As some one who just listened to some sound from average head phone you can found anywhere on the streets. I really don't know why audiophiles adding capacitor on pcie, adding another groups of capacitors on on the 24 pin motherboard connector, adding capacitors that look like ram sticks. And getting PSU that's over 400usd. Honestly, the capacitor cost more than twice the cost of their other parts. And also mod their own sound cards, I have seen tons of creative x-fi elite got nodding some thing that look completely different from before, and need to write their own drivers. I recently buys an ie80s, 2nd hand. Which is an entry level of head phone. As some one who is not an audiophile idiots, and just an normal dudes on the streets I must say, ie80s sound amazing, when I listen it in the public transport my tears amost flow out. BTW, my ie80s was unused initially I thought it was a fake, cause it don't sound sennheiser like all. But hours of heated discussion with the sellers in hongkong and I just leave the head phone on the pc for a 12 hour of white noise. And magic happens. It sound so good. Not sure why is there so many negative reviews out there, I seriously which saw good reviews for beats studio 3 and not an good review for ie80s. Sennheiser ie80s have being the best sounding ears phone I ever heard as an random person on the streets, as I don't buy ear phones at this price tags. And this is the first time getting an entry-level head phones and not trash level head phone like other brands like beats(made shits) , Sony (sound sucks, camera sucks, phone sucks, jack of all trades, sucker in every thing.) philips (at least they are cheap), hp(not sure who's the oem). As compared to other of my head phones, ie8, it died for 2 years, but my impression of sound I use to here in that head phones are better in ie80s. Anyway you can't get ie8 anymore. 1 more double driver old models with stright plugs, ie80s is better in lower range middle range and higher range, all range. Well the price matters I guess. But double drive is good too. Than my sennheiser momentum in ear headphones. I feel that in ear is better at some range, but I'm not an audiophile and my ears are dumb and I think ie80s just got rekt in some songs that have very low notes. But momentum is famous for lackluster in vocals mid range. Well ie80s also not as good in vocal higher mid range but alot better, in usability I think ie80s is better in most of songs. Even ie80s is weak in higher mids, it's still way better than a lots of my previous head phones. For $300 ~ 400 usd I think ie80s is well worth the money. You should look at my face if you see me on the public transport lol. Sennheiser is aways value for money with their quality sounds, they really can made you tell the difference from an normal headphones that only use to answers calls and an entry level head phones that you listen to sound. But it's hard to recommend sennheiser to normal people like me due to the huge number counterfeits and fakes. Ie80s is an entry level head phone that just play some sond, I wonder how good are the head phone that plays song and music. Like the big brother ie800s, the legendary hd660s and the formal king of head phones Hd820. And how a set of DCs ADC, timer, AMP will sound. Ie80s this entry level would made me almost cry, I think my eye balls would drop from my eyes if I have an DCs sets and a Hd820.
Normal people with right mind wouldn't spent 300 usd for a ear buds anyway. And those who would probably don't need recommendations anyway. That's why you don't see ads in brands like sennheiser, akg, JSJ, DCS. Its an entry level for audiophile, which means really highend head phones for picky users. Expecially sennheiser, the ie8 and ie80 the legacy is well know to almost everyone even non-audiophiles, ie8, ie80, hd600, hd650, are just classic in their own Era. Its just that I'm trying to say there is really sound difference between 100usd ear buds and 300usd ear buds. And ie80s unlike other in the same price range it needs an amp. Or an very good player.
I just checked the impedance of the IE80. At 16ohms, you don't need an amp to drive them. The integrated amp in a cheap cellphone will work just fine.
Ie80s needs 157mW, iPhone and other phone with a tails for dac only have 45mW@16ohms. It can sound but you don't get the full potential, that's why ie80s have a really high entry level. Vsonic GR09, another famous inears only need 15mW which is within 300usd price range. Ie80s need 10 time the push compare to average ear buds. Edit: the so called entry level head phones is a memes in China about how its high entry level in it compare to other comparable in its price range and its precestors. Yet the sales rates is just amazing. And ie40pro need 158mW And it's a 20ohms, the head phone independence is a common misconception to random people like the street like me too.