[jelt2359]

  jelt 2359,
 
Thank you for your very prompt reply.  My sound preference leans towards a well balanced "musical reference" then "fun, bright and thumpy".  I started by briefly trying the "white" filters first (default) and within a week or so I switched out to the blue "bright" filters for about 4 months.  That said, after trying a number of other IEM's none that I liked more then the Shure SE-846's,  I settled back to the "white neutral" filters. 
 
Could you please describe the trrs to trs single ended connection a little?  Will that allow me to take the 2.5 mm balanced jack on the AK 240 and connect the 3.5 mm unbalanced cable so its then balanced? 
 
Sincerely,
-Speed... 

Hi Speed,
 
In this case, especially for the ergonomics, you may want to consider:
 
cable= TRRS balanced (3.5mm) male
adaptor= 3.5mm balanced -> 2.5mm balanced
second adaptor= TRRS balanced (3.5mm) -> 3.5mm single-ended
 
Alternatively you could do....
cable= 2.5mm balanced male
adaptor= 2.5mm balanced female -> 3.5mm single-ended male
 
I recommend option 1 because with a TRRS balanced (3.5mm) -> 3.5mm single-ended, which is how you'll be using your Chord Hugo, it really feels like just a normal cable. With option 2, there'll be a very unergonomic bulge in the middle where the 2.5mm plug is.
 
Be sure that you 3.5mm single-ended is cabled either with a straight-end plug, or a longer right-angle plug to fit the Chord Hugo.
 
PS, the whites are brighter than the blue. If you want a cable that takes that even further, go for silver cables.

 

[joshnor713]

I have yet to find a solution to the sensitivity problem I'm having with these IEM's (wishing Shure had made them more like the typical 16 ohm).  On low gain with my iBasso mk2, I hear some hiss.  I can't plug them in directly to my smartphone, way too much noise.  I can't raise the volume of my music past a couple notches without it being too loud (afraid of reduced quality due to this).  I have to fight the channel imbalance with my MK2.
 
Frustrating.  I've recently discovered things called impedance adapters, that can increase the resistance needed to drive the signal through:
 
http://apuresound.com/ra.html
 
Anyone use something like this before??  I can't be the only one with this problem, haven't seen anything very helpful searching this thread.  I'm worried about SQ, but the description in that link sounds promising in that respect.
 
I've tried the volume attenuator that comes in the se846 box, but it dramatically dumps the high frequencies.

 

[HiFiChris]

@joshnor713:
 
An impedance adaptor will also cause a different sound signature, just as the volume attenuator (which is basically a variable resistor).
 
You may get a gain reduction done from iBasso or get another amp (propably with gain reduction).

 

[Bollinote]

When I read more and more, I see that I need to choise carrefully the best balanced amp for my 846.
I have look for the Pelican, but when I have contacted the Spanish importer he has let me know that this model seems to be not more in production and that I need to see if this model is a good option for my shures.
So again I am looking for the Lightning and/or the ALO International.
What will be the best for my 846?
Also are there brands that sells kits to make a balanced amp? 
Thank you in advance.

 

[spook76]

When I read more and more, I see that I need to choise carrefully the best balanced amp for my 846.
I have look for the Pelican, but when I have contacted the Spanish importer he has let me know that this model seems to be not more in production and that I need to see if this model is a good option for my shures.
So again I am looking for the Lightning and/or the ALO International.
What will be the best for my 846?
Also are there brands that sells kits to make a balanced amp? 
Thank you in advance.

What source/DAP will you be using with your amplifier?

 

[joshnor713]

  @joshnor713:
 
An impedance adaptor will also cause a different sound signature, just as the volume attenuator (which is basically a variable resistor).
 
You may get a gain reduction done from iBasso or get another amp (propably with gain reduction).

 
I'm a little confused.  I got an amp in the first place because I heard people say that because it's such low impedance, you need an amp to bump up the current, to get the IEM's running to their full potential.  So wouldn't reducing the gain defeat the purpose?  Do I have this wrong?
 
I swear, I'm thinking about just settling with the ie800 because of this sensitivity issue that I can't find a solution for.  Yes, those are only 7 ohm more, but it's equates to a significant difference.  I get no hiss with those and they work perfectly out of my phone.  I just like the sound signature of the se846 better and would prefer to keep them.

 

[Whazzzup]

Low impedience iem like shure just needs a low impedianceand source. An iPhone is low enough, hugo, is very low. A higher impedianceand amp or source, say 2 ohms or more, may or may not cause hiss, may cause bloating around the low end, may cause a thinness to the mid upper end. This again is not just ohm impediance it is also the characteristic of the amp. You really want as few things involved. For example part of the hugo beauty is the amp is incorporated into the dac, this is not a seperation amp. You really don't want to amp a hugo, although some do, all that does is introduce more sound variables reducing transperancy. I'm not sure what's causing hiss as the 846 may just be better able to hear this distortion that's inheritantly there.

