[Stillhart]

   
I'm pretty interested in these cans. Hopefully the closed version is a solid performer. As someone who builds his own cables, I looked at the new proprietary connector and wanted to punch a wall. Seems like a number of companies are trying to make their own connectors so they can peddle their cables to the consumers. While I enjoy making cables, I don't enjoy having 10+ cables hanging around because the industry can't stick to a standard. They'll probably charge an obscene amount for raw connectors until something comes out on Lunashops. 
 
Still, I'm interested to see how the connector performs and real progress in terms of performance is always welcome. 

 
Personally, if I cared enough about custom cables, I think this would be a perfectly valid reason to boycott this product.  I think that, unless they can provide some really good backup as to why they use this connector, the obvious conclusion is to screw the consumer be able to sell their own replacement cables at monopoly rates.  Being at the receiving end of that is never pleasant and a very good reason to boycott IMO.
 
That said, I don't care about custom cables.  I assume that if I get this headphone, I won't need a replacement cable anytime soon and, by the time I do, there should be some cheap Chinese alternatives on eBay.

 

[EddieE]

Personally, if I cared enough about custom cables, I think this would be a perfectly valid reason to boycott this product.  I think that, unless they can provide some really good backup as to why they use this connector, the obvious conclusion is to screw the consumer be able to sell their own replacement cables at monopoly rates.  Being at the receiving end of that is never pleasant and a very good reason to boycott IMO.

That said, I don't care about custom cables.  I assume that if I get this headphone, I won't need a replacement cable anytime soon and, by the time I do, there should be some cheap Chinese alternatives on eBay.

The majority of people who buy headphones, even expensive headphones will never change the cable unless there is a fault.

Saying it hits the consumer... well its a very small segment of the consumer it will ever effect.

For the majority the cable that comes with the phones is the one they will use in perpetuity, so if Audeze have made a connecter that is smaller, easier to remove and plug in, is higher quality etc - it benefits the majority.

Of course I feel bad for the poster above who makes his own cables as a hobby, it sucks for him that there is potentially something getting in the way of doing something he enjoys.

That said, the majority will benefit from a better connector, and you can't hold progress back.

Maybe people who care should email Audeze and ask them to consider selling raw connectors for DIY hobbists.

As far as the snake cable sharks go, I'm not going to shed a tear...

 

[Neo Zuko]

I'm often more concerned with the feel, microphonics, durability, detachability, and remote functions of my cables than how they can be improved sound wise. If this cable type does all that well then I'm all in for a new connector. I trust that a headphone design worth it's salt would not choose to bottleneck the sound with a cable that wastes all the R&D of the headphone and limits its potential in a significant way. What's left is possible minor tweaking that is expensive and has questionable worth to me. However I don't know for sure as I've never bought expensive cables.

 

[YtseJamer]

  Hifiguy528's sneak peak of the open-back EL-8. 

 

 
Wow! I want them!

 

[mrip541]

   
 
* Like XC, closed version has a treble spike, except it is worse than XC to my ears. Not good.
 
 

 
This is seriously disappointing. I'd be very interested to hear more about this from anyone at CES.

 

[Neo Zuko]

Aren't all closed-back headphones inherently compromised? I honestly kind of expect that at this point. I decided to go for the open-back EL-8 for this very reason.

 

[Jeb Listens]

  Hifiguy528's sneak peak of the open-back EL-8. 

 

wow that dude wearing the headphones definitely thinks they're something special.   "Rewriting the rules of engagement".  From the two videos seems like we can infer that the sound is pretty revolutionary for a headphone that can be driven right out of a smartphone jack.   Or at least they think so. 

 

[Neo Zuko]

They most likely punch above their weight.

 

[Stillhart]

Aren't all closed-back headphones inherently compromised? I honestly kind of expect that at this point. I decided to go for the open-back EL-8 for this very reason.

 
I don't know about that.  I expect more bass punch from closed cans, not more treble...

 

[TMRaven]

Closed backs have a seemingly universal coloration where the mid-bass and upper-midrange around 2-3khz are emphasized, while lower midrange around 3-500hz is recessed.  Of course all sorts of bad things can happen in the treble too.  I expected that out of the XC and got it, I expect it out of the EL-8 closed as well, unless Audeze really improved their damping schemes.

 

[Neo Zuko]

That and they must not be easy to scale well beyond a certain point. After $300 we start to get a lot of vented to open cans as the thing that improves the sound.

 

[cute]

 

  Hifiguy528's sneak peak of the open-back EL-8. 

 
 

wow that dude wearing the headphones definitely thinks they're something special.   "Rewriting the rules of engagement".  From the two videos seems like we can infer that the sound is pretty revolutionary for a headphone that can be driven right out of a smartphone jack.   Or at least they think so. 

 
That "dude" would know for sure......that's Mike Mercer!

 

[Stillhart]

The Mad Dogs have anything but crazy treble.  They ones I tried were super dark/warm.  I hear the higher end ones are more balanced, though I haven't heard one.  I'd be curious how the EL-8C compares to the similarly-priced Alpha Dog.
 
EDIT - Who's Mike Mercer?

 

[Jeb Listens]

double post. 

 

[Jeb Listens]

 
Quote:

   
That "dude" would know for sure......that's Mike Mercer!

 
lol no offence intended, I'm new to headphones so unfamiliar with the celebrities.