The Shure SE846 is a high-end audiophile quality earphone where sonic performance and sound quality come first. It may have a hefty price tag but the quality you are getting is well worth the investment. It is no surprise that these Shure premium earphones are getting high ratings and have been praised left and right by both satisfied owners and discerning critics. The Shure SE846 certainly deserves to partner up with an equally remarkable headphone amplifier that can match their brilliant sonic performance.
Getting the right amplifier for the job will require us to learn more about the sonic characteristics and strengths of the Shure SE846 earphone. With the right data and information, we can then find matching amplifiers and prepare a list of the best amps which you can invest in and partner with the illustrious Shure SE846 high-end earphone. This list will be shared with you later so please continue to read on.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Strengths of Shure SE846
The Shure SE846 has 4 custom drivers and uses a low-pass filter design which will give us the performance of a true subwoofer. The frequency response of the SE846 is at 15Hz-20kHz and it is impressive for an earphone. Its impedance is only 9 Ohms which means it can easily be driven and this does give us a lot more amp options to choose from. A notable feature of the Shure SE846 will be the sound isolating technology where it could block off up to 37dB of outdoor environmental noise. This allows us to enjoy a peaceful and undistracted music listening experience at most public places both indoor and outdoor. The sound leakage preventive capabilities of the SE846 earphones are remarkable too and you won’t be disturbing anyone with your music unless you are playing it at high volumes.
With the range of sleeves and sizes to choose from, this allows us to find the best fit for ourselves. The Wireform fit is cool as this will ensure stability and also helps with comfort. Overall, it is comfortable to wear the Shure SE846 earphone even when we are traveling. The durability of the cable does give us the confidence that it will withstand the wear and tear of daily use, providing even more value to its users. They are low profile which is neat and doesn’t attract unwanted attention. It comes with a premium carrying case, enabling us to carry the Shure SE846 and its accessories with ease.
More Details at Amazon – Shure SE846-CL Professional Sound Isolating Earphones
This high-end earphone digs out every music detail and subtle nuance, leaving no stones unturned and producing them out with crystal clear sound quality. It has an astonishing level of clarity and insights where low-level details and subtleties can be heard clear as day without the need to really crank up the volume. You probably would hear new things from your favorite tunes which may breathe a new life into your music listening experience. What’s even more impressive is that these musical details are not been forcefully highlighted but are naturally reproduced. We were awestruck by how beautiful the music sounded.
When it comes to bass performance, the weight and punch are certainly some of the best in the earphone/IEM category. The bass frequencies are detailed and well-textured, the Shure SE846 is also capable of delivering a very deep bass response. If you want more bass weight and impact, you probably need to go for closed-back headphones. The overall accuracy of the Shure SE846 earphone is superb and the alacrity performance helps to draw out the energy from the music so that the presentation is incredibly detailed and precise without sounding clinical. That said, the Shure SE846 definitely has studio-grade sound quality.
The level of performance and sound quality which the Shure SE846 delivers certainly exceeded our expectations. If you have the budget, this is no doubt one of the finest earphones to get your hands on. The midrange reproduction is amazing, vocals sounded beautiful and alluring, the music instruments are authentically reproduced with plenty of intricate details. Furthermore, it is very portable and comfortable to wear. We have gathered enough details and data, and have prepared a list of the best amplifiers which you can choose to partner with your high-end Shure SE846.
Shure SE846 Specifications
- Fit Style: In-Ear
- Drivers: 4
- Frequency Response: 15Hz-20kHz
- Cable Length: 45″ and 60″ (114.3cm and 152.4cm)
- Impedance: 9 Ohms
- Noise Attenuation: 37dB (Passive)
Best Amps to pair with Shure SE846
The FiiO E12A Mont Blanc IEM special edition is one of the best amps to pair with the Shure SE846. This FiiO amplifier is designed specifically for in-ear monitors and will work really well with the SE846 earphones. It has ultra-low distortion, giving you a very polished background so that you can fully focus and enjoy listening to your music. The FiiO E12A is super compact and portable with more than enough power to drive the Shure SE846 and make the earphones sing. Its neutral sonic characteristic will fit nicely with the Shure SE846 and at this price point, there is nothing to nitpick about the FiiO E12A Mont Blanc IEM amplifier.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO E12A Mont Blanc IEM Special Edition
The iFi Audio iDSD Diablo is one of the best amplifiers to match with your Shure SE846 earphones. This is a really powerful amp and you can use it to drive demanding headphones, so driving the SE846 will be not a problem. Surprisingly, for such a powerful amp, the iFi Audio iDSD Diablo is actually very portable and compact which is great. Furthermore, the long-lasting battery life of the iDSD Diablo will make it an ideal portable amp partner for your Shure SE846. The iFi Audio iDSD Diablo is capable of delivering a fluid and smooth music presentation, it does not sound harsh when pushed as well.
More Details at Amazon – iFi Micro iDSD Diablo
For listeners who only want the absolute best and budget is not an issue, the Chord Hugo 2 will be an exemplary choice for your Shure SE846. This is an award-winning high-end headphone amplifier with a unique aesthetic design and an incredibly exceptional sonic performance. It has an innate ability to deliver realistic and natural-sounding music presentations with a massive amount of sonic details. The dynamic performance and impeccable music timing of the Chord Hugo 2 adds the energy needed to give its listeners that engaging music delivery with impactful crescendos. You should definitely hear them out when you have the chance.
More Details at Amazon – Chord Hugo 2 Headphone Amplifier (Silver)
The Topping DX7 Pro is one of the best desktop amplifiers to be paired with your Shure SE846 earphone. It is rather compact in size and should fit in nicely onto most desktops. This is a very clean-sounding amplifier with a very low noise background and can deliver amazingly detailed music presentations. It can punch and kick as well, giving listeners an engaging music performance. The Topping DX7 Pro is able to project a wide and spacious soundstage which really complements the Shure SE846 earphones. Furthermore, the DX7 Pro has more than enough power to drive these in-ear monitors without breaking a sweat.
More Details at Amazon – Topping DX7 Pro (Black)
The Shure SHA900 is probably the best portable amp to partner up with the Shure SE846 earphones. As they are both designed and made by the same company, they most likely have similar sound signatures and should produce a cohesive and seamless overall sound reproduction. Its spacious and open soundstage will complement the Shure SE846 earphone really well. The SHA900 amplifier’s bass performance is tight and punchy too. With this combination, the music delivery becomes more immersive and engaging, making you want to keep listening to your favorite music over and over again.
More Details at Amazon – Shure SHA900 Portable Amplifier
There are cases where listeners hear hiss noises coming from the background while listening to their music via the Shure SE846 earphones. If you just want to improve the sound quality by resolving this issue then you probably want to take a look at the iFi Audio iEMatch. It is a very affordable accessory where it will lower the output volume. This will help to reduce the hissing noise and increase the dynamics, giving you a cleaner sound quality. The iFi Audio iEMatch also helps to slightly increase the accuracy and adds a bit more transparency to the overall sound reproduction. We would suggest you test it out first with your Shure SE846 before making the decision.
More Details at Amazon – iFi iEMatch in-Ear-Monitor Audio Attenuator
To Sum It Up
You can select the amplifiers based on your budget or requirements after which you might want to arrange an audition with the shortlisted amps together with your Shure SE846. We will recommend using your favorite songs for the amp auditions so as to make it easier to notice which amplifier sounds the best to you. There are times it may take more than a round of auditions to finally confirm the amp that you really like, but headphone amplifiers hunting can be a really fun process though.
