The Shure AONIC 3 is 26Ω at 108.0 dB/mW; the Shure SE846 is 9Ω at 114.0 dB/mW. This page covers what they ask of an amplifier, not how they sound.
The AONIC 3 needs 6.0 dB more than the SE846 to reach the same loudness — 0.16 mW against 0.04 mW.
| Specification | AONIC 3 | SE846 |
|---|---|---|
| Impedance | 26 Ω | 9 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 108.0 dB/mW | 114.0 dB/mW |
| Sensitivity (voltage) | 123.9 dB/V | 134.5 dB/V |
| Power for 100 dB | 0.16 mW | 0.04 mW |
| Voltage for 100 dB | 64 mV | 19 mV |
| Current for 100 dB | 2.5 mA | 2.1 mA |
| Highest source impedance that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule) | 3.25 Ω | 1.12 Ω |
| Sources that reach 100 dB out of 280 | 280 | 280 |
Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.
11 sources are low enough in output impedance for the AONIC 3 under the one-eighth rule but not for the SE846 (FiiO KA13, FiiO K11, Schiit Vali 2+, 8 more).
45 sources stay below the audible-hiss threshold with the AONIC 3 but cross it with the SE846 (Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini, FiiO KA13, JDS Labs Atom+ (2nd gen), 42 more).
280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both.
The AONIC 3 is more demanding than 19% of the 567 non-electrostatic models in this database; the SE846 than 1%.
| dB SPL | AONIC 3 power | AONIC 3 voltage | SE846 power | SE846 voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 1.6 µW | 6 mV | 0.4 µW | 2 mV |
| 85 | 5.0 µW | 11 mV | 1.3 µW | 3 mV |
| 90 | 0.02 mW | 20 mV | 4.0 µW | 6 mV |
| 95 | 0.05 mW | 36 mV | 0.01 mW | 11 mV |
| 100 | 0.16 mW | 64 mV | 0.04 mW | 19 mV |
| 105 | 0.50 mW | 0.11 V | 0.13 mW | 34 mV |
| Source | Price | Headroom, AONIC 3 | Headroom, SE846 | Output impedance | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JadeAudio JA11 | $20 | 21.9 dB | 23.3 dB | 0.5 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO KA11 | $29 | 31.2 dB | 35.4 dB | 0.7 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO BTR13 | $59 | 28.1 dB | 32.3 dB | 0.6 Ω | 1.0 µV |
Of the 280 sources here, 280 reach 100 dB on both. 23 of them also publish an output impedance low enough for both under the one-eighth rule and a noise figure that stays below the audible-hiss threshold with both.
The cheapest of the 23 is the JadeAudio JA11, at $20. It leaves 21.9 dB of headroom on the AONIC 3 and 23.3 dB on the SE846, its output impedance is 0.5 Ω against a one-eighth limit of 3.25 Ω and 1.12 Ω, and its noise figure puts the hiss floor 12 dB and 1 dB below the 20 dB SPL this site treats as the point where a quiet room stops hiding it.
| Model | As printed | Tolerance | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| AONIC 3 | 20 Hz –18.5 kHz | not printed | not printed |
| SE846 | 15 Hz–20 kHz | not printed | not printed |
Shure prints 20 Hz –18.5 kHz for the AONIC 3 and 15 Hz–20 kHz for the SE846.
Neither range has a tolerance printed beside it, so a wider range on one sheet is not deeper bass or more treble.
Not a measurement; maker by maker.
Both have a page of their own. In full: Shure AONIC 3 and Shure SE846. Every figure on this page comes from what Shure published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.