[heavenhated]

1. @moedawg140

 
 
Changing the tips did help. The best sounding for nice bassy sound was the triple flange for me. The yellow tip was a good balance. In fact i swapped the blue filter to white and got a great balance across highs as well.
 
I just ordered some tips and i am reviewing your thread about the custom tips.
 
The only thing about the triple flange is it takes time getting used to almost feels it on top of the ear drum
 
the yellow tip is fine except it becomes a little uncomfortable after sometime. All these while i was using the size 1 squeezable tip. It was fair but now where bringing out the infamous bass/sub bass for me. May be my ears are big
 
But thanks for your advice. I dont want to ask this but do you think X5 II would be a better option than adding an amp for my phone?

 

[olddude]

 


 

 

 

1. do you think X5 II would be a better option than adding an amp for my phone?

Yes.  

 

[cvbcbcmv]

deleted

 

[moedawg140]

  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? 

 
Congrats!  You can use some Oto-Ease or a water based lubricant, and/or keep practicing.  The wax buildup will aid in insertion of the SCS, even when it is cleaned every so often (should be cleaned after every use).  Check the SCS review thread (in my signature and profile) for tips regarding insertion, cleaning, etc., from Head-Fiers.
 
 

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

 
This is all that I use.  The best offline music playback applications that I have used, in my opinion (after trying and paying for a lot of them), is Onkyo HK, Neutron, and G-Mix (Casio G-Shock) apps.  My favorite streaming apps are Spotify - Premium, "Extreme", and TIDAL HiFi - "Lossless".  I have listened to the SE846 from a plethora of DACs/amps, etc., and the portability of the iPhone 6 in my opinion outweighs the benefits and/or drawbacks of external amplification.  I would say try it out and as many options as you can, so you can come to the determination which sounds the best to you and meets your needs regarding extra weight, extra device(s) to charge, etc. if you choose go the DAC/amplification route.
 
 

 

1. @moedawg140

 
 
Changing the tips did help. The best sounding for nice bassy sound was the triple flange for me. The yellow tip was a good balance. In fact i swapped the blue filter to white and got a great balance across highs as well.
 
I just ordered some tips and i am reviewing your thread about the custom tips.
 
The only thing about the triple flange is it takes time getting used to almost feels it on top of the ear drum
 
the yellow tip is fine except it becomes a little uncomfortable after sometime. All these while i was using the size 1 squeezable tip. It was fair but now where bringing out the infamous bass/sub bass for me. May be my ears are big
 
But thanks for your advice. I dont want to ask this but do you think X5 II would be a better option than adding an amp for my phone?

 
Glad the tips helped.  It still seems like you are having some issues, so try the Westone sample pack if you haven't tried already, since there are 5 sizes that may or may not fit you.  If you want the ultimate in fit, seal, isolation, etcetera, and the sizes-fit-all tips haven't worked out for you, then the SCS may be a great option for you.
 
As for if I think the X5II would be a better option than adding an amp, I will say that is a personal decision that you will need to make for yourself.  Some people love the addition of a DAC/amp, as some love the difference in sound they provide, and is an option if you want to go balanced as well (without the purchase of a DAP such as an AK with a balanced out).  Some love using a DAP exclusively.  I personally only use my iPhone 6, but I could see using a boutique DAP if I didn't own an iPhone.  I tested quite a few DAPs recently (not the X5ii yet, but did listen to the X5), and my overall choice for price to performance ratio would be the Questyle QP1 for C/IEMs and some-most headphones, and the Questyle QP1R for C/IEMs and very easy to drive headphones.
 
Good luck!

 

[olddude]

I have an iPhone 6 (and had a 4 and a 5S as well).  I've had a Colorfly C3 + JDS Labs C5 amp, an iBasso DX50 with the same amp, a Fiio X5 and Fiio X1, and now have two Ponos.  All of the DAPs, to my ears, sounded/sound better than my iPhone(s).  I also use only lossless FLAC files.  Everyone's hearing is different, as are expectations and desires and money to spend.  I no longer have any music loaded on my phone.  But that's me.  

 

[interpolate]

Well up until recently I was using FLAC on my LG G2. Since getting the FiiO player I've decided to start using it only as a phone only again. In a way I've got a bit bored of these smartphones now and use it as a necessity. Although that doesn't mean I will be going back to a more basic telephone as I run on my affairs using Google Apps. 
 
The biggest bugbear about the LG G2 was even though it uses "an audiophile quality DAC" is that the headphone stage is poorly implemented. Actually I sent it away for repair and it's never been the same since. However that's a story for another year.
 
However my point is that, the technology is only good as the build and design behind it.
 
I would say the FiiO X3 ii is excellent value for money and X5 ii or any competitors with built-in DAC is going the edge on any flagship smartphone due to the single purpose and components used.

 

[Headtrip]

While my iPhone 6+ is no match for my Chord Hugo I have to say it sounds great and laying my hi rsz music.

 

[heavenhated]

 .  I personally only use my iPhone 6, but I could see using a boutique DAP if I didn't own an iPhone.  I tested quite a few DAPs recently (not the X5ii yet, but did listen to the X5), and my overall choice for price to performance ratio would be the Questyle QP1 for C/IEMs and some-most headphones, and the Questyle QP1R for C/IEMs and very easy to drive headphones.

.QP1 is out of my Budget. In fact i am chosing between X3II or X5 which are close in price now in some places than the X5 II.  I tried researching user feedback between X5 and X5II but not been able to make a judgement based on comments i have seen.
 
X3II has recieved lots of positive comments. I dont mind carrying an extra device over my Phone but the phone amp out is pretty average compared to X1 i had earlier.

 

[MadGTI]

I just posted on deals where you can pick a legit new in box unopened SE846 from an authorized dealer for 700. I just picked mine for 700 and i am still coming terms with the expected performance.

I am still not feeling the subwoofer effect but after listening for few days my other headphones are appearing weak in many areas.

The talked about bass effect may be i am not able to understand as i expected it to feel like a sub woofer inside my head. But its hardly that much.

My X5II is on the way, and may be that will change my impression but too soon to tell. What i can say is the noise isolation in superb, the mid and high details are so good that my other headphones clearly feel inferior.

My previous fav was MDR-1R. But at high volume i can see the SE846 standing up high and leaving the MDR-1R dry. The detail is also missing in the 1R.

The best bassy headphones i have is the Vtrue and Vmoda. The SE846 does not that kind of bassy effect. For me the sound is more towards clarity and not towards bass. Am i hearing it right ?
Unquote

At the 1st day using SE846 plugging into the HTC One M8. I have the same feeling, thinking there will be lots of bass with this IEM. I tried songs with good bass. But it sounds very clear with good isolation.I wore it that night in the car heading home. And I hit some debris like a tire/wheel cover in the freeway.The isolation is so good that I hardly hear anything. After I arrived home, I discovered that the front bumper and the fog light is fallen off.
Then I got AK120II and then a upgraded copper balanced cable.
I did hear a subtle improvement in the bass. The overall SSQ improved especially the soundstage and clarity.

 

[Tommy-27]

