A Sennheiser IE 600 cable needs an MMCX plug made for Sennheiser's recessed socket, not a standard MMCX plug. On any Null Audio cable, choose IE300/600/900 under Headphone connection. The same option fits the IE 200, IE 300 and IE 900. Then choose 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm or 2.5 mm to match your source.
This guide is for IE 600 and IE 900 owners, and IE 200 and IE 300 owners too, who want a replacement, balanced or upgrade lead. It explains the recessed socket, compares Sennheiser's own cables with ours, and shows how to choose a Sennheiser IE 600 cable by plug, conductor and budget.
Key takeaways
- Sennheiser's IE 200, IE 300, IE 600 and IE 900 use MMCX connectors set in a recessed socket; Sennheiser describes the IE 300's as 4.8 mm wide.
- Choose IE300/600/900 in our configurator. It is listed separately from standard MMCX, and one option covers all four models.
- Sennheiser ships the IE 600 with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables, and the IE 900 with 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables, each 1.25 m long.
- A 4.4 mm balanced plug has 5 contacts and a 2.5 mm balanced plug has 4; buy the one your source has.
- Every Null Audio cable is built to order by hand in Singapore, with a 1-year transferable warranty.
What connector does a Sennheiser IE 600 cable need?
The IE 600 uses gold-plated Fidelity (+) MMCX connectors. Sennheiser says they are "recessed in the housing for greater stability and guidance" (Sennheiser). MMCX is a snap-on coaxial connector that can rotate in its socket.
The recess is the important part. On the IE 300, Sennheiser describes each MMCX connector as seated in a recessed, 4.8 mm-wide socket beneath the surface of the housing (Sennheiser). The cable's plug has to reach into that recess to make contact.
So, in our configurator, choose IE300/600/900 under Headphone connection. Do not choose standard MMCX. Our Sennheiser IE 200 / IE 300 / IE 600 / IE 900 cable guide lists the option for each model, with sources.
Why won't a standard MMCX cable do?
Sennheiser's own replacement cable describes its plug as MMCX "with proprietary Sennheiser recession" (Sennheiser). In other words, the pin layout is MMCX, but the plug is made for Sennheiser's recess.
That is why we make a separate plug and list it apart from standard MMCX. We have not recorded whether a standard MMCX plug fails to seat or only sits loose in these sockets, so we don't offer it for the IE series.
MMCX connections in general have a reputation for wear with frequent swapping. Audio-Technica lists loose fit, overly tight fit and dropouts when the plug rotates as MMCX problems (Audio-Technica). Sennheiser's recess is meant to add stability and guidance. Either way, push the plug straight in and pull it straight out. 2-pin, MMCX, IPX or Pentaconn Ear explains the main connector types.
Do the IE 200, IE 300 and IE 900 take the same cable?
Yes. Sennheiser lists its IE-series MMCX cable as compatible with the IE 200, IE 300, IE 600 and IE 900 (Sennheiser). Our IE300/600/900 option fits all four, including the IE 200.
| Model | Year | Socket | Cables in the box | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IE 200 | 2023 | Recessed MMCX | Not recorded | IE300/600/900 |
| IE 300 | 2021 | Recessed MMCX, 4.8 mm wide | 3.5 mm, 1.25 m; 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm sold separately | IE300/600/900 |
| IE 600 | 2022 | Recessed Fidelity (+) MMCX | 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm, 1.25 m | IE300/600/900 |
| IE 900 | 2021 | Recessed Fidelity (+) MMCX | 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm, 1.25 m each | IE300/600/900 |
Other Sennheiser in-ears are different. The IE 40 PRO, IE 400 PRO, IE 500 PRO and IE 80 each have their own option, not standard MMCX. See our Sennheiser IE PRO and IE 80 cable guide.
Sennheiser's own cables or ours?
Sennheiser sells a replacement "MMCX Cable for IE Series" with a 3.5 mm, 3-pin plug and a length of 1.20 m (Sennheiser). The IE 600's own cables are para-aramid reinforced (Sennheiser), and the IE 900 comes with three cables (Sennheiser).
If you simply need a like-for-like spare, Sennheiser's cable is a straightforward choice. A Null Audio cable makes sense when you want something the stock leads don't give you:
- A different conductor, such as UPOCC copper, 7N silver or a silver/copper hybrid.
- One cable with interchangeable player plugs, or a plug Sennheiser doesn't include with your model.
- A different feel, weight or length.
- FlexiPlug, which gives one cable interchangeable earphone-side tips, including IE 300/600/900 MMCX, 0.78 mm 2-pin, IPX, A2DC, qdc 2-pin and Pentaconn Ear.
FlexiPlug is useful if you also own 2-pin IEMs, such as the Blessing 3 in our Moondrop Blessing 3 cable guide. Whether a new cable changes the sound is a separate question; Do IEM upgrade cables make a difference? covers what can be measured.
Which plug: 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm or 2.5 mm balanced?
A balanced cable is a cable in which each channel has its own return wire, instead of sharing one ground. The plug only has to match your source.
- 3.5 mm single-ended has 3 contacts: left, right and a shared ground.
