Short answer: the Sennheiser IE 200. It ranks #93 of 584 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $129.95; the Sennheiser IE 300 ranks #567, rated 1.7/5, and costs $179.95, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Sennheiser IE 200 is the better-sounding pick. Bass and midrange land almost exactly on the Harman target in oratory1990’s measurement, within about 0.5 dB from 60 Hz to 3 kHz, which gives a natural tonal balance and a preference score of 79. Watch for: The presence region from 3 to 6 kHz sits about 5 dB under target, with a 5.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz, so vocals and snare attacks sound a little recessed.
What the Sennheiser IE 300 does well: A compact, comfortable single dynamic IEM with a detachable cable and full bass about 4 dB above target that extends to 20 Hz. Watch for: The tuning measures poorly, with a Harman score of 46: presence sits about 5.6 dB low with a 7.7 dB dip near 3.2 kHz, while a 12.4 dB treble peak near 9.8 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance harsh.
Buy the Sennheiser IE 200. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sennheiser IE 300 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser IE 200 | Sennheiser IE 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.95 | $179.95 |
| Ranked | #93 of 584 in In-Ear Headphones | #567 of 584 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 46 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.86 dB standard deviation | 4.03 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic | 1 x 7mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 16 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 119 dB SPL/V | 124 dB/Vrms |
| Weight | 0 lbs (4 g) per earphone | 0 lbs (4 g) |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 6Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sennheiser IE 200:
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero
- Moondrop Variations vs Sennheiser IE 200
- Kefine Quatio vs Sennheiser IE 200
- Moondrop Starfield 2 vs Sennheiser IE 200
- Queen of Audio Ryusei vs Sennheiser IE 200
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser IE 200: $129.95 Amazon $129.95 eBay
Same family: the Sennheiser IE 600 (higher-end model, ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the Sennheiser IE 900 (higher-end model, ranked lower, rated 3.1/5).
Pros: Bass and midrange land almost exactly on the Harman target in oratory1990’s measurement, within about 0.5 dB from 60 Hz to 3 kHz, which gives a natural tonal balance and a preference score of 79. At 16 ohms and 119 dB SPL/V sensitivity it plays loud straight from a phone with no amp. Each earpiece weighs only 4 g, and the single 7mm dynamic driver is a simple, wired design with no battery to charge.
Cons: The presence region from 3 to 6 kHz sits about 5 dB under target, with a 5.7 dB dip near 4.4 kHz, so vocals and snare attacks sound a little recessed. The top octave runs about 5.8 dB hot, which adds sparkle that can read as thin or bright on some recordings. The Final Audio A4000 and Shuoer S12 carry higher ratings at lower prices.
Full Sennheiser IE 200 review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.86 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 119 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (4 g) per earphone |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,135 Hz | +4.3 dB | 1.83 |
| Peak | 1,520 Hz | -1.9 dB | 1.99 |
| Peak | 180 Hz | -1.2 dB | 1.14 |
| Peak | 67 Hz | +1.0 dB | 1.34 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 727 Hz | +0.8 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 5,480 Hz | +1.2 dB | 3.96 |
| Peak | 1,154 Hz | -0.6 dB | 3.44 |
| Peak | 2,978 Hz | +0.4 dB | 3.96 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Moondrop Variations
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Kefine Quatio
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Moondrop Starfield 2
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Queen of Audio Ryusei
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Sony WF-1000XM5
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Tanchjim Fission
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Sennheiser IE 600
- See all 10 comparisons
Sennheiser IE 300: $179.95 Sennheiser $179.95 eBay
Pros: A compact, comfortable single dynamic IEM with a detachable cable and full bass about 4 dB above target that extends to 20 Hz.
Cons: The tuning measures poorly, with a Harman score of 46: presence sits about 5.6 dB low with a 7.7 dB dip near 3.2 kHz, while a 12.4 dB treble peak near 9.8 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance harsh.
Full Sennheiser IE 300 review and specifications →
| Released | Jan 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.03 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 46 (measured by HypetheSonics, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 124 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+3.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (4 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.9 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -3.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,614 Hz | +5.8 dB | 2.70 |
| Peak | 184 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.86 |
| Peak | 2,391 Hz | +4.9 dB | 2.09 |
| Peak | 820 Hz | +1.5 dB | 1.13 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -7.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,660 Hz | -3.3 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 5,989 Hz | +3.4 dB | 5.57 |
| Peak | 61 Hz | +0.6 dB | 1.93 |
| Peak | 7,066 Hz | -2.2 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons