[jarkoo]

Hello everyone!!
 
 
This is my first post at Head-fi 

 
 
I would like to taker your advice about a few earphones.
 
I'm currently having Westone W40 with an upgrade cable from plussoundaudio
 
http://f.cl.ly/items/3737393w1X0p2Y1t1d3l/177941_431931703517803_203475162_o.jpg
 
 
 (I also had the W4 & W4r) Great headphone but I got kind of addicted to find the best sound earphone is the market.
 
 
So, I'm not sure what to do! stay with the W40 or get the shure se846 or the Sennheiser IE800.
 
I using only my iPhone 5S for music (I hate to carry an amp with it) and I'm listening for Rap, pop or anything with a heavy bass 

 
 
Pricing: Shure se846 $900 || Sennheiser IE800 $700.
 
 
I would love to hear your thoughts guys ... 

 

[cyclingbobe]

I have three phones, IE800; SE846; and W40. I usually use them straight out for mi iPhone 4S.
 
The W40 is the easiest to fit. I prefer them, as I usually do, with triple flange tips. They are light, nicely shaped to the ear, and well made and good looking in a sober sort of way. 
 
The SE 846 is definitely the big brother both in the ear units and the thick stiff cable. It is quite awkward to fit partly due to the size and partly the extra stiffness of the over ear section. Again I use it with triple flange tips. It is comfortable enough but not so light and inconspicuous as the W40. It is exceptionally well made and gives a fascinating view of its innards. 
 
The IE 800 is unique in construction and shape. It has a very solid but light ceramic capsule with a single dynamic driver. The capsule has two twin air vents like miniature rockets. It is small and light. It comes with a set of its own unique tips : no triple flange possible here. The tips fit comfortably into the outer ear and are very light and inconspicuous. The cables are not over ear but hang down as buds tend to. The cable and capsule exude quality but are quite different to the Westone and Shure.  The cable is absurdly microphonic and has to be dressed and handled (or rather not handled) very carefully to avoid intrusive noise. This might be a deal breaker for some .
 
All three headphones sound good in their own way and heard in isolation would give satisfaction. The W40 is the most middle of the road with a good frequency range and comfortable smooth sound. While they might seem relatively lacking in treble , the detail is there in an overall musical presentation. They are sensitive enough for iPhone but not as sensitive as the Shures. 
 
The Shures are the most sensitive and give a big wide ranging sound with a quite remarkable bass. While they are detailed with full frequency range and impact they are not, to my ears as musical as the W40 s or the remarkable IE800s. 
 
The IE800s have a remarkable clear faithful sound with a striking sound stage and sense of space. Apparently one of the little venting pipes makes the phone uniquely open backed for an IEM and this can definitely be heard. Obviously they are not HD800s but they give a very good imitation. Apparently they have the same designer as the HD800s. 
To me these are the most realistic and musical of the three phones and can give a remarkable sense of 'being there'. Their sensitivity is similar to the W40.
Provided you can accommodate to the microphony ( and I find I can) these are in my view the ones to go for. 
 
The SE846 comes with luxury packaging, a plethora of tips and two cases. Uniquely they have three tuning filters giving flat; bass boost; and treble boost respectively. I found flat to be the best but others may enjoy experimenting.
The W40s are the plain janes in packaging but come with a nice little mini Peli case. The IE800s come with their proprietary tips and a very luxurious but neat  leather case into which they fit and which allows the cable to be wrapped round and secured.
 
Unfortunately over Christmas I lost my IE800s. Despite the cost, `I am going to replace them immediately and that says something for how much I love them ! 

 

[Spyro]

Very very nice comparison.  I would only add that SE846 has very forward midrange which I found a bit fatiguing when played at louder volumes.  Also found the large housing a bit uncomfortable after 20 min or so.  It just hits my ear canal wrong.  Personal preference thing on both issues.

 

[drez]

I have demo'd se846 and have only negative reactions. The cable connector is stupid. Midrange and treble was dry, uneven and I could hear grain. I prefer my W4 by far. Have not heard ie800 yet but suspect way too much bass for my taste, and getting expensive for portable audio imo (I prefer to put money towards my home rig)

 

[Sonnyp]

I own the SE846 and W40. In the past I've always regretted picking up and listening to my W40s over my Shures. Recently, I've used a Fiio cable with the W40, which made the sound less dark, brought out the vocals, and made the high end more realistic. Now, I still prefer the 846, but I don't think about it when using my W40.

