[SilentFrequency]

omg, has anyone else noticed that Oppo have a closed bk portable planar magnetic headphone called the pm3?

I think the closed bk el8 will compete against this but may struggle potentially as its nearly double the cost of the pm3.

 

[Gilly87]

I'm guessing there's a reason it costs twice as much and while I've never heard the PM3, I can say for sure that the EL8s are on or above the level of my T90 in terms of technical ability, so its priced appropriately.

omg, has anyone else noticed that Oppo have a closed bk portable planar magnetic headphone called the pm3?

I think the closed bk el8 will compete against this but may struggle potentially as its nearly double the cost of the pm3.

 

[SilentFrequency]

I'm guessing there's a reason it costs twice as much and while I've never heard the PM3, I can say for sure that the EL8s are on or above the level of my T90 in terms of technical ability, so its priced appropriately.

I'm not so sure cost is necessarily related directly to technical ability, though I guess it's easy to perhaps assume maybe?

I'd guess that some may find the pm3 more favourable to the el8 and vice versa regardless of cost and percieved sq expectations, but I think its individually subjective ultimately?

 

[knowhatimean]

Is there anything in this hobby (if you've gone as far to post about things on a forum) that isn't "individually subjective" ????
 
If there is any "trick" to learning things through these forums , it's not taking your own opinions as the "last word" in whatever your speaking of.
 
(Sorry, for the "Grandpop" moment ; wait you'll start having these moments after you pass 60 !) (Heh,heh heh)

 

[Gilly87]

I totally disagree! I think people should trust their own ears. If someone wants to listen out of their iPhone, and has tried abunch of stuff and decides they like the sound of EL8s out of their iPhone the best, why shouldn't they go on listening to what makes them happy?

Is there anything in this hobby (if you've gone as far to post about things on a forum) that isn't "individually subjective" ????

If there is any "trick" to learning things through these forums , it's not taking your own opinions as the "last word" in whatever your speaking of.

(Sorry, for the "Grandpop" moment ; wait you'll start having these moments after you pass 60 !) (Heh,heh heh)

 

[Gilly87]

With a few exceptions, my observation has been that price of a headphone from a respected manufacturer is usually proportional to its sound quality relative to other models with similar levels of technical ability/overall realism (IE within a range of about 25% of the street price of competing cans at the time of launch), and settled therein based on the relative availability of cans that share its driver type, features, and signature in the price range. The EL8 seems to slot in nicely with, perhaps a bit above (though that might be my personal tastes talking) the newer category of ~$500-$700 upper-midrange cans like the HD700, T90, and HE500 in terms of technical ability, and since its the only one that has a slightly bass-oriented, largely neutral signature, like its older siblings, it makes sense that its priced in the upper-middle of that price bracket.

Well, some things are absolute. The LCD3s will always be more detailed than the EL8s. The HD800 will always have more treble than the HD650 (assuming no EQ and same source).

That said, everyone's ears are different, literally and figuratively. I tend to think people's individual aural anatomy acts as a kind of filter, and probably plays a big role in what sounds "neutral" to each one of us individually. And on top of that, we all have different tastes in how we like to hear music; some people like more bass, others like more treble.

So yeah, there are absolutes, but "what sounds good" is totally a personal thing.

I'm not so sure cost is necessarily related directly to technical ability, though I guess it's easy to perhaps assume maybe?

I'd guess that some may find the pm3 more favourable to the el8 and vice versa regardless of cost and percieved sq expectations, but I think its individually subjective ultimately?

 

[SilentFrequency]

Is there anything in this hobby (if you've gone as far to post about things on a forum) that isn't "individually subjective" ????

If there is any "trick" to learning things through these forums , it's not taking your own opinions as the "last word" in whatever your speaking of.

(Sorry, for the "Grandpop" moment ; wait you'll start having these moments after you pass 60 !) (Heh,heh heh)

I totally get your points but I think there is definitely one thing that all hfrs agree upon that is the final word -

music is awesome

 

[Datstrayan]

I totally get your points but I think there is definitely one thing that all hfrs agree upon that is the final word -

music is awesome

Amen.

 

[SilentFrequency]

Amen.

Hi

Loved your first post (the edited one as I nearly died reading the original non paragraphed one).

Great intro to your audio journey, mine is more quirky/accidental thrown in at the deep end but I think you've found the right place to learn as I am.

Welcome to HF

 

[Datstrayan]

Hi

Loved your first post (the edited one as I nearly died reading the original non paragraphed one).

Great intro to your audio journey, mine is more quirky/accidental thrown in at the deep end but I think you've found the right place to learn as I am.

Welcome to HF

Thanks for the warm welcome . and yeah totally died when i re read the non-paragraphed so you weren't alone there xD. 

 

[warrenpchi]

 

And FWIW guys, I have never heard any iteration of [what is now] the EL-8 open-backed that I would call bass light.  

  If there is such a unit out there, I would most certainly classify it as an aberration.

I guess Tyll Hertsens heard the aberration?

 
It's very possible.  

  To the best of my knowledge, there are no final-tuning versions of the EL-8 (whether open or closed) anywhere in the world right now.  And the pair that Tyll heard could easily have been a singular unit that is farther away from the expected final tuning than most.
 
Whatever the case may be,  I think it would be a good thing of we all take a little chill pill to gain some perspective.  Or, alternatively, we can just keep going on as we have been, as this thread is tremendously fun (for me) to read.  It - in spirit if not in form - reminds me of...
 

 

[Gilly87]

Preach!
 
Quote:

I totally get your points but I think there is definitely one thing that all hfrs agree upon that is the final word -

music is awesome

 
 

 
Amen.

 

[Gilly87]

Exactly how I felt when I saw the price tag on the EL-8 after hearing it XD
 
Quote:

   
It's very possible.  

  To the best of my knowledge, there are no final-tuning versions of the EL-8 (whether open or closed) anywhere in the world right now.  And the pair that Tyll heard could easily have been a singular unit that is farther away from the expected final tuning than most.
 
Whatever the case may be,  I think it would be a good thing of we all take a little chill pill to gain some perspective.  Or, alternatively, we can just keep going on as we have been, as this thread is tremendously fun (for me) to read.  It - in spirit if not in form - reminds me of...
 

 

[SilentFrequency]

It's very possible.     To the best of my knowledge, there are no final-tuning versions of the EL-8 (whether open or closed) anywhere in the world right now.  And the pair that Tyll heard could easily have been a singular unit that is farther away from the expected final tuning than most.

Whatever the case may be,  I think it would be a good thing of we all take a little chill pill to gain some perspective.  Or, alternatively, we can just keep going on as we have been, as this thread is tremendously fun (for me) to read.  It - in spirit if not in form - reminds me of...

lol

(Supermarket cow)

 

[Gilly87]

All I can say is, I'm rooting for the final tuning being a just *slightly* more fun version of the traditional LCD sound sig. That appears to be the MO among these demi-flagship cans - T90 is a more affordable, more colored version of the T1 with lower impedance; HD700 is a less expensive, more fun version of the HD800 with lower impedance; HE560 is a lower cost, warmer, easier-to-drive variant of the HE-6 sound (BTW I doubt it's a coincidence that the EL8 MSRP is below that of the HE560; capitalism at its finest!)...
 
...anyone else see this pattern or am I going schizo 

 
In a sentence, I think more people, other than just the ultra-critical, detail-obsessed listeners, are started to get interested in real high fidelity, and the manufacturers are taking notice.
 
And I couldn't be happier, because I'M ONE OF THEM! ^_____^