Sennheiser IE 900 Earbuds Review

Sennheiser’s fresh IE 900 in-ear headphones feature a minimal style with the only objective of providing the highest audio quality at this price point. A unique 7mm drive unit per earbud, a finely machined aluminum enclosure, and the inclusion of some innovative resonance tunnels inside that casing to boost the driver’s frequency range are among the technological features.

Premium wired in-ears are far less prevalent than they formerly were, which is understandable. The growth of wireless connection makes absolute sense for in-ears, which have always been for mobility and convenience of usage. When you include complementary technologies like noise-canceling and app control, the optimal features pattern for such earbuds appears to be established.

However, this template does not prioritize audio quality. And if that’s your top priority, totally wired is the way to go, with all the versatility and comfort advantages tossed out the door.

Positive
  • Brilliant sound quality
  • Extremely comfortable
  • Machined aluminum casing
  • Improved frequency response
Negative
  • Expensive
  • Sound fit lack on response

Design for Comfort

The IE 900 are extremely lightweight and sit flush in your ears; neither size variant is too big or too small. In addition to this, the IE 900’s ergonomic design allows them to fit into your ears perfectly. This is important because you want to make sure that these in-ears are comfortable enough for long listening sessions.

In-ears typically receive a bad rap for being uncomfortable and unstable, but Sennheiser has done its best to minimize this. The IE 900 comes with a plethora of ear tips, including standard silicone tips, memory foam tips, and Comply Tx500 tips. Three 1.2m cables are included, one with a normal 3.5mm socket and the other two rounded with 2.5mm and 4.4mm ends, respectively. There’s no in-line wireless device on any of them, which is disappointing.

The craftsmanship of Sennheiser is most visible on the inside. The developers elected to use a single component rather than a more popular multiple unit technique used by several competitors. Improved cohesiveness and phase performance are two advantages of this simplified technique. Because there is no requirement for any kind of crossover in a single unit, it eliminates the inherent distortion of this kind of connection.

Using a single drive unit to span the whole frequency range (5Hz-48kHz) offers a continuous sound, but it’s difficult to create one with equal performance. Sennheiser has a two-pronged approach. To begin, the 7mm membrane is composed of a polymer mix for stiffness and reduced resonance.

However, because this method cannot regulate all resonances, three Helmholtz resonance chambers have been cut into the aluminum case construction. These function between 6.5 and 10 kHz and capture the driver’s surplus power at these frequencies, resulting in a far more balanced balance. Even the small port that delivers the driver’s sound to the ears is designed to adjust the resonant frequency.

During the manufacturing process, sets of drive units are calibrated to ensure that the audio from the left and right speakers is as constant as possible. As a result, the stereo sound field will be more strong and more concentrated.

Because of the precise design, a wide variety of ear tips, and the safety given by the wire folding around the ears, these earbuds are quite pleasant to wear. These buds aren’t very heavy, weighing about 4g apiece. The signal connection is prone to broadcasting any noise generated by movement, which is a problem if you wish to wear these earbuds while moving.

  • Type: In-ear, wired
  • Frequency response: 5Hz to 48kHz
  • Impedance: 18ohms
  • Cables: 3x 1.2m
  • Connections: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm
  • Weight: 4g (each)

Price and Availability

Sennheiser has announced the release of their IE 900 Impedance Earphones for $1,299.95 / £1,099 / AU$2,099. They are being touted as the best around-the-ear headphones available on the market today. The IE 900 are wired earphones designed specifically for those who demand exquisite sound quality; they are a luxury product that was designed and manufactured after years of experience in creating premium audio products and are renowned for their legendary Sennheiser brand name.

$1,299.95
At Crutchfield
$1,299.95
At Sennheiser

Sound Performance

The Sennheiser IE 900 in-ear earphones are certainly among all of the greatest in-ear earphones we’ve ever heard. The earphones manage the rapid timing variations and crazy dynamic and sonic extremes with delicacy when listening to Saking the Village from the Pirates of Caribbean soundtrack. The earphones display their image capabilities when sound swings left and right.

Detailed and well-timed rhythm cuts through distorted bass soundscapes while wailing and wobbling synthesizers pierce through.

The IE 900 has a more dynamic midrange and more vigor. It’s a fun presentation that’s well-rounded enough that we’re more interested in the music than in what the earphones are performing.

They are also quite revealing speakers, so you’ll know whether there are any difficulties with your source or amplification. Although these Sennheisers can be plugged into any device with a 3.5mm earphone jack, they demand that can be used with more than just a phone or computer.

We highly advise utilizing a high-quality downstream DAC, preferably one that meets the basic requirements. Also, independent of whether the music is downloaded or streamed, utilize CD-quality or greater music files. Music streaming players can also be useful, but don’t anticipate spectacular results unless you use a high-end one. We advise spending roughly as far on the player as the earphones if you truly want to hear how fantastic the Sennheisers can sound.

Resume

If you’re still reading this, chances are you really want a pair of IE-900s. There’s no denying that they’re an expensive product – and they almost seem like they don’t belong in a consumer market. However, having gone through the lengthy process of actually getting to listen to them, I can honestly say that if you have the right setup, there is nothing on this planet that will give you better in-ear audio than these.

Simon
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