[BST07]

Thanks! I read some of the recent pages here and stumbled on your review on the sensaphonics. Your review convinced me as I always had seal issues with my right ear. Will be doing that next

 

[moedawg140]

Thanks! I read some of the recent pages here and stumbled on your review on the sensaphonics. Your review convinced me as I always had seal issues with my right ear. Will be doing that next

 
Very nice.  When you have the chance, please post your impressions and pictures of the Sensaphonics Custom Sleeves on the review thread when you can, as the more impressions the better - and will definitely be beneficial.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have as well.  Peace. 

 

[malcolm.mcintyre]

I have been using the SE846 for a few months now, since upgrading from years of using SE530s on a daily basis. I use either a Sony PHA-2 or Chord Hugo, depending on how much portability is needed (the Hugo is a bit of a brick). I have several sources, including iPod5 and iPhone for portable High Res and ALAC or WAV files, and my impression is that the digital source makes very little (no?) difference to the final sound.
The SE846 with white tubes (why do they even bother to include the others?) are more detailed than the SE530s, but in terms of sounding "better" it is pretty marginal in my view. Considering the cost difference, I have to say the SE530s were the better value for money.
I have similar views about the Hugo. Yes it it sounds a bit better than the Sony PHA-2, but I still think the Sony is a fantastic DAC/amp, and very underated. The ease of use, design, robustness and portability of the Sony is far better than the Hugo.
My point being that a SE530/535 plus Sony PHA-2 combination gives a fantasic sound, and striving to better it really takes us into the realm of diminishing returns.

 

[moedawg140]

My formidable test - and review is now complete.  Time for some sleep, as it is very early in the morning (you do the math, I'm on Pacific ST).
 
Here's the link: http://www.head-fi.org/products/tralucent-audio-ref-1/reviews/11665
 
Have a great day or night, everyone! 

 

[warrior1975]

Awesome review bro!!

 

[Monty Burns]

I concur Awesome review. I like the use of your Fiancée as a Subjective/Objective unbiased control.
 
Do they award Pulitzer Prizes for Audio Reviews?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Moe, I mean this seriously, they should hire you on some tech or audio website for reviews. That was thorough, complete, fair, and exceptionally informative. 

 

[Malevolent]

  My formidable test - and review is now complete.  Time for some sleep, as it is very early in the morning (you do the math, I'm on Pacific ST).
 
Here's the link: http://www.head-fi.org/products/tralucent-audio-ref-1/reviews/11665
 
Have a great day or night, everyone! 

 
That was an excellent review, Moe. It was a thorough and entertaining read. Good job!

 

[Eide]

I just recieved my Black Dragon cable from Moon Audio. I'm hooked up to my Hugo and AK120 listening to E.S.T, a great jazz trio. It's perhaps too early to make a judgement, but the first thing that struck me was that the slight harshness of the brightest piano strokes was much smoother. No hashness at all. I would describe the sound as more effortless than before. A bit warmer. I'm not saying it's a huge difference. It may be some self assurance mixed in here. As I listen to more music that I know well I will know for sure. But so far I'm happy!

 

[Whazzzup]

I like E.S.T

 

[Black Label]

Moedawg:  I shall read your review forthwith.
 
If you don't mind my say so, it surprises me that you don't drink with an alias like that!
 
One last post on the topic of filters...
Having given the blues a good going over, I am left with the opinion that they are like an awesome Tshirt, one that I really want, that is a complete mismatch to the tonality of my skin (it could be a singlet actually, for I have the world's most high-contrast Tshirt tan!).  I am left with no choice but to leave it on the rack, so to speak.
 
The white filters bring the music to life in ways that really speak to me.  While this remark may contradict many others, I am left wondering why I abandoned the white filters in the first place.  With volume capped to 50% (only increasing beyond this point on quite recordings such as Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, fatigue is now a non-issue.  Moreover, methinks fatigue = hearing damage anyway, for the subtle ringing in my ears at night has been a touch less subtle in recent times. *
 
The bass isn't diminished per se; instead, its emphasis and positioning is shifted, as it were.  In critical listening, it is still as present as it ever was.  Yet it is the treble that makes all the difference here.  I realise now that I missed the scintillating colour that it provided (I use the term "colour" lightly owing to its negative connotations in audiophillia speak).
 
I am presently uploading a heap of 24bit-depth music to the GoldenEar app on my iPhone.  Pulse - Live, En Vivo! - Live (Iron Maiden) and a few others.
 
* At age 32 I have what is probably better hearing than most people my age, thanks to the Apple earbuds, Bose and Beats that kids nowadays punish their ears with, and I must preserve my hearing as it is hugely important to anyone with sight impairment.

 

[joey99]

I also think the white filter brings the music to life. In combination with the small olives, it brings everything together really well and have great deep bass. 
 
For me using medium olives with white filter can get fatiquing but works really well with the blue filters. 
 
With westone silicons it just losses so much of it's bass impact. Also tried the black filter mod and it just sounded hollow to me.
 
the tips really make a huge difference on the 846 for me, together with 3 filters it's like having an unlimited variation in sound in one iem.

 

[andy3072005]

(Sorry for my poor English)
I want to ask you guys that Is macbook pro good enough for using SE846?

 

[Eide]

  (Sorry for my poor English)
I want to ask you guys that Is macbook pro good enough for using SE846?

The biggest problem with the MacBook Pro is that there is quite a loud hissing sound when using it with SE846. The 8s are so sensitive. And the output impedance of the 
MacBook is 24 Ω.
 
I´ve heard that to get perfect match you should multply output impedance by 8. In that case a headphone with around 200 Ω should be a perfect match. The result of using
Shure with so high output impedance is that highs can roll off quickly.
 
I´m not an sound engineer, so I´m just relaying info that I´ve picked up in these forums. (It´s suprising how much you learn if you read enough in here.)
 
I have a MacBook myself, and I´m not to fond of how it sounds compared to my Chord Hugo.

 

[Black Label]

I have the MB Pro 17" 2010 model and find the hiss (more of a hum, really) to be present, but negligible.

The overall sound is slightly warmer, slightly fuller than that of the iPhone 5.

Hope this helps.