[Mark Up]

I've heard the TH600, and it wasn't for me. Big treble spike and too much booming bass even for a bass head like me. The THXX is supposedly better in the highs, some have swapped pads with the TH600 and said the sound ended up almost the same, telling me they might have a role. The EMU appear to have the similar wide opening TH600 ear pads, so the highs could be an problem again.

 

[Ash fung]

The above photo is the E-MU Walnut and E-MU Teak shells respectively. Check it out at http://www.stereotimes.com/post/2015-sight-and-sound-exhibition-pg3 !

 

[fjrabon]

I've heard the TH600, and it wasn't for me. Big treble spike and too much booming bass even for a bass head like me. The THXX is supposedly better in the highs, some have swapped pads with the TH600 and said the sound ended up almost the same, telling me they might have a role. The EMU appear to have the similar wide opening TH600 ear pads, so the highs could be an problem again.

Nah. They're very different from the TH600.

 

[borrego]

Both the E-mu Teak and E-mu Walnut are available directly from Creative Labs Singapore site at discounted price: http://sg.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets
 
I think the discount will end in 6 days.

 

[luvmusik]

  Both the E-mu Teak and E-mu Walnut are available directly from Creative Labs Singapore site at discounted price: http://sg.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets
 
I think the discount will end in 6 days.

Hi borrego,
Wanted to buy the E-MU TEAK and curious what discounts you found on the site.
 
Could only register as a "standard member" on their site (in link), trying to register for the "xtreme privlige card" fails for USA phone numbers.
 
The site shows a general price off listed $999 retail to $799 which I think is way too high - double their worth.
 
Feel these should price at $400 new & E-MU are outpricing themselves.
 
Not sure what sound signature these have (ex: v-shape, neutral, u-shape, mid-centric, basshead, etc).
 
Feel if E-MU (Creative) wants to gain market entry foothold in mid-fi to higher-end models, they need to come into the field with an attractive price.
 
New Fostex TH-X00 (biocell) at $399 and Audio Technica ATH-W1000Z (Teak wood) at $479 may be seen as baseline models with opposite sound signatures, but with similar characteristics to E-MU TEAK.
 
With big names like Fostex & Audio Technica, and thousands of headphones sold over decades, the names command a pedigree price.
 
Hopefully, E-MU will offer a reduced price to establish an initial customer base, maybe greatly reduced thru MassDrop, as we've seen the E-MU Walnut model sell there for $99.
 
The Walnut lists on site for $199, sells at $149, and MassDropped at $99.
 
If same percentage, the Teak lists $999, sells at $799, and at same percentage off list price should MassDrop at $499.
 
Would like to see the E-MU TEAK MassDrop at $400 to remain competitve as a relatively newcomer in the field of headphones, branded e-mu.
 
Just curious if you found E-MU TEAK for anything lesser than $799 so far ?
 
And have you found if the "xtreme privlige card" offer reduce the E-MU TEAK down from $799 at all ?
 
Appreciate the heads up, have been waiting for when these would be available - believe today is the first day.

 

[borrego]

Hi borrego,
Wanted to buy the E-MU TEAK and curious what discounts you found on the site.

Could only register as a "standard member" on their site (in link), trying to register for the "xtreme privlige card" fails for USA phone numbers.

The site shows a general price off listed $999 retail to $799 which I think is way too high - double their worth.

Feel these should price at $400 new & E-MU are outpricing themselves.

Not sure what sound signature these have (ex: v-shape, neutral, u-shape, mid-centric, basshead, etc).

Feel if E-MU (Creative) wants to gain market entry foothold in mid-fi to higher-end models, they need to come into the field with an attractive price.

New Fostex TH-X00 (biocell) at $399 and Audio Technica ATH-W1000Z at $479 may be seen as baseline models with opposite sound signatures, but with similar characteristics to E-MU TEAK.

With big names like Fostex & Audio Technica, and thousands of headphones sold over decades, the names command a pedigree price.

Hopefully, E-MU will offer a reduced price to establish an initial customer base, maybe greatly reduced thru MassDrop, as we've seen the E-MU Walnut model sell there for $99.

The Walnut lists on site for $199, sells at $149, and MassDropped at $99.

If same percentage, the Teak lists $999, sells at $799, and at same percentage off list price should MassDrop at $499.

Would like to see the E-MU TEAK MassDrop at $400 to remain competitve as a relatively newcomer in the field of headphones, branded e-mu.

Just curious if you found E-MU TEAK for anything lesser than $799 so far ?

And have you found if the "xtreme privlige card" offer reduce the E-MU TEAK down from $799 at all ?

Appreciate the heads up, have been waiting for when these would be available - believe today is the first day.

The prices on the sites are in Singapore dollars, not USD. Not sure about the rest as E-mu Teak is only available directly from Creative Labs so far.

