Astell&Kern beyerdynamic AK T8iE Review (First Impressions from IFA 2015)

[fnkcow]

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I also tried the QP1r from Questyle.
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I could not upload my own music, so I just tried briefly. The build quality, ergonomics and navigation sucked in my experience. I think the color and overall design are very ugly, which is a shame, because this player sounds absolutely great! If it looked like an AK player it would be a no brainer. Really in the top tier sound wise : the power and authority behind the sound are truly impressive.
 
Another thing of note: I just love the sound of the Lotoo Paw Gold. It is toe to toe performance wise with my AK240SS, but the sound is more engaging. I am getting one of these soon I think.

Purely on SQ how do you rate QP1r next to the Paw Gold and AK240SS? Some say similar to the Paw Gold

 

[Mimouille]

Purely on SQ how do you rate QP1r next to the Paw Gold and AK240SS? Some say similar to the Paw Gold

I don't compare them because I did not have my tracks on the Q1, but intuition is that they are in the same ballpark...at least.

 

[fzman]

I heard the QP1R at the RMAF show, and alomost bought one- it sounds really good, and has lots of drive power.  (Hated the scfroll wheel, but I was never an iPod guy).  I also was feeling an itchy trigger finger for the A&K 380, which had me boogie-ing every time I listened to it.  Then I would play my PAW Gold when I got back to my hotel room, and managed to refrain from buying either.  (I also onwm a Calyx M, ZX2, Cowon P1, and a 901, o I don;t really lack for music playback on the go.).  I am going to prune the collection down, but the PAW Gold is a keeper, and just makes me happy.  The display is rudimentary and some might even say 'ugly', but it's really fast and I do not stare at it while listening to music.
 
Given how hard it is to level match and try to keep identical music on every player, I am not going to post any detailed comparative reviews.  

 

[productred]

I have had the T8ie in house for a few days now. Not intending to do a review as of now due to time constraint. But really, you have to believe how much potential the design of dynamic drivers still have.

 

[plakat]

My musings on the T8iE:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/777893/beyerdynamic-ak-t8ie-universal-fit-in-ear-monitor/15#post_12079798

 

[productred]

The Tesla driver in T8iE is ridiculously fast and agile...........which is not so apparent in T50p/DT1350 I've previously owned. Transcients are almost perfectly done.

 

[66645]

Have you also heard IE800, by chance?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[DatGuy]

I have heard both and i prefer the t8ie. but then again it is the more expensive unit. 
 
For me, the ie800 had some synergy problems with some of my mobile sources. On my previous phones it had a sort of metallic texture/ringing to the treble on some tracks and i couldn't handle it
 
The t8ie I have to agree with productred, transients are incredibly fast.
 
I felt that the treble was not the most extended, but decent and not fatiguing, although i can see some people calling it un-energetic. It had a slight mid bass hump. Sub bass was present but i could use a little more. Mid's seemed just a bit thicker compared to beyer house sound, just a hair. I still wouldnt call it anywhere near lush, overall i'd still call it a bit thin and sharp just not as much as other beyer's. Tips are a little fidgety, and I find the fit a bit shallow, have to push the iems in to get a better seal. The packaging and accessories are nice, but right now I am leaning towards other offerings at the $1K mark.

 

[productred]

  I have heard both and i prefer the t8ie. but then again it is the more expensive unit. 
 
For me, the ie800 had some synergy problems with some of my mobile sources. On my previous phones it had a sort of metallic texture/ringing to the treble on some tracks and i couldn't handle it
 
The t8ie I have to agree with productred, transients are incredible fast.
 
I felt that the treble was not the most extended, but decent and not fatiguing, although i can see some people calling it un-energetic. It had a slight mid bass hump. Sub bass was present but i could use a little more. Mid's seemed just a bit thicker compared to beyer house sound, just a hair. I still wouldnt call it anywhere near lush, overall i'd still call it a bit thin and sharp just not as much as other beyer's. Tips are a little fidgety, and I find the fit a bit shallow, have to push the iems in to get a better seal. The packaging and accessories are nice, but right now I am leaning towards other offerings at the $1K mark.

 
Yes the tips are fidgety, but un-energetic highs, thick mids and less than enough sub-bass sound very much like my experience when I push it in TOO DEEP and probably creating too much pressure inside. The optimal seal gotta be when you simply PUT it at the opening of your ear canals and give it a tiny little TWIST or TWIRL. If you can't get a seal by doing that, you probably need the next larger size tips.
 
YMMV though.

 

[audionewbi]

 
 
In short AKT8iE has a very intimate sound with no treble peak. It has potentials which I think the stock cable which are possibly the worst stock cable I have seen in a flagship IEM, is keeping it from performing its best.
EX-1000 still has the best soundstage, dita truth bass goes very deep however bass detail on T8iE is no toy, on low volume it has better detail extraction than both ex-1000 and dita truth.

To me the best part of the sound of T8iE is the treble which is non-intrusive and it is the kind which will not cause fatigue, along with its ease of fit.

Perhaps the worst thing about it beside the cable is getting the right tip and more importantly bass which doesn't go as deep as I want it to but reports say using a balance cable fixes the issue.
 
Lotoo Paw gold provided the most pairing so far for my taste, better than HUGO followed by calyx M and Mojo. 

 

[productred]

Anyone tried using the complys on those? Have been using it for a few hours and for comfort and stability's sake I may switch to those in the long run, having found the highs still soaring with those on. The only sonical difference may be a tiny bit less of that razor sharp transcient and a less deep, more impactful low-end.

 

[audionewbi]

I don't find mine sibilant, what I like about mine is its fast reaction. If there was a way to tame the bass they would be some serious flagship iem.

They eq well too.

 

[productred]

I don't find mine sibilant, what I like about mine is its fast reaction. If there was a way to tame the bass they would be some serious flagship iem.

They eq well too.

 
Never found mine sibilant as well, just soaring sky high. Gotta be the best strength of the T8 alongside the detail level.
 
On the other hand the bass is very well controlled and to many these may be even a tiny bit lacking. With the silicons the bass reaches deeper but are less quantity-wise. With the complys the bass reaches a bit less deep but are more impactful.

 

[audionewbi]

Yes I forgot I use large silicon tips with shallowest fit possible.

I am told by few Japanese audiophile that balance is the way to go and also single ended cable update is a must, not so much balance as the improvement on running balance using the provided cable is quiet noticeable.

 

[productred]

Yes I forgot I use large silicon tips with shallowest fit possible.

I am told by few Japanese audiophile that balance is the way to go and also single ended cable update is a must, not so much balance as the improvement on running balance using the provided cable is quiet noticeable.

 
I have never used the stock single end cable so can't really compare. I used the stock balanced cable for the first few days then switched to a labkable pandora 4 conductor balanced cable I have specially ordered for the T8. Happy with the combo ever since. Just have to decide on the perfect tips then it's all good.