[LogicalOrbit]

The best in-ears I've owned are a pair of Senneheiser CX 310 I found in a electronics store so as you can probably guess I'm not all that well versed in high end audio solutions. I'm looking to purchase in-ears and I've seen the SE846 mentioned as excellent, as well as the KSE1500 being the next big thing and I was wondering if a high end laptop (XMG U726 which is based on the Clevo 870) would be sufficient for getting a great experience out of them. I see many mentions of DAPs, DACs, amps and other components for high-end audio and was wondering if I have to invest in these items to get value out of a KSE1500 or SE846. If so, are there any particular recommended components? If so I am interested in an appropriate DAP or portable DAC/Amp so as to be able to use them either while traveling, or at least move the set-up from place to place.
 
As to personal listening habits, I'm not a musician and not at all versed in music or audio (study computer science, music is a a passive activity), I listen to a variety of music, such as electronic, EDM, rap, some classical, metal and rock. Generally I enjoy music with bass or clear low-highs, and in terms of intruments electric guitars, violins, trumpets and a cappella. I listen to music on the go on a 7th gen ipod classic or stationary on my laptop.
 
Finally, keeping in mind that I've never owned or experienced a high-fi set-up (currently in Argentina), I may be going for overkill in terms of sound quality for passive listening (that is, listening while working). If that is the case, a word of warning and any recommendations outside of the previously mentioned options would be greaty appreciated. Thank you.

 

[TimeLord]

Based on your description of your listening habits, I'd think both the SE846 and definitely the KSE1500 are over kill for your purposes. If you're just passively listening and are not taking in the nuances and details of the music you're listening to or the quality of the music files are not sufficiently high, then it may not be worth your while to spend this much money on IEMs.The SE846 will cost you around USD $1000 and the KSE1500 will be triple that amount.
 
For your purposes, I'd recommend the SE535. They will be of sufficient audio quality for your purposes without breaking the bank. You can pick them up on eBay for under USD $400.
 
To answer your general question about laptop output sufficiency, with all high-end audio, the quality of the sound is only as good as the weakest link. That means, to get the best sound possible, your source, DAC, amp, and headphone must all do their part well in order for the output to translate into good audio reproduction. For this reason, I'd recommend using FLAC files out of your laptop, to a USB DAC/Amp, then to either the SE535 or SE846.
 
For the KSE1500, feed FLAC files into the DAC/Amp that comes with the KSE1500 via USB. This IEM uses electrostatic technology; therefore, traditional amps will not work with it. Luckily, Shure provides one with it so you don't have to buy one separately. For more information about the technology, see the excellent video Jude posted about the KSE1500 here.
 
If you go with the SE535 and since you're looking to keep it very portable, then you can get something like the Schiit Fulla or Audioquest DragonFly, which are reasonably priced. If you want to step it up a bit and also have something that will work with your iPhone or Android phone as well as your laptop, then opt for the Oppo HA-2.
 
Cheers, and I hope you're enjoying all that great steak down there.

 

[LogicalOrbit]

Thank you for the the kind reply. What attracted me to something as high-end as the KSE1500 was the fact that it is 'all-in-one', which meets the portability requirement, and that it's sound isolating (dorm has people walking and talking, bus is understandably loud). The problem for me is that I didn't know if I had to provide some intermediate equipment to get the most out of it, or if simply plugging it into the laptop was sufficient. I usually listen to audio in MP3 format with a bitrate of 320Kbps, though I do have FLAC files which I simply down-sample. I suppose you may be right however on the matter of return on investment, I don't generally sit down and just listen to music, but I guess a part of me wants to climb on the hype train.  Are there any important quality gains when using the KSE1500 when compared to other top of the line products? I don't have any experience with high-end audio systems, much less bleeding edge.

 

[TimeLord]

I cannot provide direct experience feedback on the KSE1500 since I have not yet auditioned them. Generally speaking, electrostatic headphones have diaphragms that are lighter than what you'd find in dynamic headphones and the force applied to the diaphragms is even, which leads to speed and accuracy of reproduction. Ken Rockwell has a short article that will give you the basics of the technology here.
 
With regard to the all-in-one, the KSE1500 still has the IEM and a separate DAC/Amp; it just happens to be a special kind of DAC/Amp required for electrostatic systems. The SE846 with its balanced armature drivers and a separate DAC/Amp like the Oppo HA-2, is equivalent to the KSE1500 setup in terms of equipment bulk: IEM and a separate DAC/Amp.
 
The SE846 and the SE535 are also sound isolating and depending on the ear tips you use, they can provide 37 dB of isolation, just like the KSE1500.
 
If you have both FLAC and MP3, provided hard drive space is not an issue, then I'd opt for the FLAC. Frankly though, 320 kbps MP3 is not that bad, especially if you're passively listening. And plugging directly into the laptop will be fine too, but it sounds like the audio itch has grasped you and you'll wonder how good your IEMs really are. Then you'll need the external DAC and amp. And soon you'll be like the rest of us on Head-Fi buying not only portable gear but also desktop setups, chasing the elusive perfect sound...
 
Lastly, I don't want to dissuade you from the KSE1500 if that's what you want (the reviews are good), but I also don't want you to think that, that is your only option for the dilemma you're trying to resolve.

 

[LogicalOrbit]

Forgive me, I had forgotten that the KSE1500 was still pending public release.  On the matter of DAC/AMP, the Mojo seems to have garnered excellent reviews, Schiite seems to be ever popular, JBLabs has some mentions and I notice that Shure sells the SHA900 unit, which seems to be similar to the KSE1500, at least in appearance.  I can't particularly see myself sinking thousands more into a desktop combo, I prefer mobile solutions, but I suppose others have also said the same thing only to look back and scoff at their naïveté.
 
No matter the headphone choice, I wish to thank you for recommending economic alternatives and particularly portable DAC/Amp combos, which was something I was having trouble with due to the wide range from which to select, and the fact that I have no technical knowledge in this area.

 

[onevoguer]

The SE846 paired with the SHA900 (which was designed around that earphone) will spoil you. Ideal setup for a mobile hi-fier. Later, if you choose to buy a high end Headphone, the SHA900 will provide you with enough power to support your in-house setup via PC. I personally wasn't impressed with the Chord Mojo.

 

[onevoguer]

BTW, that picture in my profile might be familiar...Its the Sheraton in Buenos Aires