Sennheiser Pro Audio In-Ear Audio Monitor, IE 400 Pro Smokey Black Smoky

Good ear phone

I bought these because I was finding some audiophile headphones are a bit boring and this one had some specific things I liked in the frequency response curve. Explaining what I liked in the curve in any detail is outside of the scope of this review but let's just say, among other things, I like the way upper mids were rendered in the graphs I saw. I did not listen to these before purchasing.......(COVID)...... so I was pleased that they sounded the way I had imagined based on both the graphs and what has been said in the limited number of reviews I found on the interwebs. I knew from the reviews that they did not sound lacking in the treble, which is a problem I have with every other Sennheiser headphone I have listened to which all sound a bit, for lack of a better word, utterly muffled to me, even though I am a bit treble sensitive. Comparisons are evil, especially when it's not apples to apples, but it can't be helped so here it goes. When comparing the IE400 Pro to my current crop of much-loved headphones of greatly varying prices and specifications,( HEDDphone, Denon AH D5000, Grado SR250, and Koss Porta Pro), the IE400 PRO is on top in just about every category. The detail, bass, soundstage, imaging is all great. The imaging and soundstage are actually better than my other cans with the exception of the HEDDphone. Its about equal to the HEDDphone. I did not expect an IEM to be this way but no matter how much I try to gaslight myself into believing my open-back headphones are better in this department, they just arent. The layering of instruments is good. I think you would have to spend a lot more money to get headphones with better sound than these. - Comparing to the HEDDphone: IE 400 sounds more dynamic with a more punchy mid bass and has no annoying upper mid/lower treble. but with slightly less overall midrange due to the V-shaped sound ( I would argue that the IE 400 is somewhere in between a V and U shaped profile), although the IE 400 does not quite have the same detail retrieval as the $2500 HEDDphone, I think I enjoy listening to the IE 400 more. Nice! - Comparing to the Denon AH D5000: IE 400 has no annoying sibilance which comes up in the Denon, and is superior in the bass dept, and everywhere else including soundstage, imaging and fun factor. The Denon is 10 years old so take this with a grain of salt - Comparing to the Grado SR250: IE 400 does not have the slightly plasticky artificial treble that the Grado's have, and once again the quality and quantity of bass crushes the Grado's. Of course, this is not a fair competition though since the Grados are much less expensive. - Comparing to Koss Porta Pro: IE400 has punchy bass as does the Koss, but with much more detail across the entire frequency range with more presence in the treble and sub-bass. The legendary Porta Pro costs a lot less, so what do you expect. There are two things I don't like; the build is uninspiring for the price with the body being the same as the much cheaper IE40 pro, and if I wear them ever so slightly too deep in my ear canals, there are sharp edges which irritate my ear canals after an hour or so. This problem is easily avoided by not pushing them in too deep, and thankfully I get a good seal with the tips that are installed out of the box, and therefore pushing them in further to get a good seal is not what I should have been doing in the first place. Coming from other IEMs in the past, I usually had trouble getting a good seal but that is not a problem with the IE 400 Pro. My IE400 is plugged into my phone via a Hidizs DAC, or my D90/A90 stack. If you are plugging these into a smartphone with no 3.5mm jack, I think any dongle DAC that's 50 dollars plus would do the IE400 justice. Be warned you can listen to this IEM at very high SPL without much ear fatigue, which tempts flirtation with hearing damage. My A90 on low gain can power these beyond what is comfortable at 12 o'clock on the volume knob. Please be careful.

Very good product from the company and gives a good soundstage. Comfortable to wear for long durations and fits in perfectly. Very good upgrade from IE 100 pro. I am a musician and I use this on a regular basis.

After a year I must say that the sound is spectacular, but the cable is starting to get damaged by stretching and peeling, one of the headphones had the in-ear driver come loose and I had to glue it back. And today in the middle of a gig, one of the headphones suddenly stopped playing, I measured continuity and it measured an open circuit (it is damaged) So although its sound quality left me delighted, its poor build quality left me disappointed, I have some Chinese headphones, which are 8 years old and still work (good build quality although poor sound.)

I recently purchased the Sennheiser IE 400 Pro, and while I have no complaints about its sound quality, I must express my disappointment with its build quality. Here are my observations: Sound Quality: The IE 400 Pro delivers an impressive audio experience. The fine trebles and rich sub-bass create an immersive stage sound. Build Quality Issues: Unfortunately, the build quality falls short. The cable has started flaking off and fraying, which is frustrating. Moreover, obtaining a replacement cable in India is challenging there is none available. Unlike standard MMCX connectors, the IE 400 Pro uses a proprietary cable, limiting our options for replacements. Longevity Concerns: When I purchased these earphones, I expected them to last. After all, the convenience of not discarding a good set of earphones when the battery dies was a significant selling point. However, the wire didn’t even survive a year before failing. Warranty Process: I’ve sent the IE 400 Pro for replacement under warranty, but I’m concerned about the long-term situation. If the wire fails again after another year, I’ll be out of warranty and facing the same issue. Similar Experience with IE 100 Pro: Unfortunately, my experience with the IE 100 Pro has been similar. The wires on that model are also fraying and flaking at the joints. In summary, while the IE 400 Pro offers excellent sound, the build quality leaves much to be desired. Sennheiser should address these issues to ensure a more durable product for its customers.