IEMs Discovery & General Discussion

Would be interesting to hear what you think. IEM fit and tips are probably the most personal thing about audio, so it very well couldn’t work for you, but you never know.

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Nanna is probably their most popular iems. It says it’s almost as flat as Odin. Anyone who has any experience with Odin?

I just did a quick swap between the stock L tips and the CP155 L and the changes are very small actually.
Comfort is maybe even a little better with the CP155, but the fit is a little less secure for me.
Sound is maybe a little more “snappy” in the high mids (snare drum), but it’s negligible. You wouldn’t know if you didn’t swap them almost instantly. In essence the sound signature stays the same as with the stock tips, which is very positive!
So yeah, I can confirm: CP155 on the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk is good match. :slight_smile:

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I can certainly agree with you there. After going through the tip (and filter) drama mentioned in my review of them, the CP155 work great.

Today I would like to contribute my 2 cents to the Sennheiser IE300:

Sometimes it is necessary to step beyond one’s own shadow in order to really appreciate the true quality and value of something.

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When I started walking to my favorite local bakery yesterday morning, I grabbed my Sennheiser IE300, connected it to my BTR5, and then started the playlist prepared by Apple Music with the topic:

“Recommendations for you, based on yours listening habits ”.

Well, I usually tend to move into the genres: blues, jazz, folk, acoustic rock, psychedelic & indie.

Which is usually reproduced in the recommended playlists if you use Spotify.

But now Amazon & Apple music “dares” to sprinkle a title of a completely different genre from time to time, in this case.

So yesterday I had the “pleasure” :woozy_face: to meet the “artists” Leona Lewis, A $ AP Rocky :thinking:,

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Carli XCX and a guy named Drake.

Well, thank you Apple for that.

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If you now know that I hear music rather moderately to softly volume levels, especially in the morning, you will understand that I was rather disappointed at first.

Not only because of the presented proposals, but also because of the rather “thin” tonal qualities.

Since I know about the G-spot factor :face_with_hand_over_mouth: through volume regulation, I took the courage and simply increased the volume, and increased, and increased, and suddenly it was there, the tonal orgasm.

In retrospect, I have to state that the real sound potential of these earphones has not even been exhausted for weeks.

Why, because it just didn’t seem necessary in my preferred genres, since the sound picture provided was presented relatively satisfactorily, with a slight tendency towards bass-heavy.

In view of my “new” experience, my entire impression about these earphones changes.

From now on I will call the IE300:

The cross-border commuters!

Why?

1.) Because they are actually best in volume regions that could be hard at the load limit for continuous listeners :exploding_head:.

2.) In their representation of the higher frequencies always sound very close to the limit of what is generally criticized as “Beyerpeak” :dizzy_face:, but never quite reached it, so after a certain time I took my fingers off the volume control with the I just wanted to prevent unnecessary pain. For this reason, the raised bass suddenly makes sense, so the tonal coordination is wonderfully balanced.

3.) Due to this full utilization of all frequency ranges, this in-ear reproduces the music so extensively and intensely, and thus uses literally every square millimeter of your head / brain.

When you close your eyes, it goes off in such a structured way.

You can perceive anything and everything that is taking place in the performance.

Not outside, but always up to the stop in the cerebral cortex.

It feels like the artist is singing directly in the eye, not in front of it and not behind it.
I have actually never experienced anything like it in this form and intensity.

4.) The imaging of the musical performance is, as I describe it once, an 8K television for the ears :100:.

You can really assign and localize everything extremely precisely, and you always have a precise overview over the entire song.

Which is associated with a huge problem, you want to keep listening, but you actually know exactly that it is not beneficial to have music played so loudly.

5.) There really doesn’t seem to be any mechanical load limit for the drivers, which I will explain below with a few song examples.

So my conclusion is first of all:

This earphone is definitely unique in its class.

No ChiFi headphones that I have ever heard would be capable of these “extreme” ones, they would be completely overloaded, or tonally tuned so high that they would cause pain in the ears.

All of this had the result that on the way home from the bakery, to the song Bang Bang, from the ladies: Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj (none of them previously known or mentally repressed),

I moved forward with indicated dance steps

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:rofl: Well, at least it got me the smile of a nice lady.


