The Sennheiser ie300 comes in a lift-top box with a large graphic of the earpieces on front and some of the marketing points on reverse. Those looking for this to be the ruler flat frequency response of a true reference can quit reading now. This means that with a 1kHz tone played at a 94dB(SPL), the maximum amount of distortion that may occur is a measly 0. The sound signature is pleasantly balanced, with a slight preference towards bass, but the IE 300 comfortably handles all genres and offers stunning levels of detail while doing so.

It appears that Sennheiser is playing both sides by using mainly Chinese labor, but advertising German manufacturing. Patience by Tame Impala has a low-end pulse throughout the track, which sounds exaggerated on most earphones. A helmholtz resonator in the nozzle assembly is also used to tame unwanted resonance according to Sennheiser documentation. There’s no doubt that the IE 300 won’t be for everyone –some sensational competition in the consumer realm from the likes of Sony and Bose makes this kind of product a little harder to justify –but if fidelity is your focus, these Sennheiser buds won’t disappoint.The sharp backbeat (it might be rim shots, but I’m not sure) was super crisp, and the brass band at the end was beautiful. Diehard headphone jack fans likely already have a solution, either in the form of a USB-C (or Lightning) to 3. The only exception was during Jon Batiste’s “Adulthood,” in which the bass was much more prominent and even a bit overbearing. It manages to do this on the fairly limited output available from the adapter, thanks in part to the sensitivity it possesses.

unbalanced connection won’t leave you wanting for better noise reduction or improved crosstalk performance between left and right channels. If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. This component has been a staple for Sennheiser’s design for a long time, and it is responsible for many of the characteristics that make their earphones so favorable among the audiophile market. This is the first time a Sennheiser earphone has broken the four figure barrier and it means that the IE 900 is the most expensive earphone that the company has ever made. Having to use your device to control playback may be a bit old school, but it’s hardly a sacrifice for excellent sound quality.The shape of the housings presses ever so slightly where the concha meets the anti-helix on my right ear. The space offered by these in-ears delivers tremendous clarity of individual elements without ripping them out of the mix. If you want a smoother tone, then the IE 300 will probably go down easier, but the IE 200 will never be too harsh or pricing. However, they aren’t convincing all-rounders, and just fall short of the transparency and entertainment of the more affordable, class-leading competition at this level.

After all, this is a marriage of sorts between you and Sennheiser, in the way that Sennheiser supplies signed paperwork and you share your finances. It makes no sense to digitize an analog recording from more than 50 years ago at a resolution that high, but there it is. Next up was “A Higher Place” by Tom Petty on his posthumously released album Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions), which sports a resolution of 24/96.These days, the company also makes in-ear headphones (IEHs), including the IE 300, which was introduced at CES 2021. Sennheiser touts the IE 300 with its German-made 7mm XWB driver will provide a “natural, balanced sound,” though the box also says in small print “Made in China.

For the bass frequencies, ensure the buds fit all the way in your ear because if they shift the bass disappears.To be clear, Chinese manufacturing is completely fine, and most headphones are made in China these days, many of which are on our best lists. The IE 900 can work with the Bluetooth Sennheiser IE BT Connector for portable playback, which we reviewed with the IE 100 PRO Wireless.