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More information can be found here and non-affiliated link:
https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-CA/p/ie-200/
Subjective Part of my Audio Review - Sennheiser IE200
Purchased by me from Amazon.ca $199.95 CAD
Hello Ladies & Gents: Thanks for reading my feedback.
I share my impressions as I hear them with my ears.
As all our ears are different shapes & size so what I hear as bright or bass heavy -you might hear as dull and Vise-Versa; just something to be mindful of.
What makes my ears happy as a sound signature is a slightly more aggressive L shape. I love my Bass Sub and Mid Bass love it all actually; and in large quantity. With the Bass, I prefer a faster decay the faster the better so as to not bleed into the mids., I am treble sensitive and prefer a slightly darker warmer replay with good treble extension.
I prefer the fast speedy bass of the Beryllium Coated Driver of my Xenns Mangird UP and KiwiEars Cadenza. Of course, there are exceptions in the market - as I also find the bass of the Bio Diaphragm used in the Yanyin Canon special - has some special sauce like an 8" subwoofer that feels like a 12" Has the slam and some serious sub-bass! And the super cool Copper Alloy Shell IKKO Obsidian OH10 does some magic to the bass.
My music Library is widely varied and depends on my mood. See track list below.
Sources: E1DA SG3, Shanling UP5, Geshelli JNOG J2 with AKM4493 chip. Truthear SHIO (Dual Cirrus Logic 43198 DAC Chips)
DAP/TRASPORT: From Lenovo Laptop with Tidal, iBasso DX160 (Dual Cirrus Logic 43198 Dac Chips), Samsung S22 Ultra with DSD Files.
Amps: LoxjiP20 & XDUOO MT-604 tube hybrid amps and Topping A90D Amp 4.4 Pentagon Balanced Out - Unless stated
Tips Used for the IE200 after tip rolling. - I Found for me the DUNU S&S L tips for me were fantastic once you block the vent port with tape then all that was left was stage and comfort.
I always use Wide Bore Tips and the S&S tips are in there but because of their longer nature without taper you can get a deeper insertion works for the IE200 nicely.
My Format has changed with community feedback. So now I will list the music tracks I used & why with my musical impressions of the playback using that track. I hope this will give you some context for my library and give you some contexts to compare using the same tracks.
Let's Begin:
Honestly first impression were less than favorable. Kind of funny , I normally use in a portable set up first but because the IE200 only comes with a Single Ended - Non balanced option and my sources and cables were very limited. I started off on the desk with the AKM J2 and Topping A90D.
That’s when I used the Shanling UP5 single ended output from my phone and listened to a ESS dac and knew we were going in the right direction
It was only after I went to my listening chair and just used the iBasso DX160 did I do a double take. So I had a suspicion the IE200 was really source sensitive.
After some more burn in the next day I swapped out the AKM j2 with the iBasso as the source with the CS chip strait to the A90D and two things became immediately clear.
THE IE200 NEEDS POWER AND ITS FUSSY ON SOURCES.
The CS source added in just a tad of the weight for male vocals and proper instrument tone while providing the more resolving clean nature needed to make female vocals sound right. Thanks Melissa Ethridge.
My observations were the AKM in the J2 was just too warm and the ESS 9219 in the UP5 a tad too clean and bright. Much as I preference with this IEM the ever slight weight the CS dacs was the perfect middle ground. I can't speak for other reviewers but sometimes I wonder if they put in the time & effort to give whatever they are reviewing its due respect?
Since I didn’t have a balance IEM cable with Special Sennheiser MMCX ends, I again reached out to my Hakugei Ali express seller and he made me my favorite cloth cable for $25.
If you're interested leave a comment and I post the link.
So final set up listening was done with the iBasso DX160 to the A90D and out single ended. DUNU S&S tips and a few Oktoberfest beers.
#1 "Bring Me Some Water" by Melissa Ethridge
(I like this track to hear Melissa's voice and see if the transducers (speakers) reproduce her voice to how edgy I think it should be.)
Great I mean really nice depth and when I got the right tips and source her voice was perfect.
#2 "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones
(I use this track because I love hearing how well the IEM can give me a sense of stage and placement. At 28 Seconds you can hear Mic change his position and face towards the Mic on the left side with the overall stage outside of your head)
My notes have big Stage Height with a happy face and another note wicked 3D!
#4 & 5 "House Of Broken Love" & "Rock Me"
(80'S Baby, Double Kick drums at the beginning of the first track I am listening to how fast it hits how solid is the bass and what's the decay like. An ideal replay here would be fast, powerful bass with nice note weight to feel it in your chest so to speak if you were at a concert.) ( With "Rock Me" same thing but I am listening for the bass guitar drops on this track it should be quite low)
Ok for the rest of the these test tracks I started comparing to my EJ07M's as I started to realize the cheaper ones I had and not even close in the same league as the IE200.
That being said my re-tuned sub boosted Ej'S didn’t and the IE200 were very close in texture and actually the IE200 had a tad more quality and texture.
#6 "Chemical Mentalist" The Crystal Method
(Bass, more bass fast and lots of it - How does it do end of the story - Huge Smile or poo emoji?)
SLAMS FULLSTOP!
#7 "Its Time" by Labrinth, Sia, Diplo
(3 very different singers and their voices come together. I use this because it’s a cool track and at higher volumes lesser IEM's get sibilant.)
