Shure SE846 Gen 2

The Shure SE846 Gen 2 delivers some of the best sound we've ever measured, landing in the top 2% of our database with incredible bass control and detail. That comes at a steep cost, practically and financially, with harsh comfort, zero wireless connectivity, and a price tag between $890 and $1,286. It's a reference tool for musicians and analog purists who prioritize absolute audio fidelity above all else. For anyone else, modern wireless flagships offer a far better balance of features and day-to-day usability.

If you've been around high-end audio for a while, the Shure SE846 name carries serious weight. The Gen 2 version doesn't mess with the formula that made the original a studio legend: four balanced armature drivers per side, a genuine subwoofer-like low-pass filter, and that chunky, over-the-ear shell that screams 'I care more about sound than looks.' At a price that swings from $890 to $1,286 depending on the retailer, these are not for the 'checking email at a coffee shop' crowd. This is a reference monitor you shove deep into your ear canals to hear every microscopic detail in a mix, whether you're a touring musician or just someone who won't settle for Bluetooth compression.

Shure's pitch is straightforward: unmatched audio fidelity with passive noise isolation that blocks up to 37dB of outside noise, no batteries required. And on that first promise, they deliver. In our sound quality database, these things sit in the 98th percentile, which is about as good as it gets for in-ears. That's not marketing speak, that's measured performance putting it above virtually every other earphone we've tested. But here's the catch: the world has moved on. Most competitors at this price point offer wireless convenience, active noise cancellation, and compact designs you can forget you're wearing. The SE846 Gen 2 asks you to sacrifice all that on the altar of pure, wired audio.

Who exactly should still care? If you own a high-res digital audio player, a headphone amp, or a recording interface and you cringe at the thought of AAC compression, these might be your endgame. If you need reliable in-ear monitoring on stage in a loud environment, the passive isolation and detachable cable (with a mic option) make a lot of sense. But if you just want something that sounds great on a crowded bus while streaming Spotify, you'll be overpaying for performance you can't fully use and missing features that would actually make your life easier. It's a specialized tool, and we'll get into exactly where it shines and where it stumbles.

Let's start with the good stuff. The SE846 Gen 2's four balanced armature drivers are deeply impressive. The low end, thanks to that acoustic filter design, hits with a texture and presence you normally only get from a dedicated subwoofer, not from tiny armatures. Bass notes are rich but never boomy, and the clarity extends so high that cymbal shimmer and vocal air are reproduced with a precision that makes most wireless earbuds sound hazy by comparison. In our testing, the sound signature (with the stock balanced filter) lands in the top 2% of all earphones we've measured, delivering an expansive soundstage and instrument separation that's truly reference-grade. This isn't just a 'warm' or 'fun' tuning; it's the kind of accuracy that lets you hear a guitarist's fingers slide on the strings or the exact room reverb the engineer added.

The passive isolation is another strength that the raw specs nail. Blocking up to 37dB of external noise puts the SE846 on par with some active noise cancelling buds in the mid-range, though it won't touch low-frequency drone like an airplane engine the way a Sony WF-1000XM5 does. Still, with the right foam sleeves, you can make a loud subway ride nearly silent without any hiss or battery drain. The downside is that getting that seal often means a deep, intrusive fit that many of our testers found uncomfortable after 30 minutes. Comfort is, frankly, a weak spot; the 28th percentile ranking reflects the bulky shell and the pressure required for full isolation. If your ears don't immediately get along with the fit, you're in for a rough time, and no amount of tip swapping completely fixes that bulbous housing.

Pricing is all over the place. We found the SE846 Gen 2 as low as $890 at one retailer and as high as $1,286, so you'll absolutely want to shop around. At the lower end, the value equation starts to make sense if sound is your only metric. But let's be real: $900 wired earphones in 2024 are a tough sell when the Sony WF-1000XM5 (with LDAC, excellent ANC, and a 78th percentile sound score) can be had for under $300. You're paying a massive premium for that top 2% sound quality, and you're getting absolutely destroyed on connectivity, comfort, and features. The SE846 is a one-trick pony, but it's an incredibly good trick. If you're a studio engineer or a dedicated audiophile with a high-end source chain, the price might be justifiable. For everyone else, it's a luxury indulgence with very little practical return.

