[Black Label]

Don't bother Man. Speaking as an AK240 owner who bought the DX90 as a 'spare' and discovered that the DX90 is an awesome DAP with neat synergy with the SE846. Don't get me wrong the AK240 is an awesome DAP. The SE846 sounds great with the Blue filter sans DX90 but plan to 'lift' it a little with the White. I think that's really going to cut it.

I'm a little confused. "Sans" usually infers "minus".

Jaben don't stock the DX90 otherwise I would have auditioned that as well. They said they would do the AK120 for $1,100 which is rather tempting.

In saying that, the bass guitar in BB King's "Why I Sing the Blues" had an almost equal quality to it via my iPhone. I think more thorough auditioning is needed before making the comitment, although 192GB on the go storage would be massive..... This is not going to be an easy decision.

 

[Roscoeiii]

Since you are all discussing it here. Re the iBasso DX90


I do understand I need a DAP with a good DAC and internal headphone AMP. I understand format types to a point.. After that chip sets, diagrams numbers, ohms? impedance?  Brain hurts

I also understand that such a product is not coming from Apple in any foreseeable future.

Alas now I must navigate that hobbled part of the world that Apple has not destroyed but for which there is no map.

Buying the SHURE stuff is the easy part. Truly a no brainer - my ability to easily make the right purchase - proof positive of that. 
TIA

Be Kind people remember I am in this regard somewhat dim (not thankfully Dim from Clockwork Orange)
Just a simple man trying to stimulate the economy in a thoughtful and informed way and limit his buyers remorse.

Well, lot is about synergy. Some of this is measurable (impedance matching, noise, gain, etc) and some doesn't show up in the specs. And then there is just personal preference - - what kind of music you like and what aspects of that music are most important to you.

Not sure this helps, but hope it does

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Hi Black Label. There's a few hours old review of the DX90 by 00lunar. He talks (albeit briefly) about the AK120 vs. DX90. You may find it interesting.
Maybe you could try/buy the DX90 (is there a supplier with a generous return policy that you can use?) and then even take it to an audition of the AK120 with your Shure SE846. I'm afraid my AK120 is not available to me to compare and make comments-I'm working from memory as far as the AK120 is concerned. Having said that, I'm sure there will be excellent SE846 synergy no matter what DAP you eventually choose.
 
Also (IMO) you'll find the SE846 filter system excellent help for tuning to your chosen DAP.
 
Good luck.

 

[Solude]

  Finally how is an iBasso DX90 different conceptually than a Pono (other than the obvious fact that the iBasso product exists)?

 
It's not.  At least until we know how the Pono implements the tech.  It is however pretty ugly

 

[Monty Burns]

Agreed the Pono is pretty ugly. But then look at Neil Young it is his love child. The apple never falls far from the tree

 

[Roscoeiii]

Having said that, I'm sure there will be excellent SE846 synergy no matter what DAP you eventually choose.

Also (IMO) you'll find the SE846 filter system excellent help for tuning to your chosen DAP.

Good luck.

I am not so sure about any guaranteed synergy of DAPs with the 846. They are so sensitive and low impedance that not all DAPs, amps, DACs are a good match. The iDSD for example wasn't great due to hiss. Some manufacturers aim to be able to power hard to drive cans, which can lead to them being a poor match for sensitive IEMs.

 

[Raiton]

Hi, I need a little advice, I ´m going to buy a new pair of IEMs and my favorites are shure se846 and sennheiser ie800 which one is better? I know, that in way of construction shures are better, but ie800 are smaller and they look better and in m country they are 300 dollars cheaper, but i heard, that cable is terrible and overall they are not very durable. In terms of sound they are both good so that is ok. The problem is that I can´t try them and if the ie800 are that bady constructed, I might give the 300 dollars for shure. So any experiece with them.
Thank you for your time and advice
I appreciate it

 

[RexxarCHL]

Although I like the soundstage and how the IE800 perform on symphonies, I hate the sibilance.
Oh the sibilance! When I switched the 'now playing' to vocals, the sibilance became just unbearable.
Never liked dynamic driver IEMs anyway.
 
The SE846 has a balanced, smooth spectrum and one can even adjust how they perform by changing the filters.
You can listen to any genre of music and they will sound great.
They sound great out of the box and they sound great even through the phone-out of my iPhone.
 
I don't own IE800 so I can't comment on its durability.
Yet with the SE846 you can play with aftermarket cables after the original cables (two of them!) worn out.
I have run through at least 4 cables for my previous SE535 and the process was fun.
 
tl;dr: buy a pair of SE846 and buy it TODAY.

