Sennheiser IE 900 in-Ear Audiophile Earphones $1199 @ Minidisc (In-Store Only)

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Minidisc Australia

• 

  AHazingGrace on 21/10/2023 - 12:12

  Just in case this place advertises a change of mind policy but it doesn’t apply to in store sales. Got burnt a while back and won’t shop here again because of it.

  • 

    whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 12:13

    Minidisc usually say that, ie. if the box is opened, then they don't accept returns/refunds.

    • 

      AHazingGrace on 21/10/2023 - 12:14

      +2

      Yeah, had a closed box that I bought online for pick up in store and they wouldn’t entertain exchanging it. Just make sure you know what you’re after before going here.

      • 

        whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 12:20

        They wouldn't exchange a closed box ?

        PS:
        I have never bought anything from Minidisc.

        • 

          Grannular on 21/10/2023 - 13:15

          @whyisave: Yes. That's what the comment says

• 

  [Deactivated] on 21/10/2023 - 12:15

  -4

  This is second top tier brand after Yamaha in sound and musical instrument tech. This item is too expensive tough. Samsung, sony, bose jlb etc all are second or third tier brands.

  • 

    whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 12:23

    Which Yamaha earphones do you recommend?

    The IE900 earphones are AU$ 2000+ priced earphones,
    which has a had massive price reduction this month, to low $1k now.

    I have the IE600 and it's a very good, single dynamic driver earphone
    with nice bass and lots of treble, but not very resolving in the mids.
    Still, it's a fun IEM and worth having in a collection.

    So, based on that, the IE900 is a much more refined IE600
    and improves several aspects of the IE600, except that the IE900 price
    was usually the sticking point because
    the "improvements" didn't justify that high price.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 21/10/2023 - 13:26

      -3

      Yamaha may not have a thing in this class. however in general almost always yamaha > sennheiser. If nothing same/equalfrom yamaha then buy sennheiser. as for the high price, half of the sum you are paying for is for a 'german engineered' brand name as after steady state saturation, brands charge a lot for their brand name. Here, for sure, grave diggers, who desperately chasing 1 or 2 cents cheaper deals, may even claim a casio piano is better than a yahama.

      • 

        whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 13:40

        I'm not interested in class, but interested in what is outside of class,
        if Yamaha is purportedly better in "sound & musical instrument tech".

        In the last 5+ years, 'ChiFi' has usurped many European, American & Japanese bands.
        In fact, it's not only Chinese companies, but Malaysian [Elysian], Singaporean [FatFreq, Denafrips],
        Indonesian [7th Acoustics]… have all created products that rival, and even do qualitatively better
        than brands such as Sennheiser.

        • 

          [Deactivated] on 21/10/2023 - 14:15

          -3

          @whyisave: I meant by 'in this class' was in this category. Yamaha has something over the neck in ear stuff but might not be in the same category. Yamaha makes many musical instruments but also does not make in some categories where Sennheiser may prevails like in this item. watchmaker, tv maker, phone maker brands etc cannot beat Yahama's 'sound & musical instrument tech'.

          • 

            whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 14:29

            @[Deactivated]: Thanks for your thoughts,
            though I was curious to know if you had Yamaha recommendations for IEMs.

            If Yamaha were well-known for IEMs,
            it would have made it to some of these ranking lists,
            eg.
            Jaytss ranking: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1szWEGb65IeCgsi7SL2_L…
            Precog ranking: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pUCELfWO-G33u82H42J8…

            etc.

            • 

              [Deactivated] on 21/10/2023 - 14:47

              @whyisave: I did not say Yamaha well known for IEMs. but I said 'Yamaha makes many musical instruments but also does not make in some categories where Sennheiser may prevails like in this item.'
              I also said if there is no equivalent Yamaha buy Sennheiser. I would buy Sennheiser but not at this price even if it was a Yamaha. Waste of money. None of those brands, except Sennheiser in this case, can beat yamaha's sound tech.

  • 

    qkr on 21/10/2023 - 12:27

    Who said Yamaha is the top tier brand?

    • 

      nismo on 21/10/2023 - 14:03

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14393892/redir

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14449714/redir

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14384139/redir

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14450529/redir

• 

  cooleagles on 21/10/2023 - 12:37

  If i had the money I'd be looking at the ThieAudio Monarch Mk2.

  In the $5-700 range maybe moondrop variations or blessing 2 dusk.

  • 

    whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 13:07

    ThieAudio Monarch Mk2.
    Agree, for 2 reasons:

    1) I have this IEM and can vouch it
    2) When I listened to the IE900,
    the tuning felt like the Monarch II anyway - "safe",
    except Monarch II has more clear mid-range,
    but IE900 has better 'boomy' bass.

