Audeze EL-8 V2

What will you be using to drive the PM-3/SINE? We're getting a little off topic here, though.

 

Maybe that zingy-ness can be helped with the Audezes EQ app (with Cipher cable)? Here's hoping. And waiting for my local dealer to get the Cipher-version of Sines.

...Sorry for the OT.

 

What do you know about me, my gear & my taste to say that? hummm... Did you hear the 2016 EL8-O yourself? what was your source?
... Probably the worst message I had the chance to read here on SBAF...

 

And to add to that @cocolinho has my old HE-500's which did come with a grill mod.

 

@Riotvan
Indeed but I didn't want to go in details I also like your ex-HE500 a lot, even more since I put a HE560 headband to increase comfort, to my ears both are very good headphones.
It is a shame that Audeze released EL8 too soon, people get a bad image of these headphones since the 1st version was not sounding good (heard them myself) and on top of that had many quality issues (connectors).

 

Interesting, do you have any comments on the overall sound signature? What do you think it does well/not so well? Source used/cipher cable?

It's a little difficult to sift through impressions/reviews right now unless they specifically mention which revision they are based on.

 

I own them for couple of weeks only but still to my ears I would say :

+
Good, tight, punchy bass
Audeze's mids (to me = slightly forward & pretty lifelike)
Fatigue free highs
Great dynamics / foot taping (more than HE500, more laid back)
Very comfortable (a bit more than HE500 wth focus A pad & HE560 headband)
Solid all-rounder
Easy to drive (Mojo is doing a great job)

-
Not a details monster
Rather small soundstage for an open headphones (smaller than HE500 with grill mod) but not as small as one of the two LCD2 I had. Still for me , having also HD800sd + Crack and this is not a deal breaker.
Proprietary cable (why??)
Price in EU vs US like all Audeze (899€ vs USD699)
1st version

YMMV

 

I see a lot of negative posts here regarding the EL-8. I'll agree - it is not superb, but I'm wondering if the general consensus is just a little unfair?

At our local meets, I have found a fair amount of pleasure in being able to show the newer members some lower priced options in DACs, AMPs, and headphones. I used an Asgard 2 and Bifrost 4490. Headphones that were well-received connected to the stack were the Grado SR60i, AKG K7xx (well, not really much talk on the AKG), and HiFiMan HE-400i. These headphones are priced at around $100, $200, and $300 (when the HiFiMan went on sale many times at the end of 2015). And at a meet in 2015, there was interest in the HE-400S. Both HiFiMan headphones, I owned and sold - their treble was a little piercing to my ears.

Having just acquired the EL-8 for $399, I think it would be such a candidate in the planar category. I agree with the post above regarding its sound characteristics. It is a little surprising to me that the sound does not extend out further, left and right. My guess is some compromise was made such that the closed version of the headphone could be made on the same platform. The connector changed from my EL-8C, locking in more tightly (though I had no issues with my connector coming out on my previous). The size adjustment is also easier - the force required to adjust to the next click was too high on my EL-8C, causing me trouble to adjust by just one click.

Key though, I think it has the characteristic planar speed and bass depth. I think it would be a good candidate for a person to hear, having not heard a planar before. The only planar I've been able to keep, and be happy with, is HE-1000. So I'm not one to speak of value. Do you guys think EL-8 is a horrible value, for a planar, at $399?

 

Guys, I figured it out. I was listening to an EL8-Closed with the cypher cable. Apparently it adds 3db bass boost automatically. According to Metal-Fi it still lacks bass without the cypher cable.

 

I got a chance to listen to EL8 Closed today, and I gotta say, the null on graphs was not audible to me at all. I level matched 1khz and 7khz tones on my phone and switched back and forth. The difference was less than 10db difference, opposed to the 30+ db difference shown in graphs

I don't know why this shows in graphs so consistently. Regardless, there was some edginess in the upper mids/low treble, but seems better than version 1 I heard

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to crank em as they require more juice than my phone puts out.

It seemed like one of the more neutral Audezes out there. Smooth mids, and tight bass, but not a bass/mid fest like the LCD2/3/4