[windplr]

It's been a long time since I was last here, but a couple of questions. First, I've been using a Moon Audio v1 Black Dragon cable for several years. Recently it began short out on one side (when turning my head side to side) and it appears to be up near the IEM. I think it is time I begin looking for a replacement, but noticed that Moon Audio appears to no longer make cables with MMCX connectors. So, looking for recommendations. I mostly use my 846s on an iPhone going through a Dragonfly Red streaming Qobuz or Tidal. I also need to keep costs reasonable, say $300 ish tops. Second, I long ago settled on the stock filter and use the Shure EABFK medium foam sleeves. I like the fit, sound, and isolation these give. I think the bass could be better though. What is similar in fit and isolation that might improve the bass?

 

[tjl5709]

It's been a long time since I was last here, but a couple of questions. First, I've been using a Moon Audio v1 Black Dragon cable for several years. Recently it began short out on one side (when turning my head side to side) and it appears to be up near the IEM. I think it is time I begin looking for a replacement, but noticed that Moon Audio appears to no longer make cables with MMCX connectors. So, looking for recommendations. I mostly use my 846s on an iPhone going through a Dragonfly Red streaming Qobuz or Tidal. I also need to keep costs reasonable, say $300 ish tops. Second, I long ago settled on the stock filter and use the Shure EABFK medium foam sleeves. I like the fit, sound, and isolation these give. I think the bass could be better though. What is similar in fit and isolation that might improve the bass?

Fiio has silver cables with MMCX connectors.

I live by spin fit dual flanges. They seal great in my ears. Seal so well you got to be easy removing'em. Run'em with my 846's and 1200's

 

[Krizit]

Fiio has silver cables with MMCX connectors.

I live by spin fit dual flanges. They seal great in my ears. Seal so well you got to be easy removing'em. Run'em with my 846's and 1200's

It's been a long time since I was last here, but a couple of questions. First, I've been using a Moon Audio v1 Black Dragon cable for several years. Recently it began short out on one side (when turning my head side to side) and it appears to be up near the IEM. I think it is time I begin looking for a replacement, but noticed that Moon Audio appears to no longer make cables with MMCX connectors. So, looking for recommendations. I mostly use my 846s on an iPhone going through a Dragonfly Red streaming Qobuz or Tidal. I also need to keep costs reasonable, say $300 ish tops. Second, I long ago settled on the stock filter and use the Shure EABFK medium foam sleeves. I like the fit, sound, and isolation these give. I think the bass could be better though. What is similar in fit and isolation that might improve the bass?

NiceHCK have recently release a silver litz cable for just over 20 USD. Can choose whichever connectors you want.

I've owned quite a few Ted Allen/Headphone Lounge silver litz cables over the years and the new NiceHCK ones are actually comparable. If you don't mind spending the dollars then contact Ted Allen, I spoke to him a few times this year so I would assume he is still in business.

But if you don't mind something that's just a fraction lower build quality but muuuuuch cheaper then check out NiceHCK.

 

[Krizit]

Always wanted to listen to these but never got a chance.

I thought they sound better than the SE846 but not enough to make me want to pay that much more.

 

[Krizit]

Having trouble with my pair I bought recently. I owned a pair when the SE846 had just been released and absolutely loved them, I traded them with a friend for a car (LOL) many years ago and always regretted. Had never been able to get the same sound signature since. Well I picked up another pair recently but they just don't sound the same. Specifically I'm finding highs seem recessed, which I suspect is because I'm using a Samsung Galaxy A8+ that might not have a low enough output impedance.

Can anyone recommend a phone with a <0.5 ohm output impedance? I used to run a DAP but now prefer to just have one device.

 

[TK33]

Having trouble with my pair I bought recently. I owned a pair when the SE846 had just been released and absolutely loved them, I traded them with a friend for a car (LOL) many years ago and always regretted. Had never been able to get the same sound signature since. Well I picked up another pair recently but they just don't sound the same. Specifically I'm finding highs seem recessed, which I suspect is because I'm using a Samsung Galaxy A8+ that might not have a low enough output impedance.

Can anyone recommend a phone with a <0.5 ohm output impedance? I used to run a DAP but now prefer to just have one device.

Have you considered something like a Dragonfly Cobalt? Buying one of those from somewhere with a good return policy (in case it doesnt fix your issue) may be safer than changing your phone only to find it didnt help either. I keep my Cobalt in my SE846 case and I know a few people here use one with theirs too.

 

[waveSounds]

If you're happy with your current phone the Lotoo PAW S1 is brilliant with the 846. If you can't be bothered with having to carry around a dongle then any of the LG V30, V40, V50 or G8 - I think - will play very well. Essentially any of their phones with the quad DAC.