Vocals sound great by all 3 singers no sibilance at all with the IE200
#8 "All My Friends Are Here" Joe Satriani
(In this track you can hear Joe playing dead Center with the busy and very separated L & R licks added in and then he brings you back to center with some crazy and very hard-to-play Descending A Major rifts! As Joe described this song as "A rock guitarist trying to control a wild beast"
Great Snap, here I wish the Senny had more extension in the ultra-highs.
#9 "Blue Line" by Massive Attack
(16 seconds in someone taking a big hit of the Sticky Green Stuff - does it come through as a realistic effect? Also listing for how well the baritone vocals sound?) Such a soft vocal track here is hard to reproduce.
Wishing it has a bit more vocal energy on this track. A really great sense of depth with the way the vocals are presented
#10 "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" Annie Lennox
(A Bach-inspired Hammond Organ M102, I seriously love it and its unique sound with Annie's voice this is so cool)
The IE200 did a great job on her voice , sounded natural well done
#11 "Yesterday's Yesterday" Another song by Joe Satriani
(This is a cool track. Joe Eric & Jim whistling at the beginning with 1000 insect buzzing overlay is trippy. Then the three of them play a different guitar L C R Just a fun track to listen to how different IEM's reproduce this song)
The IE200 made this a fun listen on a fun track.
#12 "Shape Of My Heart" Sting
(in this track I am listening to the sound of the guitar pulls and slides. How well does the IEM give an emotional presentation of the mix between the vocals and the bass.
Here I felt the guitar plucks couls have been snappier and more resolving showing its weakness on the driver.
#13 "Wishing You Would Stay" by The Tea Party with Holly McNarland
(Love this track. With this song and this band, it was the first time having a guest vocalist. Holly McNarland has a great voice and I have seen her live a few times front and center getting sweat on. Listening for Holly's voice being forward in the mix and not sibilant.)
Both singers vocals were excellent with the correct tonality and weight. Sounded natural.
#14 "Avenue A" Tom Cochrane and Red Rider Live from the Symphony Sessions
(This track with more resolving IEM'S you can hear the guitar pulls and slides with a sense of open spaciousness and grandeur)
On this track its cool when you notice something in a song you never noticed before. In this track I could hear 2 Different mics on Tom. One on the Guitar lower and Left and the other higher on his head level. I guess that goes back to the IE200 really neat way it presents its stage.
#15 “Summertime” Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
( This Track has both legendary artists Simply listening to Louis and Ella’s voices and of course, the Piano and trumpets how accurate and lifelike )
Again what a beautifully done stage presentation. I was wishing for more resolution with this song on the clarity and vocals but a bit of a trade-off with less high frequency energy
#16 “Eden” Hania Rani
( The way Hania has recorded this track with the mics on the strings in the body of the piano is incredibly unique and such a unique presentation you can hear the string's tension at the beginning, Bass kicks in at 1:40 and goes low that’s what I am listening for )
Piano has nice note weight and I actually prefer the IE200 over the EJ's on this one.
#17 “Blue Train” Poncho Sanchez
( Trumpets here are silky or should sound that way with good timbre, overall mix how does it present, and of course Poncho’s drums )
So Musical how the Senny replayed this track beautiful and special. Wicked stage high and wide.
#18 “ Wake Up “ Oliver Mtukudzi
(Oliver Mtukudzi is an African Musician and prolific guitarist and Vocalist. He sings with a mix of South African styles sometimes in English sometimes mixed like in this track and includes the traditional drumming styles of the Korekore. TUKU MUSIC at its finest – Listening for vocals, bass lines, and clarity – and because it is just fun! Right at the beginning you have some very cool snaps and instrumental )
Oliver's voice is spot on nice & smooth, all female back up was very well done. This music and IEM you can listen to endlessly.
#19 “ My Girl “ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
(Listening for instrument placement and stage and this track gives a good sense of dynamics and excitement with lots of dynamics in the mix )
At 1:30 you can hear drums go from back right to center distinctively getting closer and then panning left ever closer with all that and a great width and 3D stage
#20" The Day That Never Comes" Metallica from S&M2
(Bonus track I throw in for the toe tapping impression
MY NOTES: - Kick Drums amazing this track the bass actually plays lower with more authority than the Ej"s like What! OH HELL YEAH! Play this one loud.
SUMMARY & FINAL THOUGHTS FOR: Sennheiser IE200
The overall presentation of the IE200 was a fun sounding IEM. The bass is not lacking and not often I felt I was left with wanting more. A few tracks I wished the IE200 had two of the drivers per side but not often.
The Stage is the real most notable thing I liked on the IE200. Great width and fantastic depth and height. For me with these tips I really liked the way the Senny presented the stage in a really smooth way.
Overall the IE200 I found gives you a very natural organic presentation across the board when it comes to instruments as well as Vocals.
Now on the critical wish list. The IE200 is not the most resolving IEM and that also I think gives the Senny some of its special sauce. And the only thing I would change is giving it a bit more resolving power by boosting the ultra highs and giving the IE200 more treble extension.
I think the IE200 will develop a cult like the IE600 has done to audio enthusiasts the world over. IF AND BIG IF here people are willing to take the time to Tip Roll/Source Roll if possible and buy a cable hopefully balanced so you can pump juice into this thing.
If you put the effort in and know its quirks you going to end up with a super comfortable IEM you can listen to forever and have a big grin on your face.
The IE200 is simply inoffensive and is special in the way it serves you the music I think its worthy for your stable and worth the money.
Thanks so much, Cheers from the Tone Deaf Monk.