[Fidelity King]

Psyched you mentioned the TH600 - I'm trying to get my hands on a pair for the EL-8 review for comparison. I thought of that - is it still a current model??
My buddy says he has a pair but might've lent them out - we'll see...

Just know I compared the EL-8 to the Beyerdynamic T51is because I had them with me in Vegas! Same with the MrSpeakers Mad Dog Pro.
But - I'll be using the Alpha Prime for comparison at home, as well as others of course.

ANYBODY else:

Other headphones you'd like to see comparatively?

I have a nice collection - but also have access to a local hi-fi shop (where I worked for a bit years ago).
I set up the personal audio section, and know the cans there as well. 

Just wondering  - as I'm psyched to tackle the full review after I get more familiar with the EL-8 on my reference systems!!
Dolby headphone? Nope!
ALWAYS down to try something new!!

: The Sony mdr 7520 is said to be among the best closed hps for $500, you should compare that to the closed esl 8. If you can you should also compare the beyer t90 to the open version as it's also $700.

 

[Gilly87]

Please, continue...

It's pretty hard to compare headphones that you heard on different days with different music and different systems. Or did you listen to them back to back?

Not back to back, but I've heard the 2s and 3s on a few systems and always came away with a similar feeling that they were just too neutral for me. They're obviously great cans, some of the best in the world and there's no doubting that, but just a bit too "HiFi" and emphasizing detail and accuracy for my ear taste. These new ones sound a bit more fun to my ears, retaining the really impressive cohesiveness despite also having very distinctive separation, the combination of which is one of the defining characteristics of the LCDs IMO, but they're just a bit more fun overall, the bass is a bit fuller with greater impact and body, while retaining impressive speed and accuracy, which I know not everyone enjoys but I sure do. I also feel that the midrange is more full and forward; it has that really impressive raw, live feeling that you get more often from headphones from Shure, whereas I have always found the LCDs to be a bit more clinical and tonally balanced in this regard. I would say the EL-8 sound is more beautiful and immersive, whereas the LCDs sound is still the king of technical perfection.

The true lovers of ultimate detail and perfect technicality among us will likely still opt for the LCDs, but the EL-8s are a cheaper, more "fun" alternative that suits me better for casual listening, and may appeal to a wider range of people than the LCDs. It's still an intensely detailed, highly accurate headphone, but I'd say it's a slightly more fun take on accuracy. Don't get me wrong, it's still very obviously an Audeze headphone and they have by no means stopped so low as to appeal to mass market tastes (thank god), but with the LE-8 they seem interested in capturing the attention of those of us more interested in casual listening and those who like the "feel" of good audio quality rather than those who obsess over the tiniest imperfections in tonal balance and perfect accuracy; the latter are who the LCD series have been designed for.

 

[Gilly87]

: The Sony mdr 7520 is said to be among the best closed hps for $500, you should compare that to the closed esl 8. If you can you should also compare the beyer t90 to the open version as it's also $700.

The T90s are probably the closest match to the EL-8s at the price point. The T90 is more of a critics headphone than the EL-8, but I think the levels of detail are fairly similar. The soundsignatures are both approaching neutral but from opposite ends, the T90 being aggressive and treble tilted, with the EL8 being relaxed and bass-leaning.

 

[MattTCG]

Not back to back, but I've heard the 2s and 3s on a few systems and always came away with a similar feeling that they were just too neutral for me. They're obviously great cans, some of the best in the world and there's no doubting that, but just a bit too "HiFi" and emphasizing detail and accuracy for my ear taste. These new ones sound a bit more fun to my ears, retaining the really impressive cohesiveness despite also having very distinctive separation, the combination of which is one of the defining characteristics of the LCDs IMO, but they're just a bit more fun overall, the bass is a bit fuller with greater impact and body, while retaining impressive speed and accuracy, which I know not everyone enjoys but I sure do. I also feel that the midrange is more full and forward; it has that really impressive raw, live feeling that you get more often from headphones from Shure, whereas I have always found the LCDs to be a bit more clinical and tonally balanced in this regard. I would say the EL-8 sound is more beautiful and immersive, whereas the LCDs sound is still the king of technical perfection.

The true lovers of ultimate detail and perfect technicality among us will likely still opt for the LCDs, but the EL-8s are a cheaper, more "fun" alternative that suits me better for casual listening, and may appeal to a wider range of people than the LCDs. It's still an intensely detailed, highly accurate headphone, but I'd say it's a slightly more fun take on accuracy. Don't get me wrong, it's still very obviously an Audeze headphone and they have by no means stopped so low as to appeal to mass market tastes (thank god), but with the LE-8 they seem interested in capturing the attention of those of us more interested in casual listening and those who like the "feel" of good audio quality rather than those who obsess over the tiniest imperfections in tonal balance and perfect accuracy; the latter are who the LCD series have been designed for.

 
Huh?

  Maybe I misunderstood you. Am I understanding that you're saying that the lcd2/3 emphasize too much detail and accuracy. Surely I have misunderstood you or maybe you are referring to the hd800 instead.