 

[joshnor713]

Low impedience iem like shure just needs a low impedianceand source. An iPhone is low enough, hugo, is very low. A higher impedianceand amp or source, say 2 ohms or more, may or may not cause hiss, may cause bloating around the low end, may cause a thinness to the mid upper end. This again is not just ohm impediance it is also the characteristic of the amp. You really want as few things involved. For example part of the hugo beauty is the amp is incorporated into the dac, this is not a seperation amp. You really don't want to amp a hugo, although some do, all that does is introduce more sound variables reducing transperancy. I'm not sure what's causing hiss as the 846 may just be better able to hear this distortion that's inheritantly there.

 
I got the iBasso MK2 for that reason.  Output impedance < 1 Ohm and both DAC/Amp.  The low gain is 2.5x I believe and there's a slight hiss.  Not as annoying as the hiss with the high gain setting of course, but quite enough to notice without looking for it.

 

[Whazzzup]

Low impedience iem like shure just needs a low impedianceand source. An iPhone is low enough, hugo, is very low. A higher impedianceand amp or source, say 2 ohms or more, may or may not cause hiss, may cause bloating around the low end, may cause a thinness to the mid upper end. This again is not just ohm impediance it is also the characteristic of the amp. You really want as few things involved. For example part of the hugo beauty is the amp is incorporated into the dac, this is not a seperation amp. You really don't want to amp a hugo, although some do, all that does is introduce more sound variables reducing transperancy. I'm not sure what's causing hiss as the 846 may just be better able to hear this distortion that's inheritantly there.

I got the iBasso MK2 for that reason.  Output impedance < 1 Ohm and both DAC/Amp.  The low gain is 2.5x I believe and there's a slight hiss.  Not as annoying as the hiss with the high gain setting of course, but quite enough to notice without looking for it.

Then it's your i basso mk2 that is the issue. The 846 is picking that up. As a counter my hugo is very dark.

 

[bimadz]

I'm on the fence between choosing the silver litz and twag v3 for my 846s. Any suggestion guys?

 

[olddude]

Try Moon Audio cable.  Silver Dragons.  Single end or balanced (SE Shure connectors).  A bit pricey but very quick turn-around time and excellent service.  Very nice cables.  I had a Ted's cable on my TF10s, also a very nice cable.  
 
After a day with the stock blue filters, I changed over to the whites (bright).  I like lots of treble up top.  Bass still seems strong, although perhaps a bit less than with the blues.  Still playing different tracks to see what has changed in the mids.  

 

[HiFiChris]

 

Low impedience iem like shure just needs a low impedianceand source. An iPhone is low enough, hugo, is very low. A higher impedianceand amp or source, say 2 ohms or more, may or may not cause hiss, may cause bloating around the low end, may cause a thinness to the mid upper end. This again is not just ohm impediance it is also the characteristic of the amp. You really want as few things involved. For example part of the hugo beauty is the amp is incorporated into the dac, this is not a seperation amp. You really don't want to amp a hugo, although some do, all that does is introduce more sound variables reducing transperancy. I'm not sure what's causing hiss as the 846 may just be better able to hear this distortion that's inheritantly there.

 
I got the iBasso MK2 for that reason.  Output impedance < 1 Ohm and both DAC/Amp.  The low gain is 2.5x I believe and there's a slight hiss.  Not as annoying as the hiss with the high gain setting of course, but quite enough to notice without looking for it.

 
What you need is a low impedance amp without hiss. You could go for the Hugo (which also features a digtal volume control in 1dB steps from -70dB to +28dB so you won't have any imbalance issues) or UHA-6S MKII (with gain reduction).

 

[oldmate]

  Try Moon Audio cable.  Silver Dragons.  Single end or balanced (SE Shure connectors).  A bit pricey but very quick turn-around time and excellent service.  Very nice cables.  I had a Ted's cable on my TF10s, also a very nice cable.  
 
After a day with the stock blue filters, I changed over to the whites (bright).  I like lots of treble up top.  Bass still seems strong, although perhaps a bit less than with the blues.  Still playing different tracks to see what has changed in the mids.  

Hey Olddude,
 
Have you tried the 846's with the X5 as yet?? I have a feeling they might sound better on the X5 due to the Pono's 5 ohm output impedance vs the X5's  > 0.26. Want to know what I'm missing!!
 
Cheers.

 

[jayaudio116]

 
B&H have a 30 day return/exchange policy, so it would probably be easier/faster to do an in-store exchange than ship them to Shure.  It's weird that yours came from the August batch, I bought mine just after New Years and the manufacture date is 10/20/14.  And yes, lifelong native, but I didn't set my profile to show location until yesterday.

i don't find it too weird, they probably have a few left over from the old batch, and that batch got thrown on the assembly line  thing at the store by random. i doubt they sort them by date. same here born and raised, now i know if i run into another owner in the subway its probably you or another new yorker on this thread. are they other on this thread?

 

[olddude]

  Hey Olddude,
 
Have you tried the 846's with the X5 as yet?? I have a feeling they might sound better on the X5 due to the Pono's 5 ohm output impedance vs the X5's  > 0.26. Want to know what I'm missing!!
 
Cheers.

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