[TCD1975]

  you say that se846 worse than um pro50?

Yes.

 

[Gosod]

I thought better!

 

[TCD1975]

Well it's all subjective. I admired the detail of the SE846 ... but I never actually enjoyed listening to them. The UM Pro is a bit less detailed, but I enjoy listening to them a lot more.

 

[Gurashieruro]

Well it's all subjective. I admired the detail of the SE846 ... but I never actually enjoyed listening to them. The UM Pro is a bit less detailed, but I enjoy listening to them a lot more.

How interesting. I never tried the SE846 but how is the imaging and separation. The UM Pro 50 does those extremely well. It's one of the reason why I love them so much.

 

[Gosod]

the musical direction also makes sense!

 

[TCD1975]

How interesting. I never tried the SE846 but how is the imaging and separation. The UM Pro 50 does those extremely well. It's one of the reason why I love them so much.

 
 
I only kept the SE846 for 5 days, and my memory of them is now a bit hazy. I was able to pick out some sounds in fine detail, but focusing on one individual element could be difficult as everything seemed to fight for my attention. It was too mid forward, the sound stayed within the confines of my head (often focused in the middle of my forehead) rather than surrounding me, and I just found it fatiguing after fairly short listening sessions. I felt the SE846 grabbed me by the lapels and aggressively shouted in my face.
 
Or to put it another way, the UM Pro 50 is like laying in a warm bath, while the SE846 was like standing under a cold shower. It was invigorating, but not something I enjoyed.
 
With the UM Pro 50 I can focus in on individual detail quite easily and things don't all fight for my attention at the same time. If I want to, I can relax and let the music float over me. It can be used for detailed critical listening but it can equally be used for more relaxed easy listening thanks to a non-fatiguing, smooth, laid-back sound.
 
Not very long ago I was listening to an album I haven't heard for many years, using my UM Pro 50, listening to FLAC files, on a a high-res player. As I was walking I noticed the sound of people talking behind me and turned to see who it was, only to realise that no one was there and what I was hearing was in fact subtle background detail I'd never noticed when listening to the album before. But what impressed me, beside the fine detail retrieval, was the fact I'd been so convinced that the sound was coming from directly behind me. The UM Pro 50 can place sound in space like that. I don't believe the SE846 can.
 
I found the UM Pro 50 much better at positioning sound 360 degrees around and outside of my head. With the UM Pro 50 I not only hear instruments, I sometimes feel that I can "hear" the empty space between them (if that makes any sense).

 

[Gurashieruro]

 

How funny. I found the same thing to be true with the surrounding imaging. I actually have quite a collection of test tracks and sample discs in FLACs. On one of the tracks, there was a knocking sound test. While listening to the track, I seriously thought someone was knocking on my door to come in. So I walk over to the door and found nobody was there. I had never experienced sound like that and I flipped out for days. Did the same thing to my buddy.
It's again one of the things I love about the UM Pro 50. I personally feel its better than the W60s in this regard. Something about it feels "oh-so-right".

 

[elfary]

   
 
I only kept the SE846 for 5 days, and my memory of them is now a bit hazy. I was able to pick out some sounds in fine detail, but focusing on one individual element could be difficult as everything seemed to fight for my attention. It was too mid forward, the sound stayed within the confines of my head (often focused in the middle of my forehead) rather than surrounding me, and I just found it fatiguing after fairly short listening sessions. I felt the SE846 grabbed me by the lapels and aggressively shouted in my face.
 
Or to put it another way, the UM Pro 50 is like laying in a warm bath, while the SE846 was like standing under a cold shower. It was invigorating, but not something I enjoyed.
 
With the UM Pro 50 I can focus in on individual detail quite easily and things don't all fight for my attention at the same time. If I want to, I can relax and let the music float over me. It can be used for detailed critical listening but it can equally be used for more relaxed easy listening thanks to a non-fatiguing, smooth, laid-back sound.
 
Not very long ago I was listening to an album I haven't heard for many years, using my UM Pro 50, listening to FLAC files, on a a high-res player. As I was walking I noticed the sound of people talking behind me and turned to see who it was, only to realise that no one was there and what I was hearing was in fact subtle background detail I'd never noticed when listening to the album before. But what impressed me, beside the fine detail retrieval, was the fact I'd been so convinced that the sound was coming from directly behind me. The UM Pro 50 can place sound in space like that. I don't believe the SE846 can.
 
