi-Res in-ear's.
This pair is not the best, but still acceptable.

Another bad thing that I noticed: pain. After a while I had to stop listening to the music because of pain in my ears.

When I moved from the Sony ZX300 to the iBasso DX220 I was completely shocked: the distortion (as described before) disappeared as well as the pain.
I don't know how to explain the pain in my ears, but the pairing between DX220 & IE800S it's something that made me stopping looking at new DAPs and IEMs.

The only thing I am waiting is the factory-modded AMP8-EX.

I hope it helps you!

I also wonder how much burn-in you have done with the ZX300? It needs a lot of burn-in, at least 250 hrs per output.
(Sony even advises so within the player's info section). I've found that my SE sounded optimal after 500 hrs and a lot better than out of the box.

With the Balanced output it should be the same; minimum 250 hrs. (edit: minimum 200 hrs)

Goes without saying that the only way to achieve this within a reasonable time frame, is to let your player on at night.

 

[kalo86]

I used the ZX300 mostly on balanced output only for 350 hours.
The first 200 hours only in burn-in.
I did not see large improvement anyway... The biggest step was ZX300 --> DX220+AMP8.
It was not big, maybe huge.

 

[Partlys4int]

I used the ZX300 mostly on balanced output only for 350 hours.
The first 200 hours only in burn-in.
I did not see large improvement anyway... The biggest step was ZX300 --> DX220+AMP8.
It was not big, maybe huge.

Was burn-in at medium volume?
In low volume hardly anything changes.

 

[kalo86]

At the time of the ZX300 my iem was the Sony XBA-N3BP.
I used at 85 in High Gain and with some DSD and 24bit audio tracks up to 95-100 in High Gain.
I think it's only a way to waste time, spend energy and destroy component life and battery life.

 

[Partlys4int]

At the time of the ZX300 my iem was the Sony XBA-N3BP.
I used at 85 in High Gain and with some DSD and 24bit audio tracks up to 95-100 in High Gain.
I think it's only a way to waste time, spend energy and destroy component life and battery life.

I'm surprised to hear your experience to be honest . Sennheiser IE800S should be relatively easy to drive and ZX300's 4.4 mm output offers plenty of power for an in-ear.
Moreover, the ZX300 has a really black background, extremely low distortion if any. (Perhaps at higher volume, which I don't do).

I do not think it's a waste of time to burn-in a player; it's a sign of material quality, just like a nice pair of shell cordovan shoes will take a couple of weeks to break-in

 

[Rob80b]

Well don't believe I'll be able to replace my previous ie800s anytime soon with the ie800Ss but did manage to scratch the itch by picking up my second pair of Sennheiser Momentum HD1 ie (first pair I gave away after getting the ie800).
....well I forgot just how good these are...a real fun to listen to while out and about....not as refined as the ie800 series...but not bad at all IMHO....the proper sized tip though is mandatory for getting a proper base balance and extension, ...and volume control for IOS devices is just icing on the cake.. : )

 

[Partlys4int]

I've just received these, installed oval tips on them (seperately ordered), connected them to the completely unused balanced 4.4mm output of my Sony ZX300. And odd to say, they already deliver. Though I know- due to the Sony- that the sound will widen more and get brighter. Now it's full-bodied, but I can hear that vocals indeed are more to the back.
But it's not an issue as the separation is good and will improve as the output burns in.

And I hear absolutely no hiss whatsoever. Maybe on the SE-ouput, which I have yet to try.

Edit: just tried and no hiss on SE. The SE sounds better for now; which is to be expected as it has 900+ hrs of burn-in and the balanced just 20 min.
I don't want to conclude anything as of now, to avoid mistakes. But I've got the feeling these won't be returned haha