[SilentFrequency]

Mike, the most important thing for you to tell us is how they rate in the 700 buck range as compared to other headphones in the same category. Everyone here want to know how they rate against the HD-700, Sony Z7, HE-560, Oppo PM2/3 and the like. Is it really worth the asking price of 700 and how does it hold up to the other headphones in its class.

From your first impressions I may want to wait till the LCD-XC is modified to become lighter with the graphite headband instead of buying the EL-8 closed headphones. Although I may be waiting maybe months or years before the XC becomes lighter. 

I would totally love to read a comparison between the el8 and the Oppo pm3!

 

[goldendarko]

I would totally love to read a comparison between the el8 and the Oppo pm3!

Ditto, I would be willing to accept lower sound quality if it's better for portable use (cheaper, lighter, easier to drive, etc.)

 

[YtseJamer]

I would totally love to read a comparison between the el8 and the Oppo pm3!

 
$399 vs $699 

 
Here's a comment that I have found about the bass of the PM-3 vs the EL-8.
 
BTW, the new Oppo HA-2 will be a cool device to drive the EL-8 on the road.
 
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/02/oppo-ha-2-portable-dac-and-headphone-amplifier-review/
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlvOodQil8c#t=239  

 

[money4me247]

note you will be able to buy the oppo pm3+ha2 portable amp/dac ($399+299) for the same price as the el8.

pm3 will be a lot smaller in size and a lot lighter. (lighter than all ofher current oppo models which are alrdy among the lightest orthos on the market)

 

[YtseJamer]

 
the've broken-in to the point where now - they exude that organic, textural, velvety mids of the 2s - not to the same degree - which they shouldn't - but lets say a high percentage.
 
The bass has also completely opened-up.

 
Thanks for the feedback Mike.
 
Would you say that the bass is now deep and well extended like on the LCD-2 or that the bass is deep and extended but not to the level of the LCD-2 ? How close in percentage ?

 

[YtseJamer]

note you will be able to buy the oppo pm3+ha2 portable amp/dac ($399+299) for the same price as the el8.

pm3 will be a lot smaller in size and a lot lighter. (lighter than all ofher current oppo models which are alrdy among the lightest orthos on the market)

 
Yes it's a very good point... 

 

[gnarlsagan]

  OK - firstly - to THIS:
 
My first sub-column under Sonic Satori:
Impressions Sessions:
Audezes' Transcendent EL-8
 
At $699 bucks, a first for this Music Addict

 
should be up soon - it's being copy-edited RIGHT NOW
and I used a few systems - listed all the gear - and then did a couple track-by-track impressions per system...
 
So lets ALL remember fellas - the EL-8 (I so wish they didn't have the hyphen now, more than ever) - shoulda been "EL8" so people would naturally say "elate"
 
Also: I've been up for 2 days - finishing that piece, so I'm admittedly loopy - but after using multiple systems and doing track-by-track impressions of the open-back EL-8s, and then switching to my LCD-2 w/ Fazor, LCD-X, and then LCD-XC - I'm glad to say I'm still stickin' to the opinion that, while I'm going to do the comparisons - this was NOT designed to take the place of ANY LCD - it's $699 bucks!
 
That said -(and as said in my up-coming Impressions Sessions piece): They've most definitely got LCD DNA - like my John Cooperworks Mini has BMW DNA.
But - the've broken-in to the point where now - they exude that organic, textural, velvety mids of the 2s - not to the same degree - which they shouldn't - but lets say a high percentage.
 
The bass has also completely opened-up.
 
I'm rockin' Plastikman's EXposed (Dubfire Remix) via Amarra Symphony on my MacBook Pro SSD - and the new ALO International+ w/ the EL-8s and I can't believe the full-bodied-ness of the sway in this club-banger - on this lil' amp!! HOLY S___! This is a first-class amp/DAC fellas, at least through its USB DAC input - DAAAMMMN.
 
