[maxmania]

Just put in a preorder on amazon here in the U.K. No audio shops have had any stock I did want to test and check quality. The cheap hard plastic is a little off putting considering the cost. I love my 846 headphones but really want a mic for phone calls. Could one of you post some close up pictures please.

 

[New Yawker]

Hey Maxmania. Took some photos. Sorry, couldn't get the lightning right. The first picture is an overview of the cable connected to an iPhone 6s Plus. For some reason, it is a bit difficult untwisting the cable.

This is a view of the lightning plug and volume/phone control

The microphone and MMCX connection to the Shure SE846 earphone. The over-the-ear design of the cable is executed much better than the original cable. Although the ear portion of the LTG is reinforced, it is more flexible than the original and sits better over the ear.

Unfortunately, the photos do not capture the texture of the cable, especially the plastic parts (control and connector). The cable itself is substantial but the connector, controls, and mic certainly are hard-plastic. Visually, they look fine. Perhaps I'm making too big a deal but I sincerely believe Shure could kick-up the build quality of their products. The MMCX connector is secure but seems far easier to attach/detach from the earphones than there original cable. As I stated previously, ATTEMPTING to remove the old cable damaged one of the earphones, a costly event indeed.

,

 

[Ungaro]

I have the SE846 and I've been waiting for this cable for a long time

I have an iPhone 6 plus and am not pleased with the bass coming from my iPhone directly

Am using a portable dac/amp onkyo dac-ha200

And am getting more details and more clear bass

and am wondering if this cable with this DAC will give me that bass and detailed sound that am looking for without using any external DAC?

 

[New Yawker]

I can't say that I ever perceived the bass lacking with the 846/iPhone 6s Plus combo, Ungaro. And this is from a person who tends towards EDM! I'm not ready to draw any conclusions about the LTG cable just yet but I can say that I now tend to listen to music at a lower volume level. I also notice that my iPhone's battery seems to drain more rapidly while using the Shure DAC cable. I assume that is because the music is being amplified more so than before. I am not quite certain that the bass will be effected by the new cable. As an initial impression, I THINK I hear added detail to the music.

 

[Ungaro]

I can't say that I ever perceived the bass lacking with the 846/iPhone 6s Plus combo, Ungaro. And this is from a person who tends towards EDM! I'm not ready to draw any conclusions about the LTG cable just yet but I can say that I now tend to listen to music at a lower volume level. I also notice that my iPhone's battery seems to drain more rapidly while using the Shure DAC cable. I assume that is because the music is being amplified more so than before. I am not quite certain that the bass will be effected by the new cable. As an initial impression, I THINK I hear added detail to the music.

Hmmmmm.. I didn't mean that the bass was lacking but i get richer bass using an external DAC/Amp even with the EQ i can't get the same richness of the bass

How would you compare it to the original cable from the iPhone in term of bass

I think I've read somewhere that this cable uses 2% per hour of your phone's battery

I also found this cable which is half the price only $49.26 USD !

https://www.null-audio.com/products...one-cable-with-hi-res-dac?variant=34103135569

 

[New Yawker]

Hmmmmm.. I didn't mean that the bass was lacking but i get richer bass using an external DAC/Amp even with the EQ i can't get the same richness of the bass

How would you compare it to the original cable from the iPhone in term of bass

I think I've read somewhere that this cable uses 2% per hour of your phone's battery

I also found this cable which is half the price only $49.26 USD !

https://www.null-audio.com/products...one-cable-with-hi-res-dac?variant=34103135569

Several of us posters pre-ordered and are eagerly awaiting the AAW Capri cable. This is an indiegogo.com crowdsourced product. The company anticipated shipping in March 2017 but aren't expected to do so until sometime this month. The good news is that AAW does seem to be taking their product seriously as they applied for and received Apple MFI Certification. An apparent delay on Apple's part producing a key component required for MFI Certification set AAW's--and I assume Shure's--production back several months.

Ungaro, It is premature for me to definitively comment about the 'sound' of the Shure LTG, bass or otherwise. My INITIAL impression is that the LTG is a worthy upgrade. I THINK I hear somewhat more overall detail than before. Although I previously stated that I thought there was less impact when drums (or drum machines) kick in, I'm not so sure about that anymore.

Ungaro, I would expect that using an external DAC/amp WOULD enhance your iPhone listening experience. Of course it could ALSO enhance and expose the flaws on poorly engineered MP3 tracks. Could you possibly share the titles of several of the tracks you hear an improved richness of bass using the Onkyo DAC? Perhaps I then can listen to the same songs and share my impression of the effect (if any) of the LTG cable.

