Sennheiser IE 200 Review: Affordable, but is it good?

The most affordable in-ear monitor in their IE line-up. It’s the Sennheiser IE 200 at $150, intended to bring the Sennheiser sound within the reach of the masses. But exactly how much is different from its bigger brothers, the IE 600 and IE 900, and is it any good anyway?

Sennheiser IE 200 Review: Affordable, but is it good?

Introduction

With the $1,500 Sennheiser IE 900 and $800 IE 600 both being released, it was decided that there should be a version for the ordinary music listener. Enter the $150 IE 200. As the little brother of Sennheiser’s modern-day thoroughly audiophile centric IE lineup, one big question bears asking: just what did Sennheiser do to mark the price at $150? Does any family resemblance survive between this tin illy unit and the IE 600 or IE 900 or has it become effectively an entirely different product?

In that context how can we tell if IE 200 is worthwhile to stand alongside big brothers?

This is the third article in my Sennheiser IE line-up series. Please read the IE 900 and the IE 600 reviews first, as that will be the foundation for this review.

Source(s) Used: Ferrum ERCO Balanced DAC & Headphone Amp and Apple USB-C dongle

What we like

• Well-balanced bass quality
• Mild V-shape tilt that’s not overdone in the treble
• Small and lightweight

What we don’t like

• One of the worst stock cables ever
• Inconsistent bass seal, especially with stock tips
• Semi-proprietary MMCX connectors

What’s in the Box?

The unboxing experience of the IE 200 is much cut than of the IE 600 or 900. Instead of a fancy slide-out box, it’s a thin cardboard package. I guess they needed to save money somewhere. Or at the very least, make it less premium-looking.

The most obvious cost-cutting measure would be the shell – it’s plastic now instead of metal. Accessories are also a big downgrade.

While it shares the same silicone and foam tips with the IE 600/900, you get a cheap faux-leather pouch for a case. And when it comes to the cable, this is genuinely one of the worst stock cables I’ve come across.

Putting aside the obvious complaints with the proprietary MMCX connectors Sennheiser is using, its sheathing and braid makes it have atrocious  cable memory . It’s extremely tangly to the point where it’s frustrating to use. I switched over to using the IE 600/900 cable immediately. I’d strongly recommend you find a replacement cable yourself.

Something like this should work. . And lastly, apart from the fit issues that the IE series has , there’s a rather interesting design choice with the IE 200 – there’s a hole in the side of the nozzle. This hole makes the “dual bass tuning” system, where you can partially cover it for a bass-light sound or fully cover it for more bass .

The difference will be discussed later, but the point is, even if you get a proper seal in your ears, it sometimes isn’t sealed at the nozzle, and you’ll have less bass than you’d like. This can be fixed by using different tips or by putting a small piece of tape over the hole. It’s honestly quite a clever bit of innovation Sennheiser is going for here, but the execution is lacking.

While the IE 200 shares its solitary 7 mm driver with predecessors, subtle refinements enhance its sonic potency. Compact yet resilient housing optimizes acoustic transference, imparting tuneful mids and zesty highs.

Resolute bass reaches deeper than expected for an in-ear of minimalist form. Though foregone are exuberant claims of innovative encasements, judicious engineering nurtures nuanced fidelity from constrained confines. Sennheiser resists superfluous marketing where function finds fruition, favoring unvarnished listening joy over promotional pyrotechnics.

Sound and Frequency Response

Below is the frequency response chart for the IE 200, measured on a clone IEC-711 coupler. It should be noted that these measurement instruments are calibrated and that a perfect flat line at 0 indicates the diffuse field head-related transfer function , the anatomical baseline compensation for headphones/IEMs.

The large grey bands are the preference bounds and reflect the results of countless listening experiments: how much deviation/tonal color can a headphone exhibit before people start finding its sound to be imbalanced. This video provides an excellent overview on what that is all about.

Yes, officially the IE 200 meets the border of preference, but it’s not too distant from average values. A slightly V-shaped IEM, exuding absolutely moderate mids. My first and strongest impression was the the IE 200 does have some Sennheiser heritage but that it is considerably diluted.

The easiest listening of the group, this, and in that also the most boring as it misses out on fire that sparked off the company’s identity.

Bass

I was enthralled by the bass prowess of the IE 900. The IE 600’s also delighted me to no end. As for the IE 200’s, they pack a respectable bass punch. What I appreciate most is its balanced signature. There’s an incisive attack that cascades into a full-bodied bass boost, rounding out each note nicely.

It sits between the IE 900’s emphatic reach into subterranean frequencies and the IE 600’s tactile mid-bass tenacity.

Down low, it asserts a slightly dominant demeanor, compelling more focus than other areas when basslines strike. While not quite as impactful or weighty as the IE 600/900 dynamism below, it still turns in a very commendable performance uniquely its own within Sennheiser’s IE lineup.

These attributes give the IE 200 an advantage over average IEMs where bass is regularly lackluster. While there is one notable criticism: unlike the richly textured bass of the IE 600 or 900, the IE 200 delivers bass notes that can feel superficial on extended listening.

If the IE 600 smooths over some of the raw bass impact of the IE 900, the IE 200 smooths over much of what defines the IE 600’s bass.

Significantly, I’m utilizing AZLA Sedna eartips here along with a bass mod to maintain a consistent seal in the nozzle. When using the stock eartips on the “bass light” setting, the IE 200 naturally becomes significantly less bass-focused.

However, the tuning shifts to emphasize clarity across the mids and highs instead of bass presence. Though bass remains, its manifestation resembles a ghost of its former self with the stock eartips.