 

[luvmusik]

Thanks, that's good news if the Creative site is in Singapore dollars, then it seems targetted well. The $799 exchanges to $579 USD for the TEAK, and the $149 exchanges to $108 USD for the Walnut (MassDropped at $99 USD) with today's rate. It might keep the TEAK at $435 USD if MassDropped at an equal comparison to TH-X00. The $1000 list ($725 USD) is super-inflated, similar to inflated for Fostex TH-X00 list price $1000 USD before discount in 2 drops at $399 USD, at 40% of list. If the same percentage, TEAK could drop at $435 USD. But Fostex & E-MU setting list prices may not be equal. The slight discount percentage for E-MU Walnut offered on MassDrop if extended to TEAK, would drop them at $530 USD, which is too much.
 
Feel the E-MU TEAK would sell an incredible amount of sets at USD $399 or less MassDropped, but not too many at $500. $500 gets us into lotsa sensational headphones, even namely the used price on biocellulose Sony CD-3000, which are wonderfully tuned & superb reproducers. Those don't have wood cups, but a fiber-based composite cup. Hope to see E-MU TEAK on MassDrop, USD $399 or less would give them an instant hugh customer base under the E-MU badge, and a boost to Creative. Fostex sold a ton of TH-X00 on MassDrop in 2 drops, maybe E-MU might also.
 
Thanks for the Singapore dollar info; it makes the difference to convince me to buy a set, if hoping for MassDrop. Now, we need to find out what sound signature they are tuned to with the biocellulose drivers. That will be interesting which way they go - either like TH-X00 basshead tuning, or a more neutral reference signature like the CD3000 with exemplary bass (my preference), or something else.

 

[yellowbirdfly]

The Teak is tuned neutral with an emphasis on soundstage and airiness (I've heard one myself). But don't mistake it for bass-light, the bass has substance and hits hard if the track calls for it. Highs are very extended and smooth, and in no way harsh or sibilant. Mids/vocals are the best I've ever heard in a woodie headphone. Organic, fluid and really pleasing to listen to. Make no mistake; the Teak can hang among the TOTL closed backs like TH-900. At SG$799 it is a great value.

Just my two cents. YMMV.

 

[luvmusik]

Thanks for the great tuning info, that's a nice summary & it appears to be what I'm looking for. Always wanted to find a brand new biocell model that will have a signature near my closed back CD3000 - they are immensely enjoyable, and like to see if anything new gets near it. <The vintage closed back MDR-R10 (don't have) are in a higher class by themselves.>
 
The closed back E-MU TEAK biocell may then offer a good price alternative to the sealed TH900 biocellulose, and also possibly a conventional driver material from BeyerDynamic or Audio Technica dynamic driver types if those two brands have a comparative model. About the only other closed-back ones high up are Ether-C, LCD-XC and ZMF - those last 3 being planar types with differing characteristics.
 
E-MU TEAK may pan out closest to earlier-era CD3000 and new TH-900 or TH-610, all biocellulose dynamics; not sure what the final tuning will be on TH-610, if like TH-X00 or different.
 
Hope the E-MUTEAK go on MassDrop. Looks very interesting.

 

[AviP]

E-MU Teak available on Massdrop for $469.99 https://www.massdrop.com/buy/e-mu-teak-headphones
Can go down to $449.99 if 10 people join.

 

[mysticstryk]

E-MU Teak available on Massdrop for $469.99 https://www.massdrop.com/buy/e-mu-teak-headphones
Can go down to $449.99 if 10 people join.

I was planning on waiting for another thx00 drop, but if these really have a better midrange and vocal representation, then I may have to go with the teak.

 

[iBrian]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/e-mu-teak-headphones

 

[borrego]

Wow. The Ebony version is nice. I commited

 

[mysticstryk]

Anybody else have impressions of the Teak?

The Teak is tuned neutral with an emphasis on soundstage and airiness (I've heard one myself). But don't mistake it for bass-light, the bass has substance and hits hard if the track calls for it. Highs are very extended and smooth, and in no way harsh or sibilant. Mids/vocals are the best I've ever heard in a woodie headphone. Organic, fluid and really pleasing to listen to. Make no mistake; the Teak can hang among the TOTL closed backs like TH-900. At SG$799 it is a great value.

Just my two cents. YMMV.

If you've heard the thx00, could you compare them?

How does the treble compare to something like the th600 and 900? Those are way to hot for my ears, I prefer a smooth treble.

 

[borrego]

The TH-X00 uses the newer TH-600 driver, which is more resolving and dynamic, but with uneven FR (recess mid and rough treble). The TH-X00 uses foam pieces and small ear cups to fix the uneven FR, at the cost of smaller sound stage.

The E-mu Teak uses the older D5000 driver (not sure if improved), which should be less resolving and dynamic, but with an more even FR (smooth treble), uses normal ear cups, and have a larger sound stage.

I will take the more refined E-mu Teak myself.