Back in the day, it was Sennheiser's most expensive in-ear and generally one that was regarded as expensive for a dynamic driver in-ear.
The small graph that illustrates how the small screw/dial on the faceplate influences the bass quantity is straight misleading and impertinent as it shows the frequency response to vary from fairly flat to bassy and warm, although the latter is already the sound in the screw's minimum position.
Nice selection of ear tips.
I really like that there's a Sennheiser logo on the included shirt clip.
The small graph that illustrates how the small screw/dial on the faceplate influences the bass quantity is straight misleading and impertinent as it shows the frequency response to vary from fairly flat to bassy and warm, although the latter is already the sound in the screw's minimum position.
Nice selection of ear tips.
I really like that there's a Sennheiser logo on the included shirt clip.
Cool and unique carrying case ("drawer" securely held in place by a magnet; extra holders for spare ear tips; built-in holder for the bass adjustment/cleaning tool; even has a small compartment for small silica gel pads), however not very practical at all, and likely not the best solution for the cable's durability.
The cable doesn't feel premium at all but at least it isn't of the cheapest possible kind.
There is a chin-slider and I like that it reads "IE 80" on the y-splitter.
While I like the unique shell design and while the build quality is good, the light plastic shells that are used don't feel premium.
Turning the bass screws, one doesn't get much tactile feedback as they don't feel very precise and don't have any tactile notches.
Very comfortable fit.
While the cable is intended to be worn around the ears, a straight-down-fit is possible, too (I'm wearing my IE 80 with the cable around the ears, though, and this works great even without the included ear guides that I don't use).
The cable doesn't feel premium at all but at least it isn't of the cheapest possible kind.
There is a chin-slider and I like that it reads "IE 80" on the y-splitter.
While I like the unique shell design and while the build quality is good, the light plastic shells that are used don't feel premium.
Turning the bass screws, one doesn't get much tactile feedback as they don't feel very precise and don't have any tactile notches.
Very comfortable fit.
While the cable is intended to be worn around the ears, a straight-down-fit is possible, too (I'm wearing my IE 80 with the cable around the ears, though, and this works great even without the included ear guides that I don't use).
Sound:
Largest included single-flange silicone tips.
Usually low impedance sources.
Due to how and where the screw changes the tonality, it is safe to assume that it is basically a valve that changes the level of openness of the dynamic driver's front cavity vent - yes, front cavity vent, even though it is located at the rear, on the faceplate. Looking at photos of disassembled IE 80s, it becomes clear that my guess is indeed correct and that there's an inner structure that redirects the usually inner-facing front cavity vent to the faceplate (which is actually a really clever thing - every in-ear manufacturer that vents their in-ears' dynamic driver's front cavity should do something comparable to get rid of the stupid sound changes that are different from one person to another and come by how much their ears block the inner-facing front cavity vent).
Due to how and where the screw changes the tonality, it is safe to assume that it is basically a valve that changes the level of openness of the dynamic driver's front cavity vent - yes, front cavity vent, even though it is located at the rear, on the faceplate. Looking at photos of disassembled IE 80s, it becomes clear that my guess is indeed correct and that there's an inner structure that redirects the usually inner-facing front cavity vent to the faceplate (which is actually a really clever thing - every in-ear manufacturer that vents their in-ears' dynamic driver's front cavity should do something comparable to get rid of the stupid sound changes that are different from one person to another and come by how much their ears block the inner-facing front cavity vent).
Tonality:
Bassy, warm v-shape with the valves fully open (minimum position); bass-heavy, very warm v-shape with the valves fully shut (maximum position).
No matter at what setting the bass screw is, the lows radiate into the central mids, so the lows' elevation starts to rise already around 900 Hz.
With the screw in the minimum position, the climax is around 100 Hz with a quantity of around 10 dB compared to an in-ear with a mostly diffuse-field flat bass such as my Etymotic ER-4S/the ER4SR and rolls off below that, towards 20 Hz, that are in line with the central midrange in quantity.
