[Peter Hyatt]

  The left side of my T8ie died again for no apparent reason. I stuffed it inside a pelican case with some silica gel and take care of it like a baby. I never even took the MMCX off except for once when I swapped it with the 2.5mm TRRS. Well thanks for the ride Beyer&AK, I'll be having a trip to Oregon and looks like I'll be jumping ship to Andromeda. When I do get the unit back after RMA, i'll be sure to sell it ASAP. It was a very nice IEM but the hassle and time it takes for me to bear with QC is just too much.
 
 
I have IE800 as a spare to this, just get ready for some fitting problem. It is the other side of the coin for T8ie, the sound is more engaging but fatiguing and more sub-bass is present.

This is alarming.  
 
Please check the cable as the cable connection was said to be an issue. 
 
Although I love both the sound and the comfort of the T8's, I continue to do research in case mine go the way others have.  I love the sound so much that I am willing to find a model that is similar, even if it means a bit less comfortable for my ears thinking my ears will adjust.  
 
It is frightening in the sense that until being bit by the audiophile bug, I had never spent more than $100 on in ear monitors and thought that a grand meant untreated insanity.  
 
It is a lot of money and although AK has been good about replacement, they have not been forthcoming.  This is what customers need:  honesty because it is frightening.  
 
I had purchased 2, from the same dealer (likely the same batch) with one going out in one ear due to cable connection issue. (I think the cable is well reinforced though the Silver Dragon improved the sound).  I replaced it with a purchase from another dealer, hoping to be 'away' from perhaps a bad batch.  My conversation with AK warranty guy is on the blog here; but he was not forthcoming.  
 
Yesterday, I received notice from Mercedes Benz on a possible recall of a small part.  Even though it is not certain yet, they are ahead of the curve.  People respect this type of customer service.  
 
If there was a Q/A issue, address it and allow for customer confidence.  
 
Just in case:  
 
I continue the research and am open to suggestions from others with this in mind:  What comes close to the T8 sound we love?    

 

[Orky261]

I already tried switching stock cables and no cigar. This is the 2nd time it has happened and unluckily, there's no more instant RMA, this time I have to go through the distributor for at least a month to get a new one. I might have an IE800 as a spare but this is not acceptable, I mean come on, I bought this for about $1k and this is what I get? I'm kinda disappointed. My old and sold EX1000 went through a washing machine and it worked just fine even though I ran it with water inside the housing once.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

I already tried switching stock cables and no cigar. This is the 2nd time it has happened and unluckily, there's no more instant RMA, this time I have to go through the distributor for at least a month to get a new one. I might have an IE800 as a spare but this is not acceptable, I mean come on, I bought this for about $1k and this is what I get? I'm kinda disappointed. My old and sold EX1000 went through a washing machine and it worked just fine even though I ran it with water inside the housing once.

That stinks.

It's not acceptable. I'm glad you have high quality back up.

 

[Kunlun]

Unfortunately, I can't see anyone buying this earphone with the QC track record it has. It's not just one batch, but pretty much all of them that have this problem, it seems. Too bad, they were on my purchase list.

I'd love to talk to someone from Beyerdynamic to get the real picture on these. Like has happened with some other lemon earphones, these will likely be discontinued by the end of the year. Just a guess, depending on backstock.

 

[audionewbi]

I do not think the will discontinue it, it is a capable IEM. Unless what they accomplished theoretically cannot be practically implemented, in that case they probably discontinue it. Let just see if AK will make an announcement regarding this current set of circumstances. 

 

[audionewbi]

I forgot to add, I know of two 13xxx owners whose unit are still continue to be functional. However I dont think they put the same hours as we do in terms of testing there unit. I had my unit plugged in for a logged time of 623 hours.
Here are the issues I had with my unit:
 

• Poor stock cable: I noticed MMCX issue on early weeks where the sound was periodically cut off. I changed the cable and problem solved. 
• Got shocked while charging my unit: I tend to keep my new gears plugged into a USB HUB charger when I am burning in new gears. It is located on my main desk where I do most of my work. On one occasion where I had the T8iE plugged into my Valoq, while valoq was getting charged via that USB HUB I got a nasty electrical shock. I thought it must have been static charges. That think happen to me again last that day when I had the unit plugged on the same unit, and it was left inside the case for safe keeping. Upon putting on the unit again I got shocked again on the left ear-piece, the side that eventually failed.
• Driver started flexing: On days before the IEM died the driver started flexing. Experience tells me that is a bad sign, and it was. That side which started flexing died. 

