But in the $1,000-and-up range, you have quite a few options. First, there are custom-molded earphones, three of our favorites being the aforementioned UE 18 Pro, the JH Audio JH13 Pro , and the Logitech Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors .

Superb audio performance through the frequency range, with rich lows and clear, vibrant mids and highs; Thoughtfully designed ear tips are easy to swap out, clean; Protective filters keep outside elements away from drivers

Extremely expensive; Cable is not fully detachable-hardwired to ear pieces

THE VERDICT One of the best-sounding in-ear headphones to come along in a long time. The IE 800 is a game changer.

Best-in-class sound

Bass sounds more full than accurate

Sometimes the arrival of a product on the market can have unexpected effects on other categories around it.

Truly sensational sound; Great build; Very easy to live with

Expensive; No inline controls; Sound better at higher levels

The Sennheiser IE 800 are some of the most expensive universal earphones you can get. They cost £600, making them terrifyingly pricey for most people. They don't have the usual sound we expect from a really high-end earphones, though.

Exceptional bass depth; power and quality; Excellent treble detail

Treble can be tiring with some material; Non-removable cable; No remote; Cable causes quite significant microphonic noise

Sennheiser's IE 800 is a seriously expensive pair of earphones. Just from the price alone, it's clear they are aimed at a very specific demographic of high-end audiophiles rather than the mass market.

Upgraded these from ie80 and the difference is night and day.. ie80s were good to start with, but these are just on another level. So crisp and clear detailed in sound. Slightly high on bass though but i actually like it that way. I cant put these down amazing sound and comfort.

To sum up the IE800's, these are truly a work of art; both auditorily and aesthetically. When you've these in your ear you'll not only feel like an audio professional, you'll look like one.

Bass without sacrificing vocals quality; ease of use; comfort

Interesting design quirks; crispy highs; a ton of fakes out there

Just a few notes to qualify some of the ratings that would not be obvious: The highs are so strong (more than HD800 I think) that I can only give the IE800 a six. Soundstage seems OK to good for an IEM, but not unusual. Portability is good in the sense of size, but the carrycase design is fiddly.

With Sennheiser's pedigree in transducer design, it's no surprise that their premium earbuds offer impressive performance.

Always been a fan of armature based IEMs, but decided to have a try with the dynamic IE800s. Being used to memory-foam tips with all my other IEMs, my first day with the IE800s was very frustrating as I tried to find a fit.