Sennheiser IE 100 Pro Review

The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro earbuds stand out as one of the top plug-in monitors we tested. Designed for performers, these monitors allow musicians to hear themselves in the studio or on stage without interfering with microphone recordings. We did notice that while a cord has some perks, they are a bit sensitive to movement and rubbing, registering some noise in our ears. It's not too distracting, but if you expect to be jumping around in these things, you may want to take this into consideration.

Performance Comparison

Sound Quality

Warm, thumping bass lines, a full mid-range, and a crisp and snappy high-end make the IE 100 Pro earbuds a pleasure for music lovers, including our panel of expert listeners. Our test mix spans pop's treble vocals, hip-hop's resonant bass lines, and the mid-tone-heavy guitars, banjos, and mandolins of country music. The diverse set list showcased the earbuds' well-balanced soundstage, which offers both depth and complexity.

The neutral blend of bass, mid, and treble tones works well for easy-listening oldies like “Say You Love Me” by Fleetwood Mac and melodic takes on drill rap like “Sprinter” by Dave and Central Cee.

The treble range is above average in these earbuds and never tips into harsh or keening territory. Renee Rapp's cutting high notes in “Tummy Hurts” (feat. Coco Jones) peak but don't pierce. At max volume, however, the highest frequencies can sound muddy.

The mid-tones are warm, full, and robust but can lack lucidity at times, especially when you turn the volume up. For example, “All is Well” by Daisha McBride sounds great at moderate levels but becomes brash and brassy as the volume increases and the percussion interferes with the lead vocals.

The bass is smooth and full-bodied. In “Shower Song” by Tierra Whack, the funky instrumental line is powerful and punchy without losing its playful tone to muddiness in the lower registers. We also appreciate the balanced bass in “Wanna Know” (Remix) by Dave and Drake. However, while the bass works well across genres, it never knocks our socks off.

These earbuds are certainly loud enough. However, clarity and quality diminish at the highest volume levels, particularly in the treble range. That said, it's difficult to listen to them comfortably at those levels.

Soundstage

The soundstage of a pair of earbuds describes how music seems to be positioned in the space around you. Earbuds generally offer a more enclosed listening experience due to their in-ear design, making truly expansive and immersive soundstage rare. New technology is making strides, though, and this element of sound is a make-or-break aspect of the top-quality earbuds. The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro buds have it, but it's not of the highest caliber.

These earbuds do create depth and layers, but they don't create the immersive, impeccable clarity and surround-sound experience of the top-tier options. This keeps them from achieving top marks overall in the sound quality metric.

Casual listeners might not notice, but critical audiophiles will likely hear a slightly compressed sound signature that can at times feel muddy. You can hear the layered vocals and instrumentation in “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King. But the lack of clarity makes it feel distant, less captivating and immediate than the best options.

When we recorded the earbuds' frequency response curve with the help of our Brüel & Kjaer Type 5128 Head Simulator, our listening experience didn't align perfectly with the results. The bass frequencies register almost identical with our GearLab House Curve, but the mids don't see as big of a scoop in comparison, which may be the source of a bass that doesn't knock our socks off due the counteracting magnified mids. The combination works, but not as well as the higher-scoring options with more idealized curves.

User Experience

The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro earbuds serve as wired studio monitors, so they have a different purpose and design than most models in the test. They take some getting used to, but once mastered, they are quite comfortable for extended wear. That said, their wired design can be cumbersome, especially for those with long hair. Apart from this, they are straightforward and effective.

Comfort

Though they are slim and lightweight, it takes time to unlock the most comfortable fit for the IE 100 Pro earbuds. They feature a malleable wire that wraps around your ear to hold them in place. It can be frustrating at first, since the wire loses shape easily, forcing you to readjust it each time you wear them. Over time, this process becomes intuitive.

After that, you can appreciate the comfortable, unobtrusive silicone ear tips, which are available in four sizes. They are light enough to avoid pressure points, and we are able to wear them for over an hour with no discomfort, which is ideal for studio or stage use.