Compared to the field, this is the worst 'budget' score we've seen in a while, and for good reason. The EarFun Air Pro 4+ gives you wireless freedom, ANC, and decent sound for under $100. The Technics EAH-AZ100-K delivers a more refined tuning with multipoint Bluetooth and LDAC for less than half the Shure's cost. Value here is purely audio-phile math: you're buying a hand-built, low-volume, professional monitor, not a consumer gadget. That's fine, just know what you're signing up for.

You can't talk about the SE846 Gen 2 without addressing the elephant in the room: the wireless ANC giants. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is the obvious benchmark. Sony gives you a 78th percentile sound score which, while not as technically perfect, is more than satisfying for most listeners, plus class-leading noise cancellation, a comfortable smaller design, and excellent call quality. You lose the raw resolution and that subwoofer-like low end, but you gain a modern, feature-packed daily driver that costs a third of the price. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra bet on spatial audio and a super comfy fit; they don't touch the Shure's detail but are infinitely more practical for travel.

Among true wired alternatives, the Sennheiser IE 900 is the audiophile rival that often comes up. Sennheiser also offers incredible detail retrieval with a single dynamic driver that avoids the multi-BA coherency challenges, and its shell is significantly smaller and more comfortable. At a similar price, the Sennheiser has a more natural timbre to some ears, though it lacks the interchangeable tuning nozzles. Then there's the Technics EAH-AZ100-K, which is wireless but with a tuning that appeals to audiophiles and LDAC for high-bitrate streaming. The Shure's main trade-off is clear: you get the absolute best passive isolation with no battery anxiety, but you're chained to a cable and stuck with an uncomfortable fit for many. Unless your use case strictly requires a wired IEM for stage monitoring or critical listening from a DAC stack, any of those wireless flagships will serve you better day to day.

If your main use case is the gym, running, or any kind of fitness activity, please look elsewhere. The SE846 scores an abysmal 16.2 in our fitness suitability test, the waterproof rating is non-existent, and the heavy cable will flop around like a pendulum. You'd be far happier with something like the Jabra Elite Active 8 or even the open-fit Shokz for running safety. Commuters who rely on active noise cancelling to survive the train should also skip: the passive isolation is solid, but a pair of ANC buds will handle low-frequency rumble much more effectively and won't require wrestling a cable out of your coat. And if you just want excellent sound but don't want to fiddle with a DAC or headphone amp, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100 deliver impressive audio quality with a fraction of the bulk and none of the cable management headaches. Casual listeners will be much better served by a $200 wireless set than by throwing $1,000 at a pro IEM they can't fully appreciate.

If you're a working musician who needs a bulletproof wired monitor with the kind of isolation that lets you hear your guitar in front of a loud drummer, the Shure SE846 Gen 2 is still a top-shelf pick. The detachable cable means you can swap in a wireless adapter for stage movement, and the passive attenuation won't drain batteries mid-set. The sound signature is more clinical than 'fun,' but that accuracy is exactly what you want when you're mixing your own in-ear feed. And if you're a hardcore headphone collector with a stack of DAPs and DACs who wants one of the best-sounding IEMs ever measured, you'll find a lot to love here, provided you take the time to tip-roll and experiment with the nozzle inserts.

For everyone else, it's harder to recommend. The comfort issues and dated feature set will grate on you every time you use them, and the lack of wireless means they're essentially useless for modern smartphones without a dongle. Audiophiles who demand the ultimate detail might look at the Sennheiser IE 900 for a more comfortable all-day wear or at high-end custom IEMs that are built to fit your ears exactly. And if you just want great sound but also need ANC, multipoint, and true portability, snag the Sony WF-1000XM5 and use the $600 you save on a nice dinner.