[Earbones]

  I owe everyone here an apology. I just added an 80 ohm adapter to the 846 and the soundstage opened up 300%! It was impedance mismatch with my Taurus. Now for the first time I can hear what the 8's sound like and it is very engaging. Before it was more mono than stereo. I will do some listening but now I really hear them. What a difference 80 ohms can make. 

Nice! Figured it had to be something like that. Enjoy!

 

[moedawg140]

Out to lunch, thank goodness for a beautiful day in So Cal:



Currently my view:

 

[Ivabign]

Can you believe this weather - first week of March and it is going to be 80-85 for the next 10 days - the water at the beach is COLD though - need a wetsuit if you are going to test the waves.

 

[bflat]

I can't believe my $1000 IEMs are really $1500 IEMs.
 
This is my only regret with the 846 and 9 Ohm impedance. While I expected to invest in a custom cable and tips, I didn't expect all the extras. I originally got these purely for my numerous plane trips and paired my iPhone with a JDS Labs C5 and all was good.
 
My home rig is a Sony PHA-2 with Beyer T5P connected to a Mac Pro with about a 1,000 watts going on inside. I should have left it with that. But no, I had to plug in my 846 and it's there my long journey started (and still going).
 
Listening to the PHA-2, I got the same low muddiness and compressed highs as my iPhone. Impedance mismatch strikes again! No problem, I just plug in my C5 amp but all hell breaks loose. I get high frequency whine and major hissing and haven't even listen to music yet! It's so bad, it's not worth trying to play music. Process of elimination lead to:
 
1) Reconnect the 5V power to my PHA-2 to it's own dedicated charger on a filtered power bar. That got rid of the whine and I'm $40 lighter.
2) Purchase Schiit Wyrd Decrapifier and that reduces most, but not all the hissing. $100 gone.
3) Replace Mac Pro to Wyrd generic USB cable with AudioQuest Carbon and better, but can still hear something. $160 gone.
4) Another AudioQuest Carbon between Wyrd and PHA-2 and now hard to tell, but when I plug and unplug there is still something for a few seconds before my ears adjust to silence. Another $160 gone.
5) Swap out the line out/in cable to a braided copper/silver and finally all noise gone (at least I think). And another $50 gone.
 
My Beyers were laughing at me the whole time because 32 ohm hid all this stuff before and also sounds great direct on my iPhone. They just take up too much space to be really portable. Why couldn't the 846 be 32 ohm? I may have been ok with cheaper USB cables but I was pretty frustrated by that point and didn't want to spend another few hours tinkering. 
 
Before anyone asks I make absolutely no claim to improved SQ due to all of the above other than getting rid of all the noise. Everything sounds great but I don't have a reference of sound before all this because of all the noise. There is no way I'm going to undo all this stuff to A/B compare on my T5P. Sorry I couldn't contribute to the debate of whether cables matter for SQ.
 
I pray that my custom silver litz cables behave when I get them in a month.

 

[Headtrip]

Just wanted to check in and relay some initial impressions of the SE846s with my newly arrived Sensaphonics custom earpiece. Formerly I was using Westone foam tips which were fairly comfortable and sounded great when properly seated. I have been listening to my rig (Chord Hugo/iPhone 6+/JRemote) with the new esrpieces and I'm most impressed with the improvements in deep bass, separation and soundstage. Since the Shures are my first venture into high end iems I can't compare them to the other highend iems on this board but I do have Sennheiser HD800s and while the Sennys obviously throw a much better soundstage and have more extended highs I have to admit that the convenience, portability and overall quality of sound I'm hearing with the Hugo is making me giddy. Even with the iPhone alone playing Tidal while a notch below the Hugo sound it is still amazing. Can't wait to sample more iems at CanJam!

 

[K.T.]

I can see that the 846 requires a lot of experimentation to finagle the best sound out of them. I'm in the beginning stages of that process.
 
So far I've found the mids to be a little unrefined for my tastes. Maybe it's the nature of these IEMs, or maybe I'll need to experiment with my amps and sources, but if feel that the mids are somewhat congested, a little grainy, and a bit distant. 
 
Add to this the feeling that the imaging is all over the place. On some tracks, certain instruments do sound nicely placed off to the sides. But as I get closer to the center of the sound field, things become more congested and mushed together. It's strange, because what I'm hearing isn't firmly centered, either. Rather, it's sort of a floating sensation. As if one of the earpieces was wired out of phase in relation to the other.  I'm not sure of what to make of it yet.
 
At this early stage, what I might say, however, is that these are not an all-around IEM. They sound great with beat heavy/beat driven music. They are quite compelling in this regard.
 
But so far they have fallen short of my expectations in terms of tone and texture of the midrange. They don't seem suited to more subtle, textural music that highlight tones and textures.
 