With the screw in the maximum position, the bass peaks around 40 Hz with a quantity of around 15 dB, wherefore the in-ear gains around 15 dB in the low sub-bass at 20 Hz, and around 4 dB around 100 Hz in the upper bass by closing the valve (turning it to its maximum position).
Needless to say, the midrange is therefore always very farm, full and coloured, and sounds somewhat mushy, and even warmer and mushier with the screw in the maximum position.
The central and upper midrange are mostly neutral and accurate (just a little on the more relaxed side, and thankfully not recessed).
Going up, one can spot a peak around 5.5 kHz, another one around 7 kHz, and another one around 10 kHz, wherefore the full, bassy and warm sound is ultimately a v-shape.
Those peaks lead to the highs be on the more metallic and brighter side, however they aren't sharp, which is a good thing that differentiates them from many of Sennheiser's older, less expensive dynamic driver in-ears.
- - -
Quickly compared to my Shure SE215m+SPE, the Sennheiser is always warmer, fuller, thicker and more coloured sounding in the lower midrange.
IE 80's screw set to minimum: Both have got comparable bass quantity at 100 Hz but the Sennheiser rolls off below that whereas the Shure peaks in the lower midbass and keeps constant sub-bass level below that.
IE 80's screw set to maximum: The Sennheiser is clearly warmer and bassier at any frequency below 1 kHz.
Both have almost similar treble quantity around 5 kHz. Above that, however, the Shure is definitely on the dark, relaxed side, whereas the Sennheiser's treble is on the brighter side, however less even.
- - -
The question whether it's best to have the screw in the minimum or maximum position is a tough one, as the former rolls off audibly towards the sub-bass and only really highlights the higher upper bass and root, whereas the latter does introduce a nice sub-bass boost, however adds even more warmth and thickness to the already really warm sound (it makes the lows even slower and softer, too). Despite the rolled-off sub- and midbass (compared to the root and higher upper bass), I prefer the screw in the minimum position due to above-mentioned introduced disadvantages that come with the screw set to the maximum.
Generally, I only really like my IE 80 for slow, acoustic singer-songwriter stuff.
No matter at what setting the bass screw is, the lows radiate into the central mids, so the lows' elevation starts to rise already around 900 Hz.
With the screw in the minimum position, the climax is around 100 Hz with a quantity of around 10 dB compared to an in-ear with a mostly diffuse-field flat bass such as my Etymotic ER-4S/the ER4SR and rolls off below that, towards 20 Hz, that are in line with the central midrange in quantity.
With the screw in the maximum position, the bass peaks around 40 Hz with a quantity of around 15 dB, wherefore the in-ear gains around 15 dB in the low sub-bass at 20 Hz, and around 4 dB around 100 Hz in the upper bass by closing the valve (turning it to its maximum position).
Needless to say, the midrange is therefore always very farm, full and coloured, and sounds somewhat mushy, and even warmer and mushier with the screw in the maximum position.
The central and upper midrange are mostly neutral and accurate (just a little on the more relaxed side, and thankfully not recessed).
Going up, one can spot a peak around 5.5 kHz, another one around 7 kHz, and another one around 10 kHz, wherefore the full, bassy and warm sound is ultimately a v-shape.
Those peaks lead to the highs be on the more metallic and brighter side, however they aren't sharp, which is a good thing that differentiates them from many of Sennheiser's older, less expensive dynamic driver in-ears.
- - -
Quickly compared to my Shure SE215m+SPE, the Sennheiser is always warmer, fuller, thicker and more coloured sounding in the lower midrange.
IE 80's screw set to minimum: Both have got comparable bass quantity at 100 Hz but the Sennheiser rolls off below that whereas the Shure peaks in the lower midbass and keeps constant sub-bass level below that.
IE 80's screw set to maximum: The Sennheiser is clearly warmer and bassier at any frequency below 1 kHz.
Both have almost similar treble quantity around 5 kHz. Above that, however, the Shure is definitely on the dark, relaxed side, whereas the Sennheiser's treble is on the brighter side, however less even.