For me, a cable with built-in DAC AND mic/phone controls is an appealing 'compromise' to carrying around a separate amp/DAC during my rather lengthy commute. Shure's $100 USD LTG cable looks very similar to their $30 USD iPhone-compatible replacement cable. Does that mean that the cables are exactly the same or LTG has a $70 USD DAC built-in? Not necessarily.

 

[maxmania]

Hey Maxmania. Took some photos. Sorry, couldn't get the lightning right. The first picture is an overview of the cable connected to an iPhone 6s Plus. For some reason, it is a bit difficult untwisting the cable.

This is a view of the lightning plug and volume/phone control

The microphone and MMCX connection to the Shure SE846 earphone. The over-the-ear design of the cable is executed much better than the original cable. Although the ear portion of the LTG is reinforced, it is more flexible than the original and sits better over the ear.

Unfortunately, the photos do not capture the texture of the cable, especially the plastic parts (control and connector). The cable itself is substantial but the connector, controls, and mic certainly are hard-plastic. Visually, they look fine. Perhaps I'm making too big a deal but I sincerely believe Shure could kick-up the build quality of their products. The MMCX connector is secure but seems far easier to attach/detach from the earphones than there original cable. As I stated previously, ATTEMPTING to remove the old cable damaged one of the earphones, a costly event indeed.

,

Thanks New Yawker for the photos. I am actually really impressed with the cable. I can see what you mean by the plastic, sure accessories have always tended to be like that. I remember my old noise cancellation accessory build quality was very good but looked cheap. Should have mine around the 20th of this month. In the U.K. Cable is very step at between £85-£99.

 

[New Yawker]

Thanks New Yawker for the photos. I am actually really impressed with the cable. I can see what you mean by the plastic, sure accessories have always tended to be like that. I remember my old noise cancellation accessory build quality was very good but looked cheap. Should have mine around the 20th of this month. In the U.K. Cable is very step at between £85-£99.

You are welcome for the photographs Maxmania. In USA, B&H Photo and Shure.com have the LTG in stock and ready to ship at the full 'RRP' of $100 USD (£78 GBP) Amazon is pricing the LTG at $119 USD (£92 GBP) with the caveat "usually ships in one to three weeks".

My heart is extended to those who lost their lives to acts of terrorism in Manny and London during the past couple of weeks.

 

[Ungaro]

Ungaro, I would expect that using an external DAC/amp WOULD enhance your iPhone listening experience. Of course it could ALSO enhance and expose the flaws on poorly engineered MP3 tracks. Could you possibly share the titles of several of the tracks you hear an improved richness of bass using the Onkyo DAC? Perhaps I then can listen to the same songs and share my impression of the effect (if any) of the LTG cable.

Yeah sure

late night tip by three 6 mafia

party monster by the weeknd

six feet under by the weeknd

Personally I hear richer bass on my Onkyo DAC/Amp than directly from my iPhone

 

[New Yawker]

I also gambled on the Capri cable but I hate the 3.5 mm dongle so much that I am willing to put up with anything else until those cables are availble! The question is, what else is out there?

IMHO Adonissk, I'd hold-out a little while longer. The Capri MMCX version of the DAC cable is suppose to ship this month. There are a small number of headphones or earphones with the lightning connector selling for well under $100 at amazon.com. You may want to reference http://www.pcmag.com/feature/347829/8-iphone-7-lightning-headphones-to-help-you-pump-up-the-jams for some recommendations. Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...targid=kwd-43216239467&ref=pd_sl_182lc4lhnq_e is always a good source. They seem to have several inexpensive earphones that might interest you. I have no idea how they sound.

There are a number of more expensive headphones with built-in DACs. I believe the Philips Fidelio M2L was the first headphone with a Lightning cable. The Audeze Sine and EL8 also have the Lightning connector.

 

[New Yawker]

Hi Ungaro. Let me preface by saying I am well aware the following observations fail miserably due to many flaws in methodology! With that recognised, here we go....

I played the Weekend and Three 6 Mafia tracks using Spotify's highest quality audio setting on my iPhone 6S Plus. I listened through Shure 846s with LTG cable and Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s using the 3.5mm audio jack. Hopefully it is no surprise that the Shure's outperformed the Sennheisrer's in most respects.

I first listened to the tracks with the Shure's. Although unfamiliar with the songs, given the genre, I sensed that there was something missing from the bass. Listening to the same songs through the Momentum's and then again through the Shure's, my opinion changed somewhat. The bass seemed stronger than before. But I can't put my finger on it, something still didn't seem right.