I found the UM Pro 50 much better at positioning sound 360 degrees around and outside of my head. With the UM Pro 50 I not only hear instruments, I sometimes feel that I can "hear" the empty space between them (if that makes any sense).

 
Certainly Westone iems separate instruments far more agressively than Shure iems. So if your first priority is to pick out any nuisance then Westone could cater you better. This may also be the case for very loud listening levels.
 
As a whole i'd take the sound of the SE846 though. More natural, dynamic and cohesive. The Pro 50s sounded somewhat dark to me (at low/medium volume levels). Ultimately, it was the difference in build quality what prompted me to leave the Pro 50s behind.
 
In any case i like both a lot.
 
Different strokes for different folks.
 
But i think that you'd need a month (or so) to get used to a new earphone. Just a few days don't cut it for me. When my ears are very used to a sound signature any change IS NOT welcome at first. And i think that an important part of the burn-in myth stems from that.
 
e.g. right now i have a set of SE846s and a set of W30s. If i listen for a couple of weeks just with the W30s i find hard to go back to the SE846s cause mids sound too forward. And reverse is true: if i listen for a couple of weeks just with the SE846s i find hard switching back to the W30s because mids sound a bit too distant.

 

[Loken]

My W30s or Pro 50s in a SE535/SE846 body would be a dream.

You probably mean SE535/846 build quality in Pro 50 body. In such case yeah. That would be a perfect IEM.

 

[Spyro]

TCD1975 - Excellect comparison...100%
Just to add similar thoughts to help others.
 
With Pro50 EVERYTHING is in front of you more equally.  Not just the midrange like with SE846...everything sounds more balanced.  Bass might actually be a bit heavier with Pro50, midrange not quite as forward but the treble is more revealing.  I would call level of space and soundstage even between the two.  So while both are intimate and forward....SE846 dominates midrange as the forward frequency where with Pro50, everything sounds equal....nothing is necessarily forward.
 
SE846 hurts after 15-20 min which is a TOTAL dealbreaker for $1000.  The overly forward midrange and uncomfortable housing design gave me a 20 minute limit on use.  Not much else to say.  I think the SE846 is brighter, more lively sounding but the Pro50 is more refined, smoother overall sounding and MUCH more comfortable .

 

[Gosod]

  TCD1975 - Excellect comparison...100%
Just to add similar thoughts to help others.
 
With Pro50 EVERYTHING is in front of you more equally.  Not just the midrange like with SE846...everything sounds more balanced.  Bass might actually be a bit heavier with Pro50, midrange not quite as forward but the treble is more revealing.  I would call level of space and soundstage even between the two.  So while both are intimate and forward....SE846 dominates midrange as the forward frequency where with Pro50, everything sounds equal....nothing is necessarily forward.
 
SE846 hurts after 15-20 min which is a TOTAL dealbreaker for $1000.  The overly forward midrange and uncomfortable housing design gave me a 20 minute limit on use.  Not much else to say.  I think the SE846 is brighter, more lively sounding but the Pro50 is more refined, smoother overall sounding and MUCH more comfortable .

what player did you compare?

 

[qsk78]

Today I had a chance to listen to SE846, Kaiser 10, W60...and did not find any reason why should I move from UM Pro 30 to any of them.  

 

[Spyro]

  what player did you compare?

Ipod 5th Gen "Classic" unamped...because amping added nothing.  Another criteria we are not even talking about.  Not sure amping did much to help SE846 either but with Pro50....100% no doubt....amping will not change anything (at least with the Classic).  This is a huge + as while I don't hate having to carry an amp around.....the fact that I literally don't need to carry one around to get an improved sound is a HUGE plus for me because so much of my listening is while exercising and don't need the weight in my pockets. 
 
In all serious....really great discovery that Pro50 has such big thick powering bass yet does not need an amp.  40-50 IEM's's I have owned.....it's top 3-4 no question.

 

[Loken]

Do you guys think it's worth to buy an upgrade cable for the UM pro 50? I'm thinking about something that would cost no more than 1/3 of the price of the iem. Is it possible to find one in that price range that would improve the 50's sound in every area, even if just slightly? I read some good things about the Eros hybrid cable from Effect Audio.
 
I have no experience with upgrade cables whatsoever. And there is also the problem that I'm in the EU, not Japan or USA where most of the best audiophile stuff is available.

 

[Voyageur]

Definitely sending my Pro 30 back to my reseller this week. I'm having random cut offs on the right channel, and the female connector has considerably weakened despite careful use. Way too flimsy for the price paid imo.