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Sennheiser IE 8 review

Sennheiser IE 8
Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £180
inc VAT

Finally, a set of high-end earphones that produce rich bass tones without overwhelming the rest of the sound

Most top-end headphones have stunning clarity and detail, but this can come at the cost of weak bass tones. Meanwhile, headphones with emphatic bass often lack precision at higher frequencies.

Sennheiser’s IE 8 wired headphones use moving coil rather than electrostatic drivers, so move more air, giving them more bass power. You can adjust the earphones for extra bass, but the lowest level was as much as we needed, even on our industrial dance and drum and bass test tracks.

Sennheiser IE 8

The earphones also have a warmth that means brass instruments in particular sound less harsh than on many high-end sound isolating earphones. Remarkably, fine detail wasn’t lost amid the rich low tones, whether we were listening to orchestral strings or a blistering guitar solo.

The foam ear tips aren’t as effective at noise isolation as those provided by Shure and Etymotic, but are still good enough to block out external sound when music is playing. We also liked the supplied alternative flanged Lamella tips, while the standard earplug style set are great if you’re exercising. A pair of optional ear hooks can help to hold them in place, but even without them the earphones stayed in place during intense activity.

The IE 8s have made us think again about bassy earphones. Some will still favour the treble emphasis of Shure earphones, but if you want warm bass without any loss of detail or emphasis on higher notes, the IE8s are perfect.

Details

Price£180
Detailswww.sennheiser.co.uk
Rating*****
AwardUltimate

Specifications

Typeearplugs
Driverclosed
Active noise-cancellingno
Power sourcenone
Sensitivity125dB
Frequency response10-20,000Hz
Impedence16 ohms
Plug type3.5mm stereo jack plug
Inline volumeNo
Weight140g
Cable length1.20m
Extrashard case, ear hooks, Lamella ear adaptors (S/M/L), foam ear adaptors (S/M/L)

Buying Information

Price£180
Supplierhttp://www.hughesdirect.co.uk
Detailswww.sennheiser.co.uk

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