Listening to some tracks that I am more familiar with including Adagio for Strings and Traffic (Tiësto), Love You More and Zacalo (Armin van Buuren), Bratzke (Super Flu), Dancing on My Own (Robyn), Teardrop (Massive Attack), Mo Boy (Dillard), Why So Serious (Hans Zimmerman), and Nothing Matters (Mark Knight) my opinion was the same as when I first listened to Six Feet Under. There definitely seemed to be an attenuation of the bass compared to the original 846 cable. The initial impact of bass seemed softer on all the familiar tracks. Yet, the sub-bass on Why So Serious at 3.26 was outstandingly deep and could be felt to a greater extent than using the 846s original cable. Conversely, there seems less impact when the bass kicks in on Mo Boy.

While I cannot pin-point exactly what is happening with the bass on the 846/LTG combo, there is no question that the overall sound has a wider soundstage and greater detail than with the original cable. Here are my impressions:

1. Given the iPhone is a constant, at this point it is impossible for me to differentiate the effect of lack of sufficient burn-in of the 846s (if any) and the effect of the LTG (if any) on bass performance. My hope is that the bass will return with the strength that I remember from before.

2. If things simply are what they are Ungaro, the 846/LTG combo will not likely be favorable to you. There is definitely something lacking in the bass.

3. IMHO, the wider soundstage and finer detail is worth the slight loss in bass. What that "loss" is, I'm still not sure. Given your apparent favored music genre, my gut tells me bass performance will likely fall short of the 846/Onkyo combo you are currently using.

4. I know this is a very sensitive issue verging on blasphemy Ungaro, but have you considered, you know, eh, um, that B brand?

5. Only you can determine which combo will offer the sound you most enjoy. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Ciao.

 

[Ungaro]

Hi Ungaro. Let me preface by saying I am well aware the following observations fail miserably due to many flaws in methodology! With that recognised, here we go....

I played the Weekend and Three 6 Mafia tracks using Spotify's highest quality audio setting on my iPhone 6S Plus. I listened through Shure 846s with LTG cable and Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s using the 3.5mm audio jack. Hopefully it is no surprise that the Shure's outperformed the Sennheisrer's in most respects.

I first listened to the tracks with the Shure's. Although unfamiliar with the songs, given the genre, I sensed that there was something missing from the bass. Listening to the same songs through the Momentum's and then again through the Shure's, my opinion changed somewhat. The bass seemed stronger than before. But I can't put my finger on it, something still didn't seem right.

Listening to some tracks that I am more familiar with including Adagio for Strings and Traffic (Tiësto), Love You More and Zacalo (Armin van Buuren), Bratzke (Super Flu), Dancing on My Own (Robyn), Teardrop (Massive Attack), Mo Boy (Dillard), Why So Serious (Hans Zimmerman), and Nothing Matters (Mark Knight) my opinion was the same as when I first listened to Six Feet Under. There definitely seemed to be an attenuation of the bass compared to the original 846 cable. The initial impact of bass seemed softer on all the familiar tracks. Yet, the sub-bass on Why So Serious at 3.26 was outstandingly deep and could be felt to a greater extent than using the 846s original cable. Conversely, there seems less impact when the bass kicks in on Mo Boy.

While I cannot pin-point exactly what is happening with the bass on the 846/LTG combo, there is no question that the overall sound has a wider soundstage and greater detail than with the original cable. Here are my impressions:

1. Given the iPhone is a constant, at this point it is impossible for me to differentiate the effect of lack of sufficient burn-in of the 846s (if any) and the effect of the LTG (if any) on bass performance. My hope is that the bass will return with the strength that I remember from before.

2. If things simply are what they are Ungaro, the 846/LTG combo will not likely be favorable to you. There is definitely something lacking in the bass.

3. IMHO, the wider soundstage and finer detail is worth the slight loss in bass. What that "loss" is, I'm still not sure. Given your apparent favored music genre, my gut tells me bass performance will likely fall short of the 846/Onkyo combo you are currently using.

4. I know this is a very sensitive issue verging on blasphemy Ungaro, but have you considered, you know, eh, um, that B brand?

5. Only you can determine which combo will offer the sound you most enjoy. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Ciao.

Thanks a lot for that information

Now I definitely will not go with the Shure cable because when I bought the SE846 I was looking for that impactful thunder bass and I don't want to lose it over details or sound stage.

I will wait for the reviews of the new AAW cable and see what its sound signature like especially with the SE846.

 

[elfary]

Hi Ungaro. Let me preface by saying I am well aware the following observations fail miserably due to many flaws in methodology! With that recognised, here we go....

