[Whazzzup]

I'm about to order the follow cable for my SE846 : 
- SXC 24 Earphone Cable : http://www.aloaudio.com/sxc-24-earphone-cable with balanced 2.5 mm
What do think about my future order ? is it an serious upgrade ?
thx

I just orderd from double helix
DHC Symbiote "Fusion" IEM Cable

True Hybrid Peptide 25.2awg Cryo Litz -- Pure OCC silver + Pure OCC copper
V2 Next-generation Model with Type 4 Litz. 8 braid to boot. I need some copper just to pop that low end and hear that base with in the bass. Unfortunately I had to send my quad ribbon back to ALO with a loose 3.5 conection resulting in subtle drop out. They will replace it with their sxc8 copper silver hybrid im supposing. But now I have gone cable happy. Post picks and thoughts when I get it.

 

[joshnor713]

   
   Please do. That would be very helpful. Thanks!

 
Just got the Mk2.  First reaction:  there's my bass!
 
The difference is crazy.  The bass isn't recessed anymore.  I got so used to it that way, now it feels like there's too much of it.  Need to re-calibrate my ears.  Definitely no need for bass boost.
 
Need to do more testing before I can really say something.  Just wanted to say that my bass problem from before seems corrected.

 

[Loquah]

What were you using previously? Sorry if you've said - I've lost track of who's using what

 

[joshnor713]

What were you using previously? Sorry if you've said - I've lost track of who's using what

 
Fiio e07k

 

[kiwibuddy]

I just bought a pair of the Shure SE846 and got the custom sleeves. I noticed that there's a lot of people buying custom cables. I'm no audiophile but I love listening to music. I'd really like to know what are the advantages of a custom cable is vs the stock they provide other than improved ergonomics (stock cables are pretty bad in this respective). Also which custom cable do you guys recommend that's preferably under $250. Thanks in advance. 

 

[madwolfa]

  I'd really like to know what are the advantages of a custom cable is vs the stock they provide other than improved ergonomics (stock cables are pretty bad in this respective).

 
Only you can tell if custom cable makes any audible difference. Extremely subjective topic. I'm personally not a cable believer so I'd only get it for improved ergonomics and looks, also wouldn't pay any crazy money for it.

 

[KeuNamoo]

  I just bought a pair of the Shure SE846 and got the custom sleeves. I noticed that there's a lot of people buying custom cables. I'm no audiophile but I love listening to music. I'd really like to know what are the advantages of a custom cable is vs the stock they provide other than improved ergonomics (stock cables are pretty bad in this respective). Also which custom cable do you guys recommend that's preferably under $250. Thanks in advance. 

I'm actually sort of getting real into it myself and am a noob but a very simplified version of what a custom cable maker told me:
copper is closest to most stock cables
spc adds a little to mids-highs
silver adds most to clarity-details-soundstage
silver litz adds more musicality to non litz silver
 
but from personal experience i have a spc and i think it sort of give the bass a bit more detail, end of the day i feel like its all subjective the differences are subtleish but if your focus and your listening experience banks on those subtleties it means the world. and when you get to this level of sound gear the changes are all subtle inmproments and preference more than quality.
id say go spc if you think it makes a big important difference to you jump to silver, the cable i have is from chris himself I bought used from another headfier in my area and with it almost as decked out can be brand new comes out to 160 (having a sheath, rhodium plated L shape termination, and a wood y splitter with a sliderbead) 
 
Any headfiers who use the se846 in the ny area? sorta lonely no one i know i can talk about this stuff with or buy stuff off of. its like talking sports to an art major lol i try to talk about this stuff with my friends and it like derp they dont get it or share the excitement lol

 

[dc-k]

Day three of my new SE846, thought they were pretty good from the off, but I've just put the bright filters in and they really rock now...

 

[IceClass]

   I'm personally not a cable believer so I'd only get it for improved ergonomics and looks, also wouldn't pay any crazy money for it.

 
I think those represent the motivations of almost all fancy cable buyers if they're being honest with themselves.

 

[Scorpion667]

I have tried 8 different MMCX cables for the SE846, not including the stock one.
 
