[TenderTendon]

  this should be done with a transparent version of the 846?
in the pictures the black version!

Pics with the transparent version may be a little more informative, but I don't own them. I only have a pair in black...

 

[Gosod]

 
Pics with the transparent version may be a little more informative, but I don't own them. I only have a pair in black...

tell me, black purse different sound quality from the clear version?

 

[TenderTendon]

  tell me, black purse different sound quality from the clear version?

I can't see how they could possibly sound different, but I can't say for sure. I have never listened to a clear pair.

 

[Gosod]

 
I can't see how they could possibly sound different, but I can't say for sure. I have never listened to a clear pair.

if you have a chance listen, then tell which is better.

 

[thefitz]

Are you guys sure? I could have sworn now that my O-rings are gone, my SE846s are 14% less holographic and 7% less dynamic. And you know how every aftermarket cable somehow "opens up the mids"? Well, now it's the reverse. The mids are quite... closed... down. Opened down? Closed up? I think I need some placebos to help my hearing.

 

[Gosod]

  Are you guys sure? I could have sworn now that my O-rings are gone, my SE846s are 14% less holographic and 7% less dynamic. And you know how every aftermarket cable somehow "opens up the mids"? Well, now it's the reverse. The mids are quite... closed... down. Opened down? Closed up? I think I need some placebos to help my hearing.

you are afraid to ruin the hearing?

 

[thefitz]

  you are afraid to ruin the hearing?

No, I'm fine. I changed my USB cable and everything's fine. Oddly, I only use the USB cable to CHARGE my DAP.

 

[Gosod]

understood.

 

[TenderTendon]

   OK, I decided to just clean the inserts and see how it works out. I cleaned them using 90% IPA in my ultrasonic cleaner. I did the blue set first. As soon as I put them in, the pressure waves blew 2 extremely low density, open cell foam plugs out of the tube. The foam has such a low density (the air pockets are so large) that I don't see how they can possibly have any acoustical absorption in the audible frequency range. I assume the only reason for this foam is to temporarily prevent the wicking of sweat getting to the Knowles damper, which is located at the inlet of the insert. The damper has an extremely fine mesh and would clog with sweat very easily. After cleaning them, the treble obviously came back. I cleaned the black inserts also while I was at it. The black inserts had the exact same foam plugs. The plugs are very easy to re-insert with tweezers.
   So, I'm going to have to change something here. I could get another pair of cheaper phones for the gym, but I really love the sound of these. I could just continue cleaning the inserts regularly, but I don't know how long the dampers will survive the cleaning. I really don't think that I am sweating enough to soak the foam enough to get through to the dampers during one workout, but it's possible that the sweat is just staying there between workouts, as there is no air moving through there to evaporate it. I think the sweat is accumulating every workout until it soaks through. I am going to start storing the phones in the waterproof case with a bunch of silica gel bags. That zero humidity environment might be enough to completely dry out the foam overnight. We'll see...
 

 

[miketlse]

     OK, I decided to just clean the inserts and see how it works out. I cleaned them using 90% IPA in my ultrasonic cleaner. 

 
Where did you buy IPA with a 90% alcohol content ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_pale_ale
 

 

[TenderTendon]

   
Where did you buy IPA with a 90% alcohol content ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_pale_ale
 

Lol... Isopropyl Alcohol

 

[TimeLord]

   
Where did you buy IPA with a 90% alcohol content ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_pale_ale
 

 
 

 
Lol... Isopropyl Alcohol

I much prefer the India version.

 

[truckdriver]

[COLOR=111111]I can't listen to them on Android.[/COLOR]
these headphones are high-end.

1.  
   

Android is an operating system. Some "audiophile" players use Android (like Sony ZX1 and 2, Astell&Kern, Cowon, the FiiO X7, likely the upcoming iBasso and so on).

 

[acrox999]

[COLOR=111111]I can't listen to them on Android.[/COLOR]
these headphones are high-end.

1.  
   

I assume that you're talking about pairing it with just about any Android devices or smartphones but nah, I've done that for more than a year now. I paired the SE846 with my OnePlus One and it was great. Although the mids were a bit recessed and the bass were a bit muddy it was still a great match. I couldn't get any other amps to match well with it, they all sounded way too rough with the SE846.

I recently got the Onkyo DP-X1 (which is also Android) and it sounded much better. Definitely unlocked some more potential of the SE846.

 

[thefitz]

It has nothing to do with the OS of the device and everything to do with the impedance of the output jack.