[beowulf]

  There are two things I miss with my Shure SE846. The first is something I suspect most IEM's struggle with and that's stereo imaging / sound staging. I'm using four different solutions on a "daily basis". And that's Sennheiser HD 800 with a Hegel HD12 DAC on my computer at home. And a combination of Shure SE846 and B&O BeoPlay H7 on my iPhone 7 Plus when I commute back and forth from work. When I go for a jog / run I use the SE846 and at work I have my older Westone UM3X. The seconds is more "spark" in the vocals.
 
Someone might shoot me, but I wouldn't necessary claim that the HD 800 has any better audio quality compared to the SE846. They both sound darn good, I would describe the SE846 more musical as the HD 800 tends to be little too flat. But the HD 800 is clearly better on "micro details", "vocal sparks" and it completely destroys the SE846 when it comes to stereo imaging / sound staging. When listening using the HD 800 it sounds like you have a live concert / orchestra all around you. When listening to the SE846 it feels like it's all going on inside your head.
  When it comes to stereo imaging / sound staging and "vocal sparks" I would say the SE846 gets beaten by the Westone UM3X as well. It's darn hard to make a "perfect" IEM, but the SE846 are darn close but I tend to always miss that wide stereo imaging and sound staging my HD 800 and BeoPlay H7 is offering every time I use the SE846.

 
Those were two areas where the 846 wasn't fully working for me. That spark you mention, the micro-details and resolution , especially on the high midrange and treble. There's a slight veil that isn't present in the sparkly HD800. I think the soundstage and imaging is pretty good on the 846, but you can go beyond it.
 
If those two components interest you (upper clarity and soundstage) I suggest you try the Andromeda. The sharpness and detail are HD800-like, and the soundstage is considerably wider (well, actually in all axes, so I'll call it "holographic"). Again, the 846 is good at it, but I remember being A/B comparing the two and there was one track that was amazingly different.... "Cobra" by Acoustic Affair. At the start of the song you hear pings/drops all around you, along with some drums and bass...
On the Andros the sense of separation and space was considerably better. Easier to identify each ping, as well as position them. It sounds roomier, like a cave.

 

[Whazzzup]

I won't shoot but my hd800S via prion 4 balanced cable using chord TT and gsx mk2 is a big step beyound 846. Noble encore does have the edge on imaging and mid detail versus 846. I still can't say that encore is better in that regard to hd800S, course it's not fair to compare an iem to a hp.
Encore does have a wall of textured bass, incredible Mids, and no frigging tip decisions of white blue or black, mod or unmod, knowles this or that. Just pop those nobles in. I use Hugo as a portable. Although I am not selling my 846 just yet.

 

[Mr Makarov]

  You guys are gonna slay my wallet. Just ordered these cause I just could not pass up the discounted price. Join me in the club. Will see how these compare against my IE800. I know they aren't the same but I want to see which one I like better.
 
Heard they compliment each other very well.

This will be interesting! I initially disliked SE846. My first impression was: "wow nice mids and bass but where the hell is the soundstage?" Then and after some time and careful listening, tip rolling and messing with filters I liked them a lot. I still think they compliment each other very well but in my opinion SE846 wins in overall value while the only strength of the IE800 is the SQ. You can tweak SE846 a lot and they respond pretty well (not talking about EQ). Depending on which filters you are using and with which ear tips the sound will change noticeably from boomy and veiled to very neutral and even bright. You cannot do that with IE800. In the end I like them both equally, I prefer the overall SQ of IE800 over SE846 but Shures got 70% listening time and IE800 just 30%.
I see you already have read the thread "Sennheiser IE800 vs. Shure SE846: Which one is superior in terms of price?" so you know what to expect.
 