I just got a pair of 846s today from Richer sounds. All I can say is wow! They have really lived up to all the hype and frankly gushing reviews that I have read about them. I have been through many pairs of "high end" headphones (none as expensive as these) from Sennheiser HD595s, Beyerdynamic T51is, Bowers and Wilkins P5s,  Alclair reference Ciems, Bose QC25s, Sony Xba2s and many more from the same companies ( and a few others I haven't mentioned) and I always come away feeling a little deflated after my first audition and find after I have used them for a short while I am already looking to upgrade them to something better. I tried these out today for the first time with my Nexus 6 ( with some flac and Alac albums I have, using Poweramp) as it was all I had on me at the time and was immediately impressed with the level of clarity and detail that these things pick up. I am hearing things in songs that I have never noticed before yet they don't sound clinical, in fact they sound really musical and engaging. What also struck me was that for an iem you can actually feel the bass! yet it doesn't overpower the rest of the range/sound. They have the silky smooth, pleasing mids that from what I have read is Shures signature sound, mixed with detailed highs that bring out all the nuances of the track without sounding harsh or piercing like some headphones can. You can hear everything that is going on, even on really complex, layered tracks. It all sounds ordered and instruments all sound individually placed with a nice wide soundstage as if you are in front of the band. I have just started using them completely standard/stock out of the box so I am looking forward to experimenting with the different filters and tips to get the optimum sound/fit. To be honest I can't see them sounding any better than they already do!. If anyone is looking at these and the price is holding them back, just go for it. You will not be disappointed. They are a lot of money ( I got mine for £790, which I thought was a pretty good deal) but are worth every penny (imo) and that is only after having used them for a few hours! I am also really picky and so far cannot really fault these. If I was going to be hyper critical I would say that they are tricky to actually put in your ears!. However, If you have used items before you will be familiar with this, but these seem even more fiddly to get in than usual. It certainly isn't a deal breaker and I am sure I will quickly get used to them. I think my quest for the "perfect" set of headphones is finally over at long last!. Now to find a source that will do them justice . I was looking at the ZX2. Has anybody used these with it. If so, what do you think? Do they pair well? I might have to be sensible after spending so much and settle for the Xperia Z3 ( I have heard it is the best Android smart phone in terms of sound quality) as I can get that for less than £200 if I trade in my N6. Any thoughts on that pairing as well? I keep coming back to the thought that I have spent so much on the headphone that I may as well get a decent source to do them justice.

 

[MadGTI]

I just got a pair of 846s today from Richer sounds. All I can say is wow! They have really lived up to all the hype and frankly gushing reviews that I have read about them. I have been through many pairs of "high end" headphones (none as expensive as these) from Sennheiser HD595s, Beyerdynamic T51is, Bowers and Wilkins P5s,  Alclair reference Ciems, Bose QC25s, Sony Xba2s and many more from the same companies ( and a few others I haven't mentioned) and I always come away feeling a little deflated after my first audition and find after I have used them for a short while I am already looking to upgrade them to something better. I tried these out today for the first time with my Nexus 6 ( with some flac and Alac albums I have, using Poweramp) as it was all I had on me at the time and was immediately impressed with the level of clarity and detail that these things pick up. I am hearing things in songs that I have never noticed before yet they don't sound clinical, in fact they sound really musical and engaging. What also struck me was that for an iem you can actually feel the bass! yet it doesn't overpower the rest of the range/sound. They have the silky smooth, pleasing mids that from what I have read is Shures signature sound, mixed with detailed highs that bring out all the nuances of the track without sounding harsh or piercing like some headphones can. You can hear everything that is going on, even on really complex, layered tracks. It all sounds ordered and instruments all sound individually placed with a nice wide soundstage as if you are in front of the band. I have just started using them completely standard/stock out of the box so I am looking forward to experimenting with the different filters and tips to get the optimum sound/fit. To be honest I can't see them sounding any better than they already do!. If anyone is looking at these and the price is holding them back, just go for it. You will not be disappointed. They are a lot of money ( I got mine for £790, which I thought was a pretty good deal) but are worth every penny (imo) and that is only after having used them for a few hours! I am also really picky and so far cannot really fault these. If I was going to be hyper critical I would say that they are tricky to actually put in your ears!. However, If you have used items before you will be familiar with this, but these seem even more fiddly to get in than usual. It certainly isn't a deal breaker and I am sure I will quickly get used to them. I think my quest for the "perfect" set of headphones is finally over at long last!. Now to find a source that will do them justice . I was looking at the ZX2. Has anybody used these with it. If so, what do you think? Do they pair well? I might have to be sensible after spending so much and settle for the Xperia Z3 ( I have heard it is the best Android smart phone in terms of sound quality) as I can get that for less than £200 if I trade in my N6. Any thoughts on that pairing as well? I keep coming back to the thought that I have spent so much on the headphone that I may as well get a decent source to do them justice.

Since SE846 has a very low input impedance of 9 ohms. It requires the source of output impedance to be less than 2 ohms. So your ZX3 should have the impedance of less than 2 ohms. For all smartphones their volume adjustment is not minute enough to get the best SQ out of SE846. I would get a dedicated DAP rather than a smartphone.

 

[jynxed]

Since SE846 has a very low input impedance of 9 ohms. It requires the source of output impedance to be less than 2 ohms. So your ZX3 should have the impedance of less than 2 ohms. For all smartphones their volume adjustment is not minute enough to get the best SQ out of SE846. I would get a dedicated DAP rather than a smartphone.

You know, I didn't realise what a difference an amp/DAC would make (fairly new to decen audio). I ordered a portable one a c5d just to see, to use with PC and android. Really didn't expect much difference from my phone or PC for that matter. As soon as I plugged it in with the phone I was no longer skeptical, sounded amazing with my x2's. I then did the only reasonable thing to do...bought se864's.

Couple if weeks after my 1st post in this thread now and I still absolutely love them. A dap is probably next on my list.

 

[moedawg140]

Since SE846 has a very low input impedance of 9 ohms. It requires the source of output impedance to be less than 2 ohms. So your ZX3 should have the impedance of less than 2 ohms. For all smartphones their volume adjustment is not minute enough to get the best SQ out of SE846. I would get a dedicated DAP rather than a smartphone.

What's great about the iPhone and other smartphones that sound pretty good to great, is the owners of compatible phones (most newer iPhones, Android devices) can download the free G-Mix (Casio Bluetooth G-Shock) application, and in the player's settings, it contains "Advanced volume settings", which has 16 volume, 32 volume, and 48 volume steps that can be selected.  Usually you needed to perform a jailbreak to be able to do something like this.  

I also like using the application with my G-Shock Bluetooth watch (I didn't even post it in the watch thread yet), and I can control the G-Mix app or the native Music app using the watch.  There are other cool things the watch can do as well, but I'll add that as a post in the upcoming future in the watch thread.

Here's the Bluetooth G-Shock (version 3):

 

[Tommy-27]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I am really close to pulling the trigger on the ZX2. Does anyone know if you can install and use android wear on it (ZX2)? Would be nice to be able to change tracks etc with my Moto 360 when on the move.Hardly essential but would be nice. Also, can you get a mic cable, so that I can take calls with the 846s? If so, what is the "best" one to get? One thing I have noticed is that they respond really nicely to EQ tweaks. I haver always hated EQ presets on apps like Spotify and iTunes etc as I always just thought most of them were unlistenable but with the 846s some of them actually add to the sound and make a nice difference and are actually listenable ( I still prefer it off in most cases) Is there anyone that owns the ZX2 and is using it with the 846s that can attest to whether or not they will pair well? 

 

[Tommy-27]

I also tried them out using my Macbook 2015 12" the new notebook, macbook from Apple. I am assuming it uses similar, if not the same DAC and internal setup ( albeit with minor differences, correct me if I am wrong) to the iPhone 6. I have heard many people, read several reviews, including the guys at What-Hi-fi, say that it sounds really good. I found that I preferred the sound out of my Nexus 6 using power amp. I haven't exactly done any proper comparisons, like A-B switching with same tracks etc I am just going from memory.I found the sound from the macbook a little dull and lifeless/clinical ( still sounded nice, just in comparison) compared to what I was getting out of my N6 a few hours before. As far as I know the DAC in the N6 uses the Snapdragon SOC and is nothing to rave about. I also didn't use any EQ in power amp. Perhaps I should do some more testing but its food for thought.