Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sennheiser - IE 900 | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Driver count | 1 | 5 |
| Impedance | 16 Ω | 15 Ω |
Between the IE 900 and Nova, the IE 900 comes out ahead in several specs, while the Nova wins on driver count / impedance. Overall, the IE 900 scores 66.4 and the Nova scores 73.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Nova edges ahead on the Mars Score (66.4 vs 73.9), but the 7.5-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
The IE 900 does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the Nova if you care most about driver count / impedance. Its strongest claims are driver count, impedance. The single most decisive one: Driver count — 4.00 more. 5 vs 1.
Both ship with comparable sensitivity, detachable cable, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Nova is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Sennheiser - IE 900 or Truthear - Nova?
Truthear - Nova leads the current Mars Score by 7.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver count, impedance against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sennheiser - IE 900 if…
Sennheiser - IE 900 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Truthear - Nova if…
Truthear - Nova has the measurable edge on driver count, impedance ohm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sennheiser - IE 900 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Truthear - Nova wins
- ▲Driver count — 4.00 more. 5 vs 1.
- ▲Impedance — 1.00 Ω less. 15 vs 16.
Spec comparison
Drivers
| Spec | Sennheiser - IE 900 | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Driver count | 1 | 5lead |
| Driver types | Dynamic (X3R) | 1DD + 4BA Hybrid |
| Impedanceⓘ | 16 Ω | 15 Ωlead |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 123 dB | 123 dB |
Build
| Spec | Sennheiser - IE 900 | Truthear - Nova |
|---|---|---|
| Detachable cable | true | true |
| Connector | MMCX | 0.78mm 2-pinlead |