[raze94]

Running the EL-8 open backs through my Panam with Siemens tubes. So far they sound fantastic listening to Tito Puente. Initial impressions are they are brighter than my Hd600s and the EL-8s presents more detail. The HD600s seem to have a wider soundstage though. My only complaint are the wires. They should have positioned them more forward on the cups like the ones on the LCD-2s aside from that Im extremely happy with my purchase. 

 

[Asr]

I heard the open version at a local shop yesterday.
 
After hearing the closed version recently (at a local meet), which I thought was absolutely terrible, I wasn't expecting much out of the open version. But it actually sounded pretty good, no major complaints. I'd call it really overpriced at $700 though, I'd pay $500 tops and that's being extra generous. It didn't really sound much better than some headphones I currently have, none of which crack $350 (Audio-Technica R70x & MSR7, Yamaha MT220).
 
The electronics were unfamiliar to me (a Sony networked source component and a Rogue Audio integrated) but I was using highly-familiar music btw (Alison Krauss, to be specific).

 

[398698]

I'm sorry but if you really think these are worth the price tag you are extremely mistaken. I've never heard a snare drum so muddled in my life on a pair of headphones over 50 dollars before. Sub bass was alright but the treble was so bright and screechy I honestly thought I had a defective pair of headphones. Seriously, for the price tag they might be one of the worst to buy. I enjoyed my grado sr 60e more than these.

 

[bfreedma]

I'm sorry but if you really think these are worth the price tag you are extremely mistaken. I've never heard a snare drum so muddled in my life on a pair of headphones over 50 dollars before. Sub bass was alright but the treble was so bright and screechy I honestly thought I had a defective pair of headphones. Seriously, for the price tag they might be one of the worst to buy. I enjoyed my grado sr 60e more than these.

Well, that's your opinion, despite your statement as an absolute. Maybe you did have a defective pair, because my opinion is very different regarding SQ and value.

I can't imagine choosing an sr60 over an EL-8.

 

[sparkofinsanity]

I'm sorry but if you really think these are worth the price tag you are extremely mistaken. I've never heard a snare drum so muddled in my life on a pair of headphones over 50 dollars before. Sub bass was alright but the treble was so bright and screechy I honestly thought I had a defective pair of headphones. Seriously, for the price tag they might be one of the worst to buy. I enjoyed my grado sr 60e more than these.

Sorry, we don't feed trolls here. 

 

[DavidA]

I'm sorry but if you really think these are worth the price tag you are extremely mistaken. I've never heard a snare drum so muddled in my life on a pair of headphones over 50 dollars before. Sub bass was alright but the treble was so bright and screechy I honestly thought I had a defective pair of headphones. Seriously, for the price tag they might be one of the worst to buy. I enjoyed my grado sr 60e more than these.

I agree that these are not worth the $700, more like $300-400 at the most which would put it in same group as the HE-400.  I have both and would take the HE-400 any day at the $300 price if you have an amp that can drive it properly.  If you are only using a smart phone/DAP then the EL8 is a much better headphone since its very easy to drive.
 
It sounds like you had a defective set but it took mine about 200+ hours to go from dark to warm/neutral.  The EL8 is the only headphone that I've had that has changed noticeably from use/burn-in.
 
As for your comment about a Grado SR-60, I've taken the drivers from a 60i and installed them in walnut cups that I was using for building a SennGrado and these sound so much better than the EL8, actually has more bass, smoother mids and nice crisp highs.  I've tuned the sound some what by adding some dynamat on the in side of the cups and on the driver, did vent 2 holes on the driver and also adjusted the depth that the driver sits within the cups.

 

[XERO1]

 
After hearing the closed version recently (at a local meet), which I thought was absolutely terrible, I wasn't expecting much out of the open version. But it actually sounded pretty good, no major complaints. I'd call it really overpriced at $700 though, I'd pay $500 tops and that's being extra generous. It didn't really sound much better than some headphones I currently have, none of which crack $350 (Audio-Technica R70x & MSR7, Yamaha MT220).

 
+1
 
IMO, the $250 ATH-MSR7 totally blows away the Closed EL-8 in overall SQ.  All three different Closed EL-8's that I've heard so far have all literally sounded broken when compared with any other decently designed headphone, including the Open EL-8.
 