Stability

These earbuds feel secure in the studio or at your desk when your movements are limited. They're less reliable especially if you have longer hair. Unlike typical wired earbuds that are designed to connect to a phone in a pocket, the IE 100 Pro wires are meant to run down your back to a receiver, making them prone to tangling with hair or clothing.

The IE 100 Pro earbuds do not have an ingress protection rating, so we don't know how well they resist infiltration from solid particles like dust or liquids like sweat.

Customization

These earbuds lack a dedicated app, meaning you can't adjust their equalization (EQ) settings to balance bass, mid, and treble tones. They also don't include features like an ear fit test to ensure a proper seal or a location feature to help you find them if lost. They are compatible with a variety of devices, including both Apple and non-Apple products, though you'll need to make sure they actually have an auxiliary cable outlet.

Noise Cancellation

Unlike many other options in the test, the IE 100 Pro monitors don't actively cancel noise. They do passively isolate it though, since they can't help but physically block some sounds from entering your ear. Active noise cancellation is better at blocking lower frequency bass tones, and can help you focus in noisy environments like offices or on planes. Passive isolation excels at blocking higher frequencies, like screaming fans or plates clattering at a diner.

Of the non-noise cancelling options in the test, these offer some of the best noise isolation in the test, thanks to pliable silicone tips. This effective sound shielding helps you focus on your music, whether you're a professional singer, like one of our expert testers, or are just enjoying your favorite tunes on your commute.

To test how effectively these earbuds isolate your ears from distracting sounds or damaging decibels, we played the same noisy soundtrack with the earbuds and without them. Then SoundCheck, Listen Inc.'s advanced audio software, calculates the sophisticated audio analysis that helped us measure the difference.

In the graph above, the line represents how much volume the earbuds block at each frequency. The more decibels it blocks, the quieter external sounds seem. Most earbuds without noise canceling do little or nothing to block bass frequencies below 200 Herz and struggle to filter out mid-ranges, letting in nearly every sound below 2,000 Herz.

As you can hear in the video above, the IE 100 Pro buds don't have this problem. They offer impressive noise isolation across the board, though they do quiet high-frequency sounds more than the rest. We were pleasantly shocked by its performance, giving us hope that we don't have to always fork over extra cash for fancy technology.

That said, they can't match the performance of options that offer true active noise cancellation (ANC). The chart below compares the wired Sennheiser IE 100 Pro to the wireless Sennheiser MTW4 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The higher the line, the quieter those frequency ranges will sound when the ANC feature is engaged. As you can see, the ANC-equipped models turn down the volume by an additional 10 to 30 decibels.

Battery Life

The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro earbuds are wired, meaning they connect directly to your phone or audio receiver without needing a battery. The advantage is they're always ready to use, eliminating any wait time to charge up before you can enjoy your music.

The tradeoff is managing their wires, which can be cumbersome. Whether or not the trademark is worth it is up to you. Regardless, they earn a top score here for being perpetually powered and ready to rock.

Call Quality

These in-ear studio monitors aren't designed for fielding phone calls and lack a microphone. Unlike their battery life, where the absence of a battery earns them a top score, the absence of a mic means they don't rank in this category at all.

While it's logical that Sennheiser didn't include a microphone in earbuds intended as in-ear monitors, we're comparing them to a broad range of earbud options. This low score calls your attention to a feature that might be essential for some users. If you don't require a mic, don't let this low score deter you.

Should You Buy the Sennheiser IE 100 Pro ?

The IE 100 Pro earbuds are the best choice in the test for musicians who need in-ear monitors for the studio or the stage. Their super lightweight fit, impressive sound quality across frequencies and volume levels, and exceptional noise isolation, all at a reasonable price point. Once you get used to placing them, they're also very comfortable. These earbuds are less ideal for casual listening but are a solid option for a musician on a budget who wants to perform, record, and enjoy some music on their way home.

What Other Earbuds Should You Consider?