Audeze EL-8 Closed Version Impressions Thread

[freitz]

I modified my post before you quoted me, but it is my bad anyway, sorry...

If you get some time you should shed some light on your copper silver cable mix here about what you think and what changes for these headphones. I am not the only one looking for a cable.

 

[freitz]

Talking about that cable.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Talking about that cable.

I'll gladly reply, except...DARK SOULS III, so I'll get back to you on this...


The cable is called Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire balanced cable, with custom 3D printed Zync connectors and 2.5 mm TRRS Eidolic headphone jack.

In summary, when it was a single-ended cable last year (3.5 mm Eidolic headphone jack), it was far better than standard Audeze EL8 cable.
Timbre, spatial awareness, transient speeds, airiness...completely amazing when you have a master cable builder (Peter from DHC) creating Litz cables that can reduce noise to vanishing levels and increase signal conductivity for greater detail retrieval.

I asked Peter to re-terminate my cable into balanced in Jan this year after I got the Onkyo DP-X1 DAP.
Everything I wrote above, but add balanced qualities (further reduction in noise and more power from source), and you get EARGASMS.

As soon as I use the standard Audeze cable, it's like I'm putting a massive sponge infront of a window, blocking huge portions of the audio picture.

---

Now, here's something I've touched on before.

Cables do two things, pass a signal and reduce noise.

Noise is itself a sound, and in an audio player chain if it exists, an amplifier will amplify it; no matter how insignificant or near inaudible that noise is, an amplifier is wasting energy amplifying noise.
If you reduce noise, you reduce the unnecessary work an amplifier does amplifying unwanted noise, gain more power reserve for an actual audio signal from a source, and thus greater clarity sonically.

So when I read about cables having sonic traits, I attribute this to being how effective that cable is at noise reduction (what noise is, therefore, existent) and how effective the cable is at passing a signal.
The noise that a cable cannot reduce will be, possibly, audible, and that's the sonic trait when compared to another cable. In other words, to me, a cable's sonic trait is what noise is left behind.

Bear in mind, if a cable is theoretically possible to reduce all noise to 0% (impossible btw), and is a great conductor of electrical signals, then it would have no sonic trait itself, but its presence would be profound.

Peter has already published what I and and those who studied advanced chemistry know already, that conductors are vital for signal transport, but GOLD IS **** for conductivity, far worse than copper and even silver in terms of magnitude.
Gold in a cable is the stupidest thing anyone can do. It will act as a severe tonal control, but due to customers paying for such cables and unscrupulous cable makers making grandiose blurbs about gold as a conductor, placebo and psychological factors will occur; who would say that their very expensive expensive gold/silver cable performs worse?
So, DON'T GET SUCKED INTO GOLD ALLOY CABLES.

That brings me onto my Fusion cables, either my Audeze EL8 Titanium DHC Molecule Elite 4-Wire (Audeze EL8 Titanium), or my DHC Molecule Symbiote SP Fusion 8-Wire balanced (Heir Audio 4.Ai IEM's).
(My DHC Prototype Molecule 4-Wire 25awg copper single-ended cable for AKG K 712 headphones is not going to be added to this post, but it is better than AKG original orange cable).

I bought Fusion cables simply because I couldn't afford pure silver cables.

You see, copper alone is great for conductivity, but add silver and this increases near exponentially, depending on the builders skill of course. This is real science and metallurgy here. Research if you must.

If I had the finances, all my cables would be silver.
In fact I'm working with Peter to create me his flagship pure silver Complement4 8-Wire Audeze EL8 balanced cable terminated in 2.5 mm Eidolic headphone jack, and get some Complement4 adapters.

Anyway, what does that have to do with differences between copper/silver and pure silver?
There's been a notion that silver is a colder, more neutral sounding metal in cables. That's based on reviewers of cables, and physiological references that humans have; copper and gold look warmer than silver.
Silver cables are not analytical or cold per se. They just transmit an electrical signal so well that it can overload our senses. Information retrieval by sheer excellent signal conductivity would be unparalleled to copper/silver or copper alone.

So to answer your question freitz, my copper/silver Fusion cable sounds superior to the Audeze copper cable because it both reduces noise far better and has greater conductivity.
My music sounds clearer and more organic, alive even.

I really hope this all makes sense.

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Oh look, I wrote a wall of text. Guess I won't need to answer your question later

I'm off to play Dark Souls III with my Xbox One Elite Controller, Audeze EL8 Titanium and SubPac S2 seatback tactile bass system ^^

Bye everyone!

 

[Beagle]

   
Hi P,
 
I just compared (an hour ago) the Sine vs EL-8 Titaniums. I'm not good at articulating sonic characteristics but the thing I can tell you is that I'm returning the Sine. 

 
 
Edit: I should add that one of the factors that influenced my decision was that the Sine didn't sit too well on my ears. 

 
 

  From what I read. EL-8C has larger sound stage for sure both sound good. I can't go into much more detail then that as I have not tested them myself.

 
 

Morning setup

1. Audeze EL8 Titanium
2. Onkyo DP-X1 in High Gain, balanced AGC mode
3. DHC Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire balanced cable

Music:

1. Underworld's 'Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future' (the track 'If Rah' sounds KILLER!):

 
How does it sound with "Jumbo"?
 
 

   
How's the sound of the new EL-8C versus the SINE ? 
 
Thanks

 
I'd say the "new" EL8C is like a chocolate cream pie and that the SINE is like General Tso's chicken.

 

[obsidyen]

How is EDM with EL 8 Ti/CB 2016?

 

[TheOneInYellow]

How is EDM with EL 8 Ti/CB 2016?

BLOODY GLORIOUS! \m/
You can feel the planar drivers energise the air around your ears and be buffeted by glorious, textured bass drops that are wicked fast!

Pic's taken and posted on Twitter and FB over these last few weeks; Noisia's 'Split the Atom', The Prodigy's 'The Fat of the Land', Moderat's 'Moderat III', Pendulum's 'Immersion', and Disclosure's 'Caracal' album.

Source:
Onkyo DP-X1 digital audio player in High Gain, balanced ACG mode.

Headphones:
Audeze EL8 Titanium (part of the 2016 EL8 series).

Headphone Cable:
Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire balanced cable.

 

[obsidyen]

Thanks, I hope Apple Stores in Istanbul start selling EL 8 Ti soon...

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Thanks, I hope Apple Stores in Istanbul start selling EL 8 Ti soon...

No problem! ^^

If you can't get to try the Audeze EL8 Titanium, try the 2016 EL8 CB model (check the latter's certificate of authenticity to make sure it's 2016, or certified after November 2015).

 

[freitz]

I am looking for some advice. I was considering the mojo for my EL-8's and IEM's (Shure 535's) for travel but I have the deckard at home and feel like the mojo wouldn't get enough use for just airplane and beach time. Can someone recommend something over similar performance for travel? Needs to be able to be used from iphone 6 plus and macbook retina 2015.
 
Thanks.

 

[MikeRight]

I am looking for some advice. I was considering the mojo for my EL-8's and IEM's (Shure 535's) for travel but I have the deckard at home and feel like the mojo wouldn't get enough use for just airplane and beach time. Can someone recommend something over similar performance for travel? Needs to be able to be used from iphone 6 plus and macbook retina 2015.
 
Thanks.

People talk so well about Oppo HA2.
Xduoo xd-05 could be a good option too.

 

[freitz]

People talk so well about Oppo HA2.
Xduoo xd-05 could be a good option too.

Good enough to drive both headphones?

 

[MikeRight]

Pretty sure about it through direct opinions of owners. But if you are searching portability, Oppo could be a better option because of form factor and battery.

But take into account I am talking about opinions of third parties. I could not listen any of them.

 

[freitz]

Pretty sure about it through direct opinions of owners. But if you are searching portability, Oppo could be a better option because of form factor and battery.

But take into account I am talking about opinions of third parties. I could not listen any of them.

Think Ill check the oppo out for my trip worth a shot. Half the cost.
 
Also better to do lighting port to usb or optical out?

 

[chontler]

Think Ill check the oppo out for my trip worth a shot. Half the cost.

Also better to do lighting port to usb or optical out?

From the iPhone I've had some pretty good results with a Herus dac and the audioquest dragonfly. They both give a pretty good volume boost and run from my 6s via the cck with no issues.

 

[MikeRight]

Think Ill check the oppo out for my trip worth a shot. Half the cost.

Also better to do lighting port to usb or optical out?

From the iPhone I've had some pretty good results with a Herus dac and the audioquest dragonfly. They both give a pretty good volume boost and run from my 6s via the cck with no issues.

What do you do at the end?