 

[Spyro]

I have demo'd se846 and have only negative reactions. The cable connector is stupid. Midrange and treble was dry, uneven and I could hear grain. I prefer my W4 by far. Have not heard ie800 yet but suspect way too much bass for my taste, and getting expensive for portable audio imo (I prefer to put money towards my home rig)

 
Actually, IE800 bass is probably just slightly more than W4 (and less than SE846) but you are peeling away layers of fog and veil making it pristinely clearer with a bit more  separation.  A definite upgrade.

 

[drez]

Haven't heard a pair but graphs make it look like ie800 has about +5d more bass, but it's sub bass vs midbass.  +10dB of sub bass boost might be too much.  W40 bass boost appears to blend into the midrange a bit better thus I would imagine sounds like warmth rather than turning on a sub.

 

[Spyro]

  Haven't heard a pair but graphs make it look like ie800 has about +5d more bass, but it's sub bass vs midbass.  +10dB of sub bass boost might be too much.  W40 bass boost appears to blend into the midrange a bit better thus I would imagine sounds like warmth rather than turning on a sub.

 
Yes, well described but it seems to work with IE800.   That lower mid bass that creates, both, lushness and warmth is somewhat absent with IE800 which brings on amazing clarity, yet vocals are still excellent.  I'm so use to Shure and Westone...all with such abundant lower midbass...the IE800 is really a refreshing (literally) departure.   Too many IEM's have too much lower midbass which (can) create a boring listening experience.
 
The IE800 really is like a universal JH13 in an earbud form.  Would love to hear them side by side.  I'm thinking IE800 may be more musical and preferred.  My tastes may have changed but when I had JH13 three years ago I thought it was a bit cold sounding.  I don't feel that way about IE800.  Could also be because it is a dynamic.

 

[Spyro]

Drez.....can you provide a link for the graphs or where I can run simulations?  I would like to see IE800 versus JH13 if possible....  and GR10 too.

 

[drez]

innerfidelity.com

Can't really build a graph with all together but innerfidelity.com has the best range of measurements.

 

[lesale08]

Yes, well described but it seems to work with IE800.   That lower mid bass that creates, both, lushness and warmth is somewhat absent with IE800 which brings on amazing clarity, yet vocals are still excellent.  I'm so use to Shure and Westone...all with such abundant lower midbass...the IE800 is really a refreshing (literally) departure.   Too many IEM's have too much lower midbass which (can) create a boring listening experience.

The IE800 really is like a universal JH13 in an earbud form.  Would love to hear them side by side.  I'm thinking IE800 may be more musical and preferred.  My tastes may have changed but when I had JH13 three years ago I thought it was a bit cold sounding.  I don't feel that way about IE800.  Could also be because it is a dynamic.

That means the 800s really are that very capable eh? I have the 800s but have no other nor experience with totl ciem/uiem offerings from the likes of JH or Noble, etc.so I have no other point of reference on how they fair against the big guys.

 

[LuisAlberto]

Hello, There is much difference between Westone 4 and W40?, I want purchase a new IEM and my options are Westone W40, Sennheiser IE800 and Shure se530.
 
My set: Chord Mojo + Astell&Kern ak100 mkii + Westone 4 + Sennheiser IE8 + AKG Q701

 

[LuisAlberto]

  Hello everyone!!
 
 
This is my first post at Head-fi 
 
 
I would like to taker your advice about a few earphones.
 
I'm currently having Westone W40 with an upgrade cable from plussoundaudio
 
http://f.cl.ly/items/3737393w1X0p2Y1t1d3l/177941_431931703517803_203475162_o.jpg
 
 
 (I also had the W4 & W4r) Great headphone but I got kind of addicted to find the best sound earphone is the market.
 
 
So, I'm not sure what to do! stay with the W40 or get the shure se846 or the Sennheiser IE800.
 
I using only my iPhone 5S for music (I hate to carry an amp with it) and I'm listening for Rap, pop or anything with a heavy bass 
 
Pricing: Shure se846 $900 || Sennheiser IE800 $700.
 
 
I would love to hear your thoughts guys ... 

I find it strange that if you like high fidelity use an Iphone as DAC

 

[Dobrescu George]

ie800 and se846 are not even close... Very different signatures and presentations... 
 
II would always go with something like ie800 , dunu dn2000j etc. 

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Hello, There is much difference between Westone 4 and W40?, I want purchase a new IEM and my options are Westone W40, Sennheiser IE800 and Shure se530.
 
My set: Chord Mojo + Astell&Kern ak100 mkii + Westone 4 + Sennheiser IE8 + AKG Q701

ie8 and ie800 are very different too. ie800 has an extremely clean presentation - lots of bass but lots of treble - amazing separation between instruments - the whole sound is incredible. 
I have not heard w40 so I can;t say - but between ie800 and se530 I would pick ie800 any day.