Shure SE846 Impressions Thread

[tbritton]

Waxy ears, my friend. Waxy ears. You can clean everyday, but it don't matter. Wax gonna wax.

Shure stopped including this tool and explicitly tell people to disassemble the nozzle for cleaning now instead.

Egads!!!!!

I do have waxy ears, but because I use the three-tier silicones (sometimes trimmed down to two-tiers) the wax stays contained inside that tube, which I have to squish out of it pretty much daily. But at least squishing is easier than disassembling. As mentioned, disassembly is hard on that delicate seal, so I avoid it like the plague.

I use the Trishd mod (pushing the blue filters all the way in and against the bottom cloth filter). So, there is little danger in my case of damaging the filter, as I cannot reach it with that tool. Still, I have not needed to be concerned since moving to the three-or-custom-two-tier silicones.

The tips with the little "fence" built-in help a lot also.

Terry

 

[waveSounds]

For years I've been using the Sony hybrid tips (best fit for my ears) on adapters made by stripping the foam off a pair of the olive tips that didn't fit. Decided I'd give the latest Spinfit CP100 plus a go and the fit is just as good, and the clear silicon matches the 846s aesthetic better than the black Sony tips. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things, but it is a welcome bonus.

 

[fablestruck]

For years I've been using the Sony hybrid tips (best fit for my ears) on adapters made by stripping the foam off a pair of the olive tips that didn't fit. Decided I'd give the latest Spinfit CP100 plus a go and the fit is just as good, and the clear silicon matches the 846s aesthetic better than the black Sony tips. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things, but it is a welcome bonus.

Great.
But why not use the CP 800 which do not require an adapter?

 

[waveSounds]

Good question. I can't explain why, I just never fancied them. These came with adapters in the pack so it's all good. Plus, the CP800 don't have yellow stems, and yellow is awesome.

 

[fablestruck]

Good question. I can't explain why, I just never fancied them. These came with adapters in the pack so it's all good. Plus, the CP800 don't have yellow stems, and yellow is awesome.

Fair enough my friend!
Yellow rules.
Soundwise they must be close to identical.

 

[plakat]

Good question. I can't explain why, I just never fancied them. These came with adapters in the pack so it's all good. Plus, the CP800 don't have yellow stems, and yellow is awesome.

That reasoning is very @waveSounds -y

I've always preferred non-foam tips, but with the SE846 I've kept the default. They fit me quite well, especially after switching from M, which was OK, to S, which is large enough for a secure fit, but easier to insert for me.

I once owned the Campfire Vega, and switched from their default foam tops to some silicone variety. Unfortunately they showed a rather hard edge in the upper midrange, so I switched back. One more reason not to change the SE846... though I had them long before the Vega, and I sold the Vega long ago.

Never understood why some people used Comply instead of silicone tips, since, for my taste, they tend to muddle up treble (no, I did not try out every version). But obviously there are models that are tuned with foam tips in mind. And I happen to like the Shure variant.

 

[musicday]

Any good deals on the Se846 clear version? I am in UK and thinking of getting a pair, for music and movies.

 

[fablestruck]

Any good deals on the Se846 clear version? I am in UK and thinking of getting a pair, for music and movies.

Yes a friend is selling a new pair for a ridiculous price. If your are interested I can send you his email address.

 

[musicday]

Is it worth upgrading the stock cable? Do you gain much in sound quality?

 

[MarkParity]

Is it worth upgrading the stock cable? Do you gain much in sound quality?

Seriously do you ever gain much in sound quality? The included cable is quite heavy and not very ergonomic so I don't use it. I'm currently using the "Campfire Audio Pure Silver Litz Cable – Pure Silver Conductors with Berylium Copper MMCX and 3.5mm Stereo Plug" that was supplied with my Atlas. It's a very nice light and flexible cable with compact MMCX plugs very ergonomic but zero sound differences as IMHO that just isn't a thing.

 

[Kozwoz]

Seriously do you ever gain much in sound quality? The included cable is quite heavy and not very ergonomic so I don't use it. I'm currently using the "Campfire Audio Pure Silver Litz Cable – Pure Silver Conductors with Berylium Copper MMCX and 3.5mm Stereo Plug" that was supplied with my Atlas. It's a very nice light and flexible cable with compact MMCX plugs very ergonomic but zero sound differences as IMHO that just isn't a thing.

If it’s not a thing everyone should just run cheap copper cables. Dirt cheap.

 

[MarkParity]

If it’s not a thing everyone should just run cheap copper cables. Dirt cheap.

Oh no what have I started, sorry. I always get the cheapest cable that looks and feels nice and it must be lightweight that's important too for me. I can't stand a heavy cable weighing down on my ears. It that cable costs $200 then so be it. I don't choose a $500 over the $200 cable essentially because it "sounds better".

My last post on this subject we really don't want this discussion to kick off here, but @musicday started the discussion by mentioning sound quality when asking about a cable and I posted what I thought was a constructive reply, not a random "buy a dirt cheap cable" response.

 

[Kozwoz]

How can two different materials i.e. copper and silver - that conduct differently which is in fact measurable sound the same? You mean you can’t hear a difference.

 

[joshnor713]

Is it worth upgrading the stock cable? Do you gain much in sound quality?

This depends the user. Most of the reason to upgrade the cable should be ergonomics (which in the case of the lackluster SE846 cable is totally reasonable). But if there's something with the 846's sound that your ears would benefit from a tilt in a particular direction, warmer or brighter, then there could be value in going for a copper or silver cable. It won't be a huge difference, like switching the 846 filters, but it would be a tilt. Anyone who says there is zero difference between copper and silver is just fooling themselves.

Personally, it was valuable to me switching to the Linum superbax, which tames the bass and gives a slighter clarity to the treble. The changes are "slight" of course, but to me makes a notable difference to the experience.

 

[plakat]

How can two different materials i.e. copper and silver - that conduct differently which is in fact measurable sound the same? You mean you can’t hear a difference.

The only potential problem/sound changing thing about cables with the SE846 is the Shures really low nominal impedance coupled with the usual swings over frequency: if the cable has a too high resistance it will influence sound in this constellation, just like a higher output impedance of an amp. Otherwise not really, except the cables defective.