[SomeGuyDude]

Everyone gets thrown off by the bass at first, and the fact is if removing the bass makes the soundstage improve... then you weren't really hearing much soundstage in those other cases. Just... less bass. 
 
I see that a lot around here. When it comes to treble, people hear headphones with insane treble spikes as crystal, detailed, sparkly, clear, delicate, etc etc etc. But a bass bump is "Beats-like, muddy, flabby, loose." 
 
Think of it like this: if you were to put a set of floor speakers in a room, then add a subwoofer, the sub didn't magically make the other speakers fly in towards you. It's just going to sound different because, gasp, there's bass! 
 
Let your ears adjust. I popped the little plastic dampener out of my blues and I think that's about the sweet spot, I know others take everything out of the blacks and a few crazy folks go full afterburner (no filter at all), but that's what I've liked. If the bass is WAY too much, the Shure yellow foams help tamp that down a good bit.

 

[ubs28]

That is not true. When the Sennheiser HD800 is adjusted with a mastering EQ and transform it into a basshead headphone, the soundstage is still huge.

 

[Duncan]

simply put and which almost all agree on which is an upgrade to shure 846 that is universally fit, besides the layla

the shure in my opinion is a great iem but i things its soundstage could maybe be better 

Tralucent 1p2, everything the 846 has but more so (caveat, you have to like the white filters for this argument to stand as the 1p2 has the cleanest treble I've yet heard from a BA driver)

 

[SilverEars]

Tralucent 1p2, everything the 846 has but more so (caveat, you have to like the white filters for this argument to stand as the 1p2 has the cleanest treble I've yet heard from a BA driver)

I guess my memory of it doesn't serve me wrong.  It was so distinct from what I've heard in the past that, it was immediately felt.  The treble was pretty apparent, but at the same time the sound stage was bigger than belief.  
 
I personally am not a fan of the 846 due to it's treble.  It comes off a bit scratchy sounding would be the way I could best describe it.  It's a shure signature IMO.  Treble aren't their good traits.  I guess it has the revolutionary low pass for the bass, but that's bass.  I think it's Shure's treble is the reason why it can't get that resolving, and people can't tell a difference for different sources with it.  Which means, the performance is limited.

 

[Duncan]

Yes, even though I now have the Layla, I do miss the 1p2 treble, that being said I am / was a former member of team treble head so, maybe understandable...

 

[mjoleksy]

Folks, I'm looking for high end extension for existing cable.  I know this sounds weird but with the below specs.  2-3 feet long.  does someone know some one who would make this?  or sell it?
 
Jacket Material : Fluoridated ethylene propylene (Transparent Insulation)
Conductor Material : 6X Silver Plated High Purity Copper Stranded Wire
Connectors : 3.5 Gold Plated Straight Plug(Fit For Iphone) & Gold Plated Copper Pin
 
 
Loving my 846's!!!  I have hd650's, hd800's, se535's and Bose qc2 as well.  Fiio e17 and E09K Dac's.

 

[SilverEars]

Yes, even though I now have the Layla, I do miss the 1p2 treble, that being said I am / was a former member of team treble head so, maybe understandable...

Ha.  I'm realizing I'm a treble head myself. That's not to say I really enjoy the ER4 without enough bass, and I don't think the treble is really that great as people maybe making out to be. I guess the 846 could be more for the bass guys. Greater bass than the 535 which has less depth to it.   

 

[x RELIC x]

Yes, even though I now have the Layla, I do miss the 1p2 treble, that being said I am / was a former member of team treble head so, maybe understandable...

Same reason I didn't like the SE846 over the JH Angie........ Trouble with trebles (see what I did there).

Moved away from bass head to treble head long ago and not looking back. Plus with the Siren series it couldn't be easier to adjust the bass.

 

[Duncan]

To bring this back on track, as much as I'm not a fan of the SE846 anymore, and have it up for sale, it reminds me of when I worked in a warehouse, and drove a fork lift truck, my "favourite" had a broken wheel bearing, the hydraulics leaked, it was a disaster waiting to happen, I knew the others were in better condition, yet I could still load and unload lorries far quicker with the truck I used compared to anyone else...

As much as there is the argument of technical ability, there is always the aspect of affinity which no one can ever argue against...

 

[x RELIC x]

True. Not saying the SE846 is bad. Just that it wasn't my prefered choice when shopping and treble is its weakness compared to other offerings. It really is a good IEM, and I can see how it is prefered by many.

Glad there's so much choice out there really.

 

[Chodi]

When you consider the street price of the 846 I believe it is a very good value. I own better iem's. I have kept the 8's until now because I still enjoy them even though they cannot get everything right like some higher priced iem's. I don't really have a problem with the treble It is not the best I own but it is certainly very good in it's price range. I also find them among the most comfortable of my iem's. Comfort counts for a lot with me. I have recently gotten the UM Mentor and it is far better at nearly everything but I still go back to the 8's for a change of pace. I think think the 8's represent a solid value in their price range. 

 

[Voyageur]

I guess my memory of it doesn't serve me wrong.  It was so distinct from what I've heard in the past that, it was immediately felt.  The treble was pretty apparent, but at the same time the sound stage was bigger than belief.  

I personally am not a fan of the 846 due to it's treble.  It comes off a bit scratchy sounding would be the way I could best describe it.  It's a shure signature IMO.  Treble aren't their good traits.  I guess it has the revolutionary low pass for the bass, but that's bass.  I think it's Shure's treble is the reason why it can't get that resolving, and people can't tell a difference for different sources with it.  Which means, the performance is limited.

Agree, the thing that is putting me off with Shure's IEM is their thin, recessed and articial treble. And this, with any of their in ear products no matter the price range, from my (now dead) SE210, to the SE425 that I sent back, to the SE535... even to their flagship itself. It ruins the whole sound imo. I'm not a treble head per se, but highs are part of the music (especially with my classical music), and neglecting them the way Shure does simply repels me.

 

[johnwamp55]

The 1plus 2 which is over priced is nowhere near twice as good as the 846. The Roxanne is not better than the 846 and yes if you buy a Hugo and the Layla (add the total cost of those) you mught enjoy that combo for three or four months before you relized if it was really wirth it.

 

[e30ernest]

I was first thrown-off by the bass too but after modding the Blue filters, I found the treble pretty close to my liking.  I'm a drummer (or was a drummer) and I can tell that the modded blue filters bring cymbal sounds close to what I hear on my kit.  I especially like playing my Dave Brubeck tracks.  Hearing the delicate snare brush work or the swinging ride on the 846 makes me feel like I was at the studio with them. It has just the right amount of ring to it while not overpowering the rest of the tracks.

 

[JaZZ]

I'm also one of those who like the SE846's treble. Liked it from the start and found it incredibly refined and detailed. With the white filter it got even better. And now with en empty filter tube it's transformed to a new level of smoothness and resolution. I agree that it's a bit rolled-off (the more surprising the high detail level!), but equalizing with the FiiO X5's 10-band equalizer takes care of that. So to me the SE846 is as «perfect» as I expect an IEM to be. I don't doubt that some of the higher-priced (C)IEMs sound even «better», but tend to believe it's rather a matter of equalizing than other criteria. What other purpose could 5 or more ways have?