Shure SE846 Impressions Thread
Apr 16, 2015 at 3:36 PM Post #10,636 of 22,886
I have an old analogue equalizer, i found it adds issues as much as it equalizes. I really enjoy the debate with no horse in it but im not pro eq because of those times when you had to eq your way to good sound. Now im looking for the right chain of equipment that allows me to attain what i like without eq.

Exactly why I bought silver litz cables and a balanced amplifier with a Burr Brown DAC to attain what I wanted without EQ. You my friend have the "one ring" in the Hugo which I know sounds fantastic with the 8s.
 
Apr 16, 2015 at 4:04 PM Post #10,637 of 22,886
I have not used one in 30 years so I cannot comment.

 
I was just wondering why you were talking of «digital equalizers» in each of your posts.
 
  I have an old analogue equalizer, i found it adds issues as much as it equalizes. I really enjoy the debate with no horse in it but im not pro eq because of those times when you had to eq your way to good sound. Now im looking for the right chain of equipment that allows me to attain what i like without eq.

 
I completely agree on the «issues», that's why my actually well-regarded Technics SH-9010 has got no use at all since I have it, save for helping me find a good crossover-network tuning when I was into speaker building. So maybe I sound too authoritative now, with barely half a year of convinced equalizer use, after many years with a rather puristic approach, with a counterbalancing of equipment flaws by means of cables (and headphone modifications – which is actually even better than equalizing). What may sound like a contradiction is in fact a consequence of the much better precondition provided by a digital equalizer already incorporated in the signal path. And although it's not parametric, its very fine 0.2 dB steps are worth a lot to me. Moreover the single frequency bands have a width of quite exactly one octave, which is ideal in the case of an octave equalizer with 10 bands. I'm talking of the FiiO X5.
 
With regard to the «grain» (allegedly caused by equalizers): The major component of the SE846 I was trying to improve with the equalizer was in fact its hinted graininess, and with above settings I was successful indeed. So from my point of view and to my ears it's the opposite as in Spook's case. On the other hand it would be an easy task to accentuate the SE846's graininess (or to add some grain to it, respectively) with corresponding EQ settings.
 
I have to concede, though, that filter swapping and modding are less prone to do harm to the over-all sonic balance than a 10-band equalizer, if you don't exactly know what you're doing with it. The same goes for simple bass and treble adjustments which cover a wide frequency band.
 
Apr 16, 2015 at 4:13 PM Post #10,638 of 22,886
True, Jazz and eloquently balanced counter point.
 
Apr 16, 2015 at 9:35 PM Post #10,640 of 22,886
I stopped using equalizers when I reached age 19.  After that tone defeat became my default.
 
Apr 16, 2015 at 10:06 PM Post #10,641 of 22,886
I went flat eq at about age 25- about 1972.
bigsmile_face.gif
 
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 12:08 AM Post #10,643 of 22,886
Yep, you could alter the sound totally by pulling up the frequencies you liked, but then the record (remember those?) sounded nothing like it was supposed to.  
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 3:06 AM Post #10,644 of 22,886
I loved the eq in my Tag McLaren home system. Needed a laptop for fine tuning 56 filters, 8 per channel, and it cured room boominess on Buddy Holly, U2, Cocteau Twins I was having problems with despite trying everything to cure room acoustically.

But that's what I love about portable listening. No room acoustics to be concerned with, everyone starting with a level playing field. Well not quite, our ears may be different, but this portable hobby has brought back the level of excitement for hearing music I had 35 years ago when first into HiFi. And still loving the same LPs, sorry, Albums!

A year ago, I read about 846s and never imagined I would spend that much on an iem. Now I look back, think of the enjoyment they are giving, and realise money really well spent.
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 3:20 AM Post #10,645 of 22,886
  I have an old analogue equalizer, i found it adds issues as much as it equalizes. I really enjoy the debate with no horse in it but im not pro eq because of those times when you had to eq your way to good sound. Now im looking for the right chain of equipment that allows me to attain what i like without eq.


With high quality mastering equalizers, there are hardly issues. 
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 5:22 AM Post #10,646 of 22,886
I loved the eq in my Tag McLaren home system. Needed a laptop for fine tuning 56 filters, 8 per channel, and it cured room boominess on Buddy Holly, U2, Cocteau Twins I was having problems with despite trying everything to cure room acoustically.

But that's what I love about portable listening. No room acoustics to be concerned with, everyone starting with a level playing field. Well not quite, our ears may be different, but this portable hobby has brought back the level of excitement for hearing music I had 35 years ago when first into HiFi. And still loving the same LPs, sorry, Albums!

A year ago, I read about 846s and never imagined I would spend that much on an iem. Now I look back, think of the enjoyment they are giving, and realise money really well spent.

Give it six months and i see you going to Laylas
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Apr 17, 2015 at 5:25 AM Post #10,647 of 22,886
  Give it six months and i see you going to Laylas
biggrin.gif

 
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  ​Possible Angies but not Laylas (price and more my favoured type of sound from all accounts).
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 5:46 AM Post #10,648 of 22,886
Give it six months and i see you going to Laylas:D


Next year JH audio will release a new flagship and you'll upgrade again.
 
Apr 17, 2015 at 7:36 AM Post #10,650 of 22,886

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