When comparing Brainwavz M2 vs Sennheiser IE 800, the Slant community recommends Sennheiser IE 800 for most people. In the question“What are the best rugged and durable earbuds & IEMs that last?” Sennheiser IE 800 is ranked 6th while Brainwavz M2 is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose Sennheiser IE 800 is:
The IE 800s allow some ambient sound to pass, but not enough to be bothersome.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Lightweight and comfortable to wear
Despite being made out of metal, these in-ears are still fairly lightweight, so wearing them for long periods shouldn't be a problem. The included ear tips are also quite soft, providing good cushioning and seal.
Pro Warm sounding with forward mids, smooth highs and deep bass
The highs of these headphones are not too sparkly or airy, yet still has good detail. This results in a smoother sound. Mids are forward and clear, while the bass has good depth without creeping up on the mids.
Overall, these headphones are quite fun to listen to and can work with pop, rock, hip-hop and even metal. These are not the best though if you tend to listen to music with a lot of detail and intricate parts like jazz or classical as these do not offer a high level of detail reproduction.
Pro Durable and tangle-resistant cables
The M2's cable is braided and covered with a sleeving material, making it significantly more durable than other cables. It also makes it extra resistant to tangling.
Pro Solid build quality
The ear pieces are made out of metal and have great fit and finish. Not only does this make them look great, but also gives them a premium feel.
Pro Includes plenty of accessories
With the M2, you get 2 types of ear tips with three sizes each, a shirt clip to prevent the cable from moving around when worn and ear cable guides to help keep the headphones in place.
Pro Good noise isolation
The IE 800s allow some ambient sound to pass, but not enough to be bothersome.
Pro No bass distortion at any volume
Precisely engineered pressure vents behind a single dynamic driver leave no opportunity for distortion to occur.
Pro Ear tips provide a good seal
The ear tips are a step up from the common silicone ear tips on the market today. The part that comes into contact with your ear is made out of soft, flexible, high quality silicone. The inside canal of the ear tips however is made out of a firmer plastic material, with a metal mesh in the middle.
This combination allows the ear tips to create a very good seal when worn, reducing sound leakage/bleed while also ensuring optimal sound delivery.
Pro Fantastic listening experience
Sennheiser is known for audiophile gear, and these earphones qualify. Their frequency response, dynamic range, and clarity of definition do justice to their price tag.
Pro Good durability with scratch resistance
Instead of using metal or plastic in the construction of the earpieces, Sennheiser has used a special ceramic material on the IE 800 which is scratch resistant. This helps to keep the weight of the in-ears down, yet can still withstand use and abuse pretty well.
The cable on the other hand is very high quality and covered with Kevlar reinforcement for added durability.
Pro Oxygen-free, kevlar-reinforced copper cable
Wrapped and sealed in an oxygen-free environment, these cables are immune to corrosion so long as their tough kevlar shielding remains intact.
Cons
Con Highs may be lacking for some
The audio lacks sparkle in the higher frequency range, which may be disappointing for those looking for lots of detail reproduction in that range.
Con No in-line microphone
Not really a con, as headphones are primarily for listening to music. However, this can be inconvenient when used with a smartphone and you have to take calls.
Con Cable noise
Touching the cable or rubbing it against clothing makes a rustling sound that transmits into the earpiece.
Con Y-split connection can pull down the earpieces
The detachable cable after the Y-Split cable adds a bit of weight to the earpieces. This can pull them down and cause them to dislodge at times.
Con Does not come with an in-line microphone/remote
While not really a CON, this omission can make or break your purchase decision for these headphones. Sennheiser offers an add-on cable which features the mic and remote, but is quite expensive.
Con Headphone cable is not completely removable
While the headphone cable can be attached/detached via a 2.5mm connection from the Y-split down, the cable cannot be removed from the earpieces themselves. This can make replacing the fixed cables very difficult and potentially expensive.