Shure SE846: A New In-Ear Flagship From Shure. Finally! (Impressions p26-28)

[fuzzy1969]

I think if some people actually do some research to find shares RRP of this product they will find it is quite a bit more than $1000, its not something I wanted to mention due to the amount of fluff this threads collecting over the price and putting down of shares new flagship based on price, even though it hasn't been released and properly reviewed yet which makes a irrelevant argument at this stage (for me at least).

 

[Inks]

No humor intended but PLEASE put the bong down!

Besides, the ER4 is $299 not $200. ...and it actually gets beat by $100 IEM's.

Back to the SE846.......

I never mentioned the ER4, ER4 isn't it. Now I wonder why you had to make that remark...

 

[Ultrazino]

I'm surprised to see people still bring up that the R&D costs are unknown to us and say it's a valid point. Because it is not.
 
Shure is a relatively big company and they have the marketing strategies like any other company does - except those very small businesses with a very low head count.
 
R&D and marketing are streamlined to the target. And the target was to offer an IEM for at least 1.000 $. End of discussion!
If Shure had planned to create a successor to the SE535 but then noticed that production greatly exceeds the limit, the project management would cancel it altogether. Don't tell me you think the engineers were advised to improve the SE535 but suddenly asked double/triple the budget and nobody cared?!
 
It's a fact that Shure wanted to offer an incredible expensive in-ear. And by doing so they have offended many regular Shure customers who are asking a competitive price for a great product. Those times are officially over.
No matter how good the SE846 sounds, Shure's market has shifted intentionally. I really hope Westone will not follow.

 

[music_4321]

It was very disappointing to learn that Shure's new flagship / statement product did not even match the Piano Forte X-CG's price tag of $2,000+. Unless Shure charge a minimum of $1,500 for the SE846, I have no plans to ever purchase this IEM — if Shure change the price to $2,500, they'll get my not so hard-earned cash straightaway... even if most reviews / impressions say the SE846 is not worth more than $200.

 

[truckdriver]

Stone-throwers should chunk a few rocks Westone's way. After all, boutique companies like Alclair and 1964Ears offer CIEMs at around $400 and Westone has a $1K CIEM in its “Elite Series”.
 
Shure has started an “Elite Series” (albeit universal) with one offering so far—the SE846.
 
 

 

[Saraugie]

Quote:

It was very disappointing to learn that Shure's new flagship / statement product did not even match the Piano Forte X-CG's price tag of $2,000+. Unless Shure charge a minimum of $1,500 for the SE846, I have no plans to ever purchase this IEM — if Shure change the price to $2,500, they'll get my not so hard-earned cash straightaway... even if most reviews / impressions say the SE846 is not worth more than $200.

 
                                               

 

[uchihaitachi]

Quote:

I'm surprised to see people still bring up that the R&D costs are unknown to us and say it's a valid point. Because it is not.
 
Shure is a relatively big company and they have the marketing strategies like any other company does - except those very small businesses with a very low head count.
 
R&D and marketing are streamlined to the target. And the target was to offer an IEM for at least 1.000 $. End of discussion!
If Shure had planned to create a successor to the SE535 but then noticed that production greatly exceeds the limit, the project management would cancel it altogether. Don't tell me you think the engineers were advised to improve the SE535 but suddenly asked double/triple the budget and nobody cared?!
 
It's a fact that Shure wanted to offer an incredible expensive in-ear. And by doing so they have offended many regular Shure customers who are asking a competitive price for a great product. Those times are officially over.
No matter how good the SE846 sounds, Shure's market has shifted intentionally. I really hope Westone will not follow.

 
 
Quote:

I'm surprised to see people still bring up that the R&D costs are unknown to us and say it's a valid point. Because it is not.
 
Shure is a relatively big company and they have the marketing strategies like any other company does - except those very small businesses with a very low head count.
 
R&D and marketing are streamlined to the target. And the target was to offer an IEM for at least 1.000 $. End of discussion!
If Shure had planned to create a successor to the SE535 but then noticed that production greatly exceeds the limit, the project management would cancel it altogether. Don't tell me you think the engineers were advised to improve the SE535 but suddenly asked double/triple the budget and nobody cared?!
 
