[elfary]

Having owned an iPhone 5s, an iPhone 4s and an iPhone 6 i can attest that with EVERY in ear monitor i have used (Westone W30, UM3x, TDK BA200m Shure SE215, SE535 and SE846) iPhone 5s bass is leaner than that of iPhone 4s and iPhone 6 which feature an slight subbass emphasis that it is not present on iPhone 5s. And it can not be due to output impedance (not because it is almost the same, which it is) because TDK BA 200 had an impedance stabilizer and W30 & UM3x have a huge impedance (for an iem).
 
I don't think this extrabass is due to output impedance but to other design factors (dac filtering, square wave response...).
 
Output impedance it's a very important factor but i think that sometimes its role is exaggerated. Anything around 2 it's perfectly fine (placebo aside).

 

[krismusic]

The recent 9.2 update seems pretty major. Buzzing issues still present?

 

[derek pitt]

Don't know about buzzing, but iOS 9.2 seems to bring enhanced sound quality on my iPhone 6..music sounds more detailed and dynamic.

 

[krismusic]

Don't know about buzzing, but iOS 9.2 seems to bring enhanced sound quality on my iPhone 6..music sounds more detailed and dynamic.

Probably placebo. IMHO.

 

[SED]

I agree with the enhanced sound quality on IOS 9.2

 

[Adu]

My Xiaomi Piston 2.1 sound better throw my 6S than my DAP Fiio X5; I use Onkyo HF Player with Flac, Alac, A4a files.

 

[LocutusEstBorg]

Can someone compare the SE846 on an iPhone 6 (3.8 ohms) vs 1 & 2 ohm headphone amps? I don't have any low impedance headphone amps lying around.
 
On my Sound Blaster Zx (22 ohms) the SE846 produces boomy bass and rolled off treble compared to the iPhone. I want to know whether it's worth going below 3.8 ohms. I would really prefer not to stack an amp with my iPhone if the difference < 3.8 ohms is inaudible.

 

[mdelaney1986]

 gg

 

[elfary]

Can someone compare the SE846 on an iPhone 6 (3.8 ohms) vs 1 & 2 ohm headphone amps? I don't have any low impedance headphone amps lying around.
 
On my Sound Blaster Zx (22 ohms) the SE846 produces boomy bass and rolled off treble compared to the iPhone. I want to know whether it's worth going below 3.8 ohms. I would really prefer not to stack an amp with my iPhone if the difference < 3.8 ohms is inaudible.

iPhone 6 output impedance is 2.3 Measured by an electrical engineer on an audio lab.


You don't really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.

 

[jnorris]

  Can someone compare the SE846 on an iPhone 6 (3.8 ohms) vs 1 & 2 ohm headphone amps? I don't have any low impedance headphone amps lying around.
 
On my Sound Blaster Zx (22 ohms) the SE846 produces boomy bass and rolled off treble compared to the iPhone. I want to know whether it's worth going below 3.8 ohms. I would really prefer not to stack an amp with my iPhone if the difference < 3.8 ohms is inaudible.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree with this impedance thing.  If the SB7x sounds boomy and rolled off, then that's just the way it sounds.  I doubt it's the impedance interaction with the SE846.

 

[vwinter]

I think you're barking up the wrong tree with this impedance thing.  If the SB7x sounds boomy and rolled off, then that's just the way it sounds.  I doubt it's the impedance interaction with the SE846.

At 22 ohms into a low impedance load, he's definitely at the right tree. You can argue 1 or 2 ohms not making much of a difference, and I even would, but 20 ohms will definitely make a difference, both in control and frequency response (the non-linear impedance plot of the 846 is a strong indication here of there being a marked effect on the FR when a lot of resistance is added)

And the 846 rolls drops off a cliff after like 10K, so it's technically rolled off regardless of the audio chain.

 

[jnorris]

Sorry, but I don't buy it.  I'd need to see (or hear) proof.  It might make a slight difference, but not change the character of a headphone to boomy and rolled off.

 

[shotgunshane]

You can disagree all you want; until you test it yourself, you are just speculating.  If you own super low impedance iems like the SE846, EQ8 and Angie, you can hear the difference in 1 or 2 ohm on sources.  Super low impedance iems being anything that dips below 10 ohm in their impedance graph.  All 3 I mentioned do and I have first hand experience hearing the differences and of course the differences occur in frequency response at the point of the low dip in impedance.  It's just the way multi-ba's, crossovers and impedance work. 

 
 
Edit: It made the SE846 boomy when using an iPhone 5 (around 4.5 ohms) versus a v200 or cypherlabs duet at the time (both less than 1 ohm). The EQ8 gains treble presence and losses bass. The iPhone 5S (2.3 ohm) had slightly less bass and slightly more treble than the cypherlabs picollo, and the AK240 had a fair amount less bass and a good bit brighter with the same E-Q8 (which is a single BA). Angie would get darker in treble with more impedance.  The iPhone 5S was slightly more rolled off than the picollo. The change in enjoyment with all of them was significant between sources. 

 

[vwinter]

Sorry, but I don't buy it.  I'd need to see (or hear) proof.  It might make a slight difference, but not change the character of a headphone to boomy and rolled off.

Would you buy it if these guys are selling it?
They seem to know a thing or two about audio...
From the horses mouth:
http://www.knowles.com/eng/content/download/2786/32757/version/6/file/TB-07.pdf


And in case you wanted a specific example:
Primo 8 measurements:
Impedance plot (impedance line of orange):


Effect of electrical resistance:


Note the effect at the low impedance frequencies of the 30 ohms.

 

[RickB]

I'm glad I'm not as picky as some people here about portable audio. I respect that level of commitment, but I suspect much dissatisfaction comes with it, because phone manufacturers are going to be aiming to please mainstream users, not audiophiles.