[118900]

I don’t think either BAs or dynamic drivers are inherently better than the other. Both have some advantages, and both allow for the construction of well tuned in-ears.

that said, I generally prefer dynamic drivers for their bass (yes, I do like my bass a bit more dirty…), but, as the SE846 demonstrates so well, BA bass can also be very satisfying. Yet I hear that specific fatness I’m looking for less often with pure BA designs…

I once owned the IE800 and while it’s bass was nice it’s somehow fizzy, hollow treble did not work for me. With the IE900 I‘m q bit hesitant due to the aluminum housing… we do have Winters in Austria. I also don’t quite like the design.

Bit the main reason for not taking a deeper look at the IE900 is my 64audio N8, which does everything I want, plus my SE846 which I still love. No need for new toys at this time I guess…

And yes, the clear SE846 is of course the best looking variant

I agree with your take on the IE800. I was able to borrow one for a day many moons ago and preferred the tonality of the older IE7 I had.

I don't mean to suggest in my comments that BAs are inherently better than dynamics, especially with regards to bass "slam" but overall I believe that a good overall sound, and in particular sound signature tuning, is far easier to achieve with BAs which is also why the majority of IEMs appear to have taken this route. My personal preference (if absolutely pushed) is also for a cleaner, clearer mid and treble over bass presence, hence my preference for electrostatics, which may explain why I prefer the sonic signature of BAs over the dynamics I have heard so far, although I have to admit I am missing absolutely nothing in the bass department with my current electrostatics (including the KSE1200).

I think dynamics with their higher mass and surface area are disadvantaged when it comes to reproducing some signals but the larger surface area accounts for the more visceral bass they normally achieve, possible explaining why Shure went for a hybrid design with the Aonic 4s.

I would love to hear the IE900s just to see what they are capable of, I have read mixed reviews regarding the 300 and 400 with some saying they are very good and others saying they are quite poor but frankly, like all things, this is often down to personal preference which is why I really would like to hear their flagship for myself.

At the end of the day its not just down to the BA vs Dynamic, there are many other factors that influence the sound aided by individual manufacturers know how and personal sound preference, although I do think that Shure have absolutely killed it with their low pass filter on the SE846s (just to get back to the thread topic ).

 

[plakat]

I'd call the blue one underrated. From the official product pictures it looks like some uninspired plain blue plastic thing, but in person it has a nice shiny sparkle and with light at the right angle has purple highlights.

I ordered clear from Shure's website, and the store that fulfilled the order sent a blue one. I was going to send it back since from the photo on the box it's the ugliest. But the customer photos I saw online I decided to open it up anyway and was really impressed.

At the time I purchased my set I think clear was the only option. I do like them, but I'm also sure the other options look nice. For some colors its hard to portrait them well in a photo...

I agree with your take on the IE800. I was able to borrow one for a day many moons ago and preferred the tonality of the older IE7 I had.

I don't mean to suggest in my comments that BAs are inherently better than dynamics, especially with regards to bass "slam" but overall I believe that a good overall sound, and in particular sound signature tuning, is far easier to achieve with BAs which is also why the majority of IEMs appear to have taken this route. My personal preference (if absolutely pushed) is also for a cleaner, clearer mid and treble over bass presence, hence my preference for electrostatics, which may explain why I prefer the sonic signature of BAs over the dynamics I have heard so far, although I have to admit I am missing absolutely nothing in the bass department with my current electrostatics (including the KSE1200)

I think dynamics with their higher mass and surface area are disadvantaged when it comes to reproducing some signals but the larger surface area accounts for the more visceral bass they normally achieve, possible explaining why Shure went for a hybrid design with the Aonic 4s.

At the end of the day its not just down to the BA vs Dynamic, there are many other factors that influence the sound aided by individual manufacturers know how and personal sound preference, although I do think that Shure have absolutely killed it with their low pass filter on the SE846s (just to get back to the thread topic ).

