[HiFiChris]

I find the IE 80 to have a rather low isolation compared to the SE846 (and SE425) what you will also notice when you have proper seal (and look at the graphs on headphone.com).
 
If someone says that tonality-wise the IE 8/80 sounds somewhat similar to the Shure, I can't agree with him as the Sennheiser has got a distinctly emphasised ground tone area whereas the Shure concentrates mainly on the sub-bass without real emphasis on the ground tone.
Besides that, the Shure has got the drier bass while the Sennheiser's low end is pretty slow and sounds bloated when being played with normal/fast music, not to mention the clearly higher resolution with the Shure.
But as JaZZ, if it was about SE846 vs. IE 800, it would be a much closer call.
 
As one's ears' bass and highs perception is quieter at lower listening volumes, a v-shaped sound signature could be more to one's preferences than a darkish or neutralish sound signature, but it's all up to one's personal preference.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

   
Have a look at the nozzle fit! It may not be exactly in place. (Happened to me after a filter change.)

 
I wish. :/
 
Right side is just faintly muffled, nothing fixes it. Swap filters around, change left/right, change tips, nothing. Second pair I've had this happen with, too. 

 

[Mitchell4500]

   
I wish. :/
 
Right side is just faintly muffled, nothing fixes it. Swap filters around, change left/right, change tips, nothing. Second pair I've had this happen with, too. 

Hey Someguydude,
 
I just read through your posts about this issue. What you are describing sounds exactly like I was noticing with my left IEM being quieter than the other one. All the pictures and speculation aside, what you are describe (slightly quieter, difference is bass) is what lead me to believe their was something wrong with my second pair.   After they sent me a left IEM I am much happier about it. 
 
-Mitch

 

[johnwamp55]

Or you been detaching the earpiece a lot thus losening the fragile connection

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Or you been detaching the earpiece a lot thus losening the fragile connection

 
If carefully detaching detachable parts pops off a connection in something that's a problem. I don't believe that's the case here, because that would be a MASSIVE oversight on Shure's part if doing something that these are INTENDED TO DO will loosen the connection. 

 

[csglinux]

If carefully detaching detachable parts pops off a connection in something that's a problem. I don't believe that's the case here, because that would be a MASSIVE oversight on Shure's part if doing something that these are INTENDED TO DO will loosen the connection. 

You could try some deoxit on the connector, but I doubt that's the problem. I suspect one of your four drivers (or its cross-over circuitry) is defective

 

[macbug]

  Thanks for the feedback. I've had my IE8 for almost exactly 4 years, I'm happy with how they sound (the bass is a bit bloaty.., and they don't always maintain a good seal), but recently I've found myself need something with much better isolation. Plus change can be good sometimes...
 
SE846 owners, how's the isolation, pretty similar to other Shures? And how are they at very low volumes?

 
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=603&graphID[]=4293&graphID[]=4203&graphID[]=4223&scale=30
 
here's the headroom graph for comparison.  IE8 definitely will have a bigger mid bass hump (I read that it's been tamed some what for IE80), and going by my IE80 adjusting the bass knob (since that graph doesn't indicate what level the bass is set at, I'll assume it's in the middle), cranking the IE80 for me to max was too much headache inducing subbass, I didn't get that feeling during my brief audition of the SE846.  Then again I didn't even ask which filter was installed (I assume neutral for demo purposes).
 
Isolation wise the SE846 will definitely win since the IE8/80s are vented, so you'll likely hear better at lower volumes just due to the better isolation if you are using it for commute.
 
Keep in mind though that the SE846 being a BA will be much more sensitive to impedance of your source (and to a certain extent cables) compared to dynamics like the IE8, so it's likely you'll need to invest in a better source or amp to go along with it.
 
Again per my earlier disclaimer about having listened to less than an hour in a shop on an iphone, all I can offer is my 2 cents and you should add a pinch of salt.

 

[jayaudio116]

@someguydude, the same things happen with my pair and it went away by its self, my pair dose some other stuff too, like sometime it sounds metallic, some times the bass is lower then normal or something off about the mids and it has nothing to do with the song or tips or filters, sometime I change the filters clean them try different tips nothing. And after a few houre or days or whatever they may act normal. It could be your filter getting clog, I order some last week to see if that changes anything for me

 

[SomeGuyDude]

@someguydude, the same things happen with my pair and it went away by its self, my pair dose some other stuff too, like sometime it sounds metallic, some times the bass is lower then normal or something off about the mids and it has nothing to do with the song or tips or filters, sometime I change the filters clean them try different tips nothing. And after a few houre or days or whatever they may act normal. It could be your filter getting clog, I order some last week to see if that changes anything for me

 
I'm agonizing over this, and what's weird is... with NO music playing I almost "feel" a difference.
 
