[DreamKing]

Great. Do you think that they are better than the LCD-2 ?

 
I think that's the wrong question at this point. All that's been said at this point even by Audeze is that they don't compete with the LCD line. 
 
I think this is the best new direct comparison of the closed EL-8 vs Alpha Dogs, http://www.head-fi.org/t/749214/audeze-el-8-the-el-8-is-a-must-hear-at-ces-2015/3525#post_11428760. So far from what I read in these 200+ pages is that they basically just compete with headphones that went down in price to something less than it or that were cheaper than it to begin with because $699 is currently an unused pricepoint just between 899$-$1000 stuff and the mid-fi stuff that's much lower than that like the K712, KXX.
 
I think just the Oppo PM-2 still has an MSRP of $699 so that would be a good comparison I haven't seen yet. All I saw for comparisons with Oppo were people saying the EL-8 is better than the PM-3 but that's still a $300 cheaper headphone that's actually a portable planar if that's what someones looking for.

 

[ubs28]

Anyone knows how the closed back version sounds in comparison to the K10, Shure SE846 and the Layla?

 

[Kyle 491]

The open EL-8 was much better than the closed EL-8, I'd take a small sealed headphone such as my Sennheiser Amperior over the closed EL-8. I'm ordering the open EL-8 because I need a replacement for the HE-500 which immediately broke apart due to shockingly weak, bad soldering in the driver wiring after I opened it up to clean it. Here's hoping that the EL-8's build quality will match its clean looks & sound quality. If you have the Shure SE846 dont bother with the closed version.

 

[money4me247]

  I think that's the wrong question at this point. All that's been said at this point even by Audeze is that they don't compete with the LCD line. 
 
I think this is the best new direct comparison of the closed EL-8 vs Alpha Dogs, http://www.head-fi.org/t/749214/audeze-el-8-the-el-8-is-a-must-hear-at-ces-2015/3525#post_11428760. So far from what I read in these 200+ pages is that they basically just compete with headphones that went down in price to something less than it or that were cheaper than it to begin with because $699 is currently an unused pricepoint just between 899$-$1000 stuff and the mid-fi stuff that's much lower than that like the K712, KXX.
 
I think just the Oppo PM-2 still has an MSRP of $699 so that would be a good comparison I haven't seen yet. All I saw for comparisons with Oppo were people saying the EL-8 is better than the PM-3 but that's still a $300 cheaper headphone that's actually a portable planar if that's what someones looking for.

 
I think the EL-8 are aimed at people on a tighter budget. Still seems like a bit of a reach in price tag to me though. They should "hypothetically" outperform most other headphones up to the $699, but if they aren't geared to be an improvement over the LCD-2, then the majority of flagship type models should have more technical performance & would make more sense to me if you are investing that much money into a home system. Though of course, sound signature preference is a lot more important!
 
Also, the PM-2 is sonically identical to the PM-1 if using the same earpads (though I personally think both are a tad bit overpriced for their sonics). Did think I saw some comparisons against the PM-1 somewhere (favored the PM-1). I think it may have been stillheart? 
 
I actually think the PM-3 is actually priced very competitively for the design & sound quality, and I usually think most stuff in this hobby is overpriced haha. holding off serious judgement about the EL-8 until I get to spend extensive time with them.

 

[Zulkr9]

Just exchanged ny closed back. The one i git was a lemon. All i can say is the bass is tighter than he500 mids are a bit more forward and thicker. Better imaging but less soundstage. He500 has more coherent midrange with better extension in the bass and treble but the bass is a bit looser.

 

[Enomino801]

  The open EL-8 was much better than the closed EL-8, I'd take a small sealed headphone such as my Sennheiser Amperior over the closed EL-8. I'm ordering the open EL-8 because I need a replacement for the HE-500 which immediately broke apart due to shockingly weak, bad soldering in the driver wiring after I opened it up to clean it. Here's hoping that the EL-8's build quality will match its clean looks & sound quality. If you have the Shure SE846 dont bother with the closed version.

I'd like to know your impressions when you have some time to listen to the EL-8's. I currently own a pair HE-500, and I'm considering getting the EL-8 if there is a sonic difference between the two. Thanks. 

 

[SilentFrequency]

omg, since I last logged onto this thread there has been 1072 new posts!

 

[crixnet]

Thanks for these impressions. Might give them a miss as I'm looking for a close-back that gets around 95% of the quality of the sound of a LCD X/3.

Obviously, from your stated criteria, the LCD-XC should be what you're looking for.

 

[money4me247]

Thanks for these impressions. Might give them a miss as I'm looking for a close-back that gets around 95% of the quality of the sound of a LCD X/3.

Obviously, from your stated criteria, the LCD-XC should be what you're looking for.

This exactly.

 

[moises13456]

Still twiddling my thumbs here with a pair of faulty EL-8s waiting 3 days for email responses but I'm trying my best to remain sympathetic to Audeze's recent problems. Should've been patient and bought from a UK dealer though.   

Got mine sent back. As soon as I found out its broken I emailed them right away. They are very supportive. And Tasvee is very quick to reply. I'll give her a medal if i can. But another 1 to 2 weeks of waiting is killing me! Well you know what they say.. Patience is a virtue and a nightmare.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

EL-8 will make an appearance at the Woo Audio table at CanJam next weekend. Come check it out on WA7+WA7tp.

 

[kahkityoong]

Obviously, from your stated criteria, the LCD-XC should be what you're looking for.

I have auditioned the LCD-XC but being no more mobile than the LCD X/3 they didn't fit the bill.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Great. Do you think that they are better than the LCD-2 ?

 
It really depends what you're looking for...I do find the EL-8s more balanced, but the LCD-2s have a texture about them that make them very musical and enjoyable.

 

[YtseJamer]

I think that's the wrong question at this point. All that's been said at this point even by Audeze is that they don't compete with the LCD line. 

I think this is the best new direct comparison of the closed EL-8 vs Alpha Dogs, http://www.head-fi.org/t/749214/audeze-el-8-the-el-8-is-a-must-hear-at-ces-2015/3525#post_11428760. So far from what I read in these 200+ pages is that they basically just compete with headphones that went down in price to something less than it or that were cheaper than it to begin with because $699 is currently an unused pricepoint just between 899$-$1000 stuff and the mid-fi stuff that's much lower than that like the K712, KXX.

I think just the Oppo PM-2 still has an MSRP of $699 so that would be a good comparison I haven't seen yet. All I saw for comparisons with Oppo were people saying the EL-8 is better than the PM-3 but that's still a $300 cheaper headphone that's actually a portable planar if that's what someones looking for.

To my ears, the PM-2 are every bit as good as the LCD-2 for $699.

So if the EL-8 are supposed to compete against the PM-2, I hope that the Open-Back EL-8 can match the SQ of the LCD-2

 

[planarmagnetic]

My cable broke already. The minijack part had something wrong with it and it caused the sound to not fully transmit to the headphones. I already sent it back to Audeze and they will be doing an RMA for it. I wish they would have just sent me a new cable now its going to take a week to get a new cable. Upset that these $700 headphones came with a defective cable and I won't be able to use them especially because I paid the extra $40 to have them overnighted.