PRODUCT
TESTS
Sennheiser IE 40 Pro Dynamic In-Ear Monitors
By Mike Rowland
A
t last, Sennheiser has introduced
its first professional-level in-ear
monitor headphone, the IE 40
Pro. The company touts the 10-
mm dynamic broadband driver
in each earpiece as its competitive edge
against its rivals in the category, which of-
fers a wide frequency response with a solid
bass foundation.
Overview
Diving into the specs, the IE 40 Pro offers
a frequency response of 20 Hz to 18 kHz,
which is slightly wider than its main com-
petitors. When running a tone generator,
I was surprised how well they produced a
very audible 25 Hz upwards, but found the
top end started to roll off earlier than the
advertised 18 kHz.
The IE 40 Pro offers up to 26dB of at-
tenuation, while some competing models
can take off an additional 10dB of environ-
ment noise. That’s certainly something to
consider when getting into the world of
IEMs, though your intended applications are
key to making an informed decision. What
style of music are you playing? Which kinds
of venues? A bit of experimentation and
research will give you a good head start on
your ideal solution.
The IE 40 Pro comes with different
memory foam and rubber bud attachments
to allow for a variety of ear canal gauges
and ensure a comfortable fit.
The patent-pending, proprietary in-ear
cable is removable and therefore replace-
able should it become intermittent or break;
however, Sennheiser touts the durability of
the cable and connectors as another key
selling factor.
The cable, which loops up and over
the ear, is reinforced to give it some ad-
ditional support. The loop over the ear can
be moved around and manipulated to help
secure the mould and keep it in a sealed
position.
The mould being detachable but “break-
proof” is also a nice reassurance consider-
ing it addresses another point of potential
failure, and after testing it, I can confirm that
it certainly takes a lot of force to remove the
cable from the driver casing, which earns a
thumbs-up from me in terms of durability
and trustworthiness. (That said, I wouldn’t
22 PROFESSIONAL SOUND
advise crowd surfing with these on, in case
anyone in the audience was thinking of
conducting the same test…)
For the record, some of my favourite
listening buds over the years have been
the standard ones that Sennheiser includes
with its transmitters; I’ve always found them
lightweight and very comfortable to wear
in addition to sounding really good. I’m very
happy to see (and feel) that the company
has built on these same pillars with the IE
40 Pro. don’t cut quite as much as I’d like, but
upon giving them more level to move and
breathe, they certainly come alive in their
high mids. I’ll note they also lack some
sparkle and air in the top end, but this is also
typical in a single-driver headphone and not
a huge concern considering the feature set,
performance, and price point.
They’re packaged nicely, and along with
the variably-sized rubber and foam ends,
the set comes with a cleaning tool and small
pouch for storing your new IEMs.
In Use
When putting them on, the first thing I
noticed was just how comfortable they are!
The slightly rubberized cable creates a more
“gripped” feel along the back of your neck
and the toggle easily moves up to keep the
cables pulled back and in place.
Sonically, I must say I’m very impressed.
Comparing them to the aforementioned
generic Sennheiser buds that I know very
well, they have a little more information in
the high mids and a nice, full, rounded low
mid. They certainly have a warm character-
istic, which is one of the reasons I really liked
their generic headphones. That also means
they’re less fatiguing when being worn for
extended periods – another plus.
While monitoring at lower levels, they For the price, I would absolutely recom-
mend these and even buy a pair myself. I
am biased to using these in a professional
environment as I’m lucky enough to use
high-end custom moulds, but since I never
wear my custom moulds if I’m not working,
these certainly are now my go-to head-
phones. They’re incredibly comfortable and
sound great, especially considering the
price point. If you’re looking to get into the
world of IEMs, Sennheiser’s IE 40 Pro is a
great option.
Mike Rowland is a touring monitor engineer
for the likes of Daniel Caesar, Marianas Trench,
AFI, Don Broco, and others.