Sennheiser IE6 Dynamic In-Ear Headphones - Old Version

 (63 customer reviews)

BLUF: Best headphone for the money, hands down!!!

I'm no audiophile, but I can tell the difference between a good and bad headphone in terms of bass, mid, and treble performance. This is by far the most balanced pair of headphone in all three categories that are in this price range.

I've been a die-hard Shure fan for years since I bought the Shure E2C (yes, they are the cheapest Shure headphones out there but still good). I also have a pair of Shure SE210 as an upgrade, but actually disappoints. This review will contain comparisons between these headphones.

COMFORT:
Even the best sounding headphones aren't good if they aren't comfortable. The IE6's silicone tips feels very comfortable just like the SE210's foam tips. They are much more comfortable than the E2Cs. I can wear the IE6 all day long and not feel uncomfortable which cannot be said for both (yes, both) the Shures.

CONSTRUCTION:
The IE6 is truly a high quality product in...Read more

Ratings (1 = bad, 5 = good)
Build Quality: 4
Sound Quality: 5
Comfort: 3
Sound Isolation: 3
Overall: 4

These IEMs sound fantastic, especially for being single drivers. Excellent bass response and high end. Even though they ship with a bevy of different tips, I found none of them to be very comfortable. And the ones that fit me the best don't do as good a job of noise isolation as IEMs that use the comply foam tips.

Luckily, Comply makes foam tips that fit these perfectly. So I ran over to radio shack and picked up a few pairs. With the Comply tips, I get a much better fit, bass response and noise isolation. The only problem is that the Comply tips roll off the high end a bit. So it's a trade off. I suspect that's why Sennheiser stuck with the silicone tips.

If sound isolation is a big concern, you may want to pick up a pair of Comply foam tips with these IEMs. T-400 is the model you need.

I have been using Shure headphones for years now, the 400 series of their portables to be exact. On the other hand for home listening I have been a sennheiser user for years. What I like about the sennheisers is that they don't add any 'filters' on the music, the music comes through pure; lows,meds, highs are unaltered. I got my pair of IE6s yesterday from the apple store in Tyson's corner. They are amazing, and they put the shure's to shame. Not only the sound is impeccable, but they are so comfortable on the wearing part that you don't feel that you have them on. On the other hand, I always felt pressure with the Shures. So, if you are thinking of spending $200 for headphones or more, just get yourself a pair of these, you won't regret it.