Sennheiser IE 900 vs Westone MACH 80

Short answer: the Sennheiser IE 900. It ranks #383 of 450 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.1/5, at $1,299.95; the Westone MACH 80 ranks #406, rated 2.8/5, and costs $1,299.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.

The Sennheiser IE 900 is the better-sounding option. Oratory1990 measured sub-bass and bass within about 1.2 dB of target, so the low end is tidy and controlled. Watch for: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 6.7 dB below the Harman target, with an 8.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, which recesses vocals and removes some bite.

Why pick the Westone MACH 80: Eight balanced armature drivers split across two low, two mid and four high units, with a 104 dB sensitivity that works from a phone. The catch: A preference score of 59 in crinacle’s measurement means most listeners will hear a noticeably colored sound for the money.

Buy the Sennheiser IE 900. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Westone MACH 80 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

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The Two Headphones In Full

Sennheiser IE 900: $1,299.95 Amazon eBay

Pros: Oratory1990 measured sub-bass and bass within about 1.2 dB of target, so the low end is tidy and controlled. Sensitivity of 123 dB SPL/V and a 16 ohm impedance make it easy to drive from a phone, and the 7mm dynamic driver is rated to reach from 5 Hz to 48 kHz. Top-octave air sits about 3.6 dB above target for an open, detailed treble.

Cons: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 6.7 dB below the Harman target, with an 8.8 dB dip near 3.6 kHz, which recesses vocals and removes some bite. A preference score of 63 is modest for such a premium product, and the HIFIMAN RE2000 has a higher rating at a lower price.

Full Sennheiser IE 900 review and specifications →

Released	2021 (5 years ago)
Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.82 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 7mm dynamic
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 48kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	16 ohms
Sensitivity	123 dB SPL/V
Sub-bass Extension	Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.92 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.3 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	-2.3 dB	0.70
Peak	4,081 Hz	+5.0 dB	2.86
Peak	204 Hz	-2.6 dB	1.13
Peak	1,472 Hz	-2.7 dB	2.33
Peak	2,956 Hz	+5.2 dB	2.42
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-4.4 dB	0.70
Peak	67 Hz	+0.6 dB	1.76
Peak	26 Hz	-0.9 dB	3.19
Peak	729 Hz	+0.4 dB	2.54
Peak	376 Hz	-0.4 dB	2.69

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Sennheiser IE 900 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs FiiO FH5
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs qdc Anole V6
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 600
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 4
  • Sennheiser IE 900 vs Sennheiser IE 200

Westone MACH 80: $1,299.99 B&H Photo Video eBay

Pros: Eight balanced armature drivers split across two low, two mid and four high units, with a 104 dB sensitivity that works from a phone. It is rated higher than the Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1 and Fidue A91 Sirius.

Cons: A preference score of 59 in crinacle’s measurement means most listeners will hear a noticeably colored sound for the money. The Sennheiser IE 900 is rated higher at about the same price.

Full Westone MACH 80 review and specifications →

Released	May 2022 (4 years ago)
Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	3.46 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Balanced armature
Drivers	8 x balanced armature (2 low, 2 mid, 4 high)
Form Factor	In-ear
Frequency Response	5Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	59 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	66 ohms
Sensitivity	104 dB (1 kHz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.1 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	+4.8 dB	0.70
Peak	207 Hz	-3.5 dB	0.45
Peak	4,083 Hz	+6.0 dB	3.18
Peak	2,033 Hz	+1.1 dB	3.24
Peak	871 Hz	+0.8 dB	2.51
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+3.9 dB	0.70
Peak	9,776 Hz	+3.7 dB	1.58
Peak	5,653 Hz	-3.6 dB	5.91
Peak	6,697 Hz	+1.8 dB	6.00
Peak	3,034 Hz	-1.0 dB	5.63

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Westone MACH 80 (crinacle measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Westone MACH 80 vs FiiO FH5
  • Westone MACH 80 vs Audio-Technica ATH-IEX1