[m0nz]

Hello!!! 
 
I'm actually really excited right now.  1st Post on this forum!  
 
1st - I just want to do a super quick and sincere thank you to the community.  High quality yet differing insights, experience, TIME spent posting and helping each other in a generally positive and kind way is what sets this forum above the rest.  I have benefited greatly from reading your posts and would like to pay some contribution back. But I need your approval/recommendation before anything!
 
Forgive me for being a little long winded.
 
Background
 
I'm a musician, and I consider myself to have a relatively sensitive and trained ear.  Played in a couple Jazz bands, sang in a couple a cappella groups, and I produce electronic/vocal music.

I love music! Classical (Mozart Concertos!), Electronic (Tycho!, Deep House, Trance), and of course, Vocal & A Capella... (Eric Whitacre!, Pentatonix)!
 
I have several cans, ranging from $30 to $500, but my favorite to date are these Sennheiser Momentums that I snagged for $120. I just can't get over how good they sound for what I paid for them, however, I know they aren't the greatest. Especially for audio production.  They are just fun and enjoyable.  
 
Conundrum
 
I recently bought a set of SE535LTD's - maybe because I wanted to step up a bit, the more serious I get about music....  Maybe I bought them because just because I felt like I needed to reallllly Demo them... Because at the store, I just couldn't quite fall in love with them, but they still captivated me in some way. And their balanced and neutral sound attracted me (maybe merely from an audio production/mastering point of view), so I bought them.
 
It seems like I am having to try SO hard to love these things! It's like a constant struggle.  They are GOOD, don't get me wrong, just not my favorite... and maybe that's what I need for production... Maybe. The soundstage is.... lacking, the highs are a bit too rolled off, bass detail is good but just not quite as present/strong as I think deep down, I wish for.  Although I will say when I do a software -6db preamp gain and some +3~6db gain around the 50-90hz area - as well as a -3db dip at 7.5K and a +2-3 around 10K & 12K - WHEN I DO THIS, it Helps. Maybe I just like a v-shape sound. Maybe. Sometimes. Maybe more like a W. I'm still deciding. 
 
So. I've been debating whether I should just return them (a few days left before it's too late btw), or EXCHANGE them for a pair of Shure 846's... I demo'd the 846's shortly, but they were a bit out of my price range at the time. I remember them having much more Wow factor than my 535's seemingly ever come close to. I remember enjoying the low end... and I like that extra bit of bass - but not too much bass! While I have had a phase of bassheadiness... I've settled down. I like Balance, big soundstage, detail! Capability! Energy! Transparency! Clarity. No sibilance or overpowering bass... but I like to be able to FEEL the bass. Whether emotionally or physically, it may not matter.
 
Add to this conundrum that I just ordered an Oppo HA-2... Which in itself COULD bring more life to the 535's... I might also return THAT!? If it's not great!? Although, I feel pretty damn good about it. Hard to beat for $300, from what I've seen. Plus it's pretty. If nothing else. And sometimes that's what matters. I could use it as a paper weight and just stare at it!

JUST KIDDING. Gotcha.
 
So- in short, could I have your opinions on whether or not:
 
A) I should keep the SE535's and save the $500 and not upgrade to SE846
B) Exchange them for the 846's and be Done- call it my Birthday, Christmas, new year, motivation to make music... etc... And if I do, IS IT WORTH ~$1000?
C) Return the SE535's and wait a long time, possible not be able to demo any other likely candidates in the near future
D) Wait for the Oppo HA-2 no matter what and get more experience with the 535's + HA-2 before I give up on them... But that's cutting it close.. I'll get the HA-2 on the 19th-21st and the last day I can return the headphones is the 22nd! And it's a long drive that I would rather just get out of the way sooner, than later.
 
Also, just in general, how to you feel about the oppo ha-2 + shure 846 (or 535) combo with both my android Note 4 & iPhone 6S? Onkyo HF App, Google Music, Apple Music, sometimes Tidal if I decide to buy another trial...  usually 320Kbps MP3/AAC stuffs but also FLAC 24/96, and soon to be DSD256/384!SUBMIT
 
Whew.
 
I think I got it all out.  Did I provoke any thoughts yet?
 
Thank you. If you made it this far. Thank you. If you didn't - I forgive you.

 

[henryyiheng]

I don't think iems from Shure are very good in classical music.

 

[Monty Burns]

I cannot comment on the OPPA HA-2.not even sure what it is However I am qualified (I think) to provide my 2 cents (which being in C$s is truly free advice and like all free advice should be valued as such.
 
Qualifiers and disqualifiers out of the way. Here goes .
 
