[DavidA]

   
Again, not to create a discussion, but looks like you do believe in break-in 

 

Still don't believe in burn-in, to me the EL8 was an one off happening, and based on all the problems it had with drivers its a reasonable reason IMO.

 

[Chikolad]

So I ended up buying the closed backs today and they're amazing even before any break in!

 

[Soundizer]

Do the EL8 sound better after burn in?

My brand new new EL8's don't sound anywhere as good as the Dealer Demo pair which had over 100hours run time.

Only 5minutes run in time on my EL8's.

Th

 

[fumanshu]

Mine sound a lot better. I have approx. 150-200 hours on it. It sounds much more open than at the beginning.

 

[DavidA]

Do the EL8 sound better after burn in?

My brand new new EL8's don't sound anywhere as good as the Dealer Demo pair which had over 100hours run time.

Only 5minutes run in time on my EL8's.

Th

Since mine are the original and not the newer driver revision take this with a grain of salt: mine changed from dark/warm to warmish after about 50 hours, after about 150 hours it was warm/neutral, and after 250+ hours its settled in almost neutral with a nice sub-bass and clean extended highs.

 

[thyname]

Proud owner of Audeze EL-8 Titanium!

Just got a TEAC UD-503 Amp/ DAC. Eager to try my headphones in Balanced mode.

The official Audeze balanced cable on their website has 2.5 mm plugs. However , Teac has dual 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) balanced inputs. A search on Amazon for an adapter (2.5 mm female / 1/4 inch male) came up with nothing.

What do I do?

 

[DavidA]

Proud owner of Audeze EL-8 Titanium!

Just got a TEAC UD-503 Amp/ DAC. Eager to try my headphones in Balanced mode.

The official Audeze balanced cable on their website has 2.5 mm plugs. However , Teac has dual 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) balanced inputs. A search on Amazon for an adapter (2.5 mm female / 1/4 inch male) came up with nothing.

What do I do?

You might have to have one custom made and haven't seen anything like what you are looking for.  A problem might be getting the EL8 connectors, haven't seen them for sale anywhere.  2.5mm female jacks are also not very common so it might be hard to even do a custom cable.  You might want to try PETEREK, he does some great work.

 

[thyname]

You might have to have one custom made and haven't seen anything like what you are looking for.  A problem might be getting the EL8 connectors, haven't seen them for sale anywhere.  2.5mm female jacks are also not very common so it might be hard to even do a custom cable.  You might want to try PETEREK, he does some great work.

I believe that the 2.5 mm plug indicated on Audeze website for their Balanced cable is a typo/ mistake:

https://www.audeze.com/products/accessories/el-8-balanced-cable-pono-sony-pha-3

It is 3.5 mm. I am confirming with Audeze.

That is the way to go, plus a couple of 3.5 mm to 1/4" adapters from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JISD12I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Soundizer]

The EL8 Titanium are really well designed physically and you can see BMW Designworks showing off there talent.

It is amazing when you see headphones costing 3-4 times as much that are so poorly designed, even though they might sound great.

 

[taxiq]

I believe that the 2.5 mm plug indicated on Audeze website for their Balanced cable is a typo/ mistake:

https://www.audeze.com/products/accessories/el-8-balanced-cable-pono-sony-pha-3

It is 3.5 mm. I am confirming with Audeze.

That is the way to go, plus a couple of 3.5 mm to 1/4" adapters from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JISD12I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You're right.  Have the balanced cable for the Pono/Sony and it has the 3.5 mm termination and fits the ubiquitous 3.5 to 1/4" adapter the comes standard with cans.
 
gl

 

[davehutch]

I listened to the Open Back EL-8 on Saturday and it was the first time I'd heard an Open Backed 'phone. I auditioned it alongside my own NAD HP50, the Shure 1540 and the Oppo PM-3.
It was a demo model so I assume it had a good few hours of burn-in but I found the sound to be SO different to what I was used to, I felt I could never get used to it.
Almost no extension in either direction and very "disconnected" sound.
I was expecting this massive soundstage and full range frequencies but I just didn't get either.
I was running them from a Macbook Pro and a Grace Design m9xx DAC/Amp
 
Do I have have unrealistic expectations of an open-backed headphone? Is it because I was listening to it alongside closed backs? I'm a bit confused 

 

 

[taxiq]

  I listened to the Open Back EL-8 on Saturday and it was the first time I'd heard an Open Backed 'phone. I auditioned it alongside my own NAD HP50, the Shure 1540 and the Oppo PM-3.
It was a demo model so I assume it had a good few hours of burn-in but I found the sound to be SO different to what I was used to, I felt I could never get used to it.
Almost no extension in either direction and very "disconnected" sound.
I was expecting this massive soundstage and full range frequencies but I just didn't get either.
I was running them from a Macbook Pro and a Grace Design m9xx DAC/Amp
 
Do I have have unrealistic expectations of an open-backed headphone? Is it because I was listening to it alongside closed backs? I'm a bit confused 

 

What you seem to have heard is somewhat like my experience when my old El-8's were replaced with a brand new pair on warranty.  (Audeze really treated me great, old pair had head strap joint break, thought they would send me a replacement part, instead Audeze sent to new, current, set.  How cool is that.)  The new EL-8's sounded soft and lacking in vitality.  As is standard practice, hook them to a DAP and let them be driven for a week.   After break in, real improvement.  Have better cans but they need real amps so for walking around  with a DAP/Amp the El-8's do just fine.  
 
gl

 

[davehutch]

Thanks, that's good to know. I should get a chance to hear a different pair at a different shop tomorrow so I'll ask how much use they've had

 

[DavidA]

  I listened to the Open Back EL-8 on Saturday and it was the first time I'd heard an Open Backed 'phone. I auditioned it alongside my own NAD HP50, the Shure 1540 and the Oppo PM-3.
It was a demo model so I assume it had a good few hours of burn-in but I found the sound to be SO different to what I was used to, I felt I could never get used to it.
Almost no extension in either direction and very "disconnected" sound.
I was expecting this massive soundstage and full range frequencies but I just didn't get either.
I was running them from a Macbook Pro and a Grace Design m9xx DAC/Amp
 
Do I have have unrealistic expectations of an open-backed headphone? Is it because I was listening to it alongside closed backs? I'm a bit confused 

 

The EL8 when through a driver revision in Dec 2015-Jan 2016 so its important to know which one you heard.  Mine are the original pre-Dec 2015 version and sound different from the ones that I heard at the apple store a few months ago.  Differences are the newer ones at the apple store were brighter and borderline harsh with some tracks, and a touch leaner over all, mine have a nice bass extension but don't have the same extended highs like the newer ones I've heard but then its never harsh either.

 

[davehutch]

Thanks, that's also good to know. I shall ask the question. I do think maybe I need to give them more time to get my brain used to the open backed presentation. I will have my work cut out tomorrow though, as I'll be listening to the EL-8 (open and closed), denon AH-D7200, Audioquest Nightowl and the iSine 20 as I can't pass up a chance to have a listen to those!