At least not for me yet. I may be able to get better synergy with experimentation.  But I expected a more refined and all-around IEM, especially at this price.
 
I wish I had known just how specialized the sound of the IEMs are. I probably would have sprung for something else that was more lucid sounding.
 
But I'm making the best of it and will be experimenting to finagle out the best sound.

 

[K.T.]

And not to make too much of it, but I have to make an observation about the ergonomics of the 846.
 
We all know that these are a bear ergonomically. It made me laugh out loud after I used them - the earpieces are quite big but, more notably, the earhooks and wires are almost industrial in feel.
 
It made me think of those old power tools that were around before ergonomics was a thing. Like the old Black and Decker circular saw I had that had a handle that was essentially a rectangular metal block with a trigger at the top. Or those old plug in power drills that had 95% of the weight distributed in front of the handle.
 
The 846 kind of reminds me of that. LOL.

 

[Chodi]

  I can see that the 846 requires a lot of experimentation to finagle the best sound out of them. I'm in the beginning stages of that process.
 
So far I've found the mids to be a little unrefined for my tastes. Maybe it's the nature of these IEMs, or maybe I'll need to experiment with my amps and sources, but if feel that the mids are somewhat congested, a little grainy, and a bit distant. 
 
Add to this the feeling that the imaging is all over the place. On some tracks, certain instruments do sound nicely placed off to the sides. But as I get closer to the center of the sound field, things become more congested and mushed together. It's strange, because what I'm hearing isn't firmly centered, either. Rather, it's sort of a floating sensation. As if one of the earpieces was wired out of phase in relation to the other.  I'm not sure of what to make of it yet.
 
At this early stage, what I might say, however, is that these are not an all-around IEM. They sound great with beat heavy/beat driven music. They are quite compelling in this regard.
 
But so far they have fallen short of my expectations in terms of tone and texture of the midrange. They don't seem suited to more subtle, textural music that highlight tones and textures.
 
At least not for me yet. I may be able to get better synergy with experimentation.  But I expected a more refined and all-around IEM, especially at this price.
 
I wish I had known just how specialized the sound of the IEMs are. I probably would have sprung for something else that was more lucid sounding.
 
But I'm making the best of it and will be experimenting to finagle out the best sound.

As you can see from my posts above I just went through this. I don't know what you are using as a source but these as very low impedance earphones. You are describing what I was hearing before I used an impedance adapter. Raising the impedance to 80 ohms solved my problem and they sound like they are supposed to for the first time since I got them. Ear tips also make a difference. Those memory foam comply tips they supply never agreed with me on any iem. Try some Westone Star Tips they are pretty easy to get. I still have a new cable on the way but things are getting better. At least the tonal balance is finally correct and the soundstage opened up. 

 

[jelt2359]

Just wanted to check in and relay some initial impressions of the SE846s with my newly arrived Sensaphonics custom earpiece. Formerly I was using Westone foam tips which were fairly comfortable and sounded great when properly seated. I have been listening to my rig (Chord Hugo/iPhone 6+/JRemote) with the new esrpieces and I'm most impressed with the improvements in deep bass, separation and soundstage. Since the Shures are my first venture into high end iems I can't compare them to the other highend iems on this board but I do have Sennheiser HD800s and while the Sennys obviously throw a much better soundstage and have more extended highs I have to admit that the convenience, portability and overall quality of sound I'm hearing with the Hugo is making me giddy. Even with the iPhone alone playing Tidal while a notch below the Hugo sound it is still amazing. Can't wait to sample more iems at CanJam!

Great stuff. Have the exact same setup. The 846SCS earns its place next to my TOTL CIEMs, imho. Technically a bit behind and a bit in front on certain areas, but I love the 846 frequency response and the SCS turns out to be what the doctor ordered for the soundstage and imaging. Don't forget to try the white filter if you haven't already

 

[olddude]

  Can you believe this weather - first week of March and it is going to be 80-85 for the next 10 days - the water at the beach is COLD though - need a wetsuit if you are going to test the waves.

Yep- 80s where I am, though I have to drive about 20 minutes from my house to a beach or about 5 minutes from my classroom.

 

[514077]

Can't remember whose waiting for their silver lidz, but I've never gone back to stock cable since.  I found them a real opening up of the mids and highs.
I may go for the custom sleeves as I feel I lost a bit of bass with the white filters.  I won't go back to blue and lose the highs I have now.
Love these things.  Just checkin' in after 500 posts.

 

[moedawg140]

 
Sorry Moe took me a while to find your question re my "Clear" SCS. I am happy to report that they are in PERFECT condition. No discoloration Now this could be my ears are the right Ph or it could be that after each use I rinse them off in warm soapy water and then run them under the tap with cold water.... Air dry and ready to go....The perfect interface between human an Cylon.
 