 
It appears that the left ear-piece is the problematic side. 

 

[audionewbi]

Please wait for a formal reply from AK and Beyerdynamic. For those who do want to get the T8iE please dont give up, it is worth the wait. 

 

[ysyung]

  I forgot to add, I know of two 13xxx owners whose unit are still continue to be functional. However I dont think they put the same hours as we do in terms of testing there unit. I had my unit plugged in for a logged time of 623 hours.
Here are the issues I had with my unit:
 

• Poor stock cable: I noticed MMCX issue on early weeks where the sound was periodically cut off. I changed the cable and problem solved. 
• Got shocked while charging my unit: I tend to keep my new gears plugged into a USB HUB charger when I am burning in new gears. It is located on my main desk where I do most of my work. On one occasion where I had the T8iE plugged into my Valoq, while valoq was getting charged via that USB HUB I got a nasty electrical shock. I thought it must have been static charges. That think happen to me again last that day when I had the unit plugged on the same unit, and it was left inside the case for safe keeping. Upon putting on the unit again I got shocked again on the left ear-piece, the side that eventually failed.
• Driver started flexing: On days before the IEM died the driver started flexing. Experience tells me that is a bad sign, and it was. That side which started flexing died. 

 
It appears that the left ear-piece is the problematic side. 

Yes! left ear-piece is the problematic side! Till now, I don't think AK and Beyerdynamic are brave enough to tell the truth. Not fair to the customers.... What we can do is just keep on sending it back for repair/exchange a new one; next ending...

 

[Kunlun]

Please wait for a formal reply from AK and Beyerdynamic. For those who do want to get the T8iE please dont give up, it is worth the wait. 

I appreciate your response.

Has there been an attempt to reach out to AK and Beyerdynamic for an official statement?

 

[Orky261]

Yeah I feel so sad, the number of capable high end dynamic driver IEM is so few, you can count the TOTL with 1 hand. I heard Fitear is going to have Fitear R but I don't really like Fitear house sound so I'm a bit skeptical.

 

[audionewbi]

I appreciate your response.

Has there been an attempt to reach out to AK and Beyerdynamic for an official statement?

I've done my best, so has other members. I am told an announcement is expected next week, it will be a jointed announcement. AK and BD are both large company, with a serious following and certainly they will not ignore an event which is more than a handful units. I am certain the right thing will be done by them. On what it is I do not know.

We just have to wait a week or so. 

 

[audionewbi]

  Yeah I feel so sad, the number of capable high end dynamic driver IEM is so few, you can count the TOTL with 1 hand. I heard Fitear is going to have Fitear R but I don't really like Fitear house sound so I'm a bit skeptical.

Fitear is Japan first and there only focus is Japan. Return and lead time is expected to be long, it is one of those brands that worth the wait, but repair and for the case of CIEM remodelling will be one of those things that will likely spoil the entire thing.
 
I love to own the Fitear 333, it is not your traditional Fitear house sound, it is arguably the least colored while remaining true to Fitear art. 
 
PS: I just noticed you own an EX-1000, have you considered getting a balanced cable for it? I will promise you it will surprise you. 

 

[Peter Hyatt]

I've done my best, so has other members. I am told an announcement is expected next week, it will be a jointed announcement. AK and BD are both large company, with a series following and certainly they will not ignore an event which is more than a handful units. I am certain the right thing will be done by them. On what it is I do not know.


We just have to wait a week or so. 

This is really good news.

 

[Orky261]

Woah, now I gotta hold off my possible purchase of Andromeda, hopefully they will honor my 13xxx that is going to be sent for repair.

 

[audionewbi]

What would be sweat is a 50% coupon for crystal cable mmcx upgrade cable.