1.)

With this song, the drivers of most of the in-ears and / or headphones start to flutter from second 18 onwards, and lose a lot of precision, the 300’s cope with this without any problems, even at high volumes.

The “singing” :joy: that starts almost at the same time, I rather call it “mumbling”, comes crystal clear to the ears despite the intense strain on the drivers.

It can also be seen at any time that the entire recording has a clear three-dimensionality, voices, pitches and movements are absolutely traceable.

This type of playback, with such a mainstream recording, is rather unusual in my experience,

I can prrrrove it :laughing:


2.)

This song, too, is reproduced with astonishing tonal abilities.
Anyone who likes electronic drums will be impressed by the fast and deliberately mechanical sounding precision.

When the voice “groans” from the background in second 42, the spatial precision makes it almost audiophile :wink:.


3.)

This song perfectly presents the experiences I’ve had with mass productions of this type, often with headphones.

(Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus …)

As a rule, most of the in-ear’s start with overwhelmed drivers, due to the violent onset of e-drum beats, and then flow smoothly into a completely washed-out vocal performance, which is overlaid by all kinds of electronic impulse instruments, and appears on many headphones as sound pulp.

The IE300 also reproduces this song in a relatively structured way, almost three-dimensionally, without being overwhelmed for even a second.

It doesn’t really sound tinny, as is often the case with such recordings :+1:.


4.)

Here we have Rap in 3D, clearly understandable, fast, without appearing strained, with spatial qualities that one would generally call a stage in audiophile music.


Sennheiser :fist_right: :fist_left:

For the fact that I tend to “ignore” this type of music usually, you (Sennheiser) managed to mention it in detail in connection with the IE300.

If someone is into this music genre, or electronically influenced music in general:

e’ voila’ :bangbang:

Here is your in-ear, in this sector it plays exceptionally well :sunglasses: :bangbang:

PS .:
Of course, it also works with the musical inclinations that I appreciate, but it is more in line with the price range, but due to its intensity, with one distinguishing feature.

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Really interested in these or the ie 900… I’ll make my mind up eventually.

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A good review from what looks like an interesting iem…

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Great writeup @Lothar_Wolf. I would love to try both the IE300’s and IE900’s.

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Also today a small contribution from my HiFi addict lifestyle.

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:wink: :laughing:

The topic today is Sennheiser’s IE900.

After yesterday’s thoughts about my experiences with the IE300…. an hour later I stuck the 900’s in my ear to go through my playlist and my “new buddies”, A $ AP Rocky & Drake :rofl:, for comparison.

My first thought was:

Oh my God, do the 900’s sound “boring” in direct comparison.

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So - back out of my ears with it - and use a pair of Campfire Audio Andromeda & some very melodic songs instead, to “neutralize” so to speak.

It wasn’t until later that I was able to use the 900’s again without any problems and recognized why I like them so much.

I know that I wrote somewhere that these two models only differ in nuances, my goodness, that was nonsense.

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Imagine the picture in which an angel is sitting on one shoulder and speaking to you, and the devil is presenting his arguments on the other shoulder, then you will find yourself in the description of these two headphones.

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The IE900 is the fine spirit that serves you the music with high quality, gently, does not want to overwhelm you at any time, one that you like to use after a hard day at work to relax with quiet music.

The IE300, on the other hand, is a free spirit that makes it clear at all times that it gives everything, and how it serves the music is up to its temperament, and if you can’t cope with it, you’re wimp! :facepunch: :metal:

Something like that, I would depict the difference between the two.

It’s good that I have both,

so I can give in to my emotions at any time.


If you have a wide range of music genres for which you only want to use only one earphone, the IE300 is the better choice :+1: :100:.

Whose focus is more on the acoustic area of ​​music genres, for whom the IE900 is my personal recommendation, as this, can reproduce this type of music in a more nuanced, staggered and more precise manner.

In contrast to the 300, he is able to make music appear “outside” the head, to use the “air” within this stage, to enable the respective sounds of the instruments and voices to “swing out” of the tones in the imaginary space.

