The IE200 are traditional wired earphones or IEMs that produce amazing sound with hi-res audio ... [+] files.

Who buys wired earphones in this age of true wireless earbuds? The answer is anyone who wants excellent sound quality, especially if they’re using a digital audio player to play hi-res music streamed or downloaded from services like Tidal or Qobuz.

The latest pair of wired earphones to come on the market is from Sennheiser. The IE200 are the company’s most affordable pair of wired IEMs (In-Ear Monitors) and they sound amazing, especially considering their reasonable price tag.

The Sennheiser IE200 are Sennheiser’s entry-level wired IEMs. These earphones are ideal for use with smartphones with a headphone jack and digital audio players from the likes of Astell&Kern or FiiO. With wired earphones, there’s never any worry about whether you have enough battery charge and you can get great quality sound without having to compress the signal to send it via Bluetooth.

The IE200 IEMs from Sennheiser are made completely of plastic but they feel very well made and ... [+] feature detachable cables.

The IE200 are built to a budget. They don’t feel anything like as luxurious as the Sennheiser flagship IE900s. Still, they are sufficiently well made and use compatible MMCX-style connectors for the detachable cable, so you can upgrade them in the future or even replace the wires if they get damaged or worn. The design is grey and black, but with a small red band on the right earpiece, so you know which ear to put it in.

These are superbly comfortable earphones and they use ear hooks to fit snuggly over the top of the ears. The earpieces are small enough to fit in the bowl of the ear, and Sennheiser has supplied an excellent choice of silicone ear tips in different sizes and three sizes of memory foam tips for an even snugger fit.

Unlike the more expensive IEMs, the IE200 don’t have any tuning filters to tweak the bass response, but the ear tips can be pushed fully onto the earpiece stalk for a full-on bass or placed halfway on for a little less bottom end. It’s well worth getting the right fit and style of ear tip if you want to get the best possible sound from the IE200s.

The secret to the amazing sound produced by Sennheiser's IE200 IEMs is down to the 7mm dynamic ... [+] driver that is made in the company's state-of-the-art factory in Ireland.

Because the 1.2m detachable cable supplied with the IE200 is braided and transfers far fewer microphonics, especially if the wearer is running or exercising. Microphonics are those annoying rubbing sounds that cables can make when chafing on clothes or against other cables, vibrating up the cable and spoiling the music. The IE200 are wonderfully quiet and they are so light they feel perfect.

Even if you don’t have a smartphone with a headphone jack, you can still benefit from a pair of wired earphones or IEMs by getting a headphone amplifier and DAC like the superb Bolt from Helm Audio. This arrangement will deliver much better-quality audio than most wireless Bluetooth earphones, especially if you’re listening to a streaming service like Tidal’s Masters. Wired earphones also don’t suffer from any latency, so you can watch movies or play games without any annoying drift in the synchronization between sound and images.

Inside each of the IE200’s earpieces are single dynamic 7mm drivers manufactured in Sennheiser’s ultra-modern factory in Ireland. These are similar drivers to the ones used in Sennheiser’s stunning IE600 and IE900 models. At 7mm, the diameter of these drivers is relatively small but their design is incredible.

The Sennheiser IE200 IEMs are supplied with a choice of silicone and memory foam ear tips in a range ... [+] of sizes. Those ear tips can be pushed home all the way or only half way on the earpiece spout. The two positions offer different bass responses.

The IE200 deliver one of the most open and linear deliveries you’ll ever hear. There’s very little colorization in the sound and the bass line is nicely separated and extended so you can feel and hear the notes from an acoustic bass or the lower end of a piano keyboard. The soundstage isn’t massively or artificially wide but feels just right with all the instruments and vocals focused perfectly with plenty of space around each. The frequency response ranges from an incredibly impressive 6Hz to 20kHz, that’s a lot of coverage from a single driver but this is what Sennheiser does best.

For the money, the IE200 manage to unveil so much sound, even in imperfect recordings such as the excellent classic Twice Around The Houses from the late Jonathan Kelly. The opening track “Madeleine” is a wonderfully melancholic tune that the IE200 serve up with deftness and delicacy. The focus of the music and the beautifully balanced tone of the IE200 is a joy. For anyone who likes a bass that’s big enough to crush the rest of the music, the IE200 will not go down well as they are faithful to the original mix and are wonderfully low on distortion without any coloring.

Verdict: The Sennheiser IE200 wired IEMs are a superb pair of wired earphones with a wonderfully clear and faithful sound that will do justice to a wide range of music. They fit well in the ear and the choice of ear tip sizes and styles is welcome. The ear hook fit and the detachable braided cable keep the microphonics under control and make the IE200 suitable for running or other exercises in the gym. If you’ve never considered a pair of wired earphones before, look at the IE200, as they are perfect for listening to hi-res music with a USB amplifier DAC or a digital audio player with a headphone jack. Highly recommended.

Pricing & Availability: The Sennheiser IE 200 earphones are available now and cost $149.95 / £129.99 / €149.90.

More info: www.sennheiser.com