It's a fact that Shure wanted to offer an incredible expensive in-ear. And by doing so they have offended many regular Shure customers who are asking a competitive price for a great product. Those times are officially over.
No matter how good the SE846 sounds, Shure's market has shifted intentionally. I really hope Westone will not follow.

Exactly! Amen.

 

[goodvibes]

 Shure has not changed their market position other than adding to it. Nothing has 'changed' for them. Only enhanced.
 
Westone has other product there but I don't think most would disparage them coming out worth a universal version of the ES5 and undercutting the Shure by a couple hundred in street price. Preference aside, if the Shure is considered better, guess how much the $200 will matter once you're over $600. Not much.
 
I don't get the angst or need for Shure to justify anything. If it works better than the next thing that's less expensive, it will sell. It already has a built in se5xx series upgrade market. It will be successful and fretting over how they determined the price is a silly endeavor because it doesn't matter. If it fit's your needs of price vs performance, buy it. If not, don't. Personally, I'm very curious but I can't see these improving on mine. Any more bass than I already have would be too much for me and my somewhat elevated low bass doesn't mess with my mids either. The Shure is after all just a 4 driver 3 way with unique bass loading. Doesn't mean they can't compete with what I have because there's more to this than driver count or case type but I already have what I have and love the fit and sound. Besides, universals are a different and much larger market. One that Shure will have a greater share of.

 

[truckdriver]

Hey, there's an idea, goodvibes. Westone could take a page from Heir's 5.0 (except using the Wr4 form factor--with 2.5mm nozzle that works for me). Because after all, this is all about me.

Westone could go $700 by claiming a "fun" tuning (as opposed to reference tuning for the ES5). That would work if they could get it out before Shure.

However, if the SE846 is as good as I'm hoping, I'll be done with the earphone market for quite a while.

 

[Oof Oink]

Since we're running full circle here, I might as well contribute. If the AKG K3003i has a legitimate place in the market (and it does), so too does the Shure SE846. Would it be nicer if either one was less expensive? Well, wouldn't EVERYTHING be nicer if it were less expensive? A fair number of listeners have already expressed that the SE846 is head and shoulders above the SE535, and the SE535 is by no means inexpensive, in and of itself. So, despite the premium, Shure is bound to charge (significantly) more for the SE846. Though, I'm also under the impression that they will eventually introduce a x46 series, replacing their current lineup. Sony did it (with the XBA series), and less recently, so did Logitech (post acquiring Ultimate Ears). jm2c

 

[fiascogarcia]

I swear this is the last time I'm reading this thread...........I hope...........but it's like a car wreck, you almost can't turn your head away!

 
Wait, this actually is a metaphorical car wreck!  So sorry Jude, that your thread got ruined.

 

[Spyro]

Since we are running full circle here, isn't a $600 cost increase a lot for a increase in bass?
 
I guess they HAD to throw in the gimicky filter swap outs with stainless nozzles to add SOMETHING of more value.  Isn't using EQ to adjust the treble easier? 
 
This is all just in joking.  I'm sure it will sound great.  I'd love to own a pair.

 

[goodvibes]

Quote:

Hey, there's an idea, goodvibes. Westone could take a page from Heir's 5.0 (except using the Wr4 form factor--with 2.5mm nozzle that works for me). Because after all, this is all about me.

Westone could go $700 by claiming a "fun" tuning (as opposed to reference tuning for the ES5). That would work if they could get it out before Shure.

However, if the SE846 is as good as I'm hoping, I'll be done with the earphone market for quite a while.

What do you mean that it's about you? It's a forum. It's all about me. LOL

 

[truckdriver]

Quote:

What do you mean that it's about you? It's a forum. It's all about me. LOL

Well, goodvibes, I bow to your seniority here.  I'm not going to make it to 4000+ posts.

I often try to use [more like abuse] my 18 year seniority on my job but it almost never works (except at bid time). I tell them that it's "all about me", and they just roll their eyes.
 
Some people seem upset about the direction of this thread. I have to wonder what-the-heck did they expect on a thread about a product that is not yet to market? Perhaps they can check the Head Gear section for no-nonsense info.
 
I appreciate the thoroughness of the established reviewers here. Even if they have an SE846 review unit, they are in no hurry to rush to judgment.

 

[Saraugie]

Quote:

What do you mean that it's about you? It's a forum. It's all about me. LOL

Now this sounds like my house.......My son is a 20 year old College student and EVERYTHING is about him LOL