[SilverEars]

  Dumb question. Anyone have a clue how Shure comes up with the naming structure? I can tell the central digit is the number of drivers per ear (the 215/315 have one, the 846 has four), but whereas the first digit was initially a smooth gradient up the quality level (115 -> 215 ... 535), now there's an 846 with no 6xx and 7xx between, and why the xx5 to xx6? 
 
It's a dumb question I know, I'm  just curious. 

I think the third digit is a group number.  Like the 115, 215, 535, came out together in a group as a series.  I'm sure the 6 on the 846 is the series that came after the 5 series. What doesn't make sense is the first digit.  Why not call it 546, 116, 216?  I guess they used higher number to make it seem high on the quality list.    I wonder if they will come up with the lower priced 6 series phones. probably would called 6xx or 7xx.  

 

[milford30]

  Dumb question. Anyone have a clue how Shure comes up with the naming structure? I can tell the central digit is the number of drivers per ear (the 215/315 have one, the 846 has four), but whereas the first digit was initially a smooth gradient up the quality level (115 -> 215 ... 535), now there's an 846 with no 6xx and 7xx between, and why the xx5 to xx6? 
 
It's a dumb question I know, I'm  just curious. 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/663180/shure-se846-a-new-in-ear-flagship-from-shure-finally-impressions-p26-28/2265#post_9982760

 

[Monty Burns]

Is suspect as Silver Ears alluded to that since the 8s were such a big jump in sound and technology, that it makes marketing sense to make the 8s 3 higher series above the 5  "These go to 11."

 
As  with cars technology flows down form the flagship to the lower tiers of its fleet.
Rather than dump the lower series they can flow technology down to them and as the next leap forward is ready (and with it a Jump up in price the 7 and 6 series will be introduced offering the exiting 8s or something close to them at or around there current price.
 
BMW has done this with the introduction of the 1 series 
The 8 series may ultimately not be their flagship series as you will notice they also left the 9 slot open as well   perhaps the yet to be introduced 9 series After a SE9xx series comes the T1000 and then of course Judgement Day (my 8s told me thus).
 
Guess who just figured out to embed things?
 
The 8 moniker IMO was just the Genius of SHURE's Director of Marketing  Don Draper "Eyes on the future"
 
The 4 is probably drivers and
 
 The 6 is  there just to ****** with your head  -"Draper, you magnificent person, I read your book!"
 
 
Slightly OT but Keeping with my automotive theme...I would think that putting SCS on your 8s or lower series (you can get SCS for most if not all SHURE IEMs) is like getting a Benz  with an AMG package. (R/Polestar for Volvo; M for BMW, Saleen for Mustangs etc etc)

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I like that I bought the 535s a few days ago and I'm already in the 846 thread.
 
I think I know where this is going.
 

 

[Black Label]

R.I.P. Rik Mayall.

Being born in the UK myself his humour has entertained my family and myself throughout my entire life.

One Allen B'stard would doubtless have a close relationship with Australia's current PM, the way this country is going. Sadly I cannot see the last coal mine closing here any time soon: non-renewable energies comprise a huge chunk of Australia's economy. Investment in renewables would boom, eventually, hopefully before this both volatile and fragile land collapses altogether, but I digress. A conversation for another time and place.

The Young Ones was of course co-written by Ben Elton, who wrote what is doubtless one of the greatest commentaries on Thatcherian-era Britain in the shape of Gridlock. It's a thriller, of sorts, which cleverly ensures that important commentary of the times has mass appeal. Thoroughly recommended read that will show both public and private transportation for what they are.

As for the numerical naming scheme Shure has in place, it could be mere marketing superficiality. Sennheiser launched the IE800s, hence to the well drilled consumer's mind "646" or "746" may suggest inferiority. But then "946" could suggest superiority. I don't know.

Look at Cowon, who seem to pick alphanumeric combinations from the thin Korean air: J3, S9, D2, X5 etc.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

So I have a question that I already know the answer to, but I feel like I should say it anyway.
 
The 846's increase over the 535: just how significant is it?

 

[burtomr]

  So I have a question that I already know the answer to, but I feel like I should say it anyway.
 
The 846's increase over the 535: just how significant is it?

          

 

[Black Label]

Hahahaha...  I would use the same image to express how much better the 846s are over the IE800.
 
