That's exactly what I did: ditched the open EL-8 and bought an LCD-X. And I couldn't be happier. Everything that was off or missing in the EL-8 was brought to outstanding fruition in the LCD-X. The cost was quite a bit more, but the return on investment was astronomically more.

How many hours on your HGs?

  Currawong's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no!

No doubt! But his contributions to a new venue will be enormous. I don't know about anyone else, but I always look forward. That's where the future is.    Moving on up...

Bob, your research efforts and encyclopedic knowledge of tubes have been invaluable to the members of the Schiit Tube Rollers forum. In fact, you've made it the most substantive forum on head-fi.    I will gladly move to wherever you choose to land.  

+2 "I am Spartacus!"

Right on. That's what I'm running right now, and my LCD-X is singing sweetly, indeed.

All in the mind of the beholder.

They can't keep a good man down. Love your avatar!

I love the sound of my Lyr 2 with some killer HGs. Oh, and Bob's looking quite fetching these days.

  All's good, mate. As the carny yelled out to the madding crowd waiting for the show, "You pays your money, you takes your chance!" So it goes with audio.   Personally, I made out just fine. I moved onwards and upwards from the EL-8 to the LCD-X and I couldn't be happier with my badass cans.

  I grant you that you might have a different definition for a resounding success, but I stand by my remarks. I've owned the EL-8 and returned it precisely because of the sonic flaws that many here and elsewhere have experienced. The fact is that some products have a smooth rollout and...

Wow, I could have sworn there was a conversation going on here earlier! The lords may not giveth, but they sure do taketh away a lot.

I hear you, although Leica was a very established player with beaucoup bucks from their hand-built business before partnering up with Panasonic. And Apple never built any of their stuff; it was alway manufactured overseas.   I'd bet real money Audeze won't go this route. The EL-8 has been...

                         D'oh!

I found the tubes that come stock with the Lyr 2 to sound tubby and congested. I was not impressed when I fired up my new amp! However, the Schiit Tube Rollers forum is an invaluable source of great tube info: Schiit Lyr Tube Rollers That's where I located various expert opinions and sources for...

Actually, those were Panasonic cameras, built in Japan, that incorporated some Leica technology designs. I own a Panasonic video camera that has a Leica-desiged lens, but it is mass-produced. It's a good camera for the price, but it can't compare to an authentic Leica-built camera/lens.  ...

I am using my LCD-X with a Bifrost Uber and Lyr 2. The entire system sounds fantastic. I can't speak for anyone who didn't like the X paired with a Lyr 2, but I can say that you can dial in the exact sound you want by rolling tubes. I am currently using '75 Russian tubes that sound superb. 'Nuff...

Audeze is a small company that primarily hand-builds fantastic headphones in America. What you're asking for is mass manufacturing at very low price points, which is antithetical to what Audeze is and to their philosophy of building products of quality. That's not going to happen.   That said...

Mahler was a truly great composer. His works deserve extended, repeated listening to fully appreciate.

Hell. Purgatory has no lasting consequences. You mean hell.

+1 Yup. This mirrors my experiences on all counts.

  Amen to that!!! 

I'm in!  got my order number!   Number 434.

I agree with many points in your impressions, but not all. But, as you said, that's just how it goes.   The open-back EL-8 I had presented shouty mids and lack of bass presence that were nothing comparable to the sound signature of my LCD-X. I find it conceivable that different EL-8 units can...