[myap2328]

FWIW, a friend of mine tried all the alo amps and ending up buying the national for best synergy. But then she loves her bass- and it doesn't sound like you're as picky about bass.

So far the best synergy I've found is out of the headphone out of my hm901, single ended.

If you think that then you are wrong. I LOVE Bass but only tight, unbloated, non-boomy bass with visceral impact. Some would call what I'm describing is smooth bass.

An example would be the JVC DX1000, where the bass is plentiful but yet it is smooth and doesn't steal the limelight frm the mids, making it really very enjoyable. However, only a few cans around here manages to achieve that feat and I haven't seen this in earphones yet.

 

[jelt2359]

Quote:

Where the bass is plentiful but yet it is smooth and doesn't steal the limelight frm the mids, making it really very enjoyable. 

 
This is exactly how I would describe my SE846 in the right pairing In fact this reminds me of when I first got a home theatre setup, why I ended up spending most of my money in the sub and in the center speaker...

 

[myap2328]

Quote:

 
This is exactly how I would describe my SE846 in the right pairing In fact this reminds me of when I first got a home theatre setup, why I ended up spending most of my money in the sub and in the center speaker...

 
I beginning to think that my poor impressions was caused by poor amplification and source, will look into that. 

 

[jelt2359]

Quote:

 
That's what I've kept telling people for 3 months on this thread — how can they possibly get those extremely overpriced IEMs from FitEar, AKG, FAD, and now Shure, when you can get yourself a pair of customs? It just doesn't make sense.

 
I also have customs, but their use-cases are entirely different. Just like I have HE6 but hate how heavy it is, I also hate how intrusive customs are. I work in an office where collaboration (and talking) is critical. Having to take customs out of my ears every 15 minutes is not fun. Universals really strike the best balance of 'easy-to-use', comfortable, convenient, and sounding great for me. I gather I'm not the only one who thinks this way, judging by some other responses I see on this thread...

 

[jelt2359]

Quote:

 
I beginning to think that my poor impressions was caused by poor amplification and source, will look into that. 

 
What did you pair it with?

 

[myap2328]

What did you pair it with?

iPhone 4S.

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

iPhone 4S.

 
The 4S has low output impedance, so the source shouldn't be too bad.  The Shures have a really low impedance, so they should be more prone to sound changes with higher output impedance, but the 4S has this spec low (good thing). 

 

[myap2328]

The 4S has low output impedance, so the source shouldn't be too bad.  The Shures have a really low impedance, so they should be more prone to sound changes with higher output impedance, but the 4S has this spec low (good thing). 

Will use a proper amp and c how thing goes.

 

[jelt2359]

Quote:

Will use a proper amp and c how thing goes.

Which filter were you using?

 

[arnaud]

Well, I made the mistake to go to Fujiya Avic to check out the 846 again today. Still driven straight from iPhone 5, I got same impressions as the prototype I spent 45min with during the show. In particular, the 846 really does some magic, it's hard to put into words but for me, it is a very natural, foot tapping inducing experience...

I briefly tried the FitEar parterre, it had a similar tonal balance but somehow I didn't feel the same connection to the music.

I guess I'd need to sit down and listen for long while to make more quantitative comments on the sound but for now, all I can see is that the 846 simply sounds like music out of the iphone. If there's one word that comes to mind, it's cohesiveness: all the drivers are well integrated, you don't feel like you're listening to a multi driver unit. Also, I don't get sense of some frequencies being accentuated, it's very well controlled but still sufficiently detailed and resolved.

It's not perfect though. There's one thing bugging me in particular: the bass has terrific kick and extension but it's clearly 3-4dB too high in level for my tastes and definetely not what I would classify as neutral (driven from the iphone 5, a 3-4Ohm zout I recall?). The good news is that it doesn't step over the mid bass so it does not mask or turn into a one trick poney bass. That's where I realize there's only so much you can get out of the iphone's built-in amp.

In the end though, since I was tapping my foot the whole time and felt it has so much potential I actually went ahead and put my name down on the waiting list... I think the bass amount might get bothersome but I will try the bright filter or wait for the right dac/amp combo (I am soo waiting for a small guy with low z out, low gain / hiss and built in D/A that would accept lightning connector...).

Apparently there are over 40 people ahead of me on the list so I am guessing it's going to be a while till I receive them..........

 

[myap2328]

I sort of agree with ^.

I went back to my local store and tried the SE846. It was a really lengthy process but well it had a good outcome.

First I tried the 846 (not knowing which filter)
And felt it was way too Bassy and muffled. But yet the 846 had a musical tone like ^ mentioned, a sound signature that makes you tap your feet.

Then the person told me it was the warm filter and I thought great! A filter change would solve the problem. But then they checked it was the balanced one.

After that they changed to the treble filter and I felt that it was still a little muffled so I changed from foam tips to silicon and the clarity is marvelous. But it was still slightly on the bass heavy side and sibliance became another problem.

So I tried and tried and then I thought of a cable swap! I switched the cable with a Null Audio Arête. On comfort alone, I would buy the cable already but it also altered the sound signature quite to my liking. It kick the bass down by a couple of notches and the mids finally took the limelight and oh my, I am in audio nirvana.

I compared it to the W4 for the last time and it sounded edgy, thin, 2-D. I have no idea what was going on for my last impressions, all I know now is that Im a happy man.

And a Shure SE846 owner.

 

[jelt2359]

FWIW, I've also been using them on the silicons (not foams), and on an aftermarket cable from day 1. What source/ amp did you end up pairing it with?
 
And yes, these Shures are extremely musical!!

 

[kkcc]

Quote:

FWIW, I've also been using them on the silicons (not foams), and on an aftermarket cable from day 1. What source/ amp did you end up pairing it with?
 
And yes, these Shures are extremely musical!!

 
Agreed the SE846 needs these treatment if I'm to get them.  Foam+stock cable is really not bringing out it's merit for me.
Which cable, or what type of wire did you opt for to pair it with?  

 

[jelt2359]

I'm using Silver cables. 

 

[kkcc]

Quote:

I'm using Silver cables. 

 
Thanks.  Just want to make sure I wasn't the only crazy one to think silver or silver/gold alloy wires improves it quite a bit.  

 That was my conclusion based on my demo in early July....  I also like it with ortofon tips than the olives.