1) Yes you should upgrade to the 8s. I have both the 5s and the 8s. The 5s have been "boxed" since the day the 8s were unsealed.,
 
Beyond being Self Aware. The 8s do everything the 5s did and more. Add to the Sensaphonics Custom Sleeves (SCS) and you are signing of up years of transcendent listening.- Yes I did say transcendent and I have elaborated on this in the Impressions thread of the 8s. This opinio0n was personally confirmed by me this week in the dentists chair.
 
As for classical music I find 8s to be outstanding
 
True my musical tastes tend to run toward Pink Floyd - Especially in the dentist chair - I listen to a reasonable albeit perhaps somewhat pedestestrian selection of classical music. I find from Chopin to Beethoven the 9s perform admirably. Beethoven's 6th so wonderfully detailed an nuanced it is truly an experience.. Herbert von Karajan's​ (Again like anything it all comes down to your source.  If the recording is a pig, all the lipstick in the world won't change it)
 
The limitations of a bad sound engineer can never be overcome.
 
The Subwoofer is truly that Not some Boom Box in the back of a  2002 Honda Civic. It reproduces only what is there.
 
2) Is it worth the price. Well for one thing I would advise you to shop around make a few calls play a few of the larger players against each other and you will find that you pay substantially less than US$1000. Assuming you pay around $800 for your 8s you are not looking ay a substantial bump. $200- 300 over what you have already laid out. It is the price of one or two evenings out at an average restaurant. That experience is gone and in a sewage treatment plant in 24 hours. The 8s will be with you for years of enjoyment. If you want a thing and you can afford the thing than it is worth the money.
 
On the topic of AMPS and DACs (I have been away a long while I understand Chord MoJo is quite the game changer for a value performance and portability aspects. And I understand It pairs beautifully with the 8s
 
That by the way is less than the tax on a Hamburger in Peoples Republic Toronto now.. But that is a totally different matter. (One mustn't be Unmutual)
 
Good luck

 

[m0nz]

Well thank you kindly for the responses.

I went with the return on bought the 8s. They are truly a piece of work.

Can't wait for the oppo, do want to play with that mojo

 

[fishyee]

Google the Audiofly AF180s.

Better than the 535 with punchy bass, smooth mids, and rolled off yet detailed treble (no sibilance). They have a wider soundstage too. Similarly priced so they are often compared to the 535. Good luck.

 

[m0nz]

Just a quick update, quick since I am so deeply engaged in listening to my setup...
 
I've been auditioning the 8's paired with an iPhone 6S, 6S + Oppo HA-2, Note 4, and Note 4 + HA-2, as well as HA-2 w/ PC.  Audio files range from iTunes music, Google Music, Tidal, and Onkyo HF Player with DSD256 sample files from Oppo.
 
My initial impressions are as follows:
 
The iPhone 6S alone is pretty darn decent. Sound is excellent.
 
The iPhone 6S + Oppo HA-2 provides a small improvement.  Slightly wider soundstage, a bit more space, and better dynamics.  It's hard to say that the pair is really worth the extra bulk.  Sometimes I just want to use the iPhone without the HA-2 because it sounds "good enough". Ha.  I'm not sure that's a thing with these IEM's. The benefit obviously comes from the DSD/FLAC decoding ability. But to be honest, I'm not sure my ears are really good enough to hear a big difference between 320kbps MP3/AAC and DSD. Let alone DSD64 and DSD256.
 
Note 4 alone... mmmm, Meh.  I use V4A and some rooted tricks to improve sound quality, but it's not quite as good as the vanilla iphone (I also use Equalizer everywhere for iPhone)
 
Note 4 + HA-2 provides a more noticeable improvement.  Definitely worth the investment when these two are paired.  No problems with USB Audio for the applications and the android build that I am running.
 
Oppo HA-2 with PC is obviously a huge improvement over built-in sound on a Gigabyte Z97-ITX.  I compared against my Focusrite scarlett and the Oppo wins, barely.
 
I haven't changed my filters out yet (not sure if I will).  I'm using the 2 dot olives and isolation is great... I've had them in for a couple hours and my ears notice a bit of fatigue.
 
Still trying to decide if high-gain vs low gain makes a difference.
 
Also, wondering if the HA-2 is really giving the 8's what they need.  Output impedence of the HA-2 is just not quite enough for the 9ohm 846's.
 
Also curious if I should put this in the HA-2 & 846 impressions threads... what do you think?
 
That's all for now.
 
I'll be back.
 
Thank you again.

 

[bloodydoorknob]

I have the iphone 6 and it is my main portable player, even after purchasing an AK jr.  The AK jr beats the iphone on memory (expandable, I have a 128 gb micro sd in mine) and its ability to play hi-res files out of the box (plenty of apps available for the iphone to play hi res), but soundwise, both are comparable.  I don't know what kind of dac the Iphone has, but I really like it with the 846's, sounds pretty neutral to my ears.