I have no idea how Audeze ever thought that they were ready for prime time.

 

[398698]

Smh have you heard the el 8? Hahaha they sound like garbage for the price. You can't tell me that a pair of 600 dollar headphones should sound like this. As for the "burn in" the manual itself says the cans were burned in so please don't argue that they go from dark to warm. I myself did measurements on the new headphones and a pair of headphones 200 plus hours. Guess what? Same exact measurements.

 

[OrganMonster]

I attended the Denver meet around 2 weeks ago. I had my first chance to listen to the Audeze EL-8 closed version. I was waiting for that moment for a very long time. I fell in love with the Audeze family sound last year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest last October. I absolutely went crazy over the XC.
 
Mind you I am not true audio crazy person nor do I know all of the lingo that goes with the terminology describing headphones. I am a musician and a programmer and nothing more. But the EL-8 closed really let me down big time. I picked up the headphones many time during the course of the day. There was something real wonky about the bass not following the mid and treble, they seemed be going in opposite directions and not really matched correctly. The bass was truly fantastic and the mids kind of feel apart. 
 
I really really wanted to love these EL-8's but I just could not. At the same time I listened to the OPPO PM-3. They had a better balance overall and was just a better sounding headphone. To get to the more critical part of my listening sessions that day I can say that the Audeze EL-8 closed was clearer in the bass and also in the treble. I could hear more instruments in the orchestra individually through the EL-8 than I could through the PM-3. But at what cost would that clarity come with. I could not place a finger on it but the treble could not control itself and made things feel unbalanced. 
 
In conclusion I like to say that the EL-8 is a good step in giving us something in the mid range of headphones prince range. IMO it is not there yet though. It has all of the pieces and parts to make a wonderful sounding headphone and I think a future version after some tweaking will make this real nice. Then OPPO will need to watch out if that ever happens. But for now I think the PM-3 is safe at half the cost of the EL-8. Please, this is only my opinion as a musician and not an audio person.

 

[beemarman]

Bought the El8 closed back and after 1 week of burn in  I still didn't like the sound, so took it back and bought the PM3 instead. 
 
I expected better from Audeze and for the price they're charging it should be better than the PM3.

 

[Danz03]

I have to agreed that the closed back EL-8 do sound really bad, so bad that it shouldn't deserve the Audeze name at all. It sounded as if someone scooped a huge chunk out of the mid frequencies, really awful sounding! I've been a huge fan of Audeze and own all their products since the first version of LCD-2 to the LCD-Xs. The open back EL-8 don't sound so bad but it's dark, more so than the first version of LCD-2. Not sure what's happening with Audeze but the EL-8s sure ruin their reputation of being maker of high quality reference grade products. Sad. I probably will have to think twice about getting their products from now on.

 

[simonsmith]

Have to agree.
 
I just auditioned a selection of closed-back (to accompany my open back Grado's) and found the sound on the EL-8's to be very detailed but far too bright and brash. I ended up with the slighly bassy Fostex TH600's. They have a lovely all round sound with surprising sound stage for closed HP's.
 
Using 600's with Arcam irDAC and GS Solo Ultra Linear.
 
Will be on the hunt for a DAC to brighten things a little to compensate for bassy signature of 600's, any suggestions?

 

[Gertcha]

What with the EL8's proprietry cable connection, is it possible to get a balanced cable?

 

[sujitsky]

What with the EL8's proprietry cable connection, is it possible to get a balanced cable?

I Am Using The El8 Open Balanced With My Pono. Fantastic combo! You can get balanced cables from audeze or norne audio.

 

[rs0cal]

I am playing around with the El-8 "Apple control" cable right now on the open-backs. The sonic characteristics are definitely not as good as the regular standard cable. And it is a shorter cable too so I see that cable being more for portable use with the iphones, ipods, etc.
 
 
Edit:To note...after playing around with both cables on the iphone 6+, i notice that the apple control cable makes the phones bassier with a more intimate presentation. But after switching to the standard cables, the sound quality just sounds much better all across the spectrum with a little bigger soundstage and has less bass compared to the apple control cable. I also can hear the difference when a recording is badly recorded, whereas the apple control cable will make bad recordings more "refined" and more enjoyable to listen to.
 
Can anybody else confirm this? I am trying to ask Audeze the same questions to see if they have an answer.