Mids

I think the IE 200 actually has the best midrange of them all. The 900 sounds stuffy with some pretty noticeable timbral issues, which is to be expected, this much it steps out of the preference bounds.

The 600 fixes a lot of it but there’s just a touch too much emphasis around the 2 kHz mark, it has what I call a “vocal front” where the vocal body is pushed just a bit forward instead of totally seamlessly meshing into the mix.

The 200 relaxes on this front, and it all just sounds far more balanced overall. Vocals and instruments are mild and on the warmer side; they don’t sound forced in any way. It doesn’t perfectly line up with the DF + 10 dB downward slope, but I didn’t really have any real complaints here. Its tonality here is on par with pretty much any decent IEM from the last year or two.

Treble

The IE 200 handles treble with a refined touch, peaking broadly in the midrange before a graceful taper upwards. As the graphs convey, it inherits the Sennheiser lineage through this hallmark contour, albeit in relaxed form. Measurements alone cannot fully capture the experience, though what I hear aligns reasonably with what they show.

Its treble presents with an airy lightness. Sounds of hats and cymbals emerge vivid yet balanced, fine-spun instead of forced. Where notes fade, the vanishing acts stay subtle versus sharp declines into silence. Even without the stock tapered tips, nothing comes across as harsh, biting, or strident.

A single broad elevation suits my ears more than multiple narrow bumps. Overall increased treble, if balanced throughout, outdoes peaks and valleys that chop notes apart. In general I find its top-end balanced well. While brighter for a V-shape, many listeners may tolerate it far better than the rawness of the IE 900 or splash of the IE 600.

Overall, in terms of treble I am satisfied. Though elevated and brighter so as to give the IE 200 a more of a V-shaped signature, the majority of folks may find it easier listening than the raw-sounding IE 900 or splashy IE 600.

Presentation

The overall picture of the IE 200 in terms of engineering ability didn’t change a lot from the first time I saw it. It’s the diluted version of the IE 600/900. Soundstage and imaging were least affected. Fine, but not especially good. The IE 200 is able to position its center image closer to you than the IE 600.

If you use foam ear tips and the bass does not interfere too much, the mids are still useful as well. Where the IE 200 falters is in layering and separation. Although it doesn’t sound smudgy, there’s not much depth between instruments in spatial terms. It’s nothing special, but a step back from its brethren nonetheless.

In its category of sub-$200 IEMs, the IE 200 is better than the IE 600 and in key areas at least as good as the IE 900. Sennheiser’s IE series earphones adopted a 7 mm diameter TrueResponse moving-coil transducer since the middle part of 2017, and it’s clear that they do not feel quite as lowered in their competitiveness level as some IEMs priced below this medium. It’s in the resolution that starts to go a bit stodgy.

Tracks sound high-level as all your main instruments and passages are there, but a greater will always be lacking. To compound this, a lack of texturing makes the IE 200 sound rather superficial. I leave wanting a bit more finesse.

Appendix

The Sennheiser IE design possessed several notable drawbacks, in my opinion, though none solely warranted dismissal. However, collectively, they formed an imprudent strategy for Sennheiser to stumble back into the in-ear monitor ecosystem.

I remain hopeful that forthcoming versions, or a hypothetical “S” model revision following their usual practice, will address such persistent problems routinely overcome by competing products. Namely, their failure to properly position cable guides allowed the cords to tangle with troubling ease. Additionally, the undersized selection of alternative ear tips hampered comfortable customization.

While admirably striving for affordability and fidelity, some sacrifices to durability and usability feel needlessly shortsighted and prevent mass acceptance. If continuing down this path, adjustments there could lift the IE into serious consideration versus established rivals.

The Stock Tips

Instead of the normal silicone rubber used in almost all IEM tips, this model uses some sort of thin, flimsy, smooth material which feels quite slippery to touch.Accordingly, if you ever try this in a shop you might find it difficult to achieve results and need to spend some money buying new tip-sleeves until you achieve good quality sound.


This was exactly my experience first time around; the one thing I had not foreseen was that aside from having to throw away the foam filters from the stock tips (which help level off treble peak), even once doing lots with aftermarket tips like AZLA’s Sednas, to get a half-decent seal in my ears.But my oh my how good they sounded after that!

The Proprietary MMCX Connectors

MMCX connectors are used in the IE series. One particular example of a good idea is Sennheiser’s decision to slightly recess the MMCX connectors.

This leaves a collar right outside it and stops well over half of third-party cables, which tend closer or tighter to the MMCX jack than Sennheiser’s own does. For the convenience of connection a little protrusion is specially made to accommodate Sennheiser cables.

For this reason, the IE 900 are equipped with a total of three cables. As new cables won’t be easily found that will fit, right? And now I find a further problem; these shallow MMCX connectors sometimes produce irregular sound when I move my head.

From my understanding, this is an issue with the stock cable as aftermarket cables do not seem to have the problem.

Ergonomics and Shell Design

The IE’s overall shell is fairly small and it would look at home on stage IEMs (in ear monitors). The problem however lies in the size and angle of its nozzle relative to the body of the shell. I find that it enters in at a slightly awkward angle and is not quite as easy to insert as some other IEMs I have used.




Occasionally even painful. Some people might not notice any discomfort with the fit, particularly if they are just trying it on quickly in a demo store, but it is something to keep in mind.

Fakes

This isn’t something Sennheiser has any control over but it is an important thing to be aware of with the IE line-up. Given the popularity of Sennheiser products, there’s been a number of fakes floating around of the IE 900 that I’ve seen.