[etlouis]

Having jumped on the KSE, and even compared to the IE 800 S, I would say the 846 definitely lack upper (audible) treble. But it's okay. Don't think it makes the earphone anywhere near enough to be written off as crap, like a lot of people do. It's preference. I still have these earphones in my collection for a reason.

The 846s will be in my collection forever with the 535s, because of top-notch fit and comfort. I still think it's a miracle of technology to get the sound of 4 balanced armatures flow through a 3mm bore and is still filled with details. It's designed elegantly. A statement without overflowing with pretentiousness (looking at chifi ciems faceplates with watch gears in the resin... SMH). The iem is small and fits in everybody's ears. Coupled with the small nozzle size and comply tips it might just be the next best thing to custom made. Along the entire series from 215 - 535 - 846. I could hear the same sound signature and its intention - warm and longevity. The details are just there without being in your face. It has the ability to stay in your ears.

My gripe would be... is this where Shure draws the flagship line, becomes comfortable and leaves it that way for years? The 846 should have been branded 636 or something as a slight upgrade to 535- extended bass response. Once you slap that weight of a flag-bearing-commander-vessel, the price tag, and skip counting 6 and 7, the expectations are at an all time high. Thus I like to bash it daily for how disappointing it sounded, especially the low-end and the ample quantity of it in 846. The sub-bass focused tuning just made an example of BA bass and why it's always inferior to DD/planar bass. Flappy attack with extended decay. Bleeds into the mids. It just isn't "clean". Despite 846's ability to sink deep below 60Hz, I find it hard to accept the bass quality. Even wireless iems like Sony xm3 surprised me with the bass.

 

[Mad14]

I would say that the clear cable is the better, if you do not need the bluetooth receiver go for clear.
Also the clear are stated as being professional but for some reason blue are not?

I hadn’t noticed that the blue weren’t professional but seems strange.

 

[Mad14]

The colored shells vs the clear shell se846 are just different cosmetically. They are the same o/w. The included accessories are different though, so that is based on your intended uses. The white triple flange tips do turn yellowish over time, but if that bothers you, they are really cheap to replace. I really like all the ear tip options provided by Shure, and buying extras are cheap as well. I prefer these as stage monitors over my CIEMs.

Oh, and this is just my preference, but I got the clear shells, and it is really fun looking at the all the engineering inside. So neat, tidy, and compact.

Oops, misread your post. I have had mine for a year, and no discoloration of the clear cable so far. The clear cable is nice and durable for stage use, but may be a bit cumbersome for everyday listening.

I do really like the blue colour but not sure it’s worth the extra over the clear. My main reason for the blue was if the clear discolo it would be worth the extra. But do agree the clear look coo.

Are the connections on yours gold or silver?

Thanks

 

[Mad14]

@Mad14 In my stable are the SE215, RHA T20, and of course, the clear SE846. I still enjoy the huge, meaty dynamic driver bass from the T20 from time to time, but the 846 are an awesome step up in overall quality. If I were you, I'd go for the clear. Had mine for coming up to two years now and no signs of discoloration yet, and I use (and abuse) them daily. Under motorcycle helmets, whilst working out, whilst sleeping etc. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

I'd also recommend this cable. There's nothing wrong with the one that comes with it, but apart from not being the most pliable, I hate the metal memory wires. I can see why they're appreciated for moulding them solidly into place if you're on stage or whatever, but for general use they're pretty annoying.

Thanks for your reply.

How would you compare the bass on your 215 and t20 to the 846? I do enjoy deep bass.

Any other cables to look at?

At the start I will be using and IPhone XS with Spotify, if it worth upgrading this to a dedicated music player or dac?

Thanks

 

[etlouis]

Thanks for your reply.

How would you compare the bass on your 215 and t20 to the 846? I do enjoy deep bass.

Any other cables to look at?

At the start I will be using and IPhone XS with Spotify, if it worth upgrading this to a dedicated music player or dac?

Thanks

With iphone I’d suggest Sony wm1000xm3 (I believe on sale and that a new model is about to come out) and getting premium spotify for at least 320k mp3.

If you're getting 846 anyway, entry dap perhaps AK sr15 or the new sr25. Or Sony NW-507.

 

[Mad14]

With iphone I’d suggest Sony wm1000xm3 (I believe on sale and that a new model is about to come out) and getting premium spotify for at least 320k mp3.

If you're getting 846 anyway, entry dap perhaps AK sr15 or the new sr25. Or Sony NW-507.

Ok thanks, I can see WF wireless? I also have premium premium Spotify.

Ok I will check out the entry dap’s you’ve surgested.

 

[etlouis]

Ok thanks, I can see WF wireless? I also have premium premium Spotify.

Ok I will check out the entry dap’s you’ve surgested.

Yes. Perhaps you'd get the 846 first and grab the DAP later. Since you're pairing it with 846, or any TOTL iem, the source becomes relevant and a obvious bottleneck. It's a hassle for that in this virus madness, to have to sit at physical shops and audition a whole bunch of DAPs to get the synergy.

Thus I suggest XM3. It does couple things right: 1. Makes sure its quiet / 2. Pumps out thumpy bass / 3. Surprisingly detailed mids and trebles. Sound quality I would even put it in the same plate as wired, especially so if the source is iphone. Your other choice is isine20 with the cipher cable. Or Fiio btr5. Or one of those flimsy-butt dongle amps. The whole pain of iphone is that they totally cut corners on the dac chipset. It is now a tiny thing inside the lightning dongle.

 

[IEMusic]

I recently tried the se846 with an all silver cable, and wow! The upper mids and treble sounded quite a bit clearer, and the soundstage expanded. The bass didn’t really change, but it also didn’t seem softer, even with the boost in the upper frequencies. Vocals were a little less intimate sounding though.

 

[Marco Angel]

I recently tried the se846 with an all silver cable, and wow! The upper mids and treble sounded quite a bit clearer, and the soundstage expanded. The bass didn’t really change, but it also didn’t seem softer, even with the boost in the upper frequencies. Vocals were a little less intimate sounding though.

I know right! I was using a copper cable and upgraded just for the better quality in build and for having an extra cable. And just after swapping them, and not hopping for any differences, my 846 was cleaner in the voices and treble. Now I'm looking for making custom cables for my biamped speakers using silver cables for the trebble, have to say even DIY them is expensive AF

 

[IEMusic]

I know right! I was using a copper cable and upgraded just for the better quality in build and for having an extra cable. And just after swapping them, and not hopping for any differences, my 846 was cleaner in the voices and treble. Now I'm looking for making custom cables for my biamped speakers using silver cables for the trebble, have to say even DIY them is expensive AF

Yeah, that is pricy to make silver speaker cables. Hope you don’t need a long run. At least you can probably use smaller gauge, since you’re biamping.

 

[Marco Angel]

Yeah, that is pricy to make silver speaker cables. Hope you don’t need a long run. At least you can probably use smaller gauge, since you’re biamping.

Have 10awg copper cables for a 2mt run, but since each amp sits besides the speakers, I really need like 1.5mts. Still a lot in silver cables

 

[IEMusic]

Have 10awg copper cables for a 2mt run, but since each amp sits besides the speakers, I really need like 1.5mts. Still a lot in silver cables

10awg, nice. Ideally, probably 14awg would be amazing, but at that length, I would think 16awg or even 18awg would be perfectly good. I hope it turns out great for you.

 

[Marco Angel]

10awg, nice. Ideally, probably 14awg would be amazing, but at that length, I would think 16awg or even 18awg would be perfectly good. I hope it turns out great for you.

I started with 14awg up to 8awg, at every increased gauge I noticed a slightly improvement, but after 10awg was the best sound I could get, now after my silver cable for my 846, I'm replanting my stereo cables.
Btw, I use a humble but revealing es100, nothing hi and to hear the silver cable magic

 

[waveSounds]

Thanks for your reply.

How would you compare the bass on your 215 and t20 to the 846? I do enjoy deep bass.

Any other cables to look at?

At the start I will be using and IPhone XS with Spotify, if it worth upgrading this to a dedicated music player or dac?

Thanks

The bass on the T20, especially with the black filters, is much more prominent. It's a dynamic so you'll have to adjust your expectations of bass presentation when moving to an all BA topology. I'd say the focus is more on the sub-bass with the 846 rather than the mid-bass on the T20. I mainly listen to ambient and electronic music (deep house, IDM, drum and bass, techno etc.) and the 846 won't leave you wanting in the bass presentation; the sub-bass is awesome. I'd say take the small pieces of foam out of the blue filters, though. This further adds to the heft of the sub-bass.

After time with the 846 and going back to the T20 you'll notice how they sound like you're listening through headphones, whereas the 846, because of their refinement, just melt away and you could imagine you're listening to the musicians themselves. The differences between the the two become more noticeable and pronounced over time and the T20, whilst still worth keeping around, will rarely, if ever, be what you reach for over the 846.

 

[ThanatosVI]

The bass on the T20, especially with the black filters, is much more prominent. It's a dynamic so you'll have to adjust your expectations of bass presentation when moving to an all BA topology. I'd say the focus is more on the sub-bass with the 846 rather than the mid-bass on the T20. I mainly listen to ambient and electronic music (deep house, IDM, drum and bass, techno etc.) and the 846 won't leave you wanting in the bass presentation; the sub-bass is awesome. I'd say take the small pieces of foam out of the blue filters, though. This further adds to the heft of the sub-bass.

After time with the 846 and going back to the T20 you'll notice how they sound like you're listening through headphones, whereas the 846, because of their refinement, just melt away and you could imagine you're listening to the musicians themselves. The differences between the the two become more noticeable and pronounced over time and the T20, whilst still worth keeping around, will rarely, if ever, be what you reach for over the 846.

Is removing the foam permanently or can it be inserted back in?

Just in case one wants to revert the change