 

[LFC_SL]

Driver type is not indicative, used to own UM2 which were sibilant and utilised dual balanced armature drivers. Last pair of non-rc iem I purchased too, henceforth removable-cable only for me. Still have them on the side, perhaps ought to get them recabled and reshelled...

Also IE800 is similar pricing to the fotm Dita which by all forum accounts is built solidly

 

[utdeep]

In my experience, the IE800 was more detailed and the midrange was not recessed.  This leads to some sibilance in tracks where they would normally be sibilant for headphones without a recessed midrange.
 
The SE846 is not as detailed but has outstanding bass regardless of the filter.  The fit of the IE800 was highly subjective because you could only use Sennheiser's provided tips.  
 
In terms of durability, I was a fan of the IE800 and its kevlar cable.  I've had many more issues with the MMCX connector on the cable of the SE846 with it disconnecting while you adjust your earpiece positioning.  This seems to be worse when using custom cables.  I'm on my third pair of SE846s.
 
Get 'em both.  Sell the one you don't like.

 

[Raiton]

wow you have third pair of se846 how come? You are reurning it under warranty or buying new pair? I will probably buy the ie800, if they are durable enough, thats ok for me and the price difference is not that small. Thank you for your advice, I hope that thay will be good. I want to keep them at least three years.

 

[spook76]

wow you have third pair of se846 how come? You are reurning it under warranty or buying new pair? I will probably buy the ie800, if they are durable enough, thats ok for me and the price difference is not that small. Thank you for your advice, I hope that thay will be good. I want to keep them at least three years.

If you like a V signature, non replaceable cables, proprietary ear tips (that if you can find a good fit you are out of luck) and the inability to use a balanced amplifier in the future, to name a few, by all means buy the ie800.

 

[Black Label]

If you like a V signature, non replaceable cables, proprietary ear tips (that if you can find a good fit you are out of luck) and the inability to use a balanced amplifier in the future, to name a few, by all means buy the ie800.

I have gone from one to the other:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/675219/shure-se846-impressions-thread/2160

It is worth flittering through the pages to read further impressions of how I believe the SE846 to be superior over the IE800.

Long story short, if you are pressed for time (my reciew is over 2,000 words in length):
- The 846 is more natural, less coloured sounding - IE800 is fun for five minutes
- Imaging and instrument separation is second to none
- Male vocals are slightly recessed but in saying that I have found that gutteral metal vocals are infinitely more easy to decipher with these (who knew?)
- Allegedly a second version of the IE800s was released that featured matching sub bass - I must have had the originals, for the SE846 has far greater wow factor in its immense delivery of bass
- Guitar, woodwind, brass textures = astonishing
- The 846s were not designed by the late HR Giger during a hangover - you will most likely find the design a lot more ergonomic (this is certajnly the case with me as I had nothing but trouble with the IE800)
- The SE846 have changed the way I listen to some songs as though their entire complexion has changed; real revelation in sound
- There are three filters to choose from - my preference is for the more natural (to my ears at any rate) white filter

That's all I can think of before a coffee. Hope this helps.

 

[Black Label]

Hi Black Label. There's a few hours old review of the DX90 by 00lunar. He talks (albeit briefly) about the AK120 vs. DX90. You may find it interesting.
Maybe you could try/buy the DX90 (is there a supplier with a generous return policy that you can use?) and then even take it to an audition of the AK120 with your Shure SE846. I'm afraid my AK120 is not available to me to compare and make comments-I'm working from memory as far as the AK120 is concerned. Having said that, I'm sure there will be excellent SE846 synergy no matter what DAP you eventually choose.

Also (IMO) you'll find the SE846 filter system excellent help for tuning to your chosen DAP.

Good luck.

Unfortunately Jaben do not stock either iBasso DAPs, only the AK120. I will probably end up going in for the AK due to its synergy with the 846 and white filter.

I am also of the belief that the 846s are equal to the 800s in their detailing, although the details emphasised are different between the two. There is a fine line between detailing and texture.

 

[CracKinGDucK]

Unfortunately Jaben do not stock either iBasso DAPs, only the AK120. I will probably end up going in for the AK due to its synergy with the 846 and white filter.

I am also of the belief that the 846s are equal to the 800s in their detailing, although the details emphasised are different between the two. There is a fine line between detailing and texture.

I think the new firmware of dx90 has quite a synergy with the se846, but I am pretty sure you can't go wrong with both.