 

[knowhatimean]

  If they're after portability (especially in the closed model), the Audeze house sound is probably the last thing you want to have.  Barring the LCD-X and and XC, the Audeze house sound is mostly mid-centric.  Good, balanced sound while on the go in noisy environments is usually a u-shaped sound.

I have no interest in the closed model or listening "on the go".I'm more interested in having a "Poor Man's" Audeze.
 
I'm not a fan of abandoning too much of "mid centric" (to compensate for "studio balanced" recordings) (the term "Balanced" always cracks me up, I always tend to think "Oh, you mean"colored" to suit the sound of certain mostly non acoustic music genres....Oooo !!! sounds great... I'll pass)
 
As much of what is read on this website seems to bet misinterpreted, it does'nt seem the EL-8 has the flawed design concepts I've mentioned (or I would hope it does'nt, which is exactly why everyone should pay attention to how people say things & pick up on their biases by how they state their opinions). Opinions are nothing more regardless of how many postings someone may have made.

 

[DVass13]

  thanks to all folks...so I have to raise the money for the lcd-x. Can the headphone section of the oppo 105d drive them good?thanks

 
My Oppo 105 (not the Darby version) can drive my Xs pretty well. I prefer the balanced output of my Ragnarok over just the Oppo as it offers better sound stage, separation, and some low-end impact. However, the Xs still sound very good out of the Oppo. 

 

[obsidyen]

The T90s are probably the closest match to the EL-8s at the price point. The T90 is more of a critics headphone than the EL-8, but I think the levels of detail are fairly similar. The soundsignatures are both approaching neutral but from opposite ends, the T90 being aggressive and treble tilted, with the EL8 being relaxed and bass-leaning.

 
Does it really sound relaxed and bass-leaning? That's the sound I want but from the impressions of others I got the impression that it was bright, lean and aggressive sounding (=terrible sound signature for me).

 

[stef-n]

I'd love these cans to be kind of like a combo of the NAD HP50 and Stax SRS-2170. If someone who has listened to those and the EL-8 could confirm that then these will be my next headphones.

 

[chowmein83]

   
That being said, I think the Audeze EL-8 Closed is going to ******* crush the T5ps.

 
I seriously doubt it...

 
Agreed. And yes I can say this because I listened to the T5p at the Astell and Kern booth at CES - in my opinion, the EL-8 definitely is not better than the T5p.
 

Sooo let me do some translating...the EL8 sound like a brighter HE-400i with a bit more openness. So Audeze invented the HE-4... nice!

 
I mostly agree with this statement, but I do not agree with the part that the EL-8 is more open than the HE-400i. To me, they're about the same in that area.

 

[VintageSTX]

Definitely interested to hear more about how the EL-8 compares to the HE-400i. 

 

[OrganMonster]

There are a few questions that I believe all of us are wondering about.
 
1. What type of music would the EL-8 sound best with.
      I listen to classical most of the time.
      I also tend to pipe organ music as well.
      Headphones are sometimes killed by  the 2' and 1' pipes on the organ, basically high treble.
2. What type of amp would be desirable for the EL-8, either solid state or tubes.
3. How would the EL-8 compare to other phones in the same price range?
      Sennheiser HD700, Sony Z7, Alpha Dog (non-prime), ect.
4. How far off is the EL-8 (closed) to the parent LCD-XC?
 
I hope I am not stepping on my toes when I say this, but when I was at the Audeze booth
in the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest I had mentioned that I had 3 operations on my neck and 
that the 650 grams weight for the XC was a little much. I could not pin them down to anything
but there was feelings that the XC "might" get the new graphite headband and be lighter.
 
All of this is speculation on my part since I love the XC sound signature but the weight is just
a little much. I am hoping that the XC gets an upgrade and becomes lighter. If that happens then it 
would be a very hard choice between the XC and the EL-8, unless the 8's just can't come close to 
the same sound signature.

 

[mrscotchguy]

Agreed. And yes I can say this because I listened to the T5p at the Astell and Kern booth at CES - in my opinion, the EL-8 definitely is not better than the T5p.


I mostly agree with this statement, but I do not agree with the part that the EL-8 is more open than the HE-400i. To me, they're about the same in that area.

To me, the 400i sounded congested, mildly stuffy, and vocals slightly wonky compared to my HE-4... hope the el-8 doesn't suffer from any of that monkey-business

 

[fiascogarcia]

I'd love these cans to be kind of like a combo of the NAD HP50 and Stax SRS-2170. If someone who has listened to those and the EL-8 could confirm that then these will be my next headphones.

Good luck with that! 

 

[Stillhart]

To me, the 400i sounded congested, mildly stuffy, and vocals slightly wonky compared to my HE-4... hope the el-8 doesn't suffer from any of that monkey-business

I thought those things about the 400i but I assumed it was because I'd just come from the HE-1000 and then HE-560.  Man, did I do THAT in the wrong order!  lol

 

[AxelCloris]

  I thought those things about the 400i but I assumed it was because I'd just come from the HE-1000 and then HE-560.  Man, did I do THAT in the wrong order!  lol

 
Always work from entry to summit when comparing audio equipment. Otherwise everything just sounds worse rather than each sounding better than the last.