It sounds like a desktop unit!
I know - it sounds crazy - and today that maybe true - but its FUN...
 

 
Hey Mike, are the EL-8 mids more forward, less forward, or equally forward compared to the LCD-2 and/or LCD-X? If the mids of the EL-8 are different, how are they different? Are they warmer or cooler, for example? Thanks for any specifics you can offer regarding this. 

 

[bmichels]

  .... I've been up for 2 days - finishing that piece, so I'm admittedly loopy - but after using multiple systems and doing track-by-track impressions of the open-back EL-8s, and then switching to my LCD-2 w/ Fazor, LCD-X, and then LCD-XC - I'm glad to say I'm still stickin' to the opinion that, while I'm going to do the comparisons - this was NOT designed to take the place of ANY LCD - it's $699 bucks!....

 
So, from what I understand Mike, there is no Miracle ? 

 
I wanted to purchase an LCD-X but didn't because of it's lack of confort and it's weight ! So I had the secret dream that the EL-8 could offer the same SQ in a much lighter and more confortable package.  But apparently.... the miracle did nor realised ? The LCD-X is still better than it's "smaller brother".... ?

 

[the-kraken]

They've most definitely got LCD DNA - like my John Cooperworks Mini has BMW DNA.

Except, even if Mini and BMW shared DNA (which is wishful thinking at best), at the same price point the Mini is simply embarassed - analogy fail

Yes, Mini is owned by BMW, and the vehicles are assembled in BMW factories. But as the video review above clearly shows, at the same price - there isn't any comparison (or residual shared DNA) between the two.

 

[YtseJamer]

   
So, from what I understand Mike, there is no Miracle ? 

 
I wanted to purchase an LCD-X but didn't because of it's lack of confort and it's weight ! So I had the secret dream that the EL-8 could offer the same SQ in a much lighter and more confortable package.  But apparently.... the miracle did nor realised ? The LCD-X is still better than it's "smaller brother".... ?

 
lol
 
I was not expecting the EL-8 to sound as good as the LCD-X but 90/95% of the LCD-2F would be great.

 

[ellstromz]

   
Add $80 for a longer cable and it's going to bump the price to $779.  ($779 USD = $970 CAD.)
 
I can buy all the following headphones below for less money than the EL-8 and I can tell you that some of them are 95% as good as the LCD-2F.
 
I still don't understand what's Audeze's strategy but I can already predict that the EL-8 will be a failure if they cannot compete with all the headphones that I have listed below!
 

1. HE-560 @ $739
2. HE-500 @ $450
3. HE-400i @ $419
4. Oppo PM-2 @ $699
5. Alpha Dog @ $599

A bit off topic but where can I find a new HE-560 for $739?  I assume that's USD?  I might be interested at the price considering everywhere I looked they are closer to $899.

 

[YtseJamer]

A bit off topic but where can I find a new HE-560 for $739?  I assume that's USD?  I might be interested at the price considering everywhere I looked they are closer to $899.

http://www.razordogaudio.com/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-he-560-full-size-planar-driver-headphones-open-box

 

[DreamKing]

deleted

 

[midnightwalker]

 

 
Too late, I read it muahahaha 

 

[Matro5]

  I still don't understand what's Audeze's strategy but I can already predict that the EL-8 will be a failure if they cannot compete with all the headphones that I have listed below!

 

http://www.razordogaudio.com/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-he-560-full-size-planar-driver-headphones-open-box

 
It's not particularly useful to compare Open Box prices to MSRP.  
 
It's also probably true that - even if you don't understand it at this point - Audeze probably has a sound strategy for the EL-8. Nothing about their approach makes me think they're throwing darts at the wall.
 
That said, I make no claims to understand Audeze's strategies, but I plan to wait for the objective reviews to start coming in before I start predicting the worst for the EL-8. 
 
Until then, this statement is every bit as true: 
 
"I can already predict that the EL-8 will be a HUGE HIT if they CAN compete with all the headphones PFILLION listed ABOVE!"