Sennheiser IE 800 review

The IE 800s use oval-shaped silicone tips and the drivers are protected by two mesh screens to keep wax and dirt out. One mesh is attached to the earphones and the other is built into the silicone sleeve. We found the oval-sleeves comfortable and finding a suitable fit was easy enough as five different sizes are provided. However, they never felt completely secure due in part to the manner in which you wear the IE 800. Rather than looped over the ears and sat reasonable snug in the outer-ear area (pinna) like in-ear monitors from other manufacturers, the IE 800 is worn straight in. While the IE 800s are very light, this still means the weight of the cable and gravity pull the earphones away from your ears.

A secure fit and using the right sized tips with in-ear earphones is critically important for optimum bass response. Foam tips are often the best way of ensuring a good fit as they expand in your ear-canal to create a tight seal. We would have liked to have seen some compressible foam tips provided, especially considering the cost of the IE 800s.

We tried a pair of foam tips that came with a different pair of earphones that happened to fit the IE 800 and found them infinitely more comfortable. We were no longer worried about the earphones falling out and isolation was also much improved. The Comply TSX-500 foam tips (£21.99 from Amazon) are compatible with the IE 800 should you want to upgrade and also include an integrated wax guard.

The IE 800 otherwise feels reassuringly robust. The cable, which has a patterned design that resembles snakeskin, is covered in Kevlar and made from oxygen-free copper with gold-plated contacts. The L-shaped 3.5mm connection is well reinforced, which is reassuring as this is often a weak point.

Disappointingly, the cable does create a lot of microphonic noise when you walk around. This is when the cable rubs against your clothing and the vibrations travel up to your ears. With the volume turned up it’s not a major issue but with the earphones in and no music playing the noise is incredibly irritating. Many earphones avoid this problem by allowing you to wear them looped over the back of your ears but this isn’t possible with the IE 800 due to the short cable.

The cable detaches just below where the two earphone cables come together. There’s no integrated microphone or remote to use with a smartphone, but this is to be expected for a pair of in-ears aimed at audiophiles. You’ll need to buy an audio cable with remote (RCS800, £150, www.custom-cable.co.uk) should you want the simple option of hands-free calling but this is incredibly expensive.

To help protect your expensive investment, Sennheiser provides a leather case that you can wind your earphones around. Fortunately, they’re loosely wound, so we’re confident you won’t damage your earphones in the long run as winding earphones isn’t always advised.

Overall, there were only a few detractors that stop the IE 800s getting top marks, like the lack of included accessories and the microphonics caused by the cable. They also don’t sound significantly better than certain other high-end earphones, like the Shure SE535, that are a few hundred cheaper. Whether or not you are happy with paying more for a slight improvement is a tough decision.

The Sennheiser IE 800s certainly sound fantastic provided you are happy with the price and you can deal with the constant worry associated with an expensive pair of earphones dangling precariously from your ears. There’s at least a two-year warranty from Sennheiser that brings some peace of mind in that regard. If money is no option, you won’t be disappointed.