 

[sebek]

I traded them with a friend for a car (LOL)

LOL

 

[ThanatosVI]

Have you considered something like a Dragonfly Cobalt? Buying one of those from somewhere with a good return policy (in case it doesnt fix your issue) may be safer than changing your phone only to find it didnt help either. I keep my Cobalt in my SE846 case and I know a few people here use one with theirs too.

If you're happy with your current phone the Lotoo PAW S1 is brilliant with the 846. If you can't be bothered with having to carry around a dongle then any of the LG V30, V40, V50 or G8 - I think - will play very well. Essentially any of their phones with the quad DAC.

How does the Dragonfly Cobalt compare to the Lotto PAW S1?

Does the Dragonfly also offer EQ?

 

[TK33]

How does the Dragonfly Cobalt compare to the Lotto PAW S1?

Does the Dragonfly also offer EQ?

Never heard the Lotto PAW S1 so cannot comment on how it sounds. Dragonfly does not offer EQ (no app or any interface at all really) but if you use something like UAPP then you can use EQ (at the cost of losing bitperfect playback).

I usually use my DFC with UAPP and Qobuz on my Android phones (especially useful now since one of my phones no longer has a headphone jack).

 

[waveSounds]

Afraid I've not actually heard the Cobalt to give a comparison. While they're both dongle(y) DAC things their feature sets are different enough that it could just come down to what you're looking for from one of these devices. The S1 has selectable EQ and ATE presets, high or low gain adjustment, hardware volume buttons, an OLED display (albeit tiny), and both 3.5 and 4.4mm outputs, whilst also not needing a USB x to USB A adapter - although with small size of AudioQuest's own adapter (dragon tail?) this last point is somewhat moot. In one review I found this line " AQ recommends using headphones with an impedance no lower than 16Ω." but then I've seen a quite a few 846 owners who use the Cobalt and love the combination.

This might all seem very one-sided in favour of the S1, but the Cobalt can act as a line-out whereas the S1 can't (or not a true line-out functionality anyway), it also has MQA decoding baked in whereas we're still waiting on a firmware update from Lotoo for MQA on the S1 - and the wait has been quite some time, so it could be imminent, or it could be... a long way off. Another potential issue you might find with the S1 is that when using bit-perfect such as with UAPP, you can only control the volume from the S1 itself and not from the phone. I'll have to double check, but I think this is also the case when using it with a Windows machine. Volume adjustment only via the hardware buttons. Depending on your use case, that might be a source of frustration.

I don't think you can go wrong with either!

 

[ThanatosVI]

Afraid I've not actually heard the Cobalt to give a comparison. While they're both dongle(y) DAC things their feature sets are different enough that it could just come down to what you're looking for from one of these devices. The S1 has selectable EQ and ATE presets, high or low gain adjustment, hardware volume buttons, an OLED display (albeit tiny), and both 3.5 and 4.4mm outputs, whilst also not needing a USB x to USB A adapter - although with small size of AudioQuest's own adapter (dragon tail?) this last point is somewhat moot. In one review I found this line " AQ recommends using headphones with an impedance no lower than 16Ω." but then I've seen a quite a few 846 owners who use the Cobalt and love the combination.

This might all seem very one-sided in favour of the S1, but the Cobalt can act as a line-out whereas the S1 can't (or not a true line-out functionality anyway), it also has MQA decoding baked in whereas we're still waiting on a firmware update from Lotoo for MQA on the S1 - and the wait has been quite some time, so it could be imminent, or it could be... a long way off. Another potential issue you might find with the S1 is that when using bit-perfect such as with UAPP, you can only control the volume from the S1 itself and not from the phone. I'll have to double check, but I think this is also the case when using it with a Windows machine. Volume adjustment only via the hardware buttons. Depending on your use case, that might be a source of frustration.

I don't think you can go wrong with either!

Thank you, Lotoo it Is!
Also looks better and is cheaper.

 

[TK33]

Thank you, Lotoo it Is!
Also looks better and is cheaper.

Please post your impressions if you get it. I would be interested in seeing what you think. May help the OP as well.

 

[118900]

Have you considered something like a Dragonfly Cobalt? Buying one of those from somewhere with a good return policy (in case it doesnt fix your issue) may be safer than changing your phone only to find it didnt help either. I keep my Cobalt in my SE846 case and I know a few people here use one with theirs too.

I use my SE846s (and my KSE1200 for that matter) straight out of a dragonfry cobalt. Considering tiny form factor I think it’s a great little product and definitely works well with the se846. Consider that the output impedance of the DFC is around 0.5 ohms against the absolute lowest impedance of about 4 to 5 ohms (dependent on the frequency, I know nominal is 9 ohms) of the se846 and it matches, albeit only just.

 

[IEMusic]

DFC OI is 0.65 Ohms, just FYI.