[dxanex]

  Somehow it's almost always the negative voices that are the loudest.. Although I do agree that I'd prefer an all black version.

I'm not going to say I hate it, but I am on the fence with the light wood veneer- especially seeing it on Jude's head. The dark wood veneer looks much better IMO, and if it is indeed offered with the open back that's the one I'd go for...

 

[ajreynol]

sign me up.

 

[EddieE]

 
I'm not going to say I hate it, but I am on the fence with the light wood veneer- especially seeing it on Jude's head. The dark wood veneer looks much better IMO, and if it is indeed offered with the open back that's the one I'd go for...

 
Ultimately if it was the right product in terms of SQ, comfort and application, I would buy it if it was comically ugly.
 
That said, we do have some possibility of influencing Audeze with our feedback at this point (unless they have already manufactured their stock) and the light grain against dark metal?
 
The most charitable we could be would be to say it has split opinion. So why bother with it?
 
People seeing headphones on others heads advertises them as much as any other kind of marketing. If it seems 50% of people don't like one colour (and that's conservative) why persevere with it? Even those saying they don't mind it are saying they prefer the dark veneer, or would like a plain metal version. 
 
If they make 50% of stock in dark and 50% of stock in light, my guess is that the dark will sell out quick and then many will wait for more darks to be produced. $700 is a great price, but it's still a lot to spend on something you don't like the look of.  
 
Would they sell more if they made 100% dark, or 50% dark and 50% plain metal? I reckon they would.

 

[TMRaven]

The light veneer version does look dorky on Jude's head.  Or rather, Jude looks dorky wearing the light veneer version.

 

[madwolfa]

  The light veneer version does look dorky on Jude's head.  Or rather, Jude looks dorky wearing the light veneer version.

 
So we have a winner pairing here - douchey Chord Hugo with dorky EL-8. 

 

 

[Barry S]

The veneer is in a channel around the enclosure--it would look odd not including anything.  Leopard skin? Swarovski crystals? 24K gold?

 

[JackarlTwo]

The dark wood on the closed looks really nice.

 

[dxanex]

Anyway it's kind of a moot point for me because as others have stated, I'd never wear these out and about anyway even if they were the stealthiest matte black imaginable. They are too big and heavy for me to consider them "portable". Still, the more I look at the dark veneer the more I like it.

 

[Lorspeaker]

  I might be flamed for this, but Jude looks silly with the EL-8 on his head. I really don't like the cheap-looking wood accent on this headphone. It would have looked much better if it was black chrome or titanium. 

 
i will burn with u... that veneer or zebra-stripe looks odd from the front ( insert any face) ;
otherwise it is a home run in terms of the overall shape.
Thats alot of fastpaced sciencespeak in that video...
where is Hifiguy528.. i need to hear his " thats v nice" video

 

[sling5s]

$699
http://www.head-fi.org/t/749525/new-audeze-el-8#post_11194995

 

[YtseJamer]

  Still, the more I look at the dark veneer the more I like it.

 
X2.  The version with the light veneer is ugly but I like the one with the dark veneer.

 

[TMRaven]

The dark veneer closed-back one definitely looks way better.  It also doesn't have that drainage hole audeze grill.

 

[Firmestpiano]

Think the design is no more than OK compared to what's out there already. Oval shaped headphones are just, ugh...

 

[mrip541]

I could not care less what they look like as long as they have the best sound for the money.

 

[Barry S]

The CES show floor has been open for over 20 minutes and no reports yet? I seem to remember a distinct lack of user reports from CES last year. Anyone there today?