I'm starting to get to the point where I think IEMs are an issue for me. Not that they're bad in general, no no no. Just like I'm someone who struggles not to flip out and squeal at every teeny imbalance that pops up, you know?

 

[potkettleblack]

Anybody ever had any issues with replacing the filters?
 
Changed them over the weekend and one got stuck as I was taking it off. I'm very careful with things like this but these things seem super temperamental. 

 

[Mitchell4500]

   
I'm agonizing over this, and what's weird is... with NO music playing I almost "feel" a difference.
 
I'm starting to get to the point where I think IEMs are an issue for me. Not that they're bad in general, no no no. Just like I'm someone who struggles not to flip out and squeal at every teeny imbalance that pops up, you know?

Are your ear canals shaped differently? I know mine are so I noticed a difference in the fit of the Olives which I think can also effect the way I perceive the sound.  Ive been thinking of getting the SCS because of this.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

  Are your ear canals shaped differently? I know mine are so I noticed a difference in the fit of the Olives which I think can also effect the way I perceive the sound.  Ive been thinking of getting the SCS because of this.

 
I have no idea what's going on, honestly. 
 
Part of it is that I know, deep down, I am crazy about "balance" in things. Asymmetry in my audio drives me insane. Yet, right now, I'm upstairs at my desktop PC, listening with my HD650's, and I swear I'm not entirely sure if the music doesn't seem just as "to the side" as always. It may be that lots of music simply isn't perfectly centered thanks to instrument placing but it's more noticeable with IEMs because the sound is "inside your head" instead of outside of it. I don't know. I really don't want to send my 8's back if they're functioning and I'm just crazy. Ugh.

 

[Chodi]

   
I have no idea what's going on, honestly. 
 
Part of it is that I know, deep down, I am crazy about "balance" in things. Asymmetry in my audio drives me insane. Yet, right now, I'm upstairs at my desktop PC, listening with my HD650's, and I swear I'm not entirely sure if the music doesn't seem just as "to the side" as always.

Pressure in you ears can cause this problem . There is more than one possible cause for this but the most common has to do with Eustachian tubes. This is similar to he problem you may encounter when on an airplane with pressurized cabin. It is not an uncommon condition. Unequal pressure can cause exactly as you describe. Get yourself to an ear doctor and have them do a simple pressure test. The results are immediate and then you will know. It is also easy to resolve in many cases but often reoccurs.
 
Of course there are other possible reasons, but the fact that you are experiencing this imbalance on your headphones and your iem's suggests a pressure problem (less likely a hearing loss).

 

[jayaudio116]

@someguydude From my experience iem are inconsistent no matter the price range, there so many things that effect the sound its hard to pinpoint the problem, I switch my cabel from the short back to the the long and that helped to fix some of the sound inconsistencies for now at least

 

[Voyageur]

@someguydude From my experience iem are inconsistent no matter the price range, there so many things that effect the sound its hard to pinpoint the problem, I switch my cabel from the short back to the the long and that helped to fix some of the sound inconsistencies for now at least

+1, I used to be able to hear a very, very light imbalance to the left on some songs (and I'm being very, very picky) with my ER-4PT, which have accurately matched drivers. It might be my right ear being less sensible, or actually the shape of my right ear not allowing me to push the Shure olive as deep as I'd want to, or placebo effect, or the song itself that was recorded that way, or your source doing some sort of a trick, or... you name it.
 
Well actually in my case I have ear conducts of *slightly* different shapes. Seems that I could correct the almost undetectable unbalance by changing the way I insert the foam into my right ear. Many factors come into account you know. But sometimes I tell myself "just enjoy the bloody music instead on focusing on little insignificant things" haha. Maybe that issue was just an illusion after all, maybe it's only a psychological thing (I'm sure it is), I can be so maniac about things sometimes.
 
Ps. this reminds me of a friend of mine who gets mad because the length of his suit's sleeves differ by 4mm. He's very picky about clothing and style and stuff, and he just couldn't get over it. But hell, he looked dashing in that suit, why did he make such a fuss about it?