Best sound: any pure silver cable. As a guy who never used to believe in cables all I can tell you is try to demo one. It wasn't until I heard it that I was like - that's it, I'm buying this. Even compared to a very high quality OCC copper cable, it's rather easy to tell it apart from the silver cable. It's a brighter sound and over time you will notice additional layers in the detailing (if you listen in quiet environments)
 
Best for portable: UE900 Remote cable, no competition here. Tried the Westone, Shure and cheap ebay remote cables and they don't come close to the UE. I'm a pure portable guy, so this is my favorite cable. Side note: it is the only MMCX cable I have tried that doesn't stiffen up when it's -10 to -30 outside. I hardly use my SE846 indoors lol.
 

 
 
 
Don't make the same mistake I did, of spending $700 on MMCX cables till I settled on one. Ask on the forums and make an informed decision before you buy. 

 

[Whazzzup]

 
 I'm personally not a cable believer so I'd only get it for improved ergonomics and looks, also wouldn't pay any crazy money for it.

I think those represent the motivations of almost all fancy cable buyers if they're being honest with themselves.

I tried side by side testing of stock 846 and quad ribbon copper silver hybrid 8 band, and i found a noticable, wow, difference. Ill differentiate with usb and suggest my oyade 5s contenental provided marginal to placebo differences. The cable was wow.
I have just orderd a new copper silver litz hybrid from double helix and do some pictures and observations versus alo sx8, my quad ribbon had a conection problem so im getting a replacement from alo i guess, and the double helix. I need some copper for that low end extension, definition, and clarity. I will pause and say whatever, to each there own, but since im back to stock 846 cable waiting for my helix and alo replacement, my appreciation is down say 20%.
Matter of fact im receiving my th900 re cabled next week with lawton scorpian from jenna labs copper 22 awg. Sooo im a big beleiver in cable upgrade, with the chord everything is sonic bliss, and cant wait to get my sonic mojo all back.
Concerning price im out of that 250 budget range and am at 350 to 700 respectivly. My thoughts dont hold back on cable price, or just dont bother, you wont miss it if you never tried it. Once you do your pooched

 

[s0ny]

My SE846 started to drop signal on my stock cable. It's been many months on the left channel and now also on the right. I heard DeOxit can remove contaminations, but the way it happens (no solid connection, but wiggling) indicates that the connections have become loose. It isn't connected tightly anymore. There are gaps, because the earpieces wiggle on the cable connection. It happened since I used the balanced cable, which have bigger connectors and are much harder to connect. I think they loosened the earpieces' connectors. I never had this problem with my SE535 and SE535-LTD and not with my SE846 until I used the balanced cable.

 

[Scorpion667]

My SE846 started to drop signal on my stock cable. It's been many months on the left channel and now also on the right. I heard DeOxit can remove contaminations, but the way it happens (no solid connection, but wiggling) indicates that the connections have become loose. It isn't connected tightly anymore. There are gaps, because the earpieces wiggle on the cable connection. It happened since I used the balanced cable, which have bigger connectors and are much harder to connect. I think they loosened the earpieces' connectors. I never had this problem with my SE535 and SE535-LTD and not with my SE846 until I used the balanced cable.

It's the cable. Try the other stock cable, you'll see that it's tight. Over time, the gap in the locking ring (on the cable MMCX side) starts grinding away at the side walls of the groove in which it spins. This makes it so the locking ring now sits in a wider crevice on the cable MMCX side and has more wiggle room, or play, which translates to the SE846 having more wiggle room or play. My silver cable has this and it's pretty bad because I had a bad habit of spinning the MMCX endlessly in the SE846 when I was studying, just gotta get those connectors replaced =P
 
The only way to prevent this is to try not to spin the MMCX connectors inside the IEM's too much. If you wanna go to extremes you can take out the MMCX locking rings and file down the edges in the gap ends but meh nobody got time for dat. It would only slow down the process, not stop it. Metal on metal contact without lubricant = it's gonna wear out that's life. I've probably swapped my cables 100 times on a single pair of SE846 and a fresh brand new cable is still as tight and snug as the first day I got the 8's. They also hold up very well in -30 degree weather lol. These things are tanks!
 
IF the female jacks are truly worn out on the 8's you should have Shure replace them or buy the ADL iHP-35M cable which will clamp on to your SE846 with the death grip. Very strong locking force, amazing cable with zero wiggle whatsoever.

 

[s0ny]

Thanks, Scorpion667. I will try the other stock cable, although the cable is too long to use as a default cable. Maybe I'll order a new stock cable if I can find one online somewhere.

 

[kiwibuddy]

Thanks for all the response. So I guess the general consensus is that silver cables are better than that of copper. If I do settle on a silver cable, then which company would you guys recommend?