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Shure SE846 Impressions Thread
Mar 13, 2020 at 12:23 AM Post #20,641 of 22,954
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Mar 21, 2020 at 6:28 AM Post #20,642 of 22,954
Hello everyone
Im using sony wh-1000xm3 right now and im probably going to buy se846 however I don't have a dac. Im planning to use it on Samsung s10 and MacBook pro. can mb and s10 handle se846.
which low budget (100-200$) dac should I buy for s10&mb
thanks
 
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Mar 21, 2020 at 10:54 PM Post #20,643 of 22,954
MicMage said:
Hello everyone
Im using sony wh-1000xm3 right now and im probably going to buy se846 however I don't have a dac. Im planning to use it on Samsung s10 and MacBook pro. can mb and s10 handle se846.
which low budget (100-200$) dac should I buy for s10&mb
thanks
Click to expand...
Buy the ES100 and a good balanced cable from aliexpress (they are good an cheap arround 30USD
This is my on the go setup and its awesome!
 
Mar 22, 2020 at 12:54 AM Post #20,644 of 22,954
MicMage said:
Hello everyone
Im using sony wh-1000xm3 right now and im probably going to buy se846 however I don't have a dac. Im planning to use it on Samsung s10 and MacBook pro. can mb and s10 handle se846.
which low budget (100-200$) dac should I buy for s10&mb
thanks
Click to expand...

When I'm at home, I usually use my Dragonfly Cobalt but I have also used it directly with my S9 when commuting. They are easy to drive although good amplification can only help.

On your S10, I also recommend UAPP if you use a streaming service with UAPP integration. I was getting crazy hissing on my SE535s when listening on my S9 via the DFC and ended up buying an IFI IE Match. When I got the SE846, I started using UAPP with Qobuz and the IE Match is now buried in my headphone drawer somewhere. I realized I didn't need it and preferred the sound without it. Bypassing the Android drivers/resanpling by using UAPP seemed to result in a much cleaner sound and I dont get much noticable hissing. Trying to listen via the Qobuz app on my S9 without UAPP yields horrible results when using the DFC (although it is fine when plugged in directly to my S9 headphone jack which leads me to believe it is an issue with Android not playing nice with external DACs).

If you want a more wireless solution, the ES100 (bluetooth connection to your phone via LDAC) works well too. I use this combination when I travel. Can't beat the convenience although bit depth/sample rate is limited in USB DAC mode. Hopefully the Qudelux 5K comes out soon.
 
Mar 26, 2020 at 5:51 AM Post #20,645 of 22,954
MicMage said:
can mb and s10 handle se846.
Click to expand...
I don't know how the DAC/amp or output impedance are on those. SE846 is quite the picky beast in my experience. Sensitivity is pretty high, and if you look up the impedance graph for it you'll see impedance drops as low as 4 ohms around 5 kHz. By the 1/8 rule of thumb, for best performance you want a source with output impedance of 0.5 ohms or less.

I have connected mine to Earstudio ES100, MPOW Streambot, Sansa Clip+, an Onkyo hifi receiver's headphone out, an old Sony CD Walkman, and the Realtek onboard audio on my Thinkpad T440p. The ES100 does best, and all the rest either hiss audibly in quiet segments or have some other defect like the Onkyo's out-of-control bass or the Clip+'s reduced instrument separation (but otherwise stellar performance). So yeah, if it doesn't sound great, pick up an ES100 or Qudelix 5K when it's out -- use the "high performance" 3.5mm option or add a balanced cable and use the balanced 1x mode; either give <0.5 ohm OI. I've heard good things about Shanling UP2 (and UP4) as well, which claim a 0.25 ohm OI. These would also give you wireless audio but can also be plugged in and used over USB with no compression or latency. Or get an iFi IEMatch, which is an analog voltage divider that turns both the music and noise down to where the hiss is inaudible, then you turn up the music. Or go cheap and get the iFi Ear Buddy, a basic version without the little sensitivity selector switch.
 
Apr 1, 2020 at 9:33 AM Post #20,647 of 22,954
I just feel like the whole idea of some IEM being outdated is kind of weird when the tech used hasn't changed so very much.
I for one still like my Shure SE846 a lot and if it's for the total package, they would be high up there with my Airpods Pro.
If I just want the best sound, then I'd use my Verite Closed but if I could have only one piece of gear, the shure would be very high on my list because they get most things right for me :)
 
Apr 1, 2020 at 7:52 PM Post #20,648 of 22,954
I really like the se846, and have no intention on selling it. In particular, it’s a great stage IEM, and is very versatile. I am interested in purchasing an all BA (or BA/electret) IEM that has even better resolution, and more upper treble (beyond 10KHz). I really like the se846 tuning though. I also would like it to be less than $1,000, and thus have been looking mostly at the high-end ChiFi IEMs (e.g. Fearless S8, Moondrop S8). Any suggestions, preferably from experience?
 
Apr 2, 2020 at 3:11 PM Post #20,649 of 22,954
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Apr 12, 2020 at 2:11 PM Post #20,651 of 22,954
IEMusic said:
I really like the se846, and have no intention on selling it. In particular, it’s a great stage IEM, and is very versatile. I am interested in purchasing an all BA (or BA/electret) IEM that has even better resolution, and more upper treble (beyond 10KHz). I really like the se846 tuning though. I also would like it to be less than $1,000, and thus have been looking mostly at the high-end ChiFi IEMs (e.g. Fearless S8, Moondrop S8). Any suggestions, preferably from experience?
Click to expand...

I got the moondrop s8 and 846. S8 are the value:sound choice, but there seems to be better choices according to crinacle’s list. I’d personally save up for ier-z1r since I joined the sony cult.

The S8 is a lot more detailed than 846, possibly just as laid back in presentation. Shures still win in comfort though. One thing that stood out for me with the S8 is how forgiving it is towards the source/music genre, despite its position as a technical 8ba iem.
 
Apr 14, 2020 at 9:54 PM Post #20,653 of 22,954
What cable is that? I got a Fiio LC-2.5D balanced pure monocrystaline silver cable and immediately noticed how it improved detail. The insulation seems to have stiffened a little bit on the parts that come in contact with my skin though. I'm hoping it'll last but worried that it won't.
 
Apr 15, 2020 at 7:44 AM Post #20,654 of 22,954
Chupi383 said:
What cable is that? I got a Fiio LC-2.5D balanced pure monocrystaline silver cable and immediately noticed how it improved detail. The insulation seems to have stiffened a little bit on the parts that come in contact with my skin though. I'm hoping it'll last but worried that it won't.
Click to expand...

Just a random nameless local brand. It's got the looks, but the synergy is not here. A certain weirdness sets in after elevating focus to the mid-trebles. Sub-bass is still what 846 does best and is sort of a niche. Sound-wise it is in the middle of blue and white filters.
 
Apr 19, 2020 at 1:41 PM Post #20,655 of 22,954
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