Let me preface by saying that I'm not a hardcore audiophile but that I do enjoy listening to music and travel quite a bit for work and am constantly on the hunt for new IEM's and headphones to use when traveling on planes/etc. That being said, I'd probably describe myself more as an enthusiast rather than a hardcore audiophile.
I was in the market for some high end IEM's and was choosing between the
Shure SE846-CL Sound Isolating Earphones with Quad HiDef MicroDrivers, Crystal Clear
and
Sennheiser IE 800 High-Performance In-Ear Headphones (Black)
. I was looking to upgrade from my
Shure SE535-CL Triple High-Definition MicroDriver Earphone with Detachable Cable (Clear)
and
Westone UM 3X In-Ear Musician's Monitor, Universal Fit Earphone with Removable Cable, Clear, 79292
(I have the RC removable cable version of the UM3x's). Anyway, I ended up buying the SE846's and found a pair of used IE800's on another site so now I have all four of these IEM's and plan on selling the SE535's and UM3x's. I know I really don't need two sets of IEM's but with the SE846 and IE800 I love them both so much that I don't really want to sacrifice one or the other. In any case, since I have all four of them now I thought it'd be helpful to some of you out there who may want to know a bit more about these at least in terms of how I rank them.
I'll be ranking them using the following criteria (which I adapted from a well known user on head-fi) on a scale from 1-10 each:
Bundled Accessories - Which ones come with the best and most comprehensive list of accessories
Build Quality - How well I feel they will hold up over time
Isolation - How well they block out ambient noise
Microphonics - How much cable noise you hear when moving around
Comfort - How comfortable each one are after wearing for extended use (over an hour on plane for example)
Sound - This is a bit subjective as all people tend to hear details differently in the sound so I'll do my best to describe why I rank them the way I do
Value - For the money which one is best?
::Shure SE846:: - 65/70
--------------------------------------------------------------
::Bundled Accessories::
9.5/10 - Shure really didn't leave anything out when they put this package together. It comes with a large plastic case like a pelican case as well as a zippered case. It also comes with a plethora of tips and most interestingly a set of 2 additional tubes that can be inserted in to the IEM's that change the sound of the SE846's. I opted to stay with the pre-installed neutral tubes. The only thing that would have been nice is if they included an iPhone/Android compatible cable. At the price they are asking it should be a throw in...
::Build Quality::
10/10 - All plastic with the exception of the ear nozzle which is metal. From what I hear this is the most susceptible part to break so it's nice they changed them to metal from the previous generations plastic nozzles.
::Isolation::
10/10 - I use some
Comply Tsx-100 Comfort PLUS Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pair, Small)
with these and they isolate noise very well.
::Microphonics::
9/10 - Shure cables are long and slightly thick. Microphonics are generally not that big of an issue unless you're really moving around a lot.
::Comfort::
8.5/10 - These are LARGE IEM's. With everything packed in to the SE846's I suppose you could say that they are small but compared to the SE535's these are noticeably larger and if you have smaller ears you may have some comfort issues with these. I've found that I can wear these for extended periods of use but find myself adjusting them from time to time depending on how much I am moving around.
::Sound::
10/10 - The sub bass is incredible in these little IEM's. I thought I could hear bass in some of my other IEM's but these take it to another level with the low frequencies it can go down to. The bass is there and not overwhelming and the highs are crisp and clear. I find the soundstage to be wide on these but not as wide as the Sennheiser IE800's. Overall, the sound on these is excellent! Also worth noting is the VERY low impedance of only 9 ohms! This means that they can easily be driven from mobile devices and get good volume without having to turn it all the way up!
::Value::
8/10 - At the price they ask for these, I can't say that they are the best value but they are some seriously great sounding IEM's.
::CONCLUSION::
The SE846's seem to be an evolutionary step in a long line of IEM's. I've had many Shure's dating back to the e2c's, SE425's, SE535's and now the SE846's. As time progressed and Shure refined and improved their products I've been with them along for the ride and I'm happy to say that the SE846's have many welcome evolutionary steps above and beyond what they've done before. The sub bass is amazing in an IEM and the other improvements like the metal nozzles and removable tubes to change the sound are great. Coming from their previous flagships, the SE535's, I can see that they've put a lot of thought and effort in to these and can say that the higher price is fully justified... if only they'd redesigned the iPhone compatible cable and included it with them too! Honestly, though, that's the ONLY downside I see in these IEM's is that they don't include an iPhone compatible cable like their competitors. Other than that, these are some of the best IEM's on the market today and I highly recommend them.