Higher frequencies are a little more controlled and do not take the risk as with the little brother.

The presentation of the low frequencies are definitely designed for acoustic music, where the passes are presented crisply, precisely and naturally.

With electronic bass, this in-ear (like so many other high-end in-ears) is mähh, these sound rather muddy or even overwhelmed.

Loud, fast-paced, demanding pieces of music aren’t really the 900’s forte, in my opinion.

That may sound disappointing at first,

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but I also have to mention that the IE900 has replaced my Andromeda as “after-work in-ear” on the terrace in summer for a while.

The 3-dimensional representation of the music, paired with good imaging, a natural tone color and the ease with which these earphones transmit the music into the ear canal, allows for a completely relaxed listening without the impression of missing anything.

PS .:

Don’t get me wrong, in terms of sound tuning, these two headphones are not that far apart (a little in the higher tonal segment & a little more in the bass area), but the way the music is conveyed to the ear is considerably "more intense "with the IE300.

In both cases, we don’t have to talk about the tonal quality of the midrange representation at Sennheiser;

It is simply always outstanding :100: :bangbang:.

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The Kinera BD005 Pro is probably a reshell of the Shozy Form 1.1, and a sonically inferior one at that. While on the milder side of V-shaped, it has an uneven, peaky midrange, plastic timbre, and a compressed soundstage. It is extremely comfortable, but that’s about all it has going for it. I’d recommend opting for its older, more expensive brother, which I believe is on sale right now for about $65.

My full review is available on my blog:

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Great writeup and impressions piece @Lothar_Wolf. The IE900’s seem to have the qualities i like in an iem. Though I don’t require anymore Iem’s for the foreseeable future. I would love to hear the Sennheiser’s.

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Oh yeah, I sure know what you’re talking about :laughing: :joy: :rofl::

Nevertheless, I couldn’t resist the Amazon Prime Day and ordered these new items (because I really like Moondrop iem’s), which are now on their way to me

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You’re a man after my own heart Lothar. You have a fine collection there congratulations. I can see you’re a real iem connoisseur.

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:+1:

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Watched this earlier. These seem to be liked by many.

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Mode-Changer! Sennheiser IE 900 IEM


I thought I’d share some impressions/observations of the ever-popular IE 900. Although I’m more into full-sized headphones, IEMs are what I started with back in the day, from favorites such as the Vsonic GR-07 and Klipsch Image X10. My frequent mains today are the Sony IER-M9 and BLON BL-03. I also have a Moondrop Starfield but it’s mostly there for aesthetics. lol


Observations :mag_right:

  • packaging is real real ghetto :wastebasket:
  • pretty comfortable and low-profile
  • lack of silicone eartip sizes (needs MS/ML)
  • cable is functional but kind of stiff and rubbery (microphonics are definitely a thing)

Modes & Filters

Before I share my thoughts on the sound, let’s talk about modes! Yes, the IE 900 has different modes (well, two) hence the title above. Inside the stock eartips are two notches, or grooves, that adjust the length by which the IE 900 is inserted inside the👂.

In addition, it also has 2 types of foam filters you can manipulate (at least with my unit) and it’s very interesting that the sound signature can be shifted noticeably based on which mode and filters are used. So, it’s very versatile in this regard and can be tuned based on individual preferences. I’ve spent hours switching filters back and forth in addition to finding the perfect combo of mode and filter.

For everyone’s convenience, let’s name these two filters to avoid confusion:

Filter 1 [1st/3rd starting from the left] - This is the foam filter found inside all 3 stock SILICONE tips.
Filter 2 [2nd/4th starting from the left] - This is the foam filter found inside all 3 stock FOAM tips.

***Note: Filter 2 is more dense and compact. Sound changes are as follows:

Filter 1 generally tames the upper registers and makes things a little more intimate, along with adding slightly more bass…less impact on sound overall

Filter 2 does the same thing but x2 (except treble)…so more bass and intimacy at the cost of soundstage and airiness…generally warmer, thicker, and relaxed…bigger impact on sound overall

***Note: These changes are dependent on the nozzle diameter of the eartip (mainly with bass). So, the narrower it is the more impact it has on the sound, is what I found.

