[Dillan]

Astell & Kern just recently announced the AK T8iE MkⅡon their website.
 
 
http://www.astellnkern.com/
 
 
Wonder how it will sound as compared to the original?
 
 
 

 

[Feilong4]

Hmm.. Less than a year and already a mk2? Did the previous one not sound good or something?

 

[Dillan]

  Hmm.. Less than a year and already a mk2? Did the previous one not sound good or something?

 
I have read mixed reviews on it, but mostly positive. I am interested to see what the price and sound difference will be.

 

[Kunlun]

Mk1 broke all the time, every time. Mixed reviews on sound.

Mk2 promises better reliability and a new diaphragm and voice coil with lower distortion and higher headroom which should mean better clarity and dynamics. We will see if it lives up to that.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I love the sound of the AK T8iE 1st gen. so I'm happy to see they made it even better. I'll be getting a set! 

 

[Kunlun]

And the Campfire Audio Lyra is getting a mrk2 version as well, I've heard.

 

[Dillan]

If anyone gets a chance to listen to these, I would be very interested to hear about it.
 
As a side note, I wonder if Astell & Kern will ever make their own headphones and in-ears from the ground up. Other than slapping their logo and higher price tag on already created models.

 

[Kunlun]

When are these coming out?

 

[Dillan]

When are these coming out?

Don't think they have announced an official date yet, but I would imagine dealers who sell the AK70 will be able to get and sell them at the same time as they were released together.

 

[Vaanres]

And the Campfire Audio Lyra is getting a mrk2 version as well, I've heard.

Campfire should do that, because lyra looks so ugly compared to others campfire iem, the alluminum housing sound fine

 

[earfonia]

While I'm not a fan to the warm and bassy sound signature of the 1st version of T8iE, The Mk II, to me, has improved a lot in the sound quality department. It is much more balanced now, excellent bass and excellent treble. The tonality of the Mk II now best described as balanced, with a mild bass emphasize, which to me is really nice. The imaging is really good, spacious and holographic. I tried it twice at local shop in Singapore, really like them.

 

[Kunlun]

While I'm not a fan to the warm and bassy sound signature of the 1st version of T8iE, The Mk II, to me, has improved a lot in the sound quality department. It is much more balanced now, excellent bass and excellent treble. The tonality of the Mk II now best described as balanced, with a mild bass emphasize, which to me is really nice. The imaging is really good, spacious and holographic. I tried it twice at local shop in Singapore, really like them.

Wow, that's very different than other impressions of the mkii!

 

[raypin]

Mmm....just to be clear, you listened to both during the two listening sessions? I'm not casting doubt but some have said the two sound the same. You are the first to post that there is a big difference between the two. That's how I interpret "improved a lot."

 

[ozzymo]

I was just at the San Francisco head-fi meet where Astell & Kern had a table.  I asked the representative about the MKII version and he stated the only difference was the cable.  He said the earphones were exactly the same as the first version.  So I'm not sure about the changes suggested on their website such as new voice coil and new connectors.  Anyways, besides that they sounded amazing.  I like them better than my IE800 and K3003.  I had been debating for some time whether to buy the AKt8ie so now I think I will buy this new version.  I just hope they fixed the connection issues some had with the first generation.  Very spacious sounding and very, very comfortable to my ears.  I auditioned them using my RWAK240.  

 

[Kunlun]

I was just at the San Francisco head-fi meet where Astell & Kern had a table.  I asked the representative about the MKII version and he stated the only difference was the cable.  He said the earphones were exactly the same as the first version.  So I'm not sure about the changes suggested on their website such as new voice coil and new connectors.  Anyways, besides that they sounded amazing.  I like them better than my IE800 and K3003.  I had been debating for some time whether to buy the AKt8ie so now I think I will buy this new version.  I just hope they fixed the connection issues some had with the first generation.  Very spacious sounding and very, very comfortable to my ears.  I auditioned them using my RWAK240.  

Ha, awesome, PeterHyatt was right. Good info, thanks.