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Sennheiser IE 4 Review | 93 Data compared

Avg. price:~£60Form factor:in-earConnectivity:wiredBattery life:N/A hoursActive noise cancellation (ANC):no

Sennheiser IE 4 Review: Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Headphones category and whether it is worth buying.

Sennheiser IE 4
5.7/10

Overall score

Score
5.7/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 80% of models
Score components

80%

5.1

Technical score

20%

7.8

User score

â–¼Worse than 80% of headphones
7.0

Value for money

Value for money
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Score components

70%

5.7

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 73%
5.1

Technical score

Technical score
5.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 90% of models
Score components

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

3.9

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 90%
7.8

User score

User score
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

70%

8.6

User ratings

30%

6.1

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 63%
  • sennheiser-ie-4
  • sennheiser-ie-4
sennheiser-ie-4
sennheiser-ie-4
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of pair of headphones Sennheiser IE 4

Technical score
Technical score
5.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 90% of models
Score components:

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

3.9

Calls & Controls

5.1
User score
User score
7.8/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

70%

8.6

User ratings

30%

6.1

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
7.8
Popularity
Popularity
6.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 52% of models
Popularity:
Sennheiser IE 4 has a popularity score of 6.1 points, which is higher than that of 52.2% of products in this category.
6.1
Value for money
Value for money
7.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 73% of models
Score components:

70%

5.7

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.0
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
no
This pair of headphones does not support active noise cancellation. 27.5% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
dynamic
Driver size
7 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 7 mm, smaller driver size than 97.9% of headphones and equal to 0.8% of headphones.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <1 – >4
This pair of headphones uses 1 drivers, fewer drivers than 4% of headphones and equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
40 Hz
Market range: <5 Hz – >20 Hz
This pair of headphones reaches a lowest frequency of 40 Hz, higher lowest frequency than 99.4% of headphones and equal to 0.3% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not support a noise-canceling microphone. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
no
This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while 15.1% is. 84.9% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
0
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 0 microphones, fewer microphones than 73.2% of headphones and equal to 26.9% of headphones.
Boom microphone
yes
This pair of headphones includes a boom microphone. 86.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
N/A
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Connectivity
wired
This pair of headphones supports wired connectivity, less flexible connectivity than 49.2% of headphones and equal to 50.8% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
N/A
Audio latency
N/A
Multipoint support
no
This pair of headphones does not support multipoint. 30.6% of headphones support multipoint.
Show more
Ambient sound mode
no
This pair of headphones does not offer ambient sound mode. 24.9% of headphones support ambient sound mode.
EQ support
no
This pair of headphones does not support EQ customization. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
no
This pair of headphones does not work with a companion app. 21.6% of headphones support companion apps.
Adjustable ANC levels
N/A
Voice assistant support
no
This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants. 60.9% of headphones support voice assistants.
Show more
Battery life
N/A
Battery life with ANC
N/A
Charging time
N/A
Quick charge
no
This pair of headphones does not support quick charging. 33.1% of headphones support quick charge.
Battery capacity
N/A
Show more
Brand name
Sennheiser
Form factor
in-ear
Weight
5 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 5 g, lighter than 99.1% of headphones and equal to 0.3% of headphones.
Acoustic design
closed-back
Clamp force
N/A
Show more

Sennheiser IE 4 vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • 97.7% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (5 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    5 g vs 218 g
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • 4 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (106 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    106 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • Boom microphone included
    This pair of headphones includes a boom microphone, the average pair of headphones does not. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
  • 97.7% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (5 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    5 g vs 218 g
  • 4 dB/mW higher sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a higher sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (106 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    106 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • Boom microphone included
    This pair of headphones includes a boom microphone, the average pair of headphones does not. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
  • 33 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (7 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    7 mm vs 40 mm
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 0.7 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1 % vs 0.3 %
  • 22 Hz weaker bass extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher lowest frequency than the average pair of headphones (40 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    40 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • Not headset-ready
    This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while the average pair of headphones is. 84.8% of headphones can be used as headsets.
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • 4.3% worse value for money
    Sennheiser IE 4 has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.97 vs 7.3).
    6.97 vs 7.27
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • Tangle-prone cable
    This pair of headphones uses a tangle-prone cable, while the average pair of headphones is easier to manage. 64.2% of headphones use a tangle-free cable.
  • No travel bag
    This pair of headphones does not include a travel bag, the average pair of headphones does. 65.4% of headphones include a travel bag.
  • 33 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (7 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    7 mm vs 40 mm
  • 0.7 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1 % vs 0.3 %
  • 22 Hz weaker bass extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher lowest frequency than the average pair of headphones (40 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    40 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • Not headset-ready
    This pair of headphones is not headset-ready, while the average pair of headphones is. 84.8% of headphones can be used as headsets.
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This pair of headphones has fewer microphones than the average pair of headphones (0 vs 1). The average headphones have 1 microphones.
    0 vs 1
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • 11 older release date
    This pair of headphones was released earlier than the average pair of headphones (2005 vs 2016). The average headphones were released in 2016.
    June 2005
    2005 vs 2016

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Not graded

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

R
reference-audio-analyzer.pro
15/10/2019
Summary of the review
Sennheiser IE 4 report for a pro - Reference Audio Analyzer
bonedo.de
09/09/2014
Hands-on test · Budget in-ear
Verdict
The Sennheiser IE 4 is a light, neat-fitting budget in-ear with decent sound, but it could sound sharper and offers few extras.
M
musiker-board.de
07/02/2016
Summary of the review
Sennheiser IE 4 | Musician Board
(Translated)Show original
F
fr.audiofanzine.com
13/11/2007
Summary of the review
Comparison of 5 In-Ear Monitors: Getting Hot In-Ears
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: November 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Sennheiser IE 4

  • High passive noise isolation, effective for stage use and commuting
  • Lightweight and compact design for long-term wearing comfort
  • Punchy and present bass response when a proper seal is achieved
  • Balanced midrange and clear, detailed treble suitable for monitoring
  • Durable and robust build quality capable of withstanding heavy professional use
  • Excellent value for money, often described as punching above its price point
  • Universal fit provided by three sizes of exchangeable ear sleeves

What customers don't like about Sennheiser IE 4

  • Thin cable can be prone to tangling and may produce microphonics (cable noise)
  • Significant audio quality loss (bass drop-out) if the ear seal is not perfect
  • Basic packaging with no included carrying case
  • Non-detachable cable makes repairs difficult if the wire fails
  • Upper frequencies can occasionally sound bright or brittle to some listeners
  • Lacks modern features like a built-in microphone or inline controls
  • Reported risk of counterfeit units in the market affecting sound reputation

Verdict

The Sennheiser IE 4 is a professional dynamic in-ear monitor designed primarily for wireless monitoring systems, featuring a compact 1-driver electrodynamic transducer with a 16-ohm impedance and a frequency response of 40 Hz to 20,000 Hz. These headphones are distinguished by their natural sound reproduction and exceptional bass response, capable of handling high sound pressure levels up to 118 dB SPL without distortion. Key pros include a robust stage-ready 1.4-metre cable, high passive noise isolation, and a lightweight universal fit supported by three sizes of interchangeable silicone ear sleeves. However, some users report cons such as a non-removable cable and significant microphonics, where physical cable movement creates audible noise during use.

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