Sennheiser IE 600 In-Ear Headphones

Product Information

Multi-driver systems have advantages and disadvantages. They make it possible to optimize each driver for the frequency they shall reproduce but at the same time phase incoherence and distortion is a problem because of overlapping between drivers and because of the need for a crossover filter. With a single transducer, everything has to be reproduced by that single driver, which can be as challenge. However, almost every headphone in the world use a single driver so it should not be impossible with IEMs. The earbuds themselves are the result of engineering that’s no less involved and no more compromised than that of what’s inside them. The housing is formed using metal-powder-based 3D printing, meaning all necessary chambers and channels are created with no milling required. And the zirconium alloy from which they’re formed has triple the strength and flex-resistance of (suddenly antiquated) high-performance steel – it features in the drilling head of NASA’s Mars Rover, which bodes well for its chances of standing up to a stint in the departure lounge followed by a long-haul flight. After a thorough cleaning, steel-shot blasting, polishing and surface treatment (this last, admittedly, in the name of aesthetic appeal only), the housing is complete and ready to resist corrosion and scratches no matter how careless the eventual owner. The IE 600 also benefits from the meticulous manufacturing process that is the hallmark of Sennheiser’s IE audiophile earphone family. Designed in Germany, they are manufactured at the Sonova Consumer Hearing's state-of-the-art transducer production facilities in Ireland to the very highest standards. One of the most advanced production lines of its type in the world, this manufacturing facility has a singular purpose: to exceed the expectations of audiophiles with the highest manufacturing standards, like industry-leading channel matching. With ultimate protection against corrosion and marks from wear, the IE 600 was designed to keep delivering flawless acoustic — and visual — joy for decades. Official replacement ear buds / ear tips / ear adaptors for Sennheiser IE300, IE600 and IE900 In-Ear Headphones. The IE 600 is tonally neutral, intimate and has an emotional sound. This ensures a true-to-life voicing that is especially expressive for vocal performances. This voicing lends a presence and intimacy that brings listeners closer to the music, allowing them to discover new accents and details. Next to that you get a steep bass slope resulting in a powerful yet fast and accurate low-end response.

Wired’ beats ‘wireless’ every time, all things being equal – but when you’re asking this much for wired in-ear monitors, ‘beat’ isn’t quite enough. Happily, the Sennheiser IE600 don’t so much ‘beat’ the best true wireless in-ears around ‘wipe the floor’ with them. The bass is powerful, more than I am used to. It feels on the right side of too much, though. Molvær’s trumpet is beautifully rendered. If I EQ down the bass, it sounds perfect. The Sennheiser IE600 is a small, metal-body single driver in-ear monitor that sits between the IE200 and the IE900 in the current Sennheiser lineup up audiophile IEMs. It shares the same design as its siblings. They’re every bit as eloquent when dealing with the big gestures as they are the fine details – and they allow it all to take place on a large, properly defined and thoroughly organised soundstage. Even when the going gets complex or hectic, locating specific elements of a recording is no trouble whatsoever.This driver is a little smaller than what you might expect to find in an earphone. Where most of those hover around the 10mm mark, here the IE 600 makes do with a 7mm one (and 3mm might not sound significant but it’s a meaningful drop in radiating area). This helps to boost the upper frequency performance but the reduction in cross section would notionally lead to a drop in bass output. To compensate, Sennheiser uses a series of chambers to augment the low frequency response. Where the IE 900 is a triple chamber device, the IE 600 simplifies this process somewhat and makes use of a dual chamber arrangement. Concluding, the IE600 demands a significant amount of power and a quality DAC to sound its best. COMPARISONS vs moondrop s8 : ie600 has better sub bass rumble, more energetic treble and less shouty midrange, s8 has more noticable ba timbre, more shouty and forward midrange, better separation, resolution are about the same

