Shure SE846 Impressions Thread
Aug 26, 2013 at 7:54 AM Post #77 of 22,884
OK, I've been listening to my 846's attached to my AK120 for a few days now.
 
AMAZING! I have not used IEMs before because I have always found them rather lacking. I have T5p's and love their sound. To me the 846's sound a lot like bigger earphones with a lot of authority in the way that they present the music. The bass is not overblown, but it is there and packs a punch :)
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:14 PM Post #78 of 22,884
i received my pair today and have had just a couple of moments to put them in my ears and play a bit of music through them....i cant give a detailed review of course but as a 535 owner my first impression is there is definitely fuller bass and a lusher and fuller sound.....i am bringing them along with me on a quick trip and will put them through the paces on the trip.....the box and housing is first class and proper for a premium product.....i use them with my etymotic glider tips which i have found give me the best isolation and comfort with my 535's as well and although the 846's are a bit bigger and bulkier the fit in the ear is comfortable if not a bit more difficult to insert for than the 535.....all in all my initial impressions are positive although very preliminary.....i will follow up when i have put in enough time with them to comment properly 
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:24 PM Post #79 of 22,884
B
Just managed to snag a pair of 846's from Yodobashi camera in Osaka (they have been out of stock for a week and a half and they got s small delivery yesterday apparently - they are sold out again already, I got the last ones.

I love them with my AK120 - mega portable sound. The bass is excellent without being artificial - at the moment I think they sound a bit like good floorstanders from a frequency point of view. Very happy.
[/quoteHow is the amp part of the ak120 ?? Does it have lots of power? I've tried 100 and found it lacking in that department. It did sound beautiful but I didn't buy it manly cause of the lac in the power. It's not that I crank my tunes up all the time. But sometimes a certain song comes on that ya just want to crank ya know. I have a nice amp but sometimes I don't want to Carry it with me. I'm just curious. Thanks :)
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 8:44 PM Post #83 of 22,884
Quote:
i received my pair today and have had just a couple of moments to put them in my ears and play a bit of music through them....i cant give a detailed review of course but as a 535 owner my first impression is there is definitely fuller bass and a lusher and fuller sound.....i am bringing them along with me on a quick trip and will put them through the paces on the trip.....the box and housing is first class and proper for a premium product.....i use them with my etymotic glider tips which i have found give me the best isolation and comfort with my 535's as well and although the 846's are a bit bigger and bulkier the fit in the ear is comfortable if not a bit more difficult to insert for than the 535.....all in all my initial impressions are positive although very preliminary.....i will follow up when i have put in enough time with them to comment properly 

I currently use SE535 with Ibasso T3 on "Gain 4"  (10 dB increase) and use the "ROCK" setting on the Ipod Classic (tips bass and treble eq).  I have alternated between Westone Star tips and my own UM56 custom tips.
 
Based on all the comments I have seen I am very hard pressed to understand any improvement over SE535 assuming perfect tips and amping and EQ.
 
With the setting above I get ZERO distortion which is a testament to the Ipod, Ibasso amp and most importantly...the SE535.  I really cant imagine any more bass.
 
SO......I guess if you compared SE535 and SE846 flat with no EQ, SE846 would win.  I get that......but from what I describe above with amping and using EQ I'm not sure I understand any type of upgrade for a $600 premium.  If nothing else, with the added bass... it seems affirmative the midrange and treble are able to keep up with the great articularity of the SE535.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 9:53 PM Post #84 of 22,884
Spyro,

As other reviewers have noted the bass is unbelievable without bleeding into the midrange. The filters work exactly as advertised. I have tried both the balanced and the bright. With the balanced the base impact is the best I have ever heard. With the bright filter the mids and high end become balanced with the bass with very little loss of bass. Sean Sullivan of Shure was spot on when he said the bright filter is better for more modern music while the balanced is better for recordings from the 60's and 70's.

To directly answer your question, using the filters creates a much more natural change in the sonic signature that an equalizer cannot match. Is it twice and good as my old favorite the SE535 Special Edition, NO. Is it significantly better YES. Imagine the SE535 Special Edition with more clarity, soundstage and retaining the sweetest midrange then add a visceral bass and you have the SE846 in a nutshell. Honestly, switching back now to the SE535 makes me realize how much the bass of the SE864 creates a foundation of sound that I cannot live without now. It is like switching back from balanced amps from single output. You do not know what your missing until you hear the SE846.

Set up: iPhone 5 with 320kbps---Apple lightning to 30 pin adapter---OCC silver LOD---RSA Protector amplifier---balanced OCC silver cables---SE846 with Westone Star Tips.

Additional notes:

After three days with the SE846 the sound gets better every day. The bass has settle down and the coherency is really improved. Also, I always thought the 535 had great midrange sound until I have gotten used to the 846. A review of Flavio at Earphone Solutions a couple of mo ths ago was dead accurate. The 535 mids can become strident over prolonged listnening with the 846 the mids are butter smooth.

