Review Bose IE2 - how can you recommend something?

Review Bose IE2 - how can you recommend something?

Bose ® IE2 audio headphones ®, Black (Electronics)

Customer Review

Note for weighting the vote:
Comfort: 1 point max.
Delivery / perceived quality: 1 point max.
Sound: 3 points max.
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Preface:
Although in this review frequently from Sennheiser CX400 is mentioned - which should not be a comparison test.
The CX400's just the in-ear headphones, which I always use for years "away from home". And of all my in-ears the sound balanced headphones. The used model of me there is no longer a long time.
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After my Sennheiser CX400 have now already 7 years on the hump, should over here something new. In 7 years, some have as yet have done with the in-ear headphones, I thought.
So go, but especially for's gym I was looking for something new. The Bose IE2 As I came before rather interesting. I find my Bluetooth Brüllwürfel Bose (SoundLink Mini) still just amazing - why not something from Bose for the Road? Bose IE2 ordered from Amazon. Delivery speed of an arrow, fine.

Comfort:
Also because of that Bose "StayHear" earpieces I came up with the IE2. Basically, it is in this design is a mixture of in-ears and On-Ears. To put in place more or less good and pleasant sitting earpieces into the ear canal, the ear pieces are here rather in the ear canal and protrude with a thin tunnel to pass in those inside. Kept the earphones by a soft strap in the inner ear.
This works quite well even during movements and is a fine structure.

However, you can feel in two respects hardly anything of the Bose IE2 in the ear.
Not no press, even when wearing längerm - First, they sit completely unobtrusive in the ear. That's great.
On the other hand it but hardly dampen ambient noise. This may be an advantage if you want to use it on the road. Since this is so or so borderline and basically also (for good reason) is prohibited - this property is rather disturbing. For example, in the gym so you have still the ambient noise in the ear - less enjoyable. If I wanted to hear what the pensioners-pack next door so roars into the semi-deaf ears - I did not have headphones on ... (Hey, Späßle - do not be offended if you fall in retirees heading :-)
What little annoying: A small plastic slide keeps the cord of the earphone in the upper cable segment together. He has a habit of sliding down if you have fixed the headphones with the bracket (eg the shirt) and they hang down. When re Wearing the headphones "the cable is too short," then you have to fumble and the slide back down.

Rating: Due to the pleasant seat in the ear: 1 point

Delivery / perceived quality:
Caveat: Unpacking the Bose IE2 was less great. Without scissors difficult aufzubekommen. Plastic blister - Who actually invented that? And why? Protect the product from the customer? Or the customer before the product ...?

In addition to the headphones, their appearance with the black and white cable, black housings is a matter of taste with silver plastic application and milky earpieces, is still a carry bag it. Selbige is made of soft plastic and has no interior supports or Organizational tools. Headphones along with cables are so easy hineingeprummelt, zipper on and ready.
Furthermore, ear pieces found in three sizes (S / M / L). The manual is located in what felt like 10 languages ​​on a big sheet to this community. With a little search you can also find "his" language. Of course there is also a warranty documentation with the request to register his purchase at Bose.
The connecting cable is long enough to my mind, / to carry the player in your pocket on your belt is not a problem.
As for the perceived quality - so-so. The black and white cable, I understand not (feels a bit like cheap wire from the 80s ...), but otherwise this is okay. However, not much better than * cough * rather inexpensive department store bargain bin-goods - for the price of the Bose IE2 not entirely convincing.
The 3.5mm jack seems to be gilded. He is running slightly angled upwards (~ 30 degrees).

Rating: delivery okay, perceived quality of the price range is not appropriate. 0.5 points.

Hearing test
Now times scraping the barrel. I eagerly put my arsenal of test-pieces (of CD respectively as MP3 files in both low (160 kbit / s CBR) and high resolution (320 kbit / s CBR) cope.
Now I really wanted to hear sample pieces of different persuasions and respond to the specific strengths and weaknesses of Bose IE2 with respect to the respective pieces each. In direct comparison with my old Sennheiser CX400. After I cross Beet - Boss Hoss, Dire Straits, Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones, CCColetti, Eric Burdon, Billy Joel, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Aerosmith, Sisters of Mercy, Buena Vista Social Club, Miles Davis, Mastermind, ... so Real pretty CROSS BEET, have compared - can I abbreviate the matter:

The Bose IE2 always sound as if a veil over the music. Dull. Details go under, the sound is faded and somehow "chaotic" pressed his ear. For Voice, Piano (eg Norah Jones Cold, Cold Heart) manages the IE2 addition also unpleasantly sharp sounding - both piano stops and Norah's vocals come partly almost painful ear.
Especially in a direct comparison with the Sennheiser CX400 (remember, 7 years old, used a lot ...).
Strong bass response bring two - the IE2 however is always quite dull and undefined over.
The Sennheiser CX400 however, brings about a more defined bass and clearer, more spacious resolution in mids and highs. The differences are really so dramatically audible - they think they are in a different universe of sound.
And so that no misunderstandings: even the CX400 is a compromise, really good on-ear headphones we eg a Beyerdynamic DT 990 are again a whole different class!
Out of curiosity, I dug out my old iPhone 3G headphones and Bose IE2 compared with it.
Tatsache- here scores of IE2. However, only the bass - mid / high are not significantly worse in the known average iPhone headphones. As a further comparison, I had still a Philips SHE9000 are - also topped the IE2 sonically.