Now after some time and after fitting IE800´s ear tips on the SE846 (there is an easy way to fit them and they stay even more secure than on the IE800) I have a really hard time saying that IE800 are that superior in SQ (as compared to stock SE846). Actually now SE846 sound clearer than the IE800 and noticeably more neutral. A matter of mood and preference now.
Just my personal opinion

 

[cellarbro]

 
This will be interesting! I initially disliked SE846. My first impression was: "wow nice mids and bass but where the hell is the soundstage?" Then and after some time and careful listening, tip rolling and messing with filters I liked them a lot. I still think they compliment each other very well but in my opinion SE846 wins in overall value while the only strength of the IE800 is the SQ. You can tweak SE846 a lot and they respond pretty well (not talking about EQ). Depending on which filters you are using and with which ear tips the sound will change noticeably from boomy and veiled to very neutral and even bright. You cannot do that with IE800. In the end I like them both equally, I prefer the overall SQ of IE800 over SE846 but Shures got 70% listening time and IE800 just 30%.
I see you already have read the thread "Sennheiser IE800 vs. Shure SE846: Which one is superior in terms of price?" so you know what to expect.
 
Now after some time and after fitting IE800´s ear tips on the SE846 (there is an easy way to fit them and they stay even more secure than on the IE800) I have a really hard time saying that IE800 are that superior in SQ (as compared to stock SE846). Actually now SE846 sound clearer than the IE800 and noticeably more neutral. A matter of mood and preference now.
Just my personal opinion

 

Thank you for the writeup. Definitely interested in seeing what the SE846 have to offer. The 1000$ price tag gave me a bit of a hard time justifying since the Andromedas are close in price. But Comparing it at 700$ changes the story completely versus the Andromeda. (I also have sensitive ears to treble and wasn't particularly blown away with the Andromedas. They did have holographic imaging but the treble had more impact than the bass, which wasn't powerful enough for my taste. It was good bass, with great texture but just lacked that power that I was looking for. )
 
The IE800 get a little too hot in treble for my ears after 30minutes. They don't sound harsh or anything and are neither sibilant in SQ but  I just have the urge to take them off after listening for 30min to 1 hour.
 
I also somewhat forgot about the different tuning capabilities of the SE846. When I revisited them in terms of what they offer, it was everything what I was looking for that was missing from the IE800. The IE800 are absolutely dreadful on the go IEM. Short cable, Microphonic, and the isolation is very mediocre. Especially when I want to listen to them on the NYC subways.
 
After buying them, I was happy with the SQ but not much else. I think they are beautiful and I don't think I would return them but after giving them a longer audition time, the microphonic, short cable, isolation came into play. That stuff never bothers you at the store when you only listen to them for a brief minute or two. With that said, the original genre that I bought them for seems to make the treble way too hot. (Electronic) mainly, but I listen to everything. The IE800 after some exploring are absolutely the king of Rock music/classical and film score. It's not my genre of choice, but they sound fantastic when playing old school tracks to modern rock. They need something with a realistic sound stage and not one created artificially by a computer which is mainly all electronic music. I listen to classical and rock to enjoy how well, flawless the IE800's present the music. 
 
The SE846 seem like they have everything that I will want that I found missing from the IE800. Removable cable, fantastic isolation, sound customization, (I have the FLC8S and already know that this feature was a huge plus for me) and the ability to use a BA driver while maintaining the bass as one of it's most prominent sound qualities is quite impressive. At Canjam, I found myself, really liking the speed and clarity that most of the high end IEM's brought (BA driver designs such as encore, zeus, Katana and Andromeda) but hearing IEM's like the Vega's made me realize how much I like a prominent and capable bass when it needs some power.
 
Really hoping the SE846 become my new favorites. I will be a little dissapointed if the sound signature of the IE800 is better as I am hoping the SE846 cover the flaws for the IE800 and the genre's that IE800 cannot do well with. Hearing people describe the SE846  as really musical and fun makes me quite excited to get these suckers in the mail by now.

 

[beowulf]

  Thank you for the writeup. Definitely interested in seeing what the SE846 have to offer. The 1000$ price tag gave me a bit of a hard time justifying since the Andromedas are close in price. But Comparing it at 700$ changes the story completely versus the Andromeda. (I also have sensitive ears to treble and wasn't particularly blown away with the Andromedas. They did have holographic imaging but the treble had more impact than the bass, which wasn't powerful enough for my taste. It was good bass, with great texture but just lacked that power that I was looking for. )

 
The Andromeda are certainly more tuned towards extra detail on the high mids and treble, along with the space and positioning. The 846 can't touch them there. But if you do enjoy more body to the sound, the 846 deliver it most of the time. With the right source and good seal, the Andro are almost as punchy as the 846 in bass, having a bit less quantity but to my ears, a bit more quality (tighter, less woolly over the lower mids).
 
Considering the discounted prices I'm seeing for the 846 (as low as 690e in Europe) I agree that the 846 offers a lot for what it costs. Unless you need the treble detail and that holographic touch of the Andromeda, many people will be happy and save a  very nice amount. The 846 presentation in accessories/box is also much better, but I guess that's to be expected since Shure is big and has a lot of economy of scale in the production (plus China). With the Andros you get a nice leather case and that's it.

 

[cellarbro]

   
The Andromeda are certainly more tuned towards extra detail on the high mids and treble, along with the space and positioning. The 846 can't touch them there. But if you do enjoy more body to the sound, the 846 deliver it most of the time. With the right source and good seal, the Andro are almost as punchy as the 846 in bass, having a bit less quantity but to my ears, a bit more quality (tighter, less woolly over the lower mids).
 
Considering the discounted prices I'm seeing for the 846 (as low as 690e in Europe) I agree that the 846 offers a lot for what it costs. Unless you need the treble detail and that holographic touch of the Andromeda, many people will be happy and save a  very nice amount. The 846 presentation in accessories/box is also much better, but I guess that's to be expected since Shure is big and has a lot of economy of scale in the production (plus China). With the Andros you get a nice leather case and that's it.

Would you describe the 846 as veiled sounding?
 
I heard the andromedas and they were very good but they didn't seem to stand out to me. I have heard that from people that they don't really stand out at first listening but they do everything well. I almost pulled the trigger on B stock for andromedas but I was unsure what extent there was minor physical aesthetic imperfections stretched. (The 90 day warranty and All Sales Final, didn't make them appealing for the discounted price versus the 400 dollars cheaper SE846 with 2 year warranty and no aesthetic imperfections/B stock.)

 

[Mr Makarov]

   
 
The IE800 get a little too hot in treble for my ears after 30minutes. They don't sound harsh or anything and are neither sibilant in SQ but  I just have the urge to take them off after listening for 30min to 1 hour.
 
I also somewhat forgot about the different tuning capabilities of the SE846. When I revisited them in terms of what they offer, it was everything what I was looking for that was missing from the IE800. The IE800 are absolutely dreadful on the go IEM. Short cable, Microphonic, and the isolation is very mediocre. Especially when I want to listen to them on the NYC subways.
 
After buying them, I was happy with the SQ but not much else. I think they are beautiful and I don't think I would return them but after giving them a longer audition time, the microphonic, short cable, isolation came into play. That stuff never bothers you at the store when you only listen to them for a brief minute or two. With that said, the original genre that I bought them for seems to make the treble way too hot. (Electronic) mainly, but I listen to everything. The IE800 after some exploring are absolutely the king of Rock music/classical and film score. It's not my genre of choice, but they sound fantastic when playing old school tracks to modern rock. They need something with a realistic sound stage and not one created artificially by a computer which is mainly all electronic music. I listen to classical and rock to enjoy how well, flawless the IE800's present the music. 
 
The SE846 seem like they have everything that I will want that I found missing from the IE800. Removable cable, fantastic isolation, sound customization, (I have the FLC8S and already know that this feature was a huge plus for me) and the ability to use a BA driver while maintaining the bass as one of it's most prominent sound qualities is quite impressive. At Canjam, I found myself, really liking the speed and clarity that most of the high end IEM's brought (BA driver designs such as encore, zeus, Katana and Andromeda) but hearing IEM's like the Vega's made me realize how much I like a prominent and capable bass when it needs some power.
 
Really hoping the SE846 become my new favorites. I will be a little dissapointed if the sound signature of the IE800 is better as I am hoping the SE846 cover the flaws for the IE800 and the genre's that IE800 cannot do well with. Hearing people describe the SE846  as really musical and fun makes me quite excited to get these suckers in the mail by now.

If you are sensitive to treble you will certainly enjoy SE846 very much. The thing is, that the signature of SE846 is opposite to that of IE800 which makes total sense when you compare them.
When I was searching for a good IEM I was not sure if go for se846 or IE800 and I wanted them primarily for EDM. And they do great job with that genre. If you do not like or find the bass of the IE800s a little bit overdone/heavy for bass-focused music then there is a good chance that you will enjoy the SE846´s bass for those genres. Actually I ended up listening to SE846 6+ hours straight with no fatigue or urge to take them off.
Once I took IE800 with me on a bike...that was a really bad idea because I experienced all the IE800´s flaws in all their glory (plus the wind problem which messed with the sound). Short cable, microphonics, ear tips sometimes get stuck in your ears and bad isolation. On the other hand, taking SE846 for a long walk, bike ride, or when traveling is a bliss. They are considerably small (or not very big) and do not stick out off your ears, are very comfortable, isolation is awesome, no microphonics and on top of that a very good and non fatiguing sound.  It probably makes no sense but I would describe SE846 as a "vertical/deep soundstage" IEM and IE800 as "horizontal/wide soundstage" IEM. 

 

[ThomasHK]

I've also had several A/B sessions with the Andromeda v. 846 in the past weeks now. Although I am impressed at first by the delivery of details, soundstage and extension, it's my impression that they will fatigue quicker than 846 and lack the body that make instruments sound natural. I'm tempted by the Andromeda has a buddy for my 846, but I can't pull the trigger at the cost they're going for.

 

[cellarbro]

  If you are sensitive to treble you will certainly enjoy SE846 very much. The thing is, that the signature of SE846 is opposite to that of IE800 which makes total sense when you compare them.
When I was searching for a good IEM I was not sure if go for se846 or IE800 and I wanted them primarily for EDM. And they do great job with that genre. If you do not like or find the bass of the IE800s a little bit overdone/heavy for bass-focused music then there is a good chance that you will enjoy the SE846´s bass for those genres. Actually I ended up listening to SE846 6+ hours straight with no fatigue or urge to take them off.
Once I took IE800 with me on a bike...that was a really bad idea because I experienced all the IE800´s flaws in all their glory (plus the wind problem which messed with the sound). Short cable, microphonics, ear tips sometimes get stuck in your ears and bad isolation. On the other hand, taking SE846 for a long walk, bike ride, or when traveling is a bliss. They are considerably small (or not very big) and do not stick out off your ears, are very comfortable, isolation is awesome, no microphonics and on top of that a very good and non fatiguing sound.  It probably makes no sense but I would describe SE846 as a "vertical/deep soundstage" IEM and IE800 as "horizontal/wide soundstage" IEM. 

I can understand the IE800 as a horizontal sound stage, they present everything on a 180 degree or try to have that effect. Very easy to notice once I had heard it and know exactly what you mean.
 
I am really hoping the SE846 fill in the role that the IE800 cant. Im not per say disappointed by the IE800, but I definitely didn't realize that they werent for the genre I intended to use them for. The high treble pads, cymbal, hihats and energy filled treble gets very fatiguing easily considering that most of the clarity and sparkle come from this. Most electronic music has a plethora of mids, hi sustained pads and hi hats coming in and out. Very very VERY fatiguing for the IE800 and my ears. After like a good 15 minutes (Maybe 30), I cant handle it anymore. 
 
From the description of what people are saying, the bass on the SE846 are heavy and competent when required but never overly present. This combined with the rolled off treble made me think that they would fit well for my taste. (Think HD650 maybe? Strong bass, somewhat warm sound signature)
 
I believe that a vertical sound stage is what makes EDM sound good. (With conjunction with a medium sized sound stage) The bass needs to be prominent and very capable of low rumbles and producing the sub bass in some of the section to fill out the frequency spectrum when everything is going at once. The ability to zoom out of the music and have it coherent and musical while also being able to zoom in and pick apart the separate instruments. 
 
I am hoping that the SE846 are capable of producing bass like the sennheiser HD25-1 ii and ATHm50's I have with better low end extension and detail in texture of the bass. Those headphones are truly great for electronic, but I found that I wanted a little better clarity and detail in some of the micro details. 

 

[cellarbro]

  I've also had several A/B sessions with the Andromeda v. 846 in the past weeks now. Although I am impressed at first by the delivery of details, soundstage and extension, it's my impression that they will fatigue quicker than 846 and lack the body that make instruments sound natural. I'm tempted by the Andromeda has a buddy for my 846, but I can't pull the trigger at the cost they're going for.

I haven't received the 846 yet so I cant comment on how they sound versus the andromeda. I only know their sound signature on paper and by what others describe.
 
I have heard the andromedas and they didn't wow me. There was a sense of detail and layering in the details that I liked and cant really explain, but there was also a sense of metallic or not organic sounds that I was used to. It could be the housing material but I am not sure. It didn't sound bad per say, but I heard the vega before the andromedas and when I heard the andromeda it only took like 3 minutes of running thru some music before I wanted to switch back to the more organic sounding Vega. 
 
They did produce a layer of texture or depth to some of the instruments that I have never really heard from other IEM. The Katana also does this kind of texture but not as prominent as the andromeda. Again I only listened to them shortly so I cant really comment on them further as it was just a general impression of the sound signature.
 
Were the andromedas fatiguing in your opinion? I never got a chance to try anything long enough to get the chance to see if they would be fatiguing at can jam.

 

[ThomasHK]

   
Were the andromedas fatiguing in your opinion? I never got a chance to try anything long enough to get the chance to see if they would be fatiguing at can jam.

 
Well.. I'm quite treble sensitive and despise sibilance so I'm perhaps too biased. But based on my short listening session (roughly 15 minutes) I could already sense, it wouldn't be an earphone I could listen to for hours as opposed to the SE846. 

 

[balcy24]

After tons of research including reading probably half of this thread <G>, I decided to buy the SE846 over Westone W60s. I had good luck buying a gently used iDSD Micro here and already have a pair of used Beyer T1s I bought off eBay over a year ago, but discovered that I miss not having IEMs too. I found a used set of bronze SE846 for a decent price (about half of the new price) and they should arrive by this Friday. My only other experience with upgrade earphones were with Klipsch S4i's several years ago that had a lot of hiss and cable noise. 
 
I plan on using the Shures/iDSD Micro with an iPhone 6 Plus or my laptop to stream FLACs with JRemote. Is anyone using their SE846s with the iDSD Micro? I am hoping that it matches well with it.
 
Thanks,
Dave

 

[zolom]

   
Now after some time and after fitting IE800´s ear tips on the SE846 (there is an easy way to fit them and they stay even more secure than on the IE800) I have a really hard time saying that IE800 are that superior in SQ (as compared to stock SE846). Actually now SE846 sound clearer than the IE800 and noticeably more neutral. A matter of mood and preference now.
Just my personal opinion

 
Please explain how did you fit the IE800's ear tips to the SE846?
 
Thanks

 

[joshnor713]

Is anyone using their SE846s with the iDSD Micro? I am hoping that it matches well with it.

I do. The iDSD powers the SE846 nicely, you'll love it!

 

[lightning3777]

Hi. I have SE846 for more than a year and very like its signature (with that great bass impact). I'm prefer blue filter (balance sound) all the time. Might buy other iem as a second iem but dont want to miss SE846 signature too much. Now my option are Lime Ears Aether (universal) and JH Audio Roxanne (universal). Which one do u think will give me an upgraded sound compares to SE846? Thanks