The included cable is made of a rubber-like material. I like that it has some friction. It is thin and lightweight. The MMCX cable connectors are protected with a circular flange that will be in the way if you use most 3rd party cables so be aware of this if you want to try other cables. INITIAL LISTENING IMPRESSIONS The IE series introduced this design with the IE 300, and it has continued on the 900 and 600. Some will not love this style of housing as it is very small and narrow, much like you would see from a Westone IEM. I have never had an issue with the IE series style of build, so the 600 and 900 are good in my book when it comes to comfort. You might think that the more expensive IE 900 is made from a higher-grade material than the 600 but the 600 is actually comprised of amorphous metal, while the 900 uses anodized aluminum. Both earphones are built with strong materials, but it is surprising to see them so matched up considering the price difference. Design Anyone know if there are any aftermarket replacements in foam that have a Sennheiser like built in filter??? There are details in the introduction that I never even noticed before. These are some extremely revealing in-ears. When the bass enters, it is with great presence and slight but pleasant bloom. Voices are nuanced and natural sounding.Sennheiser has introduced three new IEMs in the last two years, all of which sport the same basic aesthetic. But how do they compare soundwise? If you’re in the market for a mid-fi market IEM that keeps it engaging but shows you what a higher end IEM can do, then the Sennheiser IE 600 for sure should be on your short list to audition. Here, the bass sounds much better with the IE600. It’s deeper and more defined. However, it sometimes gets a bit too dominant. The soundstage is also bigger. With the IE800S, the vocals take the main focus, the bass is less dominating and the soundstage is smaller with less space between the instruments.

There's not so much anything 'new' to talk about in these headphones, but there is something unusual. While many alternative brands will augment a dynamic driver with a balanced armature or two when specifying their top-end in-ear monitors – often for no other reason than it’s ‘the done thing’– Sennheiser argues that a single full-range dynamic driver is inherently more effective. As long as it’s implemented properly, of course. And it looks to have justification for that claim here. This cookie is set by the Sumo. This cookie is used for verifying whether the user is logged in or not. The unsurprising part of the IE 600 is the basic configuration. Sennheiser has never been an advocate of armature based earphones. For every advantage that they muster, there are elements of their design that the company is less keen on which has led to them favouring a single dynamic driver. Of course, asking one driver to cover an entire frequency response has issues all of its own too. Even in the compact world of the human ear canal, having one driver to handle everything is an engineering challenge in itself. Sennheiser’s approach is the TrueResponse driver. Fashion is ephemeral, dangerous and unfair.” Admittedly Karl Lagerfeld didn’t have the world of consumer electronics uppermost in his mind when he made this statement, but it nevertheless applies. Sennheiser certainly seems to think so. Sennheiser spare part numbers: 509105 - 509107 (Silicone, SML), 509108 - 509110 (Memory Foam, SML).I did not really know what to expect connecting the IE600 to the WA22 amplifier, but it was surprisingly spectacular. In some magical way, the WA22 made the IE600 perfect. The big tube amplifier manages to make the IE600 more rounded and more detailed at the same time. The sound stage becomes larger. The bass is less dominant, and the treble becomes more liquid. DESKTOP AMPS In the following I will compare the IE600 to a range of IEMs in various price classes. All comparisons were made using the Monolith THX AAA 887 amplifier and the RME ADI-2 DAC FS as a DAC. The detail level overall is similar. The IE600 has more resolution in the treble, the OH10 has more texture in the bass. honestly the treble is a very sensitive area, incompatible eartips or incorrect seal and depth will results in too spicy treble

The midrange, though, is the star of this recording – very few singers push their voice as far forward in the mix as Stevie Wonder, but then very few singers have the purity and character of tone to get away with it. The IE600 are alive to the tiny contributions made by inhalation and palate noise, and consequently build a vocal performance that’s thrilling in its immediacy. The iKKO OH10 is a very nice-sounding IEM. It is made of metal but unlike the IE600 it’s very heavy. It fits well in my ears, though. As I continue listening, the impressions remain unchanged. The IE600 is a bit more sensitive than the IE200, it has a bit more bass, and a bit more treble. Often it feels a bit more detailed, occasionally it is the other way around. But most of all these two headphones are incredibly similar. They both have plenty of bass, an intimate but good sound stage, detailed and warmish mid-range and nice treble resolution without too much energy.

Technically the mids are on the same level as the bass section. Good, but not as pronounced as in the IE 900. All-in-all it’s a great mix of technicalities and musical fun, and that makes the mid section addictive and very pleasing to the ear. The Cajón has great punch (but not too much) and is very textured. Vocals are delicate, rich and clear. The piano just sounds extremely nice. The IE 600 according to Jermo Köhnke, Product Manager at Sennheiser delivers a neutral reference tuning. The IE 600 will be a reference for the most demanding mobile audio enthusiasts.