I certainly did not want to imply that your comments said anything like one technology being better than the other. I guess our tastes differ a bit in what we expect especially in the presentation of bass -- with DD serving my priorities a bit better in general, while BAs fit your expectations more.

To me BAs seem a bit like a building blocks approach: you can shape frequency response by how you combine which drivers. I talked to one of the founders if Vision Ears once about this, voicing my concerns about so many BAs in their then-new Erlkönig model, resulting in a complicated crossover with phase problems. He told me that the specific acoustic characteristics allow for a combination that in many cases does not need a full crossover network, but works with the cutoff frequencies of the driver itself.

Contrasting this with a dynamic driver, where many acoustic properties are realized in the design of the driver, its acoustic chamber (or pads in case of headphones), this approach seems quite different. What I do like about single-DD in-ears is that there are no crossover frequencies at all... so I'm a bit hesitant with the urge of some manufacturers to put ever more BAs into a shell. That being said, I don't hear inconsistencies in either the SE846 nor the N8 (1 DD + 8 BA). And in the end I think the only measure that counts: does it do justice to the music? Is there fun in listening? Both questions can be answered with yes for several models of both variants -- as you said, it comes down to the know how and taste of the people involved in creating an in-ear.

I do own the KSE-1500 as well... and while I still think its the best sounding headphone I know, I seldom use it and even think about selling it: just too much trouble for regular use. But the technical ability is fascinating.

Yes, the Aonic 4 is interesting... first hybrid in-ear by Shure. Yet I'll simply keep with the SE846 -- a one of a kind model just like the KSE-1500.

 

[118900]

At the time I purchased my set I think clear was the only option. I do like them, but I'm also sure the other options look nice. For some colors its hard to portrait them well in a photo...


I certainly did not want to imply that your comments said anything like one technology being better than the other. I guess our tastes differ a bit in what we expect especially in the presentation of bass -- with DD serving my priorities a bit better in general, while BAs fit your expectations more.

To me BAs seem a bit like a building blocks approach: you can shape frequency response by how you combine which drivers. I talked to one of the founders if Vision Ears once about this, voicing my concerns about so many BAs in their then-new Erlkönig model, resulting in a complicated crossover with phase problems. He told me that the specific acoustic characteristics allow for a combination that in many cases does not need a full crossover network, but works with the cutoff frequencies of the driver itself.

Contrasting this with a dynamic driver, where many acoustic properties are realized in the design of the driver, its acoustic chamber (or pads in case of headphones), this approach seems quite different. What I do like about single-DD in-ears is that there are no crossover frequencies at all... so I'm a bit hesitant with the urge of some manufacturers to put ever more BAs into a shell. That being said, I don't hear inconsistencies in either the SE846 nor the N8 (1 DD + 8 BA). And in the end I think the only measure that counts: does it do justice to the music? Is there fun in listening? Both questions can be answered with yes for several models of both variants -- as you said, it comes down to the know how and taste of the people involved in creating an in-ear.

I do own the KSE-1500 as well... and while I still think its the best sounding headphone I know, I seldom use it and even think about selling it: just too much trouble for regular use. But the technical ability is fascinating.

Yes, the Aonic 4 is interesting... first hybrid in-ear by Shure. Yet I'll simply keep with the SE846 -- a one of a kind model just like the KSE-1500.

Not a problem, I didn't mean you had but because a lot of my posts were extolling the virtues of BA agains DD I didn't want it to sound any more biased that I actually am .

I think the KSE 1500/1200 will definitely go down in the history books of all headphones, not just IEMs, and the SE846s have a place with the greats as well. All I can say is I have reached my own little nirvana with what I have right now and genuinely feel no need to "upgrade" to anything else.

 

[waveSounds]

Thomann has the clear 846 for £639.

 

[musicday]

Thomann has the clear 846 for £639.

Good price but there will be tax for UK residents sadly.

