[joincoolkidclub]

I'm looking at moving back into high end UIEMs and can't decide between the following options:
 
-Tralucent 1plus2
-Stagediver SD3
-maybe Fitear TG334?
 
My preferences lean towards a visceral bass (that DOES NOT bleed into the lower mids), sparkly treble, and a coherent sound.  I find most phones sound too bright or too dark.  I liked my IE8s, but found the bass a little flabby or uncontrolled.  The UM3X sounded coherent but not energetic or musical.  I liked the detail I heard in the JH13 universal I tried but thought it too bright (maybe a bad seal).  In fullsize headphones I really liked the Beyer T1 and also the Audio Technica W5000, two very different phones for sure but both had a very engaging and coherent sound.  Detail retrieval would be nice too but not vital.  Music preferences: instrumental electronica-ish, (Boards of Canada, Grouper, etc) hip hop, and, mostly poorly recorded, blues.
 
Ideas?

 

[AmberOzL]

Why not Ref1 or Noble K10U?

 

[joincoolkidclub]

Sorry, should have specified that my budget is right at 1k.  Otherwise either would be ideal.

 

[AmberOzL]

Maybe Noble 6 can be good below 1k. SD3 is not really TOTL piece. 1+2 might be too bright and sibilant. TG334 is always a good choice I suppose, kinda like a legendary iem around here but I don't know why, I feel like there are better options. I don't have much experience with new UM50pro or W60 so can't say a thing about them. 846 is good but I think they will be too bassy for you. They have a nice bone shattering bass and quite liquid, rich mids. Treble is hit or miss if you ask me. Some like it a lot, some don't. I think I am somewhere in between.
 
Edit: Come to think about it, if you like IE8 but want more controlled bass, maybe 846 can seal the deal for you too.

 

[warrior1975]

Shure se846 is an excellent choice. Used Ref 1, which I'd suggest listening to. I have both, but not everyone loves the Ref 1, although it has some of the best bass I've ever heard.

 

[joincoolkidclub]

Thanks much for the feedback guys.  I really would love to hear the Ref 1 in person but its not particularly easy.  Maybe I'll throw up a WTB here.  
 
Couple questions: 
 
Is the sibilance that AmberOzL mentioned less noticeable in the Ref 1?
Can you describe what the highs are like on the 846?  I've seen them described as artificial or peaky- similar to Ultrasone? 

 

[warrior1975]

To me there is zero sibilance with the Ref 1. I can listen to it for many hours without fatigue. The 8s, I love, but I do get fatigue.

 

[joincoolkidclub]

Have you heard the 1plus2?  Any idea how they compare?

 

[warrior1975]

Yes, I owned it for a bit. Sound is quite good, but I prefer the Ref 1, I truly love bass. 1p2 has it, just not like the Ref. 1p2 has a better sound stage too.

 

[tomscy2000]

  I'm looking at moving back into high end UIEMs and can't decide between the following options:  
-Tralucent 1plus2
-Stagediver SD3
-maybe Fitear TG334?
 
My preferences lean towards a visceral bass (that DOES NOT bleed into the lower mids), sparkly treble, and a coherent sound.  I find most phones sound too bright or too dark.  I liked my IE8s, but found the bass a little flabby or uncontrolled.  The UM3X sounded coherent but not energetic or musical.  I liked the detail I heard in the JH13 universal I tried but thought it too bright (maybe a bad seal).  In fullsize headphones I really liked the Beyer T1 and also the Audio Technica W5000, two very different phones for sure but both had a very engaging and coherent sound.  Detail retrieval would be nice too but not vital.  Music preferences: instrumental electronica-ish, (Boards of Canada, Grouper, etc) hip hop, and, mostly poorly recorded, blues.

 
Sounds like you want the StageDiver SD4 (not SD3).

 

[joincoolkidclub]

I don't want to keep clogging this thread, but,.. I thought the SD4 hadn't been released? I can't find much information about it anywhere. Can you point me in the right direction?

 

[elnero]

I'd suggest the 1Plus2. I'm sensitive to treble and sibilance myself but with Comply tips I have little to no issues with 1Plus2's with regards to feeling like they're too bright or exaggerate sibilance.

 

[AmberOzL]

Comply ruin the rest of the sound while reducing the sibilance, not worth at all IMO. I read his posts again, I think 846 would suit him very nice also he can use different filters as well as small mods to find the sweet spot.
 
tomscy2000 suggested SD4, I am also curious about it but to be honest, never heard of it or read anything about it but I trust tomscy2000 a lot so I would also take his suggestion seriously too.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Hey all 
 
Q on the Shure SE846
 
I recently moved from a pair of er4s iems to stagediver sd-2. Probably a conservative move SQ wise as I was not in a position to demo and i wanted something similar without much more bass. 
However NOW I think hmmm pumping bass could be awesome. 
 
Any impressions on se846 vs the stagediver sd-2? 
 
I love sound stage ... depth and height more than width alone. How does the soundstage on the se846 sound? Cheers 

 

[piotrus-g]

  Hey all 
 
Q on the Shure SE846
 
I recently moved from a pair of er4s iems to stagediver sd-2. Probably a conservative move SQ wise as I was not in a position to demo and i wanted something similar without much more bass. 
However NOW I think hmmm pumping bass could be awesome. 
 
Any impressions on se846 vs the stagediver sd-2? 
 
I love sound stage ... depth and height more than width alone. How does the soundstage on the se846 sound? Cheers 

SE846 has more bass than SD-2 (quantity wise).
If you are interested see graph below