I played the Weekend and Three 6 Mafia tracks using Spotify's highest quality audio setting on my iPhone 6S Plus. I listened through Shure 846s with LTG cable and Sennheiser Momentum 2.0s using the 3.5mm audio jack. Hopefully it is no surprise that the Shure's outperformed the Sennheisrer's in most respects.

I first listened to the tracks with the Shure's. Although unfamiliar with the songs, given the genre, I sensed that there was something missing from the bass. Listening to the same songs through the Momentum's and then again through the Shure's, my opinion changed somewhat. The bass seemed stronger than before. But I can't put my finger on it, something still didn't seem right.

Listening to some tracks that I am more familiar with including Adagio for Strings and Traffic (Tiësto), Love You More and Zacalo (Armin van Buuren), Bratzke (Super Flu), Dancing on My Own (Robyn), Teardrop (Massive Attack), Mo Boy (Dillard), Why So Serious (Hans Zimmerman), and Nothing Matters (Mark Knight) my opinion was the same as when I first listened to Six Feet Under. There definitely seemed to be an attenuation of the bass compared to the original 846 cable. The initial impact of bass seemed softer on all the familiar tracks. Yet, the sub-bass on Why So Serious at 3.26 was outstandingly deep and could be felt to a greater extent than using the 846s original cable. Conversely, there seems less impact when the bass kicks in on Mo Boy.

While I cannot pin-point exactly what is happening with the bass on the 846/LTG combo, there is no question that the overall sound has a wider soundstage and greater detail than with the original cable. Here are my impressions:

1. Given the iPhone is a constant, at this point it is impossible for me to differentiate the effect of lack of sufficient burn-in of the 846s (if any) and the effect of the LTG (if any) on bass performance. My hope is that the bass will return with the strength that I remember from before.

2. If things simply are what they are Ungaro, the 846/LTG combo will not likely be favorable to you. There is definitely something lacking in the bass.

3. IMHO, the wider soundstage and finer detail is worth the slight loss in bass. What that "loss" is, I'm still not sure. Given your apparent favored music genre, my gut tells me bass performance will likely fall short of the 846/Onkyo combo you are currently using.

4. I know this is a very sensitive issue verging on blasphemy Ungaro, but have you considered, you know, eh, um, that B brand?

5. Only you can determine which combo will offer the sound you most enjoy. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Ciao.

iPhone 6s headphone port output impedance is 3.3 ohms.

Output impedance in the Apple Lightning audio module (which is mandatory for any 3rd party MFi manufacturer) is 0.33 ohms.

If you check the shure SE846 impedance curve you'll see that the lesser the Zout the lesser energy in the bass area.

This kind of explains perfectly you subjective impressions on the bass performance. And pretty much everything else (details, width)

I always drive my Shure SE846 with my iPhone 6 (Output impedance is 2.3 ohms). Sometimes i use an outboard amp with 0.1 ohms of output impedance and i sense a pinch less bass and a pinch more detail.

If i had to choose (no ergonomics involved) i am not sure that i would stick with the 0 ohms Zout amp (theoretically better). The couple ohms of Z in the iP6 headphone port fits like a glove to the SE846/my taste combo.

 

[New Yawker]

Thank you Elfary for providing the technical explanation for what I was hearing subjectively. I'm beginning to think that replacing the 3.5 mm jack with a lightning connector is not such a great thing. While commuting home yesterday, there were momentary fall-outs of music. I checked to confirm that the lightning plug didn't become dislodged from the iPhone. The Shure LTG was still plugged in but seemed loose. When I tried the LTG with my iPad Pro 9.7, it seemed to fit tighter. My conclusion is that the iPhone lightning connector became (or always was) loose.

 

[elfary]

Thank you Elfary for providing the technical explanation for what I was hearing subjectively. I'm beginning to think that replacing the 3.5 mm jack with a lightning connector is not such a great thing. While commuting home yesterday, there were momentary fall-outs of music. I checked to confirm that the lightning plug didn't become dislodged from the iPhone. The Shure LTG was still plugged in but seemed loose. When I tried the LTG with my iPad Pro 9.7, it seemed to fit tighter. My conclusion is that the iPhone lightning connector became (or always was) loose.

Along with ergonomics, the main reason i stick with my iPhone 6 and its headphone port is that in 15 years of daily use never ever a 3.5mm jack has died or malfunctioned.

The Lightning audio is uncharted territory stability and endurance wise.

Don't get me wrong, i think Lightning audio is a very interesting path but i just don't want to be a Guinea pig this time around. Thus i'll let the whole thing mature a bit before jumping on board.