I just tested these high-fidelity wired earbuds — and I won’t be going back to wireless anytime soon

I’m an audiophile, and I can’t go a day without listening to music — and I think I’ve just found the perfect wired earbuds for high-fidelity audio. I’m talking about the Sennheiser IE 200 buds which had me hearing sounds I never had before while using earbuds. And they’ve convinced me that wired buds just can't be beat when it comes to sound quality.

Featuring Sennheiser’s True Response technology, the IE 200s reproduce music with great precision, so they’re ideal for audiophiles, musicians and audio technicians. Their sound profile is well-balanced with plenty of detail in otherwise subtle notes, and they’re mighty comfortable too.

There isn’t much wrong with them at all, although I missed having physical controls and an in-line mic to answer calls with.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Sennheiser IE 200 wired earbuds review.

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A pair of wired earbuds that are well worth the money
• Who is it for? For those who want to experience high-fidelity audio
• How much does it cost? $149 / £129
• What do we like? The secure, comfortable fit, lightweight design, wide soundstage, and well-balanced sound
• What don’t we like? The lack of physical controls and in-line mic

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Specs

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Price & availability

The Sennheiser IE 200 wired earbuds have a retail price of $149 / £129, and we’ve seen them drop to as low as $93 at Amazon in the past. The earbuds come in just one colorway: black with a silver braided cable and silver accents.

The IE 200s fall in a similar price bracket to the Meze Alba ($159) wired buds, the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro ($124) and the Sennheiser CX True ($129) wireless buds. They’re also cheaper than the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds ($179) and the Apple AirPods 4 with Noise Cancelation ($179).

With wired earbuds, you don’t get the extensive set of features of wireless options, but the IE 200s do what a good pair must: make music sound incredible and immersive.

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Design & comfort

• Premium-looking design
• Eartips for secure fit

The Sennheiser IE 200s sport a minimalist black and silver design that looks great. The braided cable gives them a premium edge. Like the Meze Albas, the wire is detachable which means you can remove it and use the earphones with a replacement MMCX cable. This is a big positive as you don’t need to worry about not being able to use the IE 200s if the stock cable breaks.

Included in the box are six pairs of eartips of different sizes and materials (foam and gel), and I like that Sennheiser caters to all preferences. I used the default size (that was already on the earbuds) and they created a tight, secure seal in my ear canals.

They also feature tubes emerging from both earbuds which wrap around your ears to ensure they don’t fall off — and they don’t. They didn’t fall out when I went on a run or took a nap, which is fantastic.

The IE 200s are mighty comfortable. I wore them for six straight hours without feeling any discomfort. Their lightweight form factor also adds to the comfort level. Each earbud weighs just 0.14oz. They’re lighter than the Meze Albas (0.24oz each), the Bose QuietComforts (0.29oz each), and the Sennheiser CX Trues (0.2oz each).

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Connectivity

• 3.5mm jack

Wired earbuds don’t have as many connectivity options as wireless ones do. The Sennheiser IE 200 buds feature a 3.5mm jack so while they can plug into MP3 players, you’ll need a dedicated 3.5mm to USB-C or lightning adapter. These come fairly cheap. You can pick one up for under $10 / £10 from Amazon.

I tested the IE 200s in two ways: plugging them directly into my MacBook Air M2 and borrowing a coworker’s adapter to plug them into my Google Pixel 7 Pro’s USB-C port. Both worked seamlessly.

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Controls & app

• No physical controls
• No built-in mic
• No app

One of the Sennheiser IE 200s’ drawbacks is that they don’t have an in-line remote to control volume or play/pause media. This means that you need to use your playback device to control music.

There’s also no built-in mic, so while you can use the IE 200s to listen to calls, the caller won’t be able to hear you through the buds. You don’t get any equalizers either like you do with cheaper earbuds like the JBL Tune 305Cs ($21).

But it’s important to note that these are minor drawbacks. The IE 200s are in-ear monitors (IEMs), which means they’re intended for studio fidelity and production. You wouldn’t want a mic taking up space that has been used for better purposes. You wouldn’t want custom EQ either as, again, you’re getting studio-level fidelity.

