[Watcherq]

Can anyone recommend me a DAC or DAP that goes well with the se846? I'm using the Fiio x5 right now and there's this annoying hiss. Really annoying when there's silence.

Ironically, I'm using the Fiio X3.  Although it is a lower end brother of the x5, it has sub-1 Ohm impedance.  No harm in trying it out.
 
As for DAC, you must try the iDSD nano.  Incredible performance in such a small portable package, at such a low price.  They have added DSD256 native support in it.  Check out the thread in the other forum.

 

[tjm6983]

Can anyone recommend me a DAC or DAP that goes well with the se846? I'm using the Fiio x5 right now and there's this annoying hiss. Really annoying when there's silence.

I get no hiss at all even on high gain with my X5. However, it doesn't surprise me as their amps seem to be somewhat hit or miss based on my experience and from what I've read on the X5 thread. I have to use high gain for best sound which is incredible. On low gain, my volume level has to be very high and the sound isn't nearly as good as high gain. but no hiss either way.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Listening to it now. Sounds good to me. No worse than the AK120.

Any hiss with the DX90?

 

[j-project]

Listening to it now. Sounds good to me. No worse than the AK120.

Is it better than the ak120. I know better is subjective but been interested in the se846 and dx90 pairing.

 

[Roscoeiii]

  Ironically, I'm using the Fiio X3.  Although it is a lower end brother of the x5, it has sub-1 Ohm impedance.  No harm in trying it out.
 
As for DAC, you must try the iDSD nano.  Incredible performance in such a small portable package, at such a low price.  They have added DSD256 native support in it.  Check out the thread in the other forum.

I had an iDSD and returned it because of the hiss levels with the 846, even at low volume levels. 

 

[LFC_SL]

Think SE846 second best in my collection for my current k-pop mood. Bass extension and slam brings the fun and highs perfect balance for the detail without sounding harsh, which is easy on lesser headphones due to modern over-mastering

 

[rmiller511]

Just got my 846s.
 
OMG
 
nuff said.

 

[rmiller511]

Well, now that this part is done - the ownership part, I will spend some time with the 846s and then write a review from a hopeless basshead's point of view.
 
Have had em in for about and hour now and my first impression is that the bass is superb.  Very good.  I would think that there is enough quality bass in sufficient quantities to satisfy bassheads....I should know.  And yeah, the bass is good.  But sometimes good is just not enough. 
 
Stay tuned.

 

[Tony1110]

Is it better than the ak120. I know better is subjective but been interested in the se846 and dx90 pairing.

DX90 has a bigger, wider, deeper, soundstage. I'm getting that out of head sensation more than I did with AK120. Detail retrieval is better with DX90. More of a feeling that you're there in the studio. Instruments coming at you from all sides.

If I were to sum it up, based on my very limited time spent with the DX90, I'd say that it's analytical, possibly at the expense of musicality. If you're the kind of listener who likes to see deep into a recording, DX90 seems to be better at picking up the little things and imparting a sense of space and depth. AK120 is warmer, more analog, fuller sounding. Possibly more fun to listen to.

Having said all that, I could change my mind tomorrow. These are initial impressions based on an afternoon's listening without the AK120 at hand to compare directly. iBasso say that the DX90 needs 400 hours burn in. Not sure I believe that but it'll be interesting to see whether things change as I rack up the hours.

One thing is for certain: there is no way the AK120 is worth £800 more than the DX90.

Oh yeah...no hiss whatsoever with SE846.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Think SE846 second best in my collection for my current k-pop mood. Bass extension and slam brings the fun and highs perfect balance for the detail without sounding harsh, which is easy on lesser headphones due to modern over-mastering

And what is #1 in your collection for K-pop?

 

[spook76]

I would not think the 846 is suited for pure electronic synthesized "music" like K-Pop. Generally, K-pop has no real drums/percussion or bass guitar.

 

[j-project]

DX90 has a bigger, wider, deeper, soundstage. I'm getting that out of head sensation more than I did with AK120. Detail retrieval is better with DX90. More of a feeling that you're there in the studio. Instruments coming at you from all sides.

If I were to sum it up, based on my very limited time spent with the DX90, I'd say that it's analytical, possibly at the expense of musicality. If you're the kind of listener who likes to see deep into a recording, DX90 seems to be better at picking up the little things and imparting a sense of space and depth. AK120 is warmer, more analog, fuller sounding. Possibly more fun to listen to.

Having said all that, I could change my mind tomorrow. These are initial impressions based on an afternoon's listening without the AK120 at hand to compare directly. iBasso say that the DX90 needs 400 hours burn in. Not sure I believe that but it'll be interesting to see whether things change as I rack up the hours.

One thing is for certain: there is no way the AK120 is worth £800 more than the DX90.

Oh yeah...no hiss whatsoever with SE846.

Thanks for the perspective. The DX90 sounds very tempting and I do have the AK120 and enjoy it quite a bit with the SE846. Not sure if I would sell the AK120 for the DX90 but definitely makes me really curious to try and find one to sample to see if the SQ is worth the trade off of bigger physical size and 1 less SD slot than the AK. Let me know if your impression changes as you spend more time with the DX90.

 

[Black Label]

In terms of sources, the iPhone(5) does the job for me. Hiss is minimal and it has mo trouble delivering most aspects of the SE846 sound.

iPod Classic: Slightly colder, not quite as powerful delivery.

MacBook: more hiss, biut flaws besides this are rendered almost non-existent. This is what I want from the portable experience.

 

[M Coupe]

To my ears- I use an ipod touch 5th gen with RSA amp in balanced.  Both the dac in the RSA and the ipod touch 5th gen sound better than my Note 3 and iPHONE 5.  The iphone 5 sounds miles better than my note 3 which is a hiss monster.  I would love to have the AK240 but that seems like a luxury for another day.

 

[rmiller511]

Oh yeah....these things rock and roll.  And they do it oh so well.
 
 
Who was asking about using inexpensive amps with them?  
 
The E11 does just fine.
 
The bass on these things are incredible.
 
This is exactly what you would expect from 1000.00 IEMs.  The sound is perfect and beautiful.