 

[fablestruck]

Guys, I am considering selling my SE846 CL to EU residents. Bought 2 years ago new from a local authorized dealer, moderate indoors use.
If anybody is interested let me know.

 

[davidcotton]

Good price but there will be tax for UK residents sadly.

£699 at scan.co.uk if that helps. Kinda kicking myself over the £599 deal now.

 

[musicday]

£699 at scan.co.uk if that helps. Kinda kicking myself over the £599 deal now.

Add £300 more and you can have the new great IE900 everyone talks about.

 

[118900]

Add £300 more and you can have the new great IE900 everyone talks about.

That no one has heard yet

 

[davidcotton]

That no one has heard yet

£900 im doing customs.

 

[118900]

£900 im doing customs.

Never used them myself but I know those that have confirm they make a noticeable difference

 

[netwiz]

So I got to the bottom of my sound cutting out from 1 ear bud. As I was cleaning them I noticed the dodgy one, the gold connector In the ear bud had collapsed partially, so the pin from the cable would not always have contact.

on investigation I made it even worse. Is this repairable?

See this thread

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/any-fix-for-worn-socket-on-mmcx-earbuds.935734/

 

[mariowar]

I agree with your take on the IE800. I was able to borrow one for a day many moons ago and preferred the tonality of the older IE7 I had.

I don't mean to suggest in my comments that BAs are inherently better than dynamics, especially with regards to bass "slam" but overall I believe that a good overall sound, and in particular sound signature tuning, is far easier to achieve with BAs which is also why the majority of IEMs appear to have taken this route. My personal preference (if absolutely pushed) is also for a cleaner, clearer mid and treble over bass presence, hence my preference for electrostatics, which may explain why I prefer the sonic signature of BAs over the dynamics I have heard so far, although I have to admit I am missing absolutely nothing in the bass department with my current electrostatics (including the KSE1200).

I think dynamics with their higher mass and surface area are disadvantaged when it comes to reproducing some signals but the larger surface area accounts for the more visceral bass they normally achieve, possible explaining why Shure went for a hybrid design with the Aonic 4s.

I would love to hear the IE900s just to see what they are capable of, I have read mixed reviews regarding the 300 and 400 with some saying they are very good and others saying they are quite poor but frankly, like all things, this is often down to personal preference which is why I really would like to hear their flagship for myself.

At the end of the day its not just down to the BA vs Dynamic, there are many other factors that influence the sound aided by individual manufacturers know how and personal sound preference, although I do think that Shure have absolutely killed it with their low pass filter on the SE846s (just to get back to the thread topic ).

I took advantage of Sennheiser' s very good return policy and purchased the IE900s.
They are great. The best dynamic driver iem imho.
However, they are less efficient than the SE846 and the mids are decent but recessed in comparison.
The bass is excellent but a well amped SE846's is as as good if not better and fuller, specially the mid bass.
Treble wise, the IE900s extend further, but in ocassions it becomes fatiguing.
Soundtage is wider at expense of the mids.
I ended up returning them.
For the record, my to go sources are a LG phone with Quad Dac in high impedance mode and a Fostex HPA8 Dac.

 

[Slim1970]

I took advantage of Sennheiser' s very good return policy and purchased the IE900s.
They are great. The best dynamic driver iem imho.
However, they are less efficient than the SE846 and the mids are decent but recessed in comparison.
The bass is excellent but a well amped SE846's is as as good if not better and fuller, specially the mid bass.
Treble wise, the IE900s extend further, but in ocassions it becomes fatiguing.
Soundtage is wider at expense of the mids.
I ended up returning them.
For the record, my to go sources are a LG phone with Quad Dac in high impedance mode and a Fostex HPA8 Dac.

Oh wow, I wasn't expecting this result. I think I'll pass on the IE900 for the time being and look at something different. Thanks for the comparisons.

 

[Chupi383]

Well amped... Now I'm wondering if I'm getting the full SE846 experience. I've been using a Qudelix 5K, and just plugging it in on USB for desktop use.