***Note: There is also a built-in waveguide in the eartips that cannot be removed. I do not know how it actually affects the sound but based on what I hear switching to 3rd party tips, it might have something to do with the staging. Although I haven’t tried every 3rd party tip, I do think you get the most out of the IE 900 using the included stock tips, unfortunately.

***Note: Yes, you may use these foam filters to tune other IEMs.

***TIP: Use the included tool to put or take out each filter in the eartips…


MODE 1! (stock form)

I use different size tips with the left ear opening being larger than my right. The L tip was too big and the M tip was too small for my left ear; I needed something in between, perhaps a ML. It is unfortunate that Sennheiser didn’t include more tip sizes to accommodate for a wider range of people. As a result, I did not get a proper seal because in this mode insertion depth is very shallow. So, I’ll skip this one…


MODE 2! (alternative form)

As you can see from the picture above, the eartip falls on the 1st notch/groove making insertion depth longer. In this alternative mode, I was able to get a perfect seal after some fiddling.

As for sound impressions, I’ll keep this one short. IT IS INTENSE! To be more precise, the treble is intense, so much so that I don’t think I’ll be able to comfortably listen to these for hours. Everything else, however, was pretty balanced. I’ll share more details when I get down to my preferred combo…


Perfect combos! (my preferences)

After spending hours evaluating and finding MY perfect combo with all the different filters and eartips I had at my disposal, I ended up with two!

#1 combo :100::drum:

In this combo I used ‘Mode 2’ and two ‘Filter 1’ filters on each eartip (yes, I shoved 2 in there). Recall that I said ‘Mode 2’ was INTENSE sounding. The balance was already there so to mitigate the intensity, I had the idea of putting in an additional filter and ended up choosing two ‘Filter 1’ filters.

The result of this was great balance throughout with just a hint of intensity, making it sound exciting and engaging overall. Treble is very lively with no harshness or sibilance unless the track calls for it. Keep in mind that it is still a bit forward, so for those wanting a more relaxed presentation I suggest trying out some Spinfit eatips with one ‘Filter 2’ filter on each. The only remark I have for the treble is that it can come across as strong at times, so with poor recordings the sibilance is associated with a hint of undesired intensity. That being said, it didn’t bother me overall.

Mids are neutral overall with a good amount of body and presence. In the track ‘DEKIGOKORO’ by Kana Shibue the baritone sax (I think) has a good amount of authority and girth. For more intimacy, shoving in a ‘Filter 2’ filter should do the trick.

For imaging, I think it’s really good and well-defined; you can pick out and isolate each thing within the soundstage fairly easily. I used the tracks ‘Letter’ by Yosi Horikawa and ‘雨だれの歌 (instrumental)’ to showcase how good the imaging is; it didn’t disappoint. I will note that the IER-M9 might have a slight edge in the imaging department.

Moving on to soundstage the IE 900 is immensely wide, so much so that it’s pretty damn convincing. You can’t help but look over to your peripheral left and right in surprise. That being said, I just want to remind you to temper your expectations because it is, after all, still an IEM and still projects it in your head (not right in front of you like some full-sized headphones can). Added to this is the sense of air that contributes to its immersive stage.

Detail is excellent and the IE 900 does a great job of extracting all the nuances in the recording, even more so than the IER-M9. In addition, the IE 900 has great tonal quality and accuracy. Playing any track from ‘THE FIRST TAKE’ series, evident is the naturalness and ease of vocals/instruments.

Now talking about BASS…it is frickin exceptional👌, and what I think makes the IE 900 stand out from the rest. Bass is incredibly deep, taut, meaty, and complete; high-class in every sense! Keep in mind that it is definitely north of neutral giving it that sense of fun and engagement; it is delicious! Relating to that is the sense of scale this IEM brings; it’s biiig. Playing the track ‘ODDTAXI’ by Skirt&Punpee the bass does extend really far down. In ‘Lose Yourself to Dance’ by Daft Punk the bass here is oh-so satisfying! If I had to nitpick, it’s that I wish it was just a touch faster for my preferences.