- 4.4 mm balanced has 5 contacts. JEITA added it to standard RC-8141C in 2016 (Phile-web).
- 2.5 mm balanced has 4 contacts. Astell&Kern's AK240 used it in 2014 (Stereophile).
Balanced outputs often deliver more power. FiiO rates its KA13 dongle at 170 mW or more from 3.5 mm and 550 mW or more from 4.4 mm at 32 Ω (FiiO). Sennheiser rates the IE 600 at 18 Ω and 118 dB at 1 kHz and 1 Vrms, so extra power is rarely the reason to go balanced.
Sennheiser's stock cables end in 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm, plus 2.5 mm on the IE 900. Pick the same plug to keep using your current source. If you use a phone and a balanced player, Ethos Ultra has a detachable player end with 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm balanced and USB-C DAC plugs in the box.
For more on plugs, read 3.5 mm, 2.5 mm or 4.4 mm balanced? or our player plug guide.
Choosing a Sennheiser IE 600 cable: conductor and budget
Every cable below offers IE300/600/900 under Headphone connection. Prices start from the base configuration; the connector and plug you choose can change the price.
Under USD 100
Brevity Pro, from USD 49, uses four 26 AWG 5N copper wires and a slim 3.5 mm plug. Ethos MKVI, from USD 89, is all silver-plated copper at 21.5 AWG and about 26 g. Ethos Ultra, also from USD 89, adds the three-plug player end.
USD 100 to 200
Arete MKV (UPOCC copper, 100 strands at 24 AWG), Epsilon MKIII (UPOCC copper, 504 strands, tuned by AAW engineers), Lune MKVIII (silver/copper alloy, 212 strands) and Tiburon MKIII (cryo 7N copper) sit here. We describe Arete as dynamic, with deep bass, and Lune as precise in imaging, with a rich mid-range.
USD 200 and above
Hakone MKIII combines 7N silver and copper; Thera MKIII is 7N silver, which we describe as accurate, with vocal definition. Aoraki MKIII and Istana use gold-silver and graphene-coated copper conductors.
Silver's resistivity is about 5% lower than copper's at 20 °C (HyperPhysics), and a typical IEM cable measures under about an ohm. A common rule of thumb keeps output impedance at no more than 1/8 of the earphone's impedance (Headphones.com); for the IE 600's 18 Ω, that is about 2.25 Ω. Copper vs silver vs silver-plated copper explains the materials.
How to order
- Pick a cable above or browse all IEM and headphone cables.
- Under Headphone connection, choose IE300/600/900.
- Choose the player plug for the output you use most.
- Check the length. Most of our cables are 1.2 m as standard; for other lengths, contact us.
Every cable carries a 1-year transferable warranty, and most lines can be repaired at a flat rate of USD 30 or USD 50 within 3 years; Capri and Brevity are not covered by flat-rate repair. See our warranty page. If you also own Sennheiser headphones, our HD 600 and HD 650 cable page covers them. Unsure about your socket? Contact us with the model and a close photo before you order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a normal MMCX cable on the Sennheiser IE 600?
Choose a cable made for Sennheiser's recessed socket instead. Sennheiser describes its own IE-series plug as MMCX with a proprietary recess, and Null Audio lists a separate IE300/600/900 option rather than offering standard MMCX for these models.
Does the IE 900 use the same cable as the IE 600?
Yes. Sennheiser lists its IE-series MMCX cable as compatible with the IE 200, IE 300, IE 600 and IE 900. On a Null Audio cable, the IE300/600/900 option fits all four.
Which cables come with the Sennheiser IE 600?
Sennheiser ships the IE 600 with two para-aramid reinforced cables, one with a 3.5 mm plug and one with a 4.4 mm balanced plug, listed at 125 cm. The IE 900 comes with 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables.
Can I get a balanced cable for the Sennheiser IE 300?
Yes. The IE 300 ships with a 3.5 mm cable, and Sennheiser says balanced 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm cables are sold separately. On a Null Audio cable, choose IE300/600/900 and then a 4.4 mm or 2.5 mm player plug in the configurator.
Is there one cable that fits the IE 600 and my 2-pin IEMs?
FlexiPlug gives one Null Audio cable interchangeable earphone-side tips, including IE 300/600/900 MMCX, 0.78 mm 2-pin, IPX, A2DC, qdc 2-pin and Pentaconn Ear.
Do the Sennheiser IE 40 PRO and IE 80 use the same connector?
No. The IE 40 PRO, IE 400 PRO, IE 500 PRO and IE 80 each have their own option in the Null Audio configurator, not IE300/600/900 and not standard MMCX. The Sennheiser IE PRO and IE 80 cable guide lists them.
Sources
- Sennheiser: IE 600
- Sennheiser: IE 900
- Sennheiser: IE 300
- Sennheiser: MMCX Cable for IE Series 3.5mm Jack
- Audio-Technica: A2DC connector
- Phile-web: JEITA standardises the 4.4 mm balanced plug
- Stereophile: Astell&Kern AK240 portable media player
- FiiO: KA13
- HyperPhysics: Resistivity and temperature coefficient
- Headphones.com: Output impedance explained
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