[SomeGuyDude]

The vali is good because the EL-8 really do not need a lot of power and I feel like a big burly Lyr would be overkill. You're gonna use a fraction of what that can put out. I used a Lyr with my LCD-2 and it was a match made in heaven, I'd definitely argue the Vali is similar with the EL-8.

 

[inthere]

  What is a good amp for these? I currently have a magni+modi stack for my HE-400 and looking to get these. I have been thinking of upgrading my stack to a vali 2 or asgard so curious if these benefit better from tube or SS amp. Any thoughts?

Your Magni Modi stack is great and will be plenty for the EL-8. 

 

[zambz]

I'm rediscovering music I haven't listened to for years on the EL-8s.
 
Have a listen to Jewel's "Hands".  This song really shows what the EL-8 can do.  You will swear that she is standing right in front of you.  The track really shows the amazing soundstage, treble extension and warmth that this headphone has on offer.
 
Sadly the recording is mastered a bit hot, you'll hear the slight tape / tube saturation in the chorus, every little subtle detail of it.

 

[Jeremy]

I have the EL-8 Titanium which is their recently updated closed version with their DSP/DAC/AMP built into their lightning cable for iOS devices. It is incredibly good sound quality coming out of my iPhone and iPad - transparent and spacious, deep, tight base, clear highs with no shrill, superb imaging. I sold my Ultrasone Edition 8 after hearing these and realizing they were better, at least to my ears.
 
Good thing I bought them before reading through this and other threads. So many negative reviews, especially for the closed version. Maybe there is significant variation in sound quality between pairs or maybe they have ironed out the flaws in this updated model. Whatever it is, these new EL-8s sound amazing through their lightning cable and are my new go-to headphones for travel. Highly recommended.

 

[inthere]

  I have the EL-8 Titanium which is their recently updated closed version with their DSP/DAC/AMP built into their lightning cable for iOS devices. It is incredibly good sound quality coming out of my iPhone and iPad - transparent and spacious, deep, tight base, clear highs with no shrill, superb imaging. I sold my Ultrasone Edition 8 after hearing these and realizing they were better, at least to my ears.
 
Good thing I bought them before reading through this and other threads. So many negative reviews, especially for the closed version. Maybe there is significant variation in sound quality between pairs or maybe they have ironed out the flaws in this updated model. Whatever it is, these new EL-8s sound amazing through their lightning cable and are my new go-to headphones for travel. Highly recommended.

Do you know if they're similar sonically to the previous EL-8C?

 

[Jeremy]

The Titanium model is the only EL-8s I have heard so unable to offer any comparison. Sorry.

 

[zambz]

I let my brother listen to the open EL-8s today.  He's a regular non-audio geek who owns a pair of Bose QC25s and likes his bass (he likes hip hop).  He actually didn't like the open EL-8s, commenting on the narrow soundstage and how it felt like the vocalist was in his head, hehe.  I explained that these aren't the widest imaging headphones but they also can't work miracles, they are after all on your ears and in close proximity, hehe.
 
He wanted more bass (naturally, having had subs in his car growing up and now having a 5.1 system with a sub).  Come to think of it, the bass quantity really doesn't get much higher in open back audiophile headphones anyway, perhaps the LCD-2 or LCD-3 would be the most.  For bassheads, we all know that closed back headphones are the way to go really.
 
In a final plea (hehe), I told him to pay attention to the snare and kick drum punch of the song "Forever" by "Rascal Flatts".  This was the first time he started to "get it".  And he commented that this was the song that brought them to life the most.  This particular song for me is a great test of transient response because the drums are super punchy and the treble is very extended and any roll off is easily apparent.  The EL-8s and LCD-2Fs sounded amazing with this song and really showed off their speed.  You can also hear a little bass thump with the chords at the start of the song (before the drums) which show the extension and again, the speed of the EL-8s.
 
It's really hard to explain this stuff to anyone who hasn't explored it themselves, and ultimately, everyone assumes that a $1000 (AU) headphone will magically turn everything to gold.  I think it's ideal to give people a preface before they listen, and help them understand what they're listening for.  The real test is an A/B test with other headphones and even speaker systems, that's when you notice what others are hiding or misrepresenting

 

[inthere]

  It's really hard to explain this stuff to anyone who hasn't explored it themselves, and ultimately, everyone assumes that a $1000 (AU) headphone will magically turn everything to gold.  I think it's ideal to give people a preface before they listen, and help them understand what they're listening for.  The real test is an A/B test with other headphones and even speaker systems, that's when you notice what others are hiding or misrepresenting

 
 A $1000 headphone actually does turn everything to gold by rolling off bass and boosting treble-all of them do it. The real test is doing a spectrum/frequency analysis of the song then comparing it to what you're hearing. The way I did it was I ran some songs through a binaural mic that I built and compared them to the original records to see the frequency differences. What we measured backed up what we heard and that's how we arrived at the headphone we used for the album. 
 
My EL-8C is musical bliss even though I know it's not accurate or neutral, then again I have over 40 headphones and only one of them is neutral, yet I love them all. 

 

[sparkofinsanity]

  I have the EL-8 Titanium which is their recently updated closed version with their DSP/DAC/AMP built into their lightning cable for iOS devices. It is incredibly good sound quality coming out of my iPhone and iPad - transparent and spacious, deep, tight base, clear highs with no shrill, superb imaging.

Does anyone know when they will start selling this lightning cable so the rest of us with EL-8's can buy it?

 

[inthere]

  Does anyone know when they will start selling this lightning cable so the rest of us with EL-8's can buy it?

 
 Can we actually use it with our EL-8's though? The Titaniums have a built in DAC/amp

 

[wdh777]

   
 Can we actually use it with our EL-8's though? The Titaniums have a built in DAC/amp

I thought the amp/dac for the titanium's was actually built into the chord vs the headphones so I always assumed you will be able to just purchase the chord at some point and it will work.

 

[inthere]

Hmmm, it's called the "Cypher" cable and yes, it has a DAC/amp AND it's Siri compatible.

 

[ryanhart72]

I emailed Audeze and the Cypher cable will be available as a standalone purchase in late February/early March for $149.

 

[Scorpion667]

Purchased these from Apple Store today. Unboxed them and loved listening to them for a couple hours before noticing this:
 

 
 
I know the first gen had questionable QC and judging by the minuscule nicks in the paint right out of the box it very well could be. The box had a considerable amount of dust on it when they dug it out the back. Dammit!
 
I predict zero issues in getting a full refund from the Apple Store however I will need a better source for obtaining a later batch EL-8C in Canada. I'll hit up Headfoneshop

 

[nephilim32]

Purchased these from Apple Store today. Unboxed them and loved listening to them for a couple hours before noticing this:





I know the first gen had questionable QC and judging by the minuscule nicks in the paint right out of the box it very well could be. The box had a considerable amount of dust on it when they dug it out the back. Dammit!

I predict zero issues in getting a full refund from the Apple Store however I will need a better source for obtaining a later batch EL-8C in Canada. I'll hit up Headfoneshop

Yeah. Absolutely. If I saw that 'nick' I'd take them back as well. That's unfair. Also, you got them at the Apple Store? Wow. Had no idea they carry such a headphone...thought they just had ****ty beats. Lol.
Anyhow, yeah go see Charles at the headphoneshop. He is a good guy. He'll have them for you. I plan to buy an AK JR from him soon.