Is the S&W Monte Carlo Cable An Upgrade for Sennheiser IEMs?

The Sennheiser IE series is a well-known line of high-quality in-ear monitors at various price points. For the introductory level, the IE 200 is a great budget option with good quality, and then you can upgrade from there to the IE 600 and the IE 900. All three of these come with pretty decent cables. The IE 600 gives you the option of 3.5mm and 4.4mm, and the IE 900 gives you those as well as 2.5mm. As is the case with any IEM, the cable can be the first thing to go after extended use. What do you do in this case?

Strauss & Wagner offers a convenient solution and upgrade option for the Sennheiser IE series. The S&W Monte Carlo cable is an option for Sennheiser IE users who want a good quality upgrade that stands out above the rest. How can this cable improve your IEMs? Is it worth dropping $200 on? In this review, we'll investigate all that makes the Monte Carlo a great upgrade cable and how it improves your Sennheiser IEMs.  

The Strauss & Wagner Monte Carlo features a distinctly different design than what the brand has seen so far. Instead of a classic silver design with black edge details, you see the Monte Carlo cable has a gold feature throughout the braiding. The gold and silver braided together make a really stunning design that stands out amongst other models. The ends of the cables have shiny metallic details that stand out and make the entire product look more luxurious. The cable itself was very stable and felt secure in my hand. The strength of this cable makes it a good option for long listening sessions and a product that will last over time. 

The Monte Carlo cable comes in three variations: 2-pin, MMCX, and Sennheiser MMCX. In this specific review, I'm taking a look at the variation made for the Sennheiser IE series and seeing how these classic IEMs are changed when you swap the cable. Like the other variations, the Monte Carlo cable comes with swappable terminations to be compatible with any DAC or adapter you may be pairing with your monitors. You have the option of 4.4mm, 3.5mm, and 2.5mm. 

It is important to note that while the MMCX and Sennheiser MMCX Monte Carlo variations may look identical on the outside, you cannot use them interchangeably. The Sennheiser MMCX variation is slightly different from the standard MMCX, so you can't use them on anything other than the Sennheiser series. In turn, you can't use the Monte Carlo MMCX on the Sennheiser series. Make sure you have the right version for your IEMs, and the Monte Carlo will be a great accessory.

After you've connected your IEMs to the Monte Carlo cable and have everything plugged into your DAC and audio source, all that's left to do is listen. How does the Monte Carlo cable sound? Switching from the stock cable to this Strauss & Wagner one reveals some slight sonic differences. Thankfully, the overall sound of the IEMs doesn't change. The balanced sound signature of Sennheiser is produced well and remains familiar to what you would expect out of the stock cable. 

Where you might find some real differences between the stock cable and the Monte Carlo is in the level of detail and separation. While the balance between bass and treble remains pretty constant, you can hear how the Monte Carlo delivers a finer tuning and distinction between the elements in a track. I was particularly listening to some classical pieces to get a clearer picture of the soundstage, and I found the Monte Carlo cable made it easier to place the instruments in the orchestra rather than the stock cable. Strings, woodwinds, percussion, and brass were easy to distinguish and put in individual sections in the sound field. Applying this to other genres, it was nice to hear how the Monte Carlo cable made the IE 900 a little sharper in its reproduction of pop tracks with heavy post-production processing. I really enjoyed using the Monte Carlo cable, and I found I was still able to enjoy Sennheiser sound with the change in hardware.