Our take on the Sennheiser IE 80

by Dave Bar

Portable high-resolution listening

Say hello to Sennheiser's finest in-ear headphone. The finely crafted IE 80 delivers professional-grade sound quality while blocking out virtually all outside noise, so you can enjoy your music at lower and safer volume levels. Encased in a handsome, brushed-metal housing with a rugged, interchangeable cable, it's built for long-lasting performance and durability. Dynamic drivers featuring powerful neodymium magnets deliver ultra-detailed sound with smooth, transparent highs and deep, tight bass. Adjustable tuning screws in the earbuds let you precisely contour the bass response of each earpiece to your liking.

Helpful extras add to your comfort

Ergonomically designed ear tips help create a tight seal that minimizes ambient sound. Sennheiser includes an extensive variety of different sizes and types to help you get a comfortable, custom fit. Made to be worn with the cables looped behind-the-ear, the IE 80 also comes with detachable ear hooks that flex and bend to hold the headphones gently, yet securely in place — even when you're on the go. And the supplied carrying case gives you a safe place to store your headphones when not in use.

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Highlights:

sound-isolating earbud design
includes extensive assortment of ear tips for a comfortable, custom fit
dynamic speaker systems with powerful neodymium magnets
continuously variable sound tuning control for precise adjustment of bass response
attenuation of ambient noise: up to 26 dB
frequency response: 10-20,000 Hz
impedance: 16 ohms
detachable 48" straight cord with stereo mini plug
detachable earhooks with a flexible/bendable design
included shirt clip and cleaning/adjustment tool
protective carry case
warranty: 2 years
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Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

Features and specs chart | What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Features and Specs

General
Fit Style Loading...	In-ear
Earcup Type Loading...	Closed
Noise-canceling Loading...	No
Bluetooth Loading...	No
Frequency Response Loading...	10-20k Hz
Sensitivity Loading...	125 dB
Impedance Loading...	16 Ohms
Weight Loading...	0.56 ounces
Cord Length Loading...	48"
Airline Adapter Included Loading...	No
iPod Control Loading...	No
Volume Control Loading...	No
Built-in Microphone Loading...	No
Parts Warranty Loading...	2 Years
Labor Warranty Loading...	2 Years

Product Research

What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

IE 80 in-ear headphones (medium silicon earbuds installed) with a connected 4' cable (3.5mm plug)
2 Pairs of silicon earbuds (small/large)
2 Pairs of foam earbuds (small/large)
3 Pairs of Lamella earbuds (small/medium/large)
2 Pairs of advanced earbuds (small/large)
2 Ear hooks
Cable clip
Screwdriver/cleaning tool
Hard protective sliding case
Safety Guide
Quick Guide

Our Product Research Team

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Features

Overview: The Sennheiser IE 80 noise-isolating, ear-canal headphones are designed for on-the-go listening. The in-ear design gives you excellent attenuation of ambient noise (up to 20%) so you can enjoy your music, even in noisy environments. The IE 80s come with four types of ear buds in two or three sizes each, flexible ear hooks, a screwdriver/cleaning tool, and a sturdy storage case.

Sound Tuning Control: Sennheiser offers a unique continuously variable sound tuning control in each ear bud for precise adjustment of the bass response. Using the supplied screwdriver (one end of the supplied screwdriver/cleaning tool), you can tune the bass response independently in each ear.

Drivers: Neodymium magnets provide the power for the dynamic transducer system. These strong, but tiny magnets give you enhanced bass response and greater sound definition.

Earbuds: The IE 80 headphones come with four types of ear buds:

Silicone (S, M, L): The silicone ear buds are found on most in-ear headphones, and are made of soft silicon rubber.
Lamella (S, M, L): The lamella or "staged" ear buds have two stages to give you a better fit and more noise isolation than the silicone ear buds.
Foam (S, L): The foam ear buds compress so they can be inserted into your ear canal, and then expand to conform to the ear canal for an excellent seal.
Advanced (S, L): The advanced ear buds are similar to the lamella with two stages, but have a flange on the outside to give you a better seal.

Ear Hooks: The headphone cable can be worn straight down from the ears or looping around the ears. If you choose to wear the cable looped around the ear, the flexible ear hooks can be used to conform the loop to the shape of each ear for a more comfortable fit.

Cable/Remote: The IE 80 has a detachable, 4' symmetrical, straight cable with a 3.5mm miniplug terminal. A sliding cable cinch lets you eliminate the slack in the cable for better comfort. The cable can be detached from the ear buds, allowing you to replace it in case of damage. The cable terminates into a right-angled 3.5mm miniplug.

Storage Case: The included storage case has a sliding drawer opening with molded foam rubber for the ear buds and an indentation for winding the cable. Extra ear buds can be stored on posts on the top of the drawer, while the cleaning tool can be stored on the bottom. There is a space for storing a desiccant packet to keep moisture away from your headphones.

Specifications: The IE 80 has the following specs: