[Jonathan Lerner]

Your preferred genre is Hip Hop? Maybe you should consider to give the Vega a listen. It's smaller than the Andro, a bit more comfortable with longer nozzles and fits great to this kind of music. The Andros have quite short nozzles and are no lightweights.... but they are super clear and crisp The IEs are very small and imo more comfortable than both Campfires but they sound more balanced and transparent.... in my opinion not the best choice for bassheavy hip hop grooves. They sound beautiful with vocals, pop, rock... etc. But when i listen to electronic i grab my Vegas because of the bass performance and the clear treble... v shaped signature. Perfect for hip hop. I have small ear canals as well and i get perfect seal with the M-and ML sized spiral dots.
To be honest... if hip hop would be my preferred genre i wouldn't consider neither the Andros nor the IEs. But it's all a matter of taste.

I already own the Vegas I'm looking for something more balanced for late night listening and other times that i don't what the the big bass and boosted treble

 

[zardos]

I own IE800, IE800S, Andro and Vega. My personal ranking would be

1/ IE800S
2/ IE800, Andro
3/ Vega

All of them are good enough for me to keep and use them. Vega is the most problematic one for me in a general sense, fit and soundwise. On the other hand Vega can be very fun to listen to sometimes. IE800/S fit is by far the best for me if I wear the cable over the ear.

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

As long as we're comparing different brands of IEM, does anyone want to take a stab at comparing the SE846 to the IE800S? I read the entire thread comparing the SE846 to the IE800, but I'm still curious how people who have the IE800s and the SE846 think they compare. I wasn't sold on the 846 originally, because of the rolled off high frequencies, but I found by using the white nozzle inserts, along with Spin Fit CP800 tips, the top end got a lot more clarity, to my ears at least.

 

[Deftone]

As long as we're comparing different brands of IEM, does anyone want to take a stab at comparing the SE846 to the IE800S? I read the entire thread comparing the SE846 to the IE800, but I'm still curious how people who have the IE800s and the SE846 think they compare. I wasn't sold on the 846 originally, because of the rolled off high frequencies, but I found by using the white nozzle inserts, along with Spin Fit CP800 tips, the top end got a lot more clarity, to my ears at least.

I’ve had both SE846 and IE800S

They both have really astonishingly deep, textured and layered sub bass

SE846 doesn’t really have any treble after 7/8khz so it lacks air and sparkle. IE800s has proper treble extension, very airy and natural, impressively never harsh.

SE846 has a disappointingly small soundstage. ie800s has close to a full size open back soustage, tall and wide.

SE846 has a more engaging forward midrange. IE800S is more laid back and open midrange. None of these iem struggle with congestion here just different presentation.

IE800S can sound very detailed and amazing clarity on some recordings but others can sound softer,veiled and boring (I don’t know why this is) SE846 makes everything sound clear but the lower treble can sound hard on some recordings.

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

I’ve had both SE846 and IE800S

They both have really astonishingly deep, textured and layered sub bass

SE846 doesn’t really have any treble after 7/8khz so it lacks air and sparkle. IE800s has proper treble extension, very airy and natural, impressively never harsh.

SE846 has a disappointingly small soundstage. ie800s has close to a full size open back soustage, tall and wide.

SE846 has a more engaging forward midrange. IE800S is more laid back and open midrange. None of these iem struggle with congestion here just different presentation.

IE800S can sound very detailed and amazing clarity on some recordings but others can sound softer,veiled and boring (I don’t know why this is) SE846 makes everything sound clear but the lower treble can sound hard on some recordings.

Thanks. Your impressions of the SE846 very closely match mine, so it wouldn't surprise me if I would also agree with your take on the Sennheisers.

What is your impression of the isolation factor on each? I find the SE846 to isolate very well - especially if using the black foam tips. I've read the IE800/s don't isolate as well; that has certainly been my experience with the IE80.

 

[Deftone]

Isolation on the Shure is excellent, far better, isolation on the Senns is average/good if you have the music loud enough I think it sounds like a semi open, you can hear quite a lot of the environment in detail.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Isolation on the Shure is excellent, far better, isolation on the Senns is average/good if you have the music loud enough I think it sounds like a semi open, you can hear quite a lot of the environment in detail.

