Short answer: the Sennheiser IE 200. It ranks #107 of 865 in-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 4.4/5) at $129.95 and is still sold new; the Sennheiser IE 800 ranks #827 (rated 1.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Sennheiser IE 200 is the better-sounding option. 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. The tradeoff: 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.
Why pick the Sennheiser IE 800: Bass is lifted about 2.8 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The catch: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Buy the Sennheiser IE 200. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sennheiser IE 800 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser IE 200 | Sennheiser IE 800 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.95 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #107 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones | #827 of 865 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 44 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.86 dB standard deviation | 4.08 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.02 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.44 (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 (+0.6 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 | 125 dB/Vrms |
| Weight | 0 lbs (4 g) per earphone | 0 lbs (8 g) |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 46.5kHz |
| Back | 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 11 comparisons
Sennheiser IE 800 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 2.8 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Lower mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 7mm dynamic with an easy 16 ohm load.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 8.4 dB low with a 10.8 dB dip near 3.5 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. A 6.7 dB peak near 10.8 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp. A Harman score of 44 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
Full Sennheiser IE 800 review and specifications →
| Released | 2012 (14 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.08 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 46.5kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 44 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 125 dB/Vrms |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.44 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (8 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 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 | -3.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,961 Hz | +6.0 dB | 1.84 |
| Peak | 180 Hz | -4.8 dB | 0.63 |
| Peak | 2,501 Hz | +5.0 dB | 2.58 |
| Peak | 71 Hz | +1.4 dB | 0.98 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -9.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,259 Hz | -1.2 dB | 2.44 |
| Peak | 6,365 Hz | +3.3 dB | 5.68 |
| Peak | 10,000 Hz | -1.4 dB | 5.79 |
| Peak | 1,995 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.83 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons