Between the IE 900 and AONIC 5, the IE 900 comes out ahead in impedance and sensitivity, while the AONIC 5 wins on driver count. Overall, the IE 900 scores 66.4 and the AONIC 5 scores 66.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are evenly matched on the broad strokes, with the decision sitting on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
Pick the IE 900 if you care most about impedance and sensitivity. The biggest gaps in its favor are impedance, sensitivity.
Pick the AONIC 5 if you care most about driver count. Its strongest claims are driver count.
Both ship with comparable detachable cable, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Sennheiser - IE 900 wins
- ▲Impedance — 20.00 Ω less. 16 vs 36.
- ▲Sensitivity — 3.36% more. 123 dB vs 119 dB.
Why Shure - AONIC 5 wins
- ▲Driver count — 2.00 more. 3 vs 1.
Spec comparison
Drivers
| Spec | Sennheiser - IE 900 | Shure - AONIC 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver count | 1 | 3lead |
| Driver types | Dynamic (X3R) | Triple Balanced Armature |
| Impedanceⓘ | 16 Ωlead | 36 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 123 dBlead | 119 dB |
Build
| Spec | Sennheiser - IE 900 | Shure - AONIC 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Detachable cable | true | true |
| Connector | MMCX | MMCX |
Spec-level deep dives
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