Agreed, Senn doesn't isolate as much as Shure's deep fit isolation

 

[Nqstv]

Anyone know of any sales or discounts coming up? I'd like to upgrade from my IE800 to the 800S, but would feel better if I felt like I got a bargain

 

[hfflt]

I do realize that it's a pretty big gap, price and topology wise but how IE800S compares to HD598? Anyone have tried both?

Anyone have both to compare? Considering totally switching to DAP listening. Looking for A&K AK70mk2 -> IE800S combo. Currently using iDAC2 + iP2 -> Recabled HD598.

 

[Deftone]

Anyone have both to compare? Considering totally switching to DAP listening. Looking for A&K AK70mk2 -> IE800S combo. Currently using iDAC2 + iP2 -> Recabled HD598.

Just from memory but i havent heard the HD598 for a long time, i know its not in the same league, IE800S has better bass in quality and quantity, maybe the best i have ever heard and the treble is a lot smoother and more detailed.

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

Considering totally switching to DAP listening. Looking for A&K AK70mk2 -> IE800S combo. Currently using iDAC2 + iP2 -> Recabled HD598.

I'm in a similar boat. My preferred desktop setup is JRiver > Bifrost Multi > Asgard 2 > HD650 (silver driver), which I am very happy with but for the fact it isn't portable. I'm trying to find a comparable portable setup, and the X5 3rd gen > SE846 combo I currently have isn't cutting it. It's good, but not awesome. I suspect a lot of the problem is with the FIIO, so I'm considering the AK 70 mk2 or KANN to see if the Shures will open up, but am also considering trying the IE800 or 800S, as well.

FWIW, I also have a 598, and while I like it, I consider the 650 a definite step up. If I were to spend a grand on the IE800S, I would expect them to be much better than the 598 as well.

 

[Deftone]

I'm in a similar boat. My preferred desktop setup is JRiver > Bifrost Multi > Asgard 2 > HD650 (silver driver), which I am very happy with but for the fact it isn't portable. I'm trying to find a comparable portable setup, and the X5 3rd gen > SE846 combo I currently have isn't cutting it. It's good, but not awesome. I suspect a lot of the problem is with the FIIO, so I'm considering the AK 70 mk2 or KANN to see if the Shures will open up, but am also considering trying the IE800 or 800S, as well.

FWIW, I also have a 598, and while I like it, I consider the 650 a definite step up. If I were to spend a grand on the IE800S, I would expect them to be much better than the 598 as well.

What is it about the SE846 when you mean open up? the treble?

I tried all sorts of mods on the Shure and that treble would not improve, after 8khz hits a brick wall. If you used IE800 after using SE846 youd think you grown bat ears.

 

[Jonathan Lerner]

I agree i hated the sound of the shure when i owned them if you really want better sound i would get the Andromedas or ie800s as more balancish options and if you want the bass get the vega as for the source i never really found that they made as big of a difference as new phones but my favorite is the dx200

 

[GiacomoHoldini]

What is it about the SE846 when you mean open up? the treble?

I tried all sorts of mods on the Shure and that treble would not improve, after 8khz hits a brick wall. If you used IE800 after using SE846 youd think you grown bat ears.

Yeah, I guess my terminology is a little unclear, but that's because what I'm talking about is a little tough to explain. When I first got the Shures, I couldn't handle the lack of high frequency response, and almost returned them. Once I switched to the white nozzle inserts and spin fit tips, I found the high-frequency response improved quite a bit. Now that I've spent a lot of time getting "brain burn-in," I'm not perceiving them as rolled off in the high frequencies, so much as I find the mids to be a bit aggressive, and the sound stage is fairly closed-in feeling. I don't interpret it as a lack of brightness so much as airiness and sparkle. That's what I mean when I say I wish they would "open up" more. However, that could still be a result of a lack of treble extension that I'm just not consciously aware of. I just listened to the HD650 again for the first time in a few weeks, and they have all the properties I'm missing in the Shures, startlingly so (apples and oranges, I know).

 

[Deftone]

If you are using the HD650 and SE846 then the IE800S would be a shock to the system, both of them have rolled off upper treble sound and forward mids. IE800S will sound super airy and open and the sound stage is much bigger than both. If you go back and listen to those after a while with the new Senns it gives the impression of listening to your music in a small box.