[ozzymo]

.

 

[ozzymo]

What do they do better than your IE800?

The MK2s are much, much more comfortable than the IE800s.  I don't know who at Sennheiser developed that cable with the split midway through the cable, but it is very uncomfortable and is much too short at the split.  Also the proprietary tips that Sennheiser uses do not comfortably fit my ears.  I found tips that fit better, but they always slip off and stay in my ear when i remove the IEMs.  The MK2 cable is one of the nicest IEM cables I have ever used and the stock tips fit my ears perfectly.  Whenever I use the IE800s I am having the adjust them every 5 minutes and they don't stay seated and I lose the seal so there is no low end.  I even had my IE800s cable modded and they are a little better now, but I still can't get a good fit with the proprietary tips they use.  I haven't had any problems with the MK2s so far.  I'm hoping they fixed any durability issues with this second generation and the improved cable.  I'm not good at describing the sound, but they just sound very spacious to me and well balanced with the right amount of high and low end.  The highs don't pierce my ears and the lows don't muddle up the rest of the sound.  I've had them for about a week now and I'm really enjoying them so far.  

 

[earfonia]

  ....they just sound very spacious to me and well balanced with the right amount of high and low end.  The highs don't pierce my ears and the lows don't muddle up the rest of the sound.  I've had them for about a week now and I'm really enjoying them so far.  

 
+1 Agree! One of the best and comfortable IEM I've ever tried so far!

 

[Orky261]

Any comments regarding QC issues? Or is still premature to decide whether this one will fail or not? I'm anxiously waiting for my mk2 next week and if it has the tendency to fail prematurely, I might as well sell it at a loss rather than dealing with more emotional and time investment.

 

[amirdoust]

^ This is my question as well

 

[tienbasse]

  Any comments regarding QC issues? Or is still premature to decide whether this one will fail or not? I'm anxiously waiting for my mk2 next week and if it has the tendency to fail prematurely, I might as well sell it at a loss rather than dealing with more emotional and time investment.

The latest series of the MK1 have shown much less issues, and releasing a MK2 version indicates that they must have fixed "something".
I wouldn't worry too much about QC, they can't allow themselves to repeat the MK1 debacle, because it must have cost a fortune in aftersales.

 

[irtoac84]

I have a t8ie mk2, i pair it with hifiman 901s. The sound really good, very detail very clear , treb is very beautifull

 

[Subhakar]

AKT8iE Mk-II surely seems to be a great sounding one.
Could it also be worth $1k or more like $700?

 

[jyle_t]

  My reference IEM for flat tonality is DUNU DN-2000. It really sounds flat and balanced to my ears. Here is comparison with DUNU DN-2000 using stock eartips, and AK T8iE using SpinFit:

 

 
Thanks for the comparison with DN2000, exactly what i'm looking for (i'm currently using DN2000).

 

[Subhakar]

Do these stay in ears when worn straight and walking very briskly or jogging?

 

[Orky261]

Do these stay in ears when worn straight and walking very briskly or jogging?

 
Yeah, but I suggest you get those bluetooth MMCX adapter just so the cable won't move too much from body movements, I got the mk2 but the connector still feels flimsy (although I still haven't experienced any problem after using it for 2+ months).

 

[Subhakar]

Astell & Kern is known to offer any Black Friday deals? Am considering AKT8iE Mk-II.

 

[Subhakar]

Has many of the AKT8iE Mk-I units showed build and sound quality issues or just the first batch or two before they quickly launched AKT8iE Mk-II?

 

[aldinho878]

Can anyone compare these MkII to the Grado gr10e, Ie800, or the Flare R2pro? I'm on the verge of buying, but I just don't know what to expect compared to the iem's I mentioned. This price is whole new territory for me, and I'm worried about the diminishing returns factor lol.
 
Thanks!

 

[RuFrost]

  Can anyone compare these MkII to the Grado gr10e, Ie800, or the Flare R2pro? I'm on the verge of buying, but I just don't know what to expect compared to the iem's I mentioned. This price is whole new territory for me, and I'm worried about the diminishing returns factor lol.
 
Thanks!

I auditioned 2 times for a few hours only mk1, but mk2 is even better in term of highs and over balance,as bass does not intermide middles. Gr10e has not full body sound - if I'm not mistaken it lacks a lot in the lows and overall sound signature is odd. No experience of Flare R2pro, but I have read lots of neutral opinions about it. I compared face to face ie800, XBA-Z5 and k3003i, Z5 was the best in term of sound signature and overall balance, but mk1 is even better than Z5 - I'm currently in search of mk1 or mk2. Mk1 winning hands down everything you mentioned and much more in long-term listening, joy from music, sound signature, detalization, soundstage and resolution of sound in general. It, probably, does not really worth 1k, but among 15 flagman iems I auditioned - it is the best iems nowadays.  
Hope something helps.