Sennheiser IE 900 Review: This is the Bass I've Been Looking For!

[Fc-Construct]

Just wanted to add a couple “unofficial” points here to this review.

Replacement cable
Some folks over at Head-Fi have had success with this aftermarket cable fitting on the IE 900: Tripowin Amber 32AWG OFC Oxygen Free Cable HiFi IEM Cable. Bonus points for having interchangeable terminations and being fairly cheap at $30. I can’t speak for the cable myself as I don’t have it.

Guide to spotting some fakes
Full credit to this awesome reddit post showcasing the difference between a fake and real IE 900 side by side. I’ll be copy-pasting his work here since he did an excellent job explaining it with pictures.

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Bought a pair of ie 900 on Amazon from 3rd party and turned out it’s fake. Later on, bought from another 3rd party seller with many good reviews, and that pair was genuine (produced in Ireland, No. 20000+). Would like to share some in-detail comparisons.

Some tips referenced from Sennheiser IE900 Review (1) - Classical Reinvented • Music For The Masses. Please note that not all fakes look the same.

• On the genuine packaging, the QR code on the box, handwritten number on the warranty card, and the number on the cloth bag’s metal tag must all be the same.
• The wire of the genuine product, particularly the part that hangs over the ears, does not revert to its original shape after being bent, similar to a regular wire. The fake ones will revert to their original shape no matter how they are bent.
• The size circles (S, M, L) beneath the genuine ear tips are smooth, while the fake ones have a frosted texture.

"Due to a different internal balance, the genuine (left) earphones cannot lie flat. The side with the logo will always tilt upwards. As shown in the comparison below, the genuine product cannot naturally lie flat like the fake one on the right.

"The IE900 etching on the genuine (left) product is coarser and lighter in color. Additionally, the 'contour lines' pattern on both also differs. Also, When the genuine wire is connected to the earphones, there's a small gap at the joint, as if it's not fully inserted (I couldn't push it in completely with normal force). The fake ones can be fully inserted without any gaps.

"The tuning hole of the genuine (left) product has a filter inside. The fake ones don’t, and you can directly see the internal wires.

"The genuine wire (bottom) shows metal strands, while the fake (top) does not.

The cover of the genuine manual (bottom) is shorter than the inner pages. The fake one (top) has them aligned.

Below are extra photos. Left is genuine and right is fake.

Below are extra photos. Left is genuine and right is fake.