::Sennheiser IE800:: - 60/70
--------------------------------------------------------------
::Bundled Accessories::
9/10 - Not a lot comes with these but what it does come with is REALLY nice. The case is by far one of the best cases I've ever used for IEM's. The case has a cutout inside the case to put them in and the cable wraps around the case nicely so you never have to deal with tangled cords. The IE800's come with a set of replaceable silicone tips that can be cleaned and reused by just running them under the sink with some soap and water... NICE! The only thing as with all of these is that at the price they ask for them they should include an iPhone/Android compatible cable. The other thing you should know is that the tips are proprietary so there are no officially documented comply tips that will work but I hear that some of the comply tips will work.
::Build Quality::
10/10 - Ceramic housings and a kevlar cable... no other IEM on the market can say that as far as I know... built like a tank
::Isolation::
8/10 - The bundled silicone tips do an adequate job of blocking ambient noise but they aren't going to block noise as well as others.
::Microphonics::
5/10 - By far the worst microphonics I've heard out of an IEM. Try not to move much when using these... I think it's mostly due to the downward position of the IE800's when inserted in to your ears. If you're lucky enough to be able to wrap the cord around your ear so you can use them as over ear IEM's then do it. It vastly improves the microphics of the cable. Unfortunately it's a bit uncomfortable when I wear them this way as the upper part of the cable past the Y is only about 9.5 inches.
::Comfort::
10/10 - These are so small and light that they really disappear when you insert them in to your ears. I find that I can wear these for extended periods with ZERO problems. They may be the most comfortable IEM's I've had to date.
::Sound::
10/10 - The frequency response on these IEM's is really really nice! It's amazing you can get such rich sound out of a single driver IEM. I was skeptical at first since I'm used to multiple driver IEM's but after hearing these I can say that I'm convinced! I do feel that the mids are more pronounced on these than the SE846's which is nice for certain types of music. The bass is also good on these IEM's... Overall it's a nice and rich full sounding IEM. It's worth noting here that the designer of the acclaimed $1500
Sennheiser HD800 Over-Ear Circum-Aural Dynamic Premiere Headphone
also designed these... I've never heard the HD800's but I've read that the IE800's are like mini HD800's. Also, the low impedance of 16 ohms means that it can be driven relatively easily by mobile devices. On my iPhone I can get more than adequate volume from these without having to turn it up too much.
::Value::
8/10 - Yes they are expensive but they sound great and are extremely comfortable to wear.
::CONCLUSION::
These are great little IEM's and I mean little! I'm wearing these right now going on over an hour with them on at my desk and I don't feel any fatigue at all... and the sound!! The sound is nice and crisp with good bass response and instrument separation despite being driven only by a single driver. Although the Shure SE846's do have some more bass response in the low low end, sound wise I still put these on the same level for it's overall richness and sound. Great IEM's and highly recommended!!
::Shure SE535:: - 60.5/70
--------------------------------------------------------------
::Bundled Accessories::
8/10 - Comes with a case, tips, and various other accessories that I don't use... The bundled accessories are acceptable for an IEM in this price range but I feel like they could have included a bit more like an iPhone/Android cable.
::Build Quality::
8/10 - All plastic but I've had no issues with them in the year+ use I've had with them.
::Isolation::
10/10 - I use some Comply Tsx-100 with these and they isolate noise very well.
::Microphonics::
9/10 - Shure cables are long and slightly thick. Microphonics are generally not that big of an issue unless you're really moving around a lot.
::Comfort::
9/10 - These are fairly light IEM's and feel great in the ear and I have had no issues with them wearing them for extended periods.
::Sound::
8/10 - Nice and crisp highs and mids! The bass lacks a bit when compared to the Westone UM3x's and of course when compared to the Shure SE846's it will be lacking too but nonetheless if you're more in to mids and highs then you can't go wrong with these. These are some nice and neutral IEM's IMHO. These impedance on these is 36 ohms which means that it can be driven from most mobile devices without the need for much amplification.
::Value::
8.5/10 - If you're in the market for a pair of neutral IEM's these are the ones to go with.
::CONCLUSION::
The SE535's have now been eclipsed by the SE846's but not everyone will want to spend that kind of $$ on the SE846's. At their price the SE535's are still a tremendous IEM that has a great neutral sound with good mids and highs but lacking a bit in the bass department. They are still enjoyable to listen to and are actually more comfortable (to me) than the SE846's due to their smaller design. Recommended for those looking for a really good, neutral IEM.
::Westone UM3x RC:: - 63/70
--------------------------------------------------------------
::Bundled Accessories::
7/10 Comes with the standard case, tips, and various other accessories that I don't use. The zippered case is nice and compact but I feel like they should have also included their
Westone Monitor Vault - Smoke Gray
for them as well. Also, like all of these, they should include an iPhone/Android cable.
