I came from the SE846 not too long ago and with the P1 and Q jays I'm pretty happy. The SE846 do have an excellent mid range that I probably won't get elsewhere but at this point I can't see myself buying a $600+ iem (used) anytime soon.
I got a lot of hours on the 846 today and am struggling to justify the cost. They are quite good, definitely the best IEMs I've heard, but the gap to my cheapo favorite $65 Havi B3 Pro 1 is not huge... at least not enough to justify a $65<>$900 gap, even considering the usual diminishing returns in this hobby.
As I type this I'm listening to Ana Caram's "Viola fora de moda" on Chesky, a very well engineered track, and indeed, there's a nice boost in quality when switching Havi>846, especially in separation/positioning and of course, bass quality. But still, it does not justify a +13x price gap. In this particular comparison I think the value gap is compounded by the Havi being a bit underpriced and the Shure being overpriced. Ignoring cost, the choice is easy tho.
Back to the topic of the thread, I'm still wondering if I'll keep the 846 and take the hit for the extra push to the peak in quality, or return them and have a go at something that might get closer to them without such a huge premium. In a way, admitting the 846 are the best I've heard is a win for them, but having doubts about the value and wow factor is a fail. In all my favorite headphone experiences the main impulse was always "Damn, these are so good, worth it at even the ridiculous price, which I had two, just keeping a backup in case they disappear from the world".... not "Oh they are so good. Hmm, but still pricey... hmmm..".
Anyone with a Havi B3P1? I wonder if they can give the Mee a run for their money too...