Meanwhile, this is a simply gorgeous piece of music whose melancholy impact is further charged with these bad boys:
 
[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4jfAqNelzA[/VIDEO]

 

[SomeGuyDude]

You guys are seriously the worst. :|
 
Right now my goal in life has been:
 
- The best big headphones for home use
 
- The best casual portable over-ears
 
- The best universal IEMs
 
- The best gym headphones
 
The main caveat is nothing that requires amplification. Thus far I have boxes 1, 2, and 4 ticked, and I THOUGHT I was good on box 3 but now the SE846 are calling my name.
 
Obviously it's a huge step up, but the question: it seems like "bass" is the big thing with the SE846. I do like bass, but the graphs make it look like the bass is HUGE on these things, which is great for my M100s since those are my boppin' around town listening to rap headphones, but I don't want my IEMs to be so genre-specific. Can anyone shed some light? 

 

[M Coupe]

If you can swing it. Buy the 846's from a good retailer with solid return policy and listen for yourself.  If you fly, the in-motion stores in airports have demo 846's you can listen to.  If you love them you could sell/return your 535s. 
 
Finally, while the bass on the 846 is a standout feature, the improvements are solid across the entire spectrum.  I won't take but a few minutes to notice the difference.
 
Good luck!

 

[goldendarko]

No the bass is right on the SE846's, not bloated sounding or anything like Beats. Powerful and visceral but not sloppy and loose. The bass on the SE846's is their major selling point in my opinion, other IEM's have good soundstaging, clarity, etc. but none I've heard do bass right like these puppies.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  If you can swing it. Buy the 846's from a good retailer with solid return policy and listen for yourself.  If you fly, the in-motion stores in airports have demo 846's you can listen to.  If you love them you could sell/return your 535s. 
 
Finally, while the bass on the 846 is a standout feature, the improvements are solid across the entire spectrum.  I won't take but a few minutes to notice the difference.
 
Good luck!

 
The place I bought the SE535s has the 846s so I'm almost definitely going out tomorrow to talk about a swap, LOL. It's a 2 hour drive, though. So I do want to make sure there's a good chance I'll be changing before I head out.
 
So the bass is standout, but not in the sense of being overly boosted? I suppose I'll be listening for myself, just sort of mentally preparing myself for this. 

 

[SomeGuyDude]

No the bass is right on the SE846's, not bloated sounding or anything like Beats. Powerful and visceral but not sloppy and loose. The bass on the SE846's is their major selling point in my opinion, other IEM's have good soundstaging, clarity, etc. but none I've heard do bass right like these puppies.

 
I just get a little concerned when bass is a major selling point. Not that I don't like Beats-style headphones (I've defended the Solo2's and the Mixrs plenty of times), but when the bass is seen as its major strength my first thought is "okay, but what happens when I'm not listening to music that's meant to have huge bass?" 

 

[Black Label]

Someguydude: If hip-hop is your thing, you will not be disappointed.
 
The bass is big, huge, impactful, well rounded, musical and so on.  Bloated, however, it most certainly is not.  It will not bleed through into the rest of the musical spectrum.  Instead kick drums resonate towards the back of the mind and down the neck.  Shivers down the spine are an inevitability, I must warn you now.
 
If you flicker through pages 140-onwards you will find both my own and others' impressions written at length.  To sum up: the SE846 provide an incredibly musical and engaging listen.  Throughout the years I have owned UE Triple Fi 5s, FutureSonics Atrio M5, Sennheiser IE8, the Sennheiser IE800 (which I swapped to the 846 from), Technics DJ headphones (dealing with that 2m long cord was ever so much fun...) and another brand that will not be mentioned by name and it has to be said...  From everything I have ever heard, the heart, soul and rhythm of every piece of music scintillates through the 846 while everything else is just "hearing".  You will most likely not find yourself experiencing, engaging, or indeed electrifying with similar options that are currently available.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

LOL your posts are quite literally exactly what I was looking for. I'm a metalhead chiefly with hip hop as a secondary interest (mainly when driving or just bopping around walking the dog), my sources are a Nexus 5 and a Macbook Pro ideally without amps, and the music I tend to test with are bands like Isis and Harakiri for the Sky. Haha you even mentioned Obscure Sphinx, and I often use Void Mother as a quick spot check on how a headphone reproduces drums.