::Build Quality::
8/10 - All plastic but I've had no issues with them in the year+ use I've had with them.
::Isolation::
10/10 - I use some Comply Tsx-100 with these and they isolate noise very well.
::Microphonics::
10/10 - The Westone Epic cable is by far the best I've used in terms of microphonics. The cable is thin and light so it really causes no issues in this regard.
::Comfort::
9/10 - These feel about the same to me in ear as the Shure SE535's... great for extended use.
::Sound::
9/10 - The mids and highs on these IEM's are crisp and clear but these also pack a punch when it comes to bass. They don't pack as much punch as say the Shure SE846's or even the Sennheiser IE800's but at this price point they are very nice full sounding IEM's. These IEM's have an impedance of 56 ohms... they can be driven from mobile devices but you'll definitely find yourself turning it up a bit.
::Value::
10/10 - For the price I feel that these are a very good value... good sound, good comfort, and good price!
::CONCLUSION::
I initially bought the UM3x's on a whim at the airport mostly because I craved something with a bit more low end bass over the SE535's... this was of course before the SE846's came out and the Sennheiser IE800's... nonetheless, after auditioning these I bought them on the spot. The highs and mids sound good (not as good as the Shure SE535's but good enough for me) and these IEM's do provide the bass response that I was looking for that the SE535's were lacking. They're warmer sounding to me than the SE535's and more fun because of it. Depending on my mood (before I got the SE846's and IE800's) I'd switch between the SE535's and UM3x's. I recommend these highly!
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------
As you can see from above these are ALL really nice IEM's and for various reasons I've ranked them all very highly.
HIGH OF THE HIGH END MARKET
If you have the money definitely go for the Shure SE846's or Sennheiser IE800's... They are both well worth the money IMO. The SE846's may be better for those of you on the go a lot (because of the low impedance and low microphonics in the cable) while the IE800's are probably better suited for at home use or for people who won't be moving around much (due to the microphonics issue).
LOWER OF THE HIGH END MARKET
If you're budget is on the lower end of the high end IEM market then I have no hesitation in recommending either the Westone UM3x RC's or Shure SE535's... the difference between those is mostly in the sound signature. The SE535's are more neutral sounding to me while the UM3x's have a bit more umph when it comes to bass response.
It should be noted that Westone has recently released the
Westone UM Pro 30 Smoke (Universal Monitor Earphones)
and
Westone UM Pro 20 High Performance Dual Driver in-ear Headphone
of which I auditioned both at a store... These would definitely both be worth looking in to... the accessory bundles alone would be worth it over the competition. They come with a regular cable and iPhone/Android compatible cable and a nice plastic pelican case-like case. My wife got the UM Pro 20's and she's very happy with them and uses them every day.
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Shure SE846 Pro Gen 2 Wired Earbuds with Secure Fit, Hi-Def 4 Drivers, Upgraded Sound Filters, Durable Quality - For Professional Sound
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This Item  Shure SE846 PRO Gen 1 Wired Earbuds - Professional Sound Isolating Earphones, Four Hi-Def MicroDrivers and True Subwoofer, Secure In-Ear Fit, Detachable Cable, Durable Quality - Clear (SE846-CL) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $899.00 | $899.00 | $499.00 | $899.00 | $99.00 | -33% $39.99 List: $59.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Sold By | AUDIO EQUIP | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Linsoul Audio |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | 3.5mm | Wired | USB | Wired |
| headphones form factor | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear |
| connector type | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | wireless | 3 5mm Jack |
| noise control | sound isolation | sound isolation | sound isolation | sound isolation | — | sound isolation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Detachable | Without Cable | Detachable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Detachable |
| control type | Noise Control | Media Control | control | Media Control | Media Control | Media Control |
| model name | SE846 | SE846G2JD | AONIC 5 | SE846G2CL | SE215SPE-PL | ZS10 PRO |
From the manufacturer
-
State-of-the-Art Audio
Four high-definition drivers provide extended high-end clarity and unparalleled low-end performance
-
Adjustable Frequency Response
Allows you to select the perfect sound signature for every situation.
-
Sound Isolating Technology
Ensures a pristine, uninterrupted listening experience by blocking up to 37 dB of noise.
-
Discrete, Durable Design
Features low profile construction built to fit comfortably in the ear and withstand the extremes of on-stage and everyday wear.
-
SE846
Tailored Listening Experience
Ensured by four drivers, true subwoofer performance, and a customizable frequency response.
-
SE846
Working From Home
Collaborate with confidence knowing that you're backed by studio-quality sound.
