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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
When selecting between the Etymotic ER2SE and the Sennheiser HD800S, consider your primary use case. The Etymotic ER2SE, being substantially more affordable, offers excellent overall sound quality and exceptional noise isolation, making them suitable for commuting and environments where you want to block out external noise. However, they are less comfortable for prolonged periods. In contrast, the Sennheiser HD800S, while pricier, delivers superior soundstage, making them ideal for an immersive listening experience at home. They are also more comfortable for long listening sessions, but their open-back design means they leak sound and offer little noise isolation, unsuitable for noisy environments. Both options lack a microphone, so neither is optimal for calls or meetings. Choose the Etymotic for value and noise isolation, or the Sennheiser for comfort and a superior soundstage at a higher cost. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Etymotic ER2SE
- The Etymotic ER2SE has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser HD800S.
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD800S
- Best in class for music
- Good for gaming
- Best in class for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.8
9.9
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for music, while the Etymotic ER2SE is very good.
Gaming
6.2
7.5
The Sennheiser HD800S is good for gaming, while the Etymotic ER2SE is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.6
8.1
The Sennheiser HD800S is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Etymotic ER2SE is good.
TV and Video
7.8
9.7
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for TV and video, while the Etymotic ER2SE is good.
Noise Reduction
9.1
2.5
The Etymotic ER2SE is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD800S is poor.
Cost
$100
$1,390
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Etymotic ER2SE has a price of $100 and the Sennheiser HD800S costs $1,390.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
4.9
5.0
The Sennheiser HD800S and Etymotic ER2SE are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Etymotic ER2SE and Sennheiser HD800S both have excellent build quality.
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How the Etymotic ER2SE and the Sennheiser HD800S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Etymotic ER2SE | Sennheiser HD800S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$100 | $1,390 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Etymotic | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2019 | December 1, 2015 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 10/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.9/10 | 9.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 2.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 6/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4 Grams | 371.9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Etymotic ER2SE
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | April 2022
"Etymotic isn’t playing around: it takes audio seriously and has mastered the art of the noise-isolation earphone. Sure, the fit of the earbuds looks silly but it’s a signature Etymotic thing and could be considered charming by some. If you’re looking for best-in-class audio for a realistic price, the ER2SE is it."
Sennheiser HD800S
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | March 2023
"The cans offer stellar sound quality, comfort, and good maintenance options—so they're an easy recommendation if you have the cash and the need for the last headphones you'll buy for years."
Get a great deal on the Etymotic ER2SE or the Sennheiser HD800S
About Etymotic
Etymotic Research is an American based research, development and manufacturing company founded in 1983. They invented the first insert earphones that were used for the diagnosis and research of hearing loss and other auditory disorders. They went on to pioneer the market of high fidelity, isolating, in-ear earphones.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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