The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are well-designed in-ear headphones that have an acceptable sound signature. They don't have the same comfortable fit as some other similarly designed headphones, but they still block a good amount of ambient noise, especially work environment noise. They're also well-built, though their detachable cable is fairly loose and comes off easily. The IE 40 PRO are decent wired headphones but won't be the best option if you can't find a good fit.
Our Verdict
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are okay for mixed usage. These small earbuds have a passable sound quality for critical listeners but lack sub-bass, which won't be ideal for bass-heavy genres. They are decent sports headphones thanks to their small build and ear-hook design, but these in-ear monitors weren't really designed for this use. They can be used at the office since they block a decent amount of work environment noises. However, they won't be the best for watching TV or gaming since their cable is very short, and they don't have a microphone for online games. On the upside, their wired connection will be good for watching video content without a delay.
- Durable build with detachable cables.
- Good isolation performance.
- Acceptable sound quality.
- Loose earbud connectors.
- In-ear fit won’t be comfortable for everyone.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are acceptable for neutral listening. They have good bass, a well-balanced, even mid-range, and a fairly flat treble. However, they might feel light on thump and rumble and their bass is slightly boomy. Also, sibilants (S and T sounds) may feel overly sharp and piercing on certain bright tracks. Overall, they won't be the ideal choice for bass-heavy music with lots of sub-bass, like dubstep and EDM, but they can be a good option for vocal-centric music.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are okay for commuting. These headphones are fairly portable and easy to carry around when traveling. They have a decent isolation performance but don't do much against the deep rumble of bus and airplane engines, which won't be great for commuting. They can be a good option if you want to watch TV shows during your commute, as their wired connection won't have any latency issues.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are good for sports. These headphones are very easy to carry around to the gym and they are stable enough for you to work out with thanks to their ear-hook design. They don't move around too much with head movement if you can find a good fit. Additionally, you won't sweat more than usual if you workout with these headphones.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are okay for the office. These in-ears are not the most comfortable headphones, and if you've had comfort issues with other in-ears, you'll more than likely have some with these. They won't be the best option to wear for multiple hours during a workday. On the upside, they block out work environment noise well and you won't have to manage a battery life, which some may prefer. However, this means they won’t offer the versatility and freedom of a wireless design.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are poor for gaming. They won't be comfortable for long gaming marathons and won't offer the customization options of many other gaming headphones. They also lack a microphone, which isn't ideal for online games.
Changelog
- Updated May 17, 2024: We've added a comparison between these buds and the Sennheiser IE 200 in Compared to Other Headphones.
- Updated Mar 26, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are IEMs with a fairly neutral sound. However, they won't necessarily be a better option than similar in-ear monitor headphones like the Sennheiser IE 200, which have a flatter, more balanced sound. They aren't as comfortable as other options, and their noise isolation performance is mediocre.
See our recommendations for the best wired headphones, the best earbuds and in-ears, and the best cheap earbuds.
The Shure SE215 and Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are pretty similar in-ear headphones, but each are slightly better in different categories. The Shure are better built as their detachable cable isn't as loose as the Sennheiser, and the buds feel a bit better-made. Also, they fit better inside the ears, making them more comfortable and creating a better seal for excellent isolation. On the other hand, the Sennheiser have a better treble range reproduction, as the Shure have a broad dip that affects the detail and brightness of those frequencies. However, the Sennheiser have a significant lack of low bass.
The 1More Triple Driver are better critical listening headphones than the Sennheiser IE 40 PRO. The 1More are slightly more comfortable thanks to their angled design, but they don’t have the Sennheiser's detachable cable. Sound-wise, the 1More are noticeably more neutral, especially since they don’t have a bass roll-off in low-bass. The 1More fit isolates about the same amount of noise as the Sennheiser too. The 1More have a microphone and in-line controls, which is more versatile for everyday casual use.
If you like bass-heavy music, the TIN Audio T3 will be a better choice than the Sennheiser IE 40 PRO. Their sound profiles are fairly similar, but the low-bass of the TIN is more accurate and doesn’t lack thump like the Sennheiser. The TIN are also better-built and feel more durable. Their bud design creates a better air-tight seal and will isolate against ambient noise very well.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are slightly better critical listening in-ears than the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear. They are better-built than the Momentum and have slightly better audio reproduction. On the other hand, the Momentum might be more versatile for casual listening thanks to the in-line remote, and their fit blocks more ambient noise, which will be better for commuting and traveling. They also have an in-line microphone for calls that the IE 40 PRO doesn’t have.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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