I'm really quite disappointed with the Bose IE2. After me the Bose SoundLink Mini really very pleasantly surprised - in my opinion in its price range the clearest aufspielende BT speakers - I expected much more.
Honestly - my opinion: the IE2 are in no way worth the money.

The sound of a headphone is truly the key. Therefore also still 3 points to distribute - we come to:

Conclusions & final classification
Price / performance is insufficient - neither of the perceived quality of the still sound forth the Bose IE2 come even close in a region that is a price beyond the 20 - justifies. Alternatively, I would, for example, the Philips SHE9000 recommend that, for said 20 - are available and generous with balanced come across (though not top).
For the offered sound quality it is difficult for me to ever awarded a point. Especially in relation to the rather high price. More than one point I can with the best will not wring - and wonder as seriously whether that's just out of sympathy for Bose so.

So stay unfortunately only 2.5 of 5 points for my review - sorry Bose, you have really great products in the program, but here you must urgently rectify!

Since Amazon no half points can be awarded and my overall impression - as you can probably guess - not really a positive result - rounded down to 2 stars.

I'd prefer the IE2 return - which, unfortunately, with such well-articles not going.
85 - sunk. Goofy.

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For readers who would like to have a bit more details about listening tests like, here are some of the descriptions of individual pieces, which I like to use for listening tests. As already written above - I have given up quite early to describe the pieces in detail, because the IE2 have always hung said "carpet" in front of the music.
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O The BossHoss - Bull Power (CD):
From the beginning, this piece expresses with pace in his ears. A limited number of instruments,
which are also good to keep apart, make this piece a prima test song. Let us listen once:
Bose IE2:
Somehow it all sounds "far away" and turned under as a dampening carpet.
Punchy, already. But washy, vague. Reminds me a little of the headset of my iPhone 3G ...
It fält difficult to locate individual instruments / to hear properly - and as I said, the piece is not really complex in
Terms of instrumentalization.
Sennheiser CX400:
Another World! Clear bass, treble, middle - POINT

O Aerosmith - Milk Cow Blues (Greatest Hits Live, 160k / bits CBR):
Big mistake. First belongs to the Sennheiser CX400.
After that the IE2 - buh, what a dull Gerummel! Sorry Bose, but that is not at all.
Crisp hard basses are already fine, but this dull roar is NOT crisp.
The assumption that one at 160 kbit / s hardly any difference between the IE2 and the CX400
listening - it has not been confirmed.

O Tracy Chapman - Talkin 'Bout A Revolution (CD):
Tracy Chapman's first album is for me just in any serious listening test.
The Album "Tracy Chapman" fully digital recording offers first-class technology,
coupled with clear arrangements - simple, but precisely because of the simplicity as well
to compare.
The Bose IE2 the song "Talkin 'Bout A Revolution" was but as before everything else
unfortunately also somewhat clouded. Individual voices (there is only one ;-) or instruments
to hear succeeded. A real presence not came over, however. Only when I anklemmte the CX400,
I recognized the quality of the recording.

O Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms (CD):
A still very good recording quality distinguishes this 25-year-old number.
Powerful Start, thunderstorm, calm. Guitar, long-drawn notes.
Rich bass. A few instruments, one vote - in front of a bearing synthesizer in background
To identify how to make a song for details.
What makes the Bose IE2 from this?
A tapestry of sound. Inimitable soupy, muddy, slimy - just one can right and left
differ (yes, there was something just right, that was not the left, ui!).
The Singing Guitar - so from 5:03 clearly audible) sounds like sent through a low pass.
Disconnect the IE2, the CX400 tuned. Oh! Ah! The Hi Hats are indeed not at all in the background!
The guitar playing on to give yet unimagined heights. A sound-Univerum surrounds me - there are worlds
between these two headphones!

O Iron Maiden - Flight of Icarus (CD):
Clean rhythmic drums, sharp guitar riffs, voluminous vocals (plenty electronically
gepuscht, at least for "Back"). Let's see how the IE2 can handle it.
Hm. Was not that all a bit dizzy? The title appropriate?
However, the chasing rhythm guitar sounded ever more detached from the rest.
Deceiving the memory? Let's take the old CX400. And?
AH YES is possible! Sharp-edged, but not painful comes over the rhythm guitar.
Satellite, clearly defined the drums. The echo effects of singer-voice fit again,
sound wide and airy.

A test on "everyday device" (here a Sony Xperia Z1):
Music in mp3 format, 320 kbit / s CBR.

O Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus:
Something simple for the in-ears. Or? No, he's here too audible "carpet".
Basically, I would not at all have to "reconnect" to the CX400 - I was already
clear beforehand that there is a significantly clearer presence and transparency comes to the ears.

I handed it then to the point when I tried using the equalizer of the Z1,
somehow still should get the proper sound set for the Bose IE2.
Hardly a response to changes at the controls! In stark contrast to the CX400, because you can hear even 3dB differences already apparent.

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