[MrGoat]

This is making deciding between the EL-8 open and the LCD-2F even harder

 

[kapanak]

Hey, nobody paid me to use my scroll wheel! But seriously tho, that's awesome. Can't wait to get my pre-order in.

I might have to run some oil over the wood if its unfinished. Wonder if they can be taken apart and the wood worked without messing with the other parts. If all else fails just use a small brush and some painters tape to seal and protect it. Oil doesn't stick or harm most metal or plastics.

I'd be interested in disassembly of the cups from the headband. Since there is no wire going through, it might be easy to take off the cups, finish the woods, paint them or whatever, and reassemble without affecting anything.

 

[planarmagnetic]

Closed. Oppo's new HA-2 which by the way is awesome. The sound stage is medium I am sure the open is wider but I need the isolation of the closed version. They are easily driven by my iPhone 6 as well as my macbook pro retina for reference. I would also like to add the carrying bag is a total piece of shiezer and audeze has no excuse for including a nylon drawstring bag for $700 headphones. It should have been made out of a nicer material such as a thick microsuede.

 

[Profoundsoup]

 
Closed. Oppo's new HA-2 which by the way is awesome. The sound stage is medium I am sure the open is wider but I need the isolation of the closed version. They are easily driven by my iPhone 6 as well as my macbook pro retina for reference. I would also like to add the carrying bag is a total piece of shiezer and audeze has no excuse for including a nylon drawstring bag for $700 headphones. It should have been made out of a nicer material such as a thick microsuede.

How are the vocals? Are they forward sounding in front of the mix or is it all blended together? 

 

[planarmagnetic]

  How are the vocals? Are they forward sounding in front of the mix or is it all blended together? 

A lot of depth, separation and layering the vocals are definitive very front sounding though.

 

[Profoundsoup]

 
A lot of depth, separation and layering the vocals are definitive very front sounding though.

Well that is what I like in my music! I wonder if the open backed version would be the same.....

 

[YtseJamer]

[VIDEO]http://youtu.be/DyP7Ylyim2s[/VIDEO]

 

[mikemercer]

  Well that is what I like in my music! I wonder if the open backed version would be the same.....

I like the up-front sound he's referring to in the open-backs - as it doesn't sound too aggressive for me!
 
SORRY I been MIA fellas!
LOADS of work to catch up on...
 
Psyched to read through some of your impressions!
 
Been havin' a BLAST w/ the EL-8 open-backs - and should have the closed-backs ASAP for review too!!
 

 

[jakeGListen]

Sitting here listening through a simple Magni 2 Modi 2 Schiit stack with the EL8 (open Back) and I am Impressed. Usually I spend every day listening to my CIEM JH16 from Jh Audio. My Ears are smiling this morning.
 
 Such a more realistic top end and depth is really good, Going to be hard to get anywork done today. I am  listening for pleasure right now and not delving into my test tracks, Just enjoying the experience right now. 
 
 Dave Matthews Band- (Away from the World) Album= Never cared for this album sonically until today.  At 3 seconds into the track (Riff) I imediatly heard Dave Moving around in his chair something that has always been in the recording that I had not noticed until today. This track just sounds so much Lusher and deeper than I have ever heard before. What's amazing is the top end on this album which bothered me through my jh16's is so much more complex with the EL-8 and enjoyable. The depth of detail is blowing my mind right now. 
 
 James Taylor (Album :Hourglass) track Gaia= This is a darker track that always just sounds buttery smooth on almost any system. 
 Impressions: Sounds Amazing and I love the dynamic sonic treat at 4:10  into the track. I put on this track because if A bright track Like Riff sounded so amazing then a dark track like Gaia must be too dark through the EL8. Well I was wrong , this track sounds amazingly smooth . And the depth of the bottom end is just a pleasure to listen too. The top end sits where it is suppossed to in this track
 
I dont think I am gonna get much work done today

 

[Jeff Y]

  I like the up-front sound he's referring to in the open-backs - as it doesn't sound too aggressive for me!
 
SORRY I been MIA fellas!
LOADS of work to catch up on...
 
Psyched to read through some of your impressions!
 
Been havin' a BLAST w/ the EL-8 open-backs - and should have the closed-backs ASAP for review too!!

Nice to see you back on this thread. One of the things I was wondering about the EL-8 closed back was Tyll from Innerfidelity and some many from CES have said it was bright. Some even said it's the brightest Audeze ever. Tyll have said that the final voicing was not done for the closed back at the time when he listened to them and so are ones at CES. Anyway, I have a opportunity to speak to Alex Rosso, CEO of Audeze this Sunday and also listen to EL-8s! (hopefully they have both open and closed backs) I'll ask him if the final voicing of the phones are done already (I guess kind of a stupid question as pre-orderer's are being given EL-8s already but I'm considering buying them ). He's coming to my favourite headphone store in Korea with a buch of EL-8s for listen and sale. Can't wait to get my hands on dem EL-8s!!
 