-
SE846
Travel
Take your earphones on-the-go, knowing that you can depend on durable, premium audio.
1 Tailored Listening 2 Working from Home 3 Travel
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About the Company
Shure History
With a history of innovation that began in 1925, Shure has turned a passion for making great microphones and audio electronics into an obsession. Shure continues to set the worldwide industry standard for superior, reliable products.
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Reviews with images
$1000 Down and No Regrets
Aside from a few exceptions, this is the pinnacle of IEMs guys. This is it. It comes at an astronomical price that might even make you pass out at just one look, but sometimes if you want the best, you do whatever it takes to get it. Also, I got these in early June of this year, so I've had about 6 months to form my opinions.I got the box from the mail and I didn't even realize that it was my earphones. I opened the cardboard box to see the initial packaging. It is the biggest box I have ever seen for earphones. I opened it and saw the clear pelican case. I opened that and found a micro-fiber cleaning cloth on top of the earphones and the smaller case they come with. Many of the accessories are in the case such as the ear tips, extra cable, airplane adaptor, quarter inch adapter, and tuning filters.I ordered the Black color and I'm so glad I did because they look "all business". Right off the bat, I pick them up and I can immediately tell that these are no joke. The cable is thick with really good strain reliefs on the y-split and on the jack. The metal nozzle on the housing leaves me feeling a little better about long term durability. The comfort of these is really good. I use the yellow foam sleeves and have had no issues with fit, sound, or comfort. From walking to class to class, to when I'm at home, to being in any loud environment, these things block out so much noise.The sound of these is expected when paying $1000. After paying that much, expectations are near impossible to exceed. Did it exceed my expectations? No. Did it reach my expectations? Yes it did in a big way. Before I start, I want to say that I am listening to ALAC files and Spotify 320 kb/s and listening through the Oppo HA-2SE. Also my opinions are based off the white filters because they sound the best to me. The bass is tight, punchy, and it has "true subwoofer performance". It's actually my favorite part about this earphone. I can hear every nuance and every detail in every bass note. I can't say that with anything else I've listened to. The mid-bass doesn't interfere with the midrange with the help of the Low-Pass filter. The midrange is forward compared to the bass and treble. Listening to Pop, Country, Alternative, and some Rock is a pleasure to listen to. The treble is my least favorite part of the sound. It's detailed and it's clear, but it doesn't extend high enough for my liking. It's not a bad treble response, it's just not what I prefer. Some enjoy this, but when I'm listening to Classical, Soundtrack, and some Rock music, I want a treble that has more of a presence to increase the soundstage. One aspect that stands out in the sound of this earphone is the vocals. They are the best I've heard bar none. Male and female vocals are well presented. They are natural, full, and clean all at the same time. I bet there are a few other earphones that sound better than this, but the combination of the sub-bass, midrange, and vocals is downright addicting to listen to.This and the Sennheiser IE800 are often compared to each other, but in reality, they are more different than they are alike. They are so different it's hilarious that these are even being compared against each other. They are aimed for different types of buyers. I'll make my recommendations here. If you are active and listen to music mainly on the go, then SE846. If you listen to music more at home or in bed, then IE800. If you listen to Pop, Electronic, Hip-Hop/Rap, Country, and/or Alternative music, then SE846. If you listen to Classical, Singer/Songwriter, Soundtrack, R&B/Soul, and/or Rock, then IE800. Overall, if you listen to any genre and all you care about is sound in an earphone, then IE800. If you want a earphone that comes with everything and has little flaws, then SE846.If you want the best overall experience for a universal earphone in this price range, this is probably the best you can do. It has a nice presentation, stellar build quality, top tier sound, and accessories to go along with all this. If you're thinking about getting these, take a while to think about it. You're spending $1000 on earphones. You have to be completely insane to spend this much on an earphone. Spend time to decide and whatever you decide to do, enjoy your music and live your life to the absolute fullest.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2014
Color: ClearStyle: Gen 1Pattern: Wired (PRO)Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2016
Color: ClearStyle: Gen 1Pattern: Wired (PRO)Verified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
andrew
These are better than any headphones I've ever owned
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2024Color: ClearStyle: Gen 1Pattern: Wired (PRO)Verified Purchase
Hugo Rodrigo Gutiérrez Román
Su precio es muy alto, pero si te gusta el buen audio, vale la pena la experiencia!
Reviewed in Mexico on October 19, 2018Color: ClearStyle: Gen 1Pattern: Wired (PRO)Verified Purchase
N
Muy bueno
Reviewed in Spain on February 21, 2017Color: ClearStyle: Gen 1Pattern: Wired (PRO)Verified Purchase
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Michael Gohring
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