- - -
The question whether it's best to have the screw in the minimum or maximum position is a tough one, as the former rolls off audibly towards the sub-bass and only really highlights the higher upper bass and root, whereas the latter does introduce a nice sub-bass boost, however adds even more warmth and thickness to the already really warm sound (it makes the lows even slower and softer, too). Despite the rolled-off sub- and midbass (compared to the root and higher upper bass), I prefer the screw in the minimum position due to above-mentioned introduced disadvantages that come with the screw set to the maximum.
Generally, I only really like my IE 80 for slow, acoustic singer-songwriter stuff.
Resolution:
While the midrange resolution and speech intelligibility seems to be subjectively above that of my Shure SE215m+SPE to some degree, its bass is just mushy, slow and lacks control even in the screw's minimum position, and becomes even worse by increasing it, which also affects the rest of the resolution that is reduced audibly, wherefore the IE 80 is only halfway okay resolving (which is a far stretch for the price) with the bass screw in the minimum position.
Generally, the resolution isn't great for the price at all; the in-ear sounds slow, soft and just lacks details. The general transient response is audibly pretty bad.
Good treble separation? Definitely not. The presentation is quite smeary and not differentiated at all.
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When the music material is slow, doesn't contain many instruments or tonal elements, and doesn't have high demands on the in-ear, the IE 80 sounds decently controlled and resolving with a nice midrange. However, even with "averagely" paced music, and tracks that don't have a demanding bass line at all, it clearly shows its lack of control and sounds plain slow - something that shouldn't be present at this price at all. In contrast, my cheaper Shure SE215m+SPE doesn't give in nearly as much with fast and more demanding music material. So yeah, the Sennheiser's limits are reached really early, whereas the Shure has still got plenty of reserves in comparison, and sounds generally tighter, faster and better controlled, while losing slightly when it comes to pure midrange resolution.
In pre-conclusion, slow and not really demanding, slow acoustic singer-songwriter music is really about the only niche where the IE 80 sounds decent.
Generally, the resolution isn't great for the price at all; the in-ear sounds slow, soft and just lacks details. The general transient response is audibly pretty bad.
Good treble separation? Definitely not. The presentation is quite smeary and not differentiated at all.
- - -
When the music material is slow, doesn't contain many instruments or tonal elements, and doesn't have high demands on the in-ear, the IE 80 sounds decently controlled and resolving with a nice midrange. However, even with "averagely" paced music, and tracks that don't have a demanding bass line at all, it clearly shows its lack of control and sounds plain slow - something that shouldn't be present at this price at all. In contrast, my cheaper Shure SE215m+SPE doesn't give in nearly as much with fast and more demanding music material. So yeah, the Sennheiser's limits are reached really early, whereas the Shure has still got plenty of reserves in comparison, and sounds generally tighter, faster and better controlled, while losing slightly when it comes to pure midrange resolution.
In pre-conclusion, slow and not really demanding, slow acoustic singer-songwriter music is really about the only niche where the IE 80 sounds decent.
Soundstage:
Very large, open and three-dimensional stage.
Expands greatly into all dimensions, and presents a large sphere of music, something that the SE215m+SPE doesn't (its stage is pretty wide, however without much spatial depth to speak of).
Yup, that's what makes the IE 80 nice and quite special. However, the imaging isn't very precise at all, and the stages struggles to keep up and collapses the more complex and faster the music gets.
Expands greatly into all dimensions, and presents a large sphere of music, something that the SE215m+SPE doesn't (its stage is pretty wide, however without much spatial depth to speak of).
Yup, that's what makes the IE 80 nice and quite special. However, the imaging isn't very precise at all, and the stages struggles to keep up and collapses the more complex and faster the music gets.
Conclusion:
The Sennheiser IE 80 is an in-ear that sounds only nice when used with slow, undemanding, sparsely occupied recordings - predestined for slow acoustic singer-songwriter stuff where it sounds nice, effortless, open, spacious, pleasantly warm as well as full, and where its low technical performance isn't brought to the limits. With anything else, it's an in-ear that's clearly, and undeniably, on the lower end of the technical performance scale and doesn't do its comparatively high price any justice, performance-wise.