As for me I am well... Well tired of winter. And soon to be well tired of renovations....At least the 8s with the SCS will block out their noise and that sucking sound from my bank account..

 
Thanks for the update, and it's great to hear regarding your clear sleeves!  I agree, no discoloration could be because your cerumen is the right pH and washing the sleeves thoroughly after each use.  As for the renovations, it's great that you have the opportunity to spend some money, hopefully it will be all worth it in the end, my friend.  

 (Açaí smoothie in my glass)
 
 

Just wanted to check in and relay some initial impressions of the SE846s with my newly arrived Sensaphonics custom earpiece. Formerly I was using Westone foam tips which were fairly comfortable and sounded great when properly seated. I have been listening to my rig (Chord Hugo/iPhone 6+/JRemote) with the new esrpieces and I'm most impressed with the improvements in deep bass, separation and soundstage. Since the Shures are my first venture into high end iems I can't compare them to the other highend iems on this board but I do have Sennheiser HD800s and while the Sennys obviously throw a much better soundstage and have more extended highs I have to admit that the convenience, portability and overall quality of sound I'm hearing with the Hugo is making me giddy. Even with the iPhone alone playing Tidal while a notch below the Hugo sound it is still amazing. Can't wait to sample more iems at CanJam!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
Congrats and glad you're liking your entire setup!  I agree the Hugo sounds great with the SCS, and the iPhone 6+ (6 for me) alone with Tidal is a notch below the Hugo but still sounds amazing.  Too bad the Hugo's sound can't come standard inside of the iPhone, maybe available as an "audiophile/music enthusiast" version.  I'm content with a large percentage of the SE846 and other C/IEMs' portable auditory capabilities available utilizing only the iPhone 6/6+, SE upgraded/replacement elemental cable(s) and great sounding music playback/streaming applications.
 
Enjoy and hope to see you at CanJam!  

 

 

[K.T.]

As you can see from my posts above I just went through this. I don't know what you are using as a source but these as very low impedance earphones. You are describing what I was hearing before I used an impedance adapter. Raising the impedance to 80 ohms solved my problem and they sound like they are supposed to for the first time since I got them. Ear tips also make a difference. Those memory foam comply tips they supply never agreed with me on any iem. Try some Westone Star Tips they are pretty easy to get. I still have a new cable on the way but things are getting better. At least the tonal balance is finally correct and the soundstage opened up. 

Thanks for the insight. Does the 846 come with that impedance adapter? I will definitely give that a try.

I snagged a set of those Westone silicone star tips from my Westone 3s. Yeah, so far I think the best I've tried (between the Shure foam and silicone olives and Westone stars). More comfortable than the Shure silicone olives to my ears. I'll have to switch back to see if any difference in sound.

I don't know if the 846 need burn in or not. But after 3 overnight sessions with beat heavy club mix music and about 4 hours of actual listening, I'm hearing a smoother, more delicate presentation from the 8s. There's still a slight hard quality in the mids, but I'm hearing more refinement. Also, it seem like the imaging has opened up a bit and is more centered and stable.

So we'll see how it pans out. Fingers crossed!

P.S. - So far I have only used them with a variety of portable amps and sources: FiiO X3 or a Moto E phone running Neutron player on a Cayin C5 amp or a variety of FiiO amps - E12A or E12DIY with MUSES02/HA-5002. I plan on trying other chip combos in the E12DIY, including OPA627 and MUSES01, after I get a general handle on the 846's character. I also have a Piccolo amp on the way. I'm curious to see how the impedance adapter may affect things.

 

[Dragonsan]

  I owe everyone here an apology. I just added an 80 ohm adapter to the 846 and the soundstage opened up 300%! It was impedance mismatch with my Taurus. Now for the first time I can hear what the 8's sound like and it is very engaging. Before it was more mono than stereo. I will do some listening but now I really hear them. What a difference 80 ohms can make. 

 
Can you please link me to the product page of the 80 Ohm adapter you purchased?

 

[Chodi]

   
Can you please link me to the product page of the 80 Ohm adapter you purchased?

I got this from a local dealer in Bangkok in case I needed it for my Fitear. As it turned out I did not as the Fitear has a high enough impedance to work with the Taurus. When I had the problem with the Shure today I got desperate and remembered I had it. The dealer told me when I bought it that all it was was an 80 ohm converter. Here is an Amazon link:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-ER38-24-Converter-Cable/dp/B006N43MEI/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt
 
All I can tell you is that it completely solved the problems I was having with the Shure SE846.  Tonal quality is perfect and the soundstage opened. I am certain it was an impedance issue with my amp. I was ready to put this thing back in the box and give up before I thought of trying that.