Ergonomic fit, adjustability of the pad depth and the low structure-borne sound transmission of the exchangeable cable are all factors that made me give a thumbs up to these in-ears. And I was also impressed by the contents of the package which includes soft-case, ear pads and cleaning tool.
Sennheiser’s IE 500 Pro In-Ears are really loud monitoring headphones that offer a wide frequency range and reproduce mid-range sounds so precisely that they ensure high speech intelligibility. However, on some productions unpleasant sibilants can be heard. When listening to hi-fi productions with these headphones, the mid-range boost may be too much of a good thing for some users. Aside from this tiny criticism, however, the sound offered is top notch. The Sennheiser IE 500 Pro are impressive monitoring-in-ears, which in my opinion are worth every cent.
The Sennheiser IE 500 Pro are in-ears for monitoring on stage, offering detailed sound and high speech intelligibility.
Sennheiser’s in-ear range for monitoring applications currently consists of three models. The IE 500 Pro is the top model in this range and aims to impress with its high volume, low distortion and detailed sound.
A great deal
The contents of the IE 500 Pro package are appealing: A washable nylon soft case with retractor is included. Six pairs of ear pads made of silicone and memory foam adapt the headphones to different sized ear canals. A cleaning tool is also included, as is the jack adapter, which is gold-plated for protection from rust. The headphones themselves are available in both transparent and smoke-black versions.
Large frequency range
The IE 500 Pro rely on Sennheiser’s “TrueResponse” technology, so the 7mm drivers in the small housings of these in-ears provide 126 dB SPL without much distortion. Thanks to an impedance of only 16 Ohms, operation on body packs and other low-power preamps is no problem. The frequency range of these headphones extends from a very low 9 Hz up to 20 kHz. A frequency boost in the range of 1.7 kHz is designed to improve the intelligibility of voices.
Practical test
The fit of these in-ears is excellent thanks to the different sizes of the ear moulds. The pads can also be moved to adjust how far they should reach into the ear. The ergonomic shape of the housing ensures a comfortable and secure fit, and the headphones and cable together weigh just 18 grams. The 120 cm long cable can be hidden under clothing. It’s worth mentioning that the cable of these in-ears is twisted so that there is no chance of structure-borne sound transmission. This had a positive effect in our practical test. I also liked the attenuation, which the manufacturer states is at 26 dB.
Sound
In terms of sound, the Sennheiser IE 500 Pro offer sub-basses that form a really solid foundation. On top of this, a decent bass range is pushed forward. Compared to the next smallest IE 400 Pro model, the mid-range is significantly boosted. Speech sounds can be heard with the IE 500 Pro in a particularly differentiated way. For the same reason, sibilants (depending on the audio production) can also cause a slight hissing sound with these in-ears. The fact that the frequency range extends 1 kHz further up than that of the next smallest model, the IE 400 Pro, was unfortunately hardly noticeable in our listening test. However, the performance of these in-ears in terms of volume was immense. Monitor signals as well as HiFi sounds can be listened to at magnificently loud volumes and without distortion.
Technical specifications
- Ear couplingIn-ear
- Typeclosed
- Transducer principledynamisch + Balanced-Armature-Treiber
- Frequency response (headphones)6 - 20.000 Hz
- Impedance16 ohms
- Sound pressure level (SPL)@1KHz: 126 dB
- Weight with cable18 g
- Cable length130 cm
What's in the box
- 3 silicone adapters (S, M, L)
- 3 foam adapters (S, M, L)
- 6.35mm stereo jack
- Cleaning tool
- Carrying case
Special features
- available in transparent and black/transparent