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Sounds & performance

• Deep, rich bass
• Wide frequency response
• Great instrument separation

The Sennheiser IE 200s also have a frequency range of 6Hz-20KHz, so they can reproduce most sounds accurately.

However, the average human being can only hear sounds between 20Hz and 20KHz so 6Hz won’t necessarily make a difference. It pertains more to the bass you can feel, which you don’t anyway through earbuds given their small drivers. This is a contentious subject, of course, so your mileage may vary.

They’re also fitted with a 7mm extra-wideband True Response transducer. This is Sennheiser’s patented technology that you’ll find in the pricier IE 300s, IE 600s and IE 900s as well.

Basically, True Response helps reproduce sound with precision so you can appreciate every single instrument in a song — and I definitely could. Sound technicians and musicians will really appreciate this aspect.

To test the IE 200s, I listened to my usual testing songs (rock, dance, indie, etc.) on Qobuz — one of the best music streaming services for hi-res audio.

Bass

As a bassist and guitarist, I’m more inclined to listen to songs that feature six-string instruments. This also means that I appreciate being able to hear subtle notes and distinguish between them.

Well, the IE 200s are the ideal earbuds for audiophiles and musicians who feel the same way.

‘Money’ by Pink Floyd sounds phenomenal. I really like that I can hear every single bass note plucked throughout the song. Even when the saxophone solo hits, the bass doesn’t get lost or overpowered. I like that the bass isn’t invasive either. It doesn’t boom, but it’s powerful enough for you to get lost in.

Moving on to one of my favorite songs, and one I think some earbuds reproduce as too scratchy: ‘Every Other Freckle’ by Alt-J. Thankfully, the IE 200s did a great job of making the song sound well-balanced.

Instrument separation really shines here, as you can make out each guitar riff and bassline. They work in harmony together but also really shine — perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Vocals

To see how the IE 200s handle vocals and multiple voices, I listened to ‘Labour - The Cacophony’ by Paris Paloma which features the artist singing with several other women. Paris’ vocals are clean and clear with a lovely warmth while the backup singers’ voices blend together seamlessly.

Sennheiser says these earbuds are designed to make it sound like the singer is in your room, and that’s how I felt listening. I was also able to truly appreciate the many voices singing in near-whispers in the song’s final chorus — and I couldn’t help but sing along!

Higher-frequency vocals sound just as good if not better. Wear the IE 200s and give Mika’s ‘Grace Kelly’ a whirl and you’ll see what I mean. When he hits the high notes in the chorus, they never once sounded piercing or shrill. I think the IE 200s manage to adjust the volume beautifully to ensure vocals never overpower instruments.

Details

Listening to ambient, instrumental tracks through the IE 200s is amazing. Movie and video game soundtracks feel especially immersive. ‘Ezio’s Family’ from Assassin’s Creed Shadows and ‘No Time for Caution’ from Interstellar have a lot of depth to them and they sound very detailed.

I may sound like a broken record but instrument separation shines here too — I can’t help that it’s just that good.

In Billie Eilish’s ‘You Should See Me in a Crown,’ I heard sounds I never had before. There’s a very subtle beeping in the pre-chorus which is easily missable, but through the IE 200s, I could hear it clearly. This, in my opinion, adds more character to the song.

Sennheiser IE 200 review: Verdict

The Sennheiser IE 200 wired earbuds are absolutely fantastic. Thanks to a wide soundstage and frequency range, most genres sound phenomenal through the IE 200s.

Instrument separation is fantastic and detailed, making these earbuds perfect for audiophiles, music producers and technicians. I also love how comfortable they are, thanks to the lightweight design and eartips. They create a secure seal in your ears so you can appreciate hi-res audio.

The IE 200s lack physical controls and an in-line mic, but they’re IEMs so I’d say they don’t need those features anyway. Besides, these feel like minor complaints as the earbuds sound just so good.

I can’t think of better wired earbuds to recommend under $150. The IE 200s have made me appreciate nuanced notes in music in ways I didn’t think were possible — and I’m bidding adieu to wireless for a while.