Is the 846 twice as good as the 535, I am beginning to think yes it is.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 10:08 PM Post #85 of 22,884
Spyro,

As other reviewers have noted the bass is unbelievable without bleeding into the midrange. The filters work exactly as advertised. I have tried both the balanced and the bright. With the balanced the base impact is the best I have ever heard. With the bright filter the mids and high end become balanced with the bass with very little loss of bass. Sean Sullivan of Shure was spot on when he said the bright filter is better for more modern music while the balanced is better for recordings from the 60's and 70's.

To directly answer your question, using the filters creates a much more natural change in the sonic signature that an equalizer cannot match. Is it twice and good as my old favorite the SE535 Special Edition, NO. Is it significantly better YES. Imagine the SE535 Special Edition with more clarity, soundstage and retaining the sweetest midrange then add a visceral bass and you have the SE846 in a nutshell. Honestly, switching back now to the SE535 makes me realize how much the bass of the SE864 creates a foundation of sound that I cannot live without now. It is like switching back from balanced amps from single output. You do not know what your missing until you hear the SE846.

Set up: iPhone 5 with 320kbps---Apple lightning to 30 pin adapter---OCC silver LOD---RSA Protector amplifier---balanced OCC silver cables---SE846 with Westone Star Tips.


How are you liking them with the protector? I agree with this sentiment- as I've mentioned before, this really reminds me of my first aha moment in home audio, when I invested in a good sub and realized that bass isn't just supposed to go thump thump thump. Bass with good extension and detail is just the most amazing audio experience, giving lots of layers and texture to the music.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 10:14 PM Post #86 of 22,884
How are you liking them with the protector? I agree with this sentiment- as I've mentioned before, this really reminds me of my first aha moment in home audio, when I invested in a good sub and realized that bass isn't just supposed to go thump thump thump. Bass with good extension and detail is just the most amazing audio experience, giving lots of layers and texture to the music.


I tried first just silver cables directly out of the IPhone and it was better than my 535s balanced with the Protector so I knew the SE846 was something special. THEN I hooked the 846s to my balanced cables with the Protector and it is like I was deaf and now I can hear. Like the 535 the 846 scales up beautifully. Stock the 846 is great but balanced with silver cables out of the Protector is amazing.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 10:22 PM Post #87 of 22,884
I think 535 owners have a right to be skeptical. The price is much higher and it can be hard to get your head around. I also appreciate the fact that it comes down to an individual value equation. For me the 846 is easily worth it. It may not be worth it for others and I am okay with that. My only condition would be that any skeptic give them a throrough test drive before jumping to conclusions. You will not lose anything...you may gain something and what is the harm in that? Good luck.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 10:31 PM Post #88 of 22,884
Quote:
 ​
Spyro,

As other reviewers have noted the bass is unbelievable without bleeding into the midrange. The filters work exactly as advertised. I have tried both the balanced and the bright. With the balanced the base impact is the best I have ever heard. With the bright filter the mids and high end become balanced with the bass with very little loss of bass. Sean Sullivan of Shure was spot on when he said the bright filter is better for more modern music while the balanced is better for recordings from the 60's and 70's.

To directly answer your question, using the filters creates a much more natural change in the sonic signature that an equalizer cannot match. Is it twice and good as my old favorite the SE535 Special Edition, NO. Is it significantly better YES. Imagine the SE535 Special Edition with more clarity, soundstage and retaining the sweetest midrange then add a visceral bass and you have the SE846 in a nutshell. Honestly, switching back now to the SE535 makes me realize how much the bass of the SE864 creates a foundation of sound that I cannot live without now. It is like switching back from balanced amps from single output. You do not know what your missing until you hear the SE846.

Set up: iPhone 5 with 320kbps---Apple lightning to 30 pin adapter---OCC silver LOD---RSA Protector amplifier---balanced OCC silver cables---SE846 with Westone Star Tips.

Were you EQ'ing your 535 Ltd?  Are you EQ'ing the 846?
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 10:47 PM Post #90 of 22,884
I currently use SE535 with Ibasso T3 on "Gain 4"  (10 dB increase) and use the "ROCK" setting on the Ipod Classic (tips bass and treble eq).  I have alternated between Westone Star tips and my own UM56 custom tips.

Based on all the comments I have seen I am very hard pressed to understand any improvement over SE535 assuming perfect tips and amping and EQ.

With the setting above I get ZERO distortion which is a testament to the Ipod, Ibasso amp and most importantly...the SE535.  I really cant imagine any more bass.

SO......I guess if you compared SE535 and SE846 flat with no EQ, SE846 would win.  I get that......but from what I describe above with amping and using EQ I'm not sure I understand any type of upgrade for a $600 premium.  If nothing else, with the added bass... it seems affirmative the midrange and treble are able to keep up with the great articularity of the SE535.


In this hobby, I think "better" is very subjective. I've noticed a pattern though- those who love the 846s love their midrange; detailed, impactful bass; and overall clarity. Not surprisingly, at least based on what I've read, many of those who like such a signature were previous 535 owners :)

Those who look for other things tend to prefer other phones. (Eg less midrange emphasis, more enveloping rather than impactful bass, etc)

Regardless, when you find something you like as much as you have, it's a blessing :) Back to the music, then!
 

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