I see that nice portable rig you got there but I've read the article on enjotthemusic.com on comparisons between the new Sony player and the AK240 and it seems like from that review that the Sony beats the 240. I don't think it's really fair because the review was done only with CIEMs, no headphones and the SS version is supposed to be better in every way than the normal 240. Do you have the new Sony player Mike?

 

[jakeGListen]

  

 
A lot of depth, separation and layering the vocals are definitive very front sounding though.

   Well my opinion is that these cans put the vocal where it is suppossed to be with out a bias. it sounds to me that vocal placement so far with what I have heard Is accurate according to where the recording engineer placed the vocal in the mix. Which is the way it should be in my opinion. I dont hear it as doing anything with the vocal space other than what was intended by the engineer which is a big compliment

 

[Hunter220]

Glad people are liking the sound signature, will be interested to hear what people think about the closed back since I still would like to compare them to the Oppo PM-3's since I need at least one closed back pair for late at night or when the girlfriend is around.

 

[Jazic]

  I like the up-front sound he's referring to in the open-backs - as it doesn't sound too aggressive for me!
 
SORRY I been MIA fellas!
LOADS of work to catch up on...
 
Psyched to read through some of your impressions!
 
Been havin' a BLAST w/ the EL-8 open-backs - and should have the closed-backs ASAP for review too!!

 
One thing I love about the most arguably aggressive Audeze headphone, the LCD-XC, is that it's not as sibilant as other higher end closed cans like the TH600, etc. I find the XC's to be very transparent. If a track is bright and sibilant then it comes off as such, same as warmer and so on.
I'll have to get a comparison between the EL-8C and LCD-XC when I get mine in. 
 

  Nice to see you back on this thread. One of the things I was wondering about the EL-8 closed back was Tyll from Innerfidelity and some many from CES have said it was bright. Some even said it's the brightest Audeze ever. Tyll have said that the final voicing was not done for the closed back at the time when he listened to them and so are ones at CES. Anyway, I have a opportunity to speak to Alex Rosso, CEO of Audeze this Sunday and also listen to EL-8s! (hopefully they have both open and closed backs) I'll ask him if the final voicing of the phones are done already (I guess kind of a stupid question as pre-orderer's are being given EL-8s already but I'm considering buying them ). He's coming to my favourite headphone store in Korea with a buch of EL-8s for listen and sale. Can't wait to get my hands on dem EL-8s!!
 
I see that nice portable rig you got there but I've read the article on enjotthemusic.com on comparisons between the new Sony player and the AK240 and it seems like from that review that the Sony beats the 240. I don't think it's really fair because the review was done only with CIEMs, no headphones and the SS version is supposed to be better in every way than the normal 240. Do you have the new Sony player Mike?

 
Like you said the final voicing wasn't done at the time. Not to mention if the EL-8 is warmer by comparison then yes, it is going to sound brighter and probably a lot. Similarly to how the LCD-XC is 'much' brighter than the LCD-X. That said, the XC is my fav in the line by far but I would be happy if I could only have one and pulled one out of a hat. Hopefully the same will be true for the EL-8's. 

 

[Jazic]

 
Am I the only one who has issues with people posting a video with English title, english splash in the video yet they do not speak English or even have subtitles...
/rant

 

[NightDayAudio]

Fresh out of the box, I am really enjoying the closed backs...  I'm surprised they sound as good as they do with zero break-in... if they are this good now, they should be great with a bit more break-in...
 
I'm very happy so far.  They may be nearly the same weight as the LCD-2, but back to back trying them on and listening, the EL-8 is noticeably more comfortable on my head.  Maybe it's the shape of the cups, maybe it's the headband, maybe it is the distribution of the weight... but these are very comfortable headphones to wear so far.  I don't really mind the LCD series at all, including the XC, which are my personal favorites for late night listening.  I absolutely love the XC, but they're not super easy to wear if you are moving around a lot given how I wear them...  I now have a perfect option for that....
 
I've been *loving* the ADL H128 as my new "go to" option for more portable closed back... what a steal of a deal for headphones, period... not just for folks that need closed back...they are just good, period... but I like these EL-8 closed back better so far... which is good given how much more expensive the EL-8s are by comparison .... it's going to be an interesting listening experiment to let others try them both out back to back at the upcoming headphone meet and see who prefers what...  
 
The audeze sonic signature is there with the closed back.  Plenty of rich bass like you would expect... they seem very clean sounding and more neutral than the other models in the line-up.  nothing is jumping out at me as irritating or obvious... but it's been less than an hour so far... the newness factor is still in full effect....  back to listening and packing boxes to ship to customers....