Short answer: the Sennheiser IE 600. It ranks #357 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $699.95; the JVC HA-FW1500 ranks #359, rated 3.4/5, and costs $766.28, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the Sennheiser IE 600: Sub-bass extends to 20 Hz with a slight 1.7 dB lift, and bass, low mids and upper mids all sit within about 1.3 dB of target, so the core of most music sounds full and natural. Watch for: In oratory1990’s measurement a 7.6 dB dip near 5.9 kHz and a presence band 5.5 dB under target take bite out of vocals and guitars, while a 4.7 dB peak near 9.7 kHz can sound sharp.
Why pick the JVC HA-FW1500: The 11 mm dynamic driver rates a manufacturer specified 6 Hz to 52 kHz, and Crinacle’s measurement shows a Harman preference score of 66 with a mild warm tilt of 0.53 dB. The tradeoff: A score of 66 is middling and a deviation of 2.69 dB means audible coloration, which is hard to justify at a flagship price.
Buy the Sennheiser IE 600. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JVC HA-FW1500 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser IE 600 | JVC HA-FW1500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699.95 | $766.28 |
| Ranked | #357 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones | #359 of 450 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 66 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.46 dB standard deviation | 2.69 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.80 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.53 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.3 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic | 1 x 11mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 18 ohms | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB SPL/V | 103 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 46.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 6Hz - 52kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Weight | 0 lbs (6 g) per earbud | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sennheiser IE 600:
- Sennheiser IE 200 vs Sennheiser IE 600
- HIFIMAN RE2000 vs Sennheiser IE 600
- Sennheiser IE 600 vs Symphonium Audio Triton
- Sennheiser IE 600 vs OpenAudio Mercury
- Sennheiser IE 600 vs Sennheiser IE 900
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser IE 600: $699.95 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Sub-bass extends to 20 Hz with a slight 1.7 dB lift, and bass, low mids and upper mids all sit within about 1.3 dB of target, so the core of most music sounds full and natural. Air above 10 kHz is lifted about 5.6 dB, adding sparkle to cymbals and room sound. At 118 dB/V it is easy to drive from a phone, and it suits listeners who like a bassy or warm tilt.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement a 7.6 dB dip near 5.9 kHz and a presence band 5.5 dB under target take bite out of vocals and guitars, while a 4.7 dB peak near 9.7 kHz can sound sharp. The FiiO FD5 and iBasso IT04 both carry higher ratings for considerably less money.
Full Sennheiser IE 600 review and specifications →
| Released | Mar 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.46 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 7mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 46.5kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 18 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 118 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+2.3 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.80 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (6 g) per earbud |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 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 | -2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,374 Hz | +5.0 dB | 1.28 |
| Peak | 196 Hz | -1.9 dB | 1.50 |
| Peak | 1,727 Hz | -2.8 dB | 1.16 |
| Peak | 798 Hz | +1.5 dB | 1.45 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -7.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 72 Hz | +1.4 dB | 1.93 |
| Peak | 5,857 Hz | +3.3 dB | 5.80 |
| Peak | 143 Hz | -0.7 dB | 3.18 |
| Peak | 4,796 Hz | -0.6 dB | 4.12 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
JVC HA-FW1500: $766.28 Amazon eBay
Pros: The 11 mm dynamic driver rates a manufacturer specified 6 Hz to 52 kHz, and Crinacle’s measurement shows a Harman preference score of 66 with a mild warm tilt of 0.53 dB. The 16 ohm impedance and 103 dB/mW sensitivity make it easy for a phone to drive. It has been out since late 2019.
Cons: A score of 66 is middling and a deviation of 2.69 dB means audible coloration, which is hard to justify at a flagship price. The HIFIMAN RE2000 and FiiO FD5 are both rated higher, and the FiiO costs far less. It is wired only and lists no microphone.
Full JVC HA-FW1500 review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2019 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.69 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 11mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 52kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.53 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 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 | +1.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 163 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.59 |
| Peak | 9,088 Hz | +6.3 dB | 1.23 |
| Peak | 895 Hz | +3.7 dB | 1.07 |
| Peak | 4,924 Hz | -4.1 dB | 3.58 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 42 Hz | -0.2 dB | 1.53 |
| Peak | 3,050 Hz | -0.7 dB | 4.21 |
| Peak | 2,204 Hz | +0.8 dB | 4.04 |
| Peak | 1,609 Hz | -0.5 dB | 3.41 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons