[potkettleblack]

Thanks for all of your comments guys.
 
 
It looks like if I choose to get these I will get them from Richer Sounds. I've had some great experiences with them in the past when it comes to haggling.

 

[windplr]

Congrats! The SE846 sounds even better (in my opinion) when used with a service such as Tidal HiFi, with their "Lossless" option/HIFI songs enabled. You can listen to it for 30 days for free (have to input credit card info initially), and soon Tidal will offer half price subscription for collegiate students, for whichever tier is chosen as well.

I've tried Tidal in the past (using different IEMs though).  I thought it was ok, but not enough difference to justify $20/mo for the hifi subscription.  I may try again though.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Said it before and I'll say it again: anyone claiming they can tell lossless by ear versus a modern 320kbps file is full of it. 

 

[joshnor713]

Said it before and I'll say it again: anyone claiming they can tell lossless by ear versus a modern 320kbps file is full of it. 

Depends the source. If they're listening off their phone and claim this, you're probably right, they're full of it.

If it's on a quality DAC, then you're full of it.

 

[moedawg140]

I've tried Tidal in the past (using different IEMs though).  I thought it was ok, but not enough difference to justify $20/mo for the hifi subscription.  I may try again though.

I totally feel you. I think $20 for the Tidal subscription is too much as well, but $10 (half price) is a better price - only $5 more than what I currently pay for Spotify Premium.

Said it before and I'll say it again: anyone claiming they can tell lossless by ear versus a modern 320kbps file is full of it. 

I mostly agree (I personally wouldn't use the words "full of it"). Regarding my case, I would A/B the same song recorded on the highest quality on Spotify (Premium - "Extreme", equivalent to 320kbps), and TIDAL recorded on the highest quality (HiFi - "Lossless, HIFI", equivalent to FLAC), and the TIDAL version sounded clearer, and more coherent than the Spotify version every time. To make sure, I performed a blind test; I had my fiancée change from Spotify to TIDAL on my iPhone 6 while I listened playing the same songs on both streaming applications, and I picked out the one that sounded better to my ears, selecting TIDAL every time. Those tests, and subsequent results, were more than good enough for me.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I totally feel you. I think $20 for the Tidal subscription is too much as well, but $10 (half price) is a better price - only $5 more than what I currently pay for Spotify Premium.
I mostly agree (I personally wouldn't use the words "full of it"). Regarding my case, I would A/B the same song recorded on the highest quality on Spotify (Premium - "Extreme", equivalent to 320kbps), and TIDAL recorded on the highest quality (HiFi - "Lossless, HIFI", equivalent to FLAC), and the TIDAL version sounded clearer, and more coherent than the Spotify version every time. To make sure, I performed a blind test; I had my fiancée change from Spotify to TIDAL on my iPhone 6 while I listened playing the same songs on both streaming applications, and I picked out the one that sounded better to my ears, selecting TIDAL every time. Those tests, and subsequent results, were more than good enough for me.

 
There are a few reasons you noticed this.
 
1) Placebo. You "know" that Tidal is lossless and ergo it sounds clearer in the first test. But as for the others...
 
2) Spotify is notorious for being quiet, both on the phone and desktop, and even a faint volume boost results in it sounding "better" because you can hear more.
 
3) Spotify also will often bump quality down if there are any network issues. I've had times where Spotify's version was NOTICEABLY worse than Google Play's, and both of those are 320kbps (admittedly Spotify uses OGG and Google uses MP3)
 
You can look that up elsewhere for corroboration. Spotify has had complaints on that for a while, and I've run into it more than a few times. An album on Spotify sounded strangely muffled, then I'd pull it up on Google and it was perfect.
 
I'd wager #2 was the most likely factor because it's actually something that plagued me just between Spotify and Google. I couldn't avoid this feeling that Google was "clearer" when the real answer was that it was vaguely quieter. When you swap between two files and one is a hair softer, it's going to sound worse. Simple as that. 
 
I'm not saying this with any dog in the fight. I've had EVERY streaming service at one point or another that's available in the US. Rdio, Beats, Spotify, Google, and Tidal (I'm not counting Grooveshark or "radio" services although I've used them as well). But in the end, the whole "lossless" thing is psychological. If it makes you feel good to get your music lossless versus lossy, go for it. What I really struggle to endorse, though, is people getting shilled out of their money by paying twice as much for something that's demonstrably inaudible.
 
I mean, let's say you get an album on BandCamp. You can get it in whatever format you want, so go nuts. Pull 'er down in FLAC or ALAC or whatever puts a smile on your face. I won't even lie, the simple knowledge that Tidal's files were lossless made listening to them more pleasant because hell, even if you can't HEAR the difference, you know that nothing is missing. That's a good thing! And if they didn't crank up the price I wouldn't argue the point (I'd use the service). 
 
I just bristle at all of this because it leaves this sort of snooty "oh you listen to LOSSY MUSIC? Pfeh, you're not REALLY hearing it." I know you didn't say that, but it creeps in 

 

[moedawg140]

   
There are a few reasons you noticed this.
 
1) Placebo. You "know" that Tidal is lossless and ergo it sounds clearer in the first test. But as for the others...
 
2) Spotify is notorious for being quiet, both on the phone and desktop, and even a faint volume boost results in it sounding "better" because you can hear more.
 
3) Spotify also will often bump quality down if there are any network issues. I've had times where Spotify's version was NOTICEABLY worse than Google Play's, and both of those are 320kbps (admittedly Spotify uses OGG and Google uses MP3)
 
You can look that up elsewhere for corroboration. Spotify has had complaints on that for a while, and I've run into it more than a few times. An album on Spotify sounded strangely muffled, then I'd pull it up on Google and it was perfect.
 
I'd wager #2 was the most likely factor because it's actually something that plagued me just between Spotify and Google. I couldn't avoid this feeling that Google was "clearer" when the real answer was that it was vaguely quieter. When you swap between two files and one is a hair softer, it's going to sound worse. Simple as that. 
 
I'm not saying this with any dog in the fight. I've had EVERY streaming service at one point or another that's available in the US. Rdio, Beats, Spotify, Google, and Tidal (I'm not counting Grooveshark or "radio" services although I've used them as well). But in the end, the whole "lossless" thing is psychological. If it makes you feel good to get your music lossless versus lossy, go for it. What I really struggle to endorse, though, is people getting shilled out of their money by paying twice as much for something that's demonstrably inaudible.
 
I mean, let's say you get an album on BandCamp. You can get it in whatever format you want, so go nuts. Pull 'er down in FLAC or ALAC or whatever puts a smile on your face. I won't even lie, the simple knowledge that Tidal's files were lossless made listening to them more pleasant because hell, even if you can't HEAR the difference, you know that nothing is missing. That's a good thing! And if they didn't crank up the price I wouldn't argue the point (I'd use the service). 
 
I just bristle at all of this because it leaves this sort of snooty "oh you listen to LOSSY MUSIC? Pfeh, you're not REALLY hearing it." I know you didn't say that, but it creeps in 

 
I agree on most accounts.
 
1.  Regarding placebo, to negate this as best as possible, I performed the blind tests, and TIDAL sounded clearer to me.  Simple as that.
 
2.  True.  I have noticed this with other streaming applications as well.  I have listened to some offline (not streamed tracks), and there are times when the 320kb song emits louder volume than the same song in FLAC/WAV file form.  Basically these variations can most definitely fool/trick one's mind to believe that one format sounds "better" than the other.
 
3.  This may be true, yet in my specific case, I listened via WIFI, so I did not experience any perceivable network issues when I performed the tests.
 
I am not debating regarding what sounds better, lossless, WAV, FLAC, 320kbps, different bitrates, as anyone's determinations about what they hear is that, what they hear.  What I am stating is what sounds better to me regarding the different applications, and using their highest format available song versions, regardless of the bitrates used.  If Spotify used 256kbps as their highest bitrate, and the methods they used were exemplary masters, and the TIDAL FLAC version wasn't mastered very well, and the Spotify version sounded better, then I would choose that one as the best.  It's all about what application sounds the best to me.  Similar to my comparisons with different iPhone music playback applications, as some sound different from each other, due to a multitude of factors.
 
Also, TIDAL's music is not perfect either, and would be missing something, technically, as it is using FLAC and not other higher formats such as DSD (and other DSD versions).  I am one to say that I love Spotify, but ever since I tried TIDAL I preferred the music from that application more than Spotify.
 
As for "sort of snooty" - I don't even have an amp (yet, at least).  I know that an iPhone is all that is needed for virtually every C/IEM, not a boutique DAP and/or external DAC/amp.  Utilizing these to change the sound signature, and if that is what is wanted, then all the more power to those that wish to do so.
 
For those that can not tell the difference between file types, great.  For those that can not tell the difference between IEMs that may have different technical attributes, great.  Nothing regarding audio is absolutely perfect, especially regarding the total chain(s) that we all use, so the end result is that everything is lossy, no matter what.
 
Regarding the SE846, still loving it with the SCS, having no issues, and it's always fun to compare the SE846 to the IEMs that I listen to.  The SE846 always does very well compared to most IEMs, no matter what prices the others are.
 
I'm interested in the Questyle QP1/QP1R regarding a DAP, as they have sounded great compared to the AK240, AK380, AK Jr, PonoPlayer, and other DAPs - it (the QP1) was able to drive the HE1000 to pretty listenable levels.

 

[jayaudio116]

There are a few reasons you noticed this.

1) Placebo. You "know" that Tidal is lossless and ergo it sounds clearer in the first test. But as for the others...

2) Spotify is notorious for being quiet, both on the phone and desktop, and even a faint volume boost results in it sounding "better" because you can hear more.

3) Spotify also will often bump quality down if there are any network issues. I've had times where Spotify's version was NOTICEABLY worse than Google Play's, and both of those are 320kbps (admittedly Spotify uses OGG and Google uses MP3)

You can look that up elsewhere for corroboration. Spotify has had complaints on that for a while, and I've run into it more than a few times. An album on Spotify sounded strangely muffled, then I'd pull it up on Google and it was perfect.

I'd wager #2 was the most likely factor because it's actually something that plagued me just between Spotify and Google. I couldn't avoid this feeling that Google was "clearer" when the real answer was that it was vaguely quieter. When you swap between two files and one is a hair softer, it's going to sound worse. Simple as that. 

I'm not saying this with any dog in the fight. I've had EVERY streaming service at one point or another that's available in the US. Rdio, Beats, Spotify, Google, and Tidal (I'm not counting Grooveshark or "radio" services although I've used them as well). But in the end, the whole "lossless" thing is psychological. If it makes you feel good to get your music lossless versus lossy, go for it. What I really struggle to endorse, though, is people getting shilled out of their money by paying twice as much for something that's demonstrably inaudible.

I mean, let's say you get an album on BandCamp. You can get it in whatever format you want, so go nuts. Pull 'er down in FLAC or ALAC or whatever puts a smile on your face. I won't even lie, the simple knowledge that Tidal's files were lossless made listening to them more pleasant because hell, even if you can't HEAR the difference, you know that nothing is missing. That's a good thing! And if they didn't crank up the price I wouldn't argue the point (I'd use the service). 

I just bristle at all of this because it leaves this sort of snooty "oh you listen to LOSSY MUSIC? Pfeh, you're not REALLY hearing it." I know you didn't say that, but it creeps in 

thanks for that info I wondered why my Spotify sounded weird, I went to the setting and saw it was on normal. Sometime it just stop playing music when I'm listing and now I think it put the quality to the default every time it dose that

 

[moedawg140]

thanks for that info I wondered why my Spotify sounded weird, I went to the setting and saw it was on normal. Sometime it just stop playing music when I'm listing and now I think it put the quality to the default every time it dose that

 
Spotify has the "Premium" subscription service if you paid for it (not sure which tier service you are paying for, if you are paying for it), which allows Extreme (320kbps) to be enabled.

 

[Jazzi]

  So happy with my 846's.  Had em about a month now and have settled, for now, on the white filters.  Seems like almost every time I put these on they put a smile on my face.  I can't believe how good they are with streaming @ 320kbps.  I know I'm losing some resolution compared to hi-res, but I'm really having a hard time finding any faults with these IEMs.  Listening hi-res material is sublime.  I've paired them with Moon Audio Silver dragon's, and couldn't be happier.

I'm using the black filters and the Silver Dragons.  Great combination!

 

[bintol]

Well, got my Sensaphonics custom sleeves today.  Impressive upgrade to sound compared to the double flange tips I have been using - seems to provide a more muscular, full-bodied sound, if that makes sense.  Bass certainly further enhanced.  Actually I can't believe the bass at times.  But these Sensaphonics sleeves aren't easy to insert - I think it will take a bit of practice - have others found that? 

 

[potkettleblack]

Any opinions on how these sound straight out of an IPHONE 6?

 

[interpolate]

9 Ohm and the low sensitivity means they will be loud enough probably however the sound quality will depend on your expectations. Generally speaking Apple focus on the audio quality although usually with their own content. I have to admit I'm not Apple''s greatest fan and some people are using portable headphone amplifiers with them. Also you may need an adapter since the lightning connectors are now being used.

 

[Mitchell4500]

I used tidal for about a month on a free trial. I used it with my PA system. I had it setup so a digital line from my PC went to my soundboard and the soundboard acted as a DAC. It was then a fully balanced system to my powered speakers.
 
I was able to notice a difference between tidal and spotify. Tidal sounded louder which is true. I listened to the song Cut your teeth by kygo a lot. What I noticed other than being louder was that the higher sounds kinda snapped more, there was more sparkle,  but this could have been a side-effect of it being louder.
 
I did eventually decide to try this with regular FLAC files. I still noticed a difference compared to spotify, but not compared to other 320kbs MP3 files of the same thing.  Yes I always use "extreme"
 
Spotify uses OGG/Vorbis to stream. Which isn't a bad thing, its how they can seamlessly change between bit-rates when streaming to your phone. I think as a side-effect of this there is a change in sound. Not necessarily a loss on quality, but just different compared to flac, being why I noticed something.
 
Here's the thing. I had a hard time noticing all this on my IEMs and Headphones, I was only truly able to notice it on my PA system.  And it certainly was not worth $20 a month, and I wouldn't say its worth giving up to convince of spotify for.  I collect some music in FLAC, but more often I used spotify.

 

[Mitchell4500]

Double post - sorry again but here we go.
 
I just got my new left IEM back from Shure. Its fine. Sounds good.
 
Things to note. The wiring is different from the one I had, this new one being consistent with my right IEM and every other IEM in pictures ive seen.
There is no solder bridge.
 
These are my observations. Think what you want. To be honest I dont blame the solder, but the out of place wire. Many of you reported seeing similar solder, but no sound issues. So I wouldnt worry about it. But as you saw in my previous posts one of the wires for the drivers or MMCX connector seemed to be soldered directly to one of the resitors on the bottom, fact is I know little about how these particular crossovers work, but I do understand how crossovers in general work enough to think that it was un-usual. So personally im speculating that the wire was my problem.
 
Its good to have my IEMs finally back in full working condition Shure also sent me the left IEM in one of those soft cases that come with the lower end IEMs. Which is cool cause now I have a spare carrying pouch.  Also after this whole ordeal I ended up with some extra medium olives (which are the ones I use) and extra blue filters. So I decided to try the "Removing foam from the blue"   I think I still prefer the whites. I dunno. Could be the same.