[RapidPulse]

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I find it appropriate to post here something I posted in a different thread a few days ago. Hope this helps many inexperienced members or experienced members who may have forgotten what true audiophilia is about.
 

I hope this means that you posted this in the new "Getting Started" forum.  But I am concerned that the sarcasm may be lost on the inexperienced. 

 

[Saraguie]

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I find it appropriate to post here something I posted in a different thread a few days ago. Hope this helps many inexperienced members or experienced members who may have forgotten what true audiophilia is about.
 
A few facts:
 

1. Bigger = better.
2. More expensive = better
3. More drivers = better
4. Custom IEMs wipe the floor with universal IEMs
5. (Expensive) aftermarket cables will make a night and day difference sonically
6. A portable amp & DAC are a must
7. Hi-Res files are it; well-mastered 192kbps / 256kbps / 320kbps / WAV rips suck
8. Audiophiles can easily hear the difference between FLAC & WAV... even when riding on the loud London underground using vented IEMs or open-back headphones.
9. Only $1,000+ DAPs have decent SQ
10. Apple sucks

1. The more audio jargon a person uses, the more knowledgeable they are
2. The higher the post-count, the more knowledgeable the person is

 
Off topic yes ... but...listening to one of my favorites of all time......George Harrison's "I I needed someone" live from the Japan tour w E.C.  So..... just A/B 1002 kpbs ALAC (lossless) vs 128 MP3 (lots of loss) and you know what?  Not much difference if any.......ok I got 6k worth of gear playing it but still.......so what Music says!........And ...... earlier today I used (Gasp) Sony XBA-3s from a iPhone with just the Denton app to eq a bit......and yes there is most definitely a diff between my home rig with full size cans and those IEMs w/o a proper DAC etc........but it did not stop me from enjoying the music and thinking how lucky I was.

 

[up late]

Yes, and no it's not (especially over a period of 10 years)!
If you enter into the swamp of Hi-Fi, be prepared to suffer; financially and otherwise...

pull the other one man - it plays jingle bells. lol! there's no rational justification for that kind of outlay on earphones.

 

[DeepGroove]

Guys I read a lot of criticism about the price of those IEM. Some people here seem to look for a "bang for their bucks" by paying a price very close to the production costs. What you forget is that costs are not a strict indicator of quality:

1. Some companies can develop a great product at a low price (because they have a smart R&D, a high volume, low wages etc.). Other companies are less cost-efficient. Ask me to develop the same earphones as Shure and I'll probably come up with something priced $8,000 to cover my costs. 
2. Companies have stopped pricing on costs for decades. They first study what is the market willing to accept, at what price. They then see if they can manufacture something acceptable for the customer (sound quality, image...) and for them (margin) at that price. If yes, you have a product, if no, you don't have a product.

 
So forget about the cost. It's all about the price. Based on the popularity of the 3003, IE800 etc. it seems there is a niche for $1,000+ IEMs. Let's see what Shure comes up with for $1,000. If those give me a bigger boner than my IE800 or my up-coming Merlin, I'll sell them and get the SE846. Whatever the cost and the markup!
 
I believe we buy things not for what they actually are, but for how they make us feel. If the technology and the perceived sound quality of the SE846 makes you feel like an "audiophile", like you have "the best" and like you're not "missing out", and if that feeling it is worth $1,000 to you, go ahead! 

If not, be happy because there is a better boner somewhere for you! 

 

[Lindskog]

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1. Audiophiles can easily hear the difference between FLAC & WAV... even when riding on the loud London underground using vented IEMs or open-back headphones.

 

Hear the difference between lossless even when riding on the loud London underground using vented IEMs?! I don't think so!!
 
http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/KB/WAV-FLAC.htm

 

[Brooko]

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1. Audiophiles can easily hear the difference between FLAC & WAV... even when riding on the loud London underground using vented IEMs or open-back headphones.

 

Hear the difference between lossless even when riding on the loud London underground using vented IEMs?! I don't think so!!
 
http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/KB/WAV-FLAC.htm

 
Ummmm - you did read the other points in music_4321's post, and realise it was satire/humour?

 

[musicday]

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Wow!  Are these the most expensive universals now at $999?
 
Nevermind....just remembered the 1plus2

I think AKG K3003 is the most pricy universal IEM today!   ($1200)
 

I guess that could very well be true! However, in this particular case (the AKG K3003) its price affects its sonic qualities, most notably its inability to be coherently sounding. It's funny, I always thought the qualities of a product could affect its price, but learning that the price can indeed affect a products qualities (or lack of it) is new to me, or maybe it's just me, or here on HF!? Maybe the same will happen to the Shure SE846.

Ugly,expensive, and not practical at all.I will take the old Westome UM2 over this at any time.

 

[music_4321]

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Ugly,expensive, and not practical at all.I will take the old Westome UM2 over this at any time.

 
Yes, extremely ugly, outrageously expensive, totally impractical and, on top of that, one of the worst-sounding IEMs out there. I still much prefer my 4-year-old Skulcandys over my K3003s. Have tried selling my AKGs several times, but the highest offer I got was $125.00 (which included expensive [$75.00] FedEx / UPS shipping & 4% PP fees).

I have to agree, the UM2 rocks, it's definitely one of the nicest looking hearing aids IEMs I've ever seen.

 

[up late]

I'll give you $200 plus pp fees for 'em.

 

[goodvibes]

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Ummmm - you did read the other points in music_4321's post, and realise it was satire/humour?

Not really. He thinks all that stuff snake oil or too emphasized so more like facetious in a humorous context.
 
Found this interesting from the link. "so far I can't see any difference (on a scope).
YET!!!!! 82% of the time people picked the Flat PCM file over the lossless."
 
Results always vary here so see if you hear a difference or if it's meaningful for you. Don't take the word of either side of these arguments and trust your own ears. Placebo is real but always overstated.  
 

 

[Lindskog]

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Ummmm - you did read the other points in music_4321's post, and realise it was satire/humour?

 
Haha! But there is a thin line between humor and sheer madness within HIFI! How would I know?

 

[truckdriver]

I think Shure had better hurry the SE846 to market because on Head-Fi (in the Rank Your IEM thread) people are starting to place the $1000 IE800 below IEMs less than half its price. If the K3003 and others fall, the term “top-tier” will lose its cachet. There's a danger of “jumping the (attitude is altitude) shark”.

 

[Skullbox]

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Ugly,expensive, and not practical at all.I will take the old Westome UM2 over this at any time.

agree +1

 

[Oof Oink]

Yes, extremely ugly, outrageously expensive, totally impractical and, on top of that, one of the worst-sounding IEMs out there. I still much prefer my 4-year-old Skulcandys over my K3003s. Have tried selling my AKGs several times, but the highest offer I got was $125.00 (which included expensive [$75.00] FedEx / UPS shipping & 4% PP fees).

Haha! music_4321, your newfound sense of humor (when taken literally by some readers) may be doing more damage than good, mate.

P.S. I'll offer you $126.

 

[Skullbox]

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Yes, extremely ugly, outrageously expensive, totally impractical and, on top of that, one of the worst-sounding IEMs out there. I still much prefer my 4-year-old Skulcandys over my K3003s. Have tried selling my AKGs several times, but the highest offer I got was $125.00 (which included expensive [$75.00] FedEx / UPS shipping & 4% PP fees).

I have to agree, the UM2 rocks, it's definitely one of the nicest looking hearing aids IEMs I've ever seen.

agree!