#2 combo…:drum:

In this second combo I used some Spinfit CP100 Plus eartips with only one ‘Filter 1’ filter in each. To keep this short, there are 3 main differences. First, soundstage isn’t as immersive and wide as the #1 combo. Second, bass is slightly boosted resulting in a hint of bloat (some may like the additional boost). Third, the overall presentation is more intimate, but not overly so. Overall, I still enjoyed this combo and would use it if the stock eartips were to somehow break or wear…


Who are these for? 🤷

If you are the type of person that prioritizes a strong, impactful bass that digs deep and doesn’t mind the extra emphasis this is for you. If you want something that is very nuanced, natural, and big in scale this is for you. If you like a wide, immersive presentation with a pinch of intensity and loads of engagement this is it. If all you want is a single DD in your IEM look no further!

Please keep in mind that the mids, treble, and stage can be tweaked depending on the tip, mode, and filter used. However, the IE 900’s bass, nuance, and tonal quality remain consistent throughout, so if you prioritize those characteristics strongly consider these…


Closing thoughts :notebook_with_decorative_cover:

If you’ve read this far, thanks for taking the time to do so! I hope it has been useful.

I was disappointed at the start, but all in all the IE 900 is the one I was looking for; albeit after a little tweaking and experimentation. My desire for a TOTL single DD flagship has been fulfilled!

Truthfully, I don’t favor IEMs over full-sized headphones when at home, but 3-digit temps :hot_face: across the board make using headphones, even closed-backs, unbearable. That being said, even after this heat subsides, the IE 900 earns a permanent place in my rotation of headphones, and for what it offers right now this is probably the most deserving compliment I can give it.


Happy listening :notes:

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Good assessment of these earbuds :bangbang:

Regarding the tips in particular, I absolutely agree that it can be a little difficult to find the right ones.

(Stock tips, were useless for my ears).

It takes a bit of patience and experience, and of course the presence of some tip variants, to get the IE 900 to its full glory.

The good thing wis that it actually reacts tonally, very finely, to the smallest nuances, and when you have found the right ones, the possible peaks in the heights that you mentioned are no longer a problem, even without foam inserts.

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Hi @hifiDJ. What a cracking writeup I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I also like that it was easy to follow for the simple folk like me. Many thanks for this.

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Just curious, but for both “modes”?

From all the reviews I’ve seen I’ve observed that the younger reviewers tend to pick this up more (just an observation). Anyway, I’ll try to get the tips that you linked earlier. Those were the best ones that you found, right?

Sorry for the inconvenience but can you repost that link here for the tips you used? Having trouble finding it…

Thank you for taking the time to read it! The earlier drafts were way worse so I’m glad it was easily digestible. Appreciate the kind words @prfallon69

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Yes, both models :man_shrugging:

The material used for the silicone tips is, at least for my ears, not flexible enough, and “folds” in my ears so that no seal is created.

Thus the bass foundation is missing and the overall sound is unbalanced.

———————

The foam tips, at least to me, sound dull.

The sparkle, which is one of the outstanding features of these earphones, is removed from this, probably due to the additional foam inserts.

Oh yes, I certainly belong to the older generation.

Because of my job, I get regular medical hearing tests, which are still above average, but it may well be that I react less sensitively to higher frequencies as I get older.

Since I like Grado‘s as well as some Hifiman headphones very much :wink: :laughing:, one could assume that you are right on this point.

However, I should also mention that a very high percentage of the ChiFi in-ears on the market, for me, are clearly too bright and peaks are tuned to high frequencies.

This may also be due to their unbalanced frequency coordination, I don’t know :thinking:.

https://www.casemarket.lv/catalog/params/category/139180/item/730624/

For this reason, the tips I recommend are a bit too “lively” in the heights. You should try to find a tip whose inner bore (very important for dynamic drivers) has a diameter between that of the Spin Fit and my recommended (4mm), this keeps the bass a bit in balance, but also the treble a bit reduced.

————-

PS .: I am also a big fan of Paul’s friendly and committed way of commenting on reviews, receiving new members here in the forum, and generally speaking about comments so that you always hit the right note. Thanks Paul @prfallon69

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