    The IE900 has never been this low a price,
    so the price alone is attractive.
    Also, IE900 has all-metal body and sturdy,
    but Monarch II face-plate can come off,
    and ThieAudio products can have poor manufacturing.

    maybe moondrop variations or blessing 2 dusk.
    I have tried these 2 IEMs too,
    and they don't suit my tastes.
    Variations - too much V-shape

    ( I have the Blessing 2 already and
    the Dusk made it more bassy than I what I prefer.
    I would say the Blessing 3 is a very, very good IEM for the price. )

    • 

      Davesday on 21/10/2023 - 15:12

      That’s one of those ‘compromises’ in the Chi-Fi category. The other lesser known compromise is the pairing between equipments in the audio chain. It changes from equipment to equipment. Something about the impedance variation.

      • 

        whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 15:14

        What I also found that certain IEMs pair very nicely with certain DACs.

        So, even with the few dongle DACs that I have, the pairings are 'unpredictable'
        in deciding which IEM will sound good or not.

        Personally, I don't like EQ'ing anything and like to hear music (MP3 or FLAC) as-is.

    • 

      poppingtags on 21/10/2023 - 15:47

      +1

      I tried the Monarch Mk2 and Mk3 for the first time last week and was blown away! Seems like the next logical step up from the Timeless that I own and love, but I don't think I'm ready to drop that kind of money on an IEM yet, especially given how every few months there's a new giant killer (like the Timeless) that completely changes the game. Hopefully we'll see Monarch performance in the ~$500ish range in the next few years.

      • 

        whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 17:03

        I really like my Monarch MK2
        but I have never tried the MM3 myself,
        so, which did you like out of the MM2 and MM3 ?

        My very 2nd ChiFi IEM was the 7Hz Timeless (about a year ago),
        and I really didn't like it, because it was too 'tinny' and 'spicy'.

        For a decent IEM at the AU$ 500 mark,
        I suggest the Moondrop Blessing 3.

        I am biased to the Moondrop tuning,
        and after trying (in order) Blessing 2 Dusk, Blessing 3, Variations,
        my preference is the Blessing 3.
        ( It's a little bit better than the Blessing 2
        and both of these IEMs are great value for the price )

        Sometimes, you can pick up a Dunu SA6 MK2 'cheap',
        so you can try that too, as it's not so bad…
        and similar to Blessing 3, but different kind of tuning.

        A little bit more, and you may as well get the Sennheiser IE600
        (or Moondrop S8 )

        I'm just not a fan of the Variations (too much "V-shape" for my listening preference)

        • 

          poppingtags on 21/10/2023 - 17:50

          +1

          @whyisave: Very interesting, we might have different preferences - because I personally love the Timeless! That said, I've noticed that the Timeless can be quite source dependant - I tend to like more mellow, neutral to warm sound signatures - like Audeze's and Focal's open-back house sound, so definitely don't like spicy or bright generally - but the Timeless can lean that way depending on the source, planar drivers in general are very maleable, which is why people seem to like EQing them a lot too.

          I found the MM3 to be slightly airier with crisper highs and slightly more defined bass over the MM2, a small but noticeable and worthy update, given that it's been kept at the same price point (at least in US$).

          Definitely keen to checkout more IEMs, including the Blessing, the Senns and the Dunus - but I also would like my next jump to not leave me wanting for something more (something I've managed to achieve with speakers and headphones!)

          • 

            whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 18:35

            @poppingtags:

            to not leave me wanting for something more

            that is most likely NOT going to happen, haha

            • 

              poppingtags on 22/10/2023 - 01:05

              +1

              @whyisave: I thought so too - but its been quite a few years since I bought a headphone or a speaker! I've got a pair of LCD-2s and an Elear for headphones, and for speakers I have a pair of LS50 Metas and some vintage Sonus Faber towers, I think I've hit the point of significant diminishing returns - I haven't come across anything else (at least that I could afford) that I've really wanted. I could see myself upgrading eventually, but it would require a pretty substantial jump in my salary haha!

              On the IEM front though, the Monarchs showed me just how big of a jump they are over the Timeless, will be keeping an eye on them for sure. Its a shame the AU$ is doing so poorly these days!

• 

  bargaino on 21/10/2023 - 14:53

  " in-Ear Audiophile " - is that supposed to be a joke, like the Dan Clark Audio post?

  What next? best audiophile tin cans?

  • 

    whyisave on 21/10/2023 - 15:11

    I just copied the title from the deal posted here

    Sennheiser IE 900 in-Ear Audiophile Headphones $1359.15 ($1,327.17 eBay Plus) Delivered @ Sennheiser Australia eBay
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/806176

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  cloud68 on 21/10/2023 - 15:42

  This is music to my ears