# Shure SE846 Gen 2 vs Meze Alba: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Shure SE846 Gen 2 (Shure) and Meze Alba (Meze Audio) among in ear monitors. Meze Alba is the cheaper of the two at $159.

## Side by side

| Spec | Shure SE846 Gen 2 | Meze Alba |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $899 | $159 |
| Brand | Shure | Meze Audio |
| Released | 2022-09 | — |
| Driver type | balanced-armature | dynamic |
| Driver config | 4BA | 1DD |
| Impedance ohms | 9 | 32 |
| Sensitivity db mw | 114 | 109 |
| Frequency response (Hz) | 15-20000 | 15-25000 |
| Connector type | mmcx | 2pin-0.78mm |
| Cable detachable | Yes | Yes |
| Plug termination | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| Shell material | — | zinc-alloy |
| Weight grams | — | — |

## Key differences

- Driver type: Shure SE846 Gen 2 balanced-armature vs Meze Alba dynamic
- Driver config: Shure SE846 Gen 2 4BA vs Meze Alba 1DD
- Impedance ohms: Shure SE846 Gen 2 9 vs Meze Alba 32
- Sensitivity db mw: Shure SE846 Gen 2 114 vs Meze Alba 109
- Frequency response (Hz): Shure SE846 Gen 2 15-20000 vs Meze Alba 15-25000
- Connector type: Shure SE846 Gen 2 mmcx vs Meze Alba 2pin-0.78mm

## What reviewers say

**Meze Alba** — Both whitelisted hands-on reviews — SoundGuys (Apr 2025) and TechRadar (Sep 2025) — recommend the $159 Meze Alba as an excellent entry-level audiophile IEM with detailed sound, weighty bass, a comfortable fit and a bundled USB-C DAC adapter; both flag edgy/painful upper treble at high volume and the lack of a mic or in-line controls. Only SoundGuys ran lab MDAQS measurements (Overall 4.8/5, HEAD acoustics). All quotes and measured values were verified as literal substrings of the source text; no sources were dropped. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Shure SE846 Gen 2: https://www.shure.com/en-US/newsroom/shure-unveils-next-generation-of-acclaimed-se846-sound-isolating-tm-earphones (shure.com, verified 2026-07-11)
- Meze Alba: https://mezeaudio.com/products/alba (mezeaudio.com, verified 2026-07-11)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/in-ear-monitors/shure-se846-gen-2-vs-meze-alba/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Shure SE846 Gen 2 ($899) vs Meze Alba ($159) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/in-ear-monitors/shure-se846-gen-2-vs-meze-alba/
License: CC BY 4.0.