Hi guys, I've been following very closely since January many articles, posts on Facebook, Tweets and direct conversations with Audeze to conclusively say what's going on with older and new versions of Audeze headphones.
First, I have outlined in a
brand new thread my full exhaustive and compartmentalised findings, with not too much of my own opinions; that I'll add in following posts.
I've also posted a lot in three threads, Onkyo DP-X1, Audeze EL8 closed back, and Double Helix Cables, as well as on Twitter (@theoneinyellow).
Further details of Twitter confirmation is in my thread above.
I may update my thread with the FB conversation but I consider FB to be my private social medium; I shall consider this...
Now, regarding the changes, in summary, almost
EVERY Audeze headphone has been updated, re-voiced and re-engineered in one way or another, and with varying degrees of magnitudes. The two headphones that have not been updated are because they are brand new, thus have the changes as standard (Sine and EL8 Titanium).
So, the biggest changes are the LCD-XC with new filters, LCD-4 (from 100 Ohm to 200 Ohm), and the entire EL8 series (EL8 Ti has the updates already).
For me to go further, in anywhere where I've posted I have decided to adopt this system of nomenclature:
2015 EL8 series, and 2016 EL8 series.
Same for all Audeze headphones, except for headphones such as LCD-3 I would write old(er) LCD-3 and 2016 LCD-3.
I must also add this.
With the exception of Sine and EL8 Ti, all previous versions of Audeze headphones are discontinued. That is to say that 2015 EL8 series is no longer manufactured as the manufacturing process has been changed to reflect the updates.
Shops may therefore have new-old-stock. Please be aware of this.
Now, based on my
brief description of my direct experience of 2015 Audeze EL8 CB and now replacement and upgraded EL8 Ti, the EL8 series should be thought as
NEW HEADPHONES.
Though I personally have not tried either the 2015 EL8 or 2016 EL8, from what I have heard of the new 2016 EL8 CB/Ti (internally the same) I would say you get all the benefits that I described in my link above but greater soundstage and possibly greater treble extension.
Imho, the 2016 EL8 will not sound the same as the 2015 EL8.
If there was any similarities, I would say the bass maybe similar to both versions but is now faster and more textured on the 2016 series. That is because that's
EXACTLY what the EL8 Ti/2016 EL8 CB sounds like.
Regarding the connectors, the EL8 Ti matches the changes on the 2016 EL8 and 2016 EL8 CB.
The female Zync connectors in earcups have greater grip, and stronger magnets.
I tested the official Cypher cable, official second EL8 3.5 mm cable, and my Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire balanced cable. No loose, falling out worries, quite secure. YMMV, but I'm confident to say that 2016 EL8 owners, or those who upgrade, or new customers, will be happy with the better connectors.
I cannot emphasis enough the change.
Personally, I'm thinking of talking to Jude and mods on creating new Audeze threads specifically for the 2016 versions of each revamped Audeze headphone. It is not fair, for example, to lump the 2015 EL8 with 2016 EL8, but I guess that's a community decision.
For those who want to know which version they have, well I'll help illuminate this.
Audeze started releasing the updates very late in 2015, I do not know when.
However
EVERY Audeze headphone released in 2016 is of the newer versions (barring Sine and EL8 Ti because they are new).
If you have recently bought an Audeze headphone and the certificate of authenticity is dated 2016, you should be ok.
If date is at end of 2015, contact Audeze but it should be the newer version.
If you are unsure, or want to inquire about an update to your headphones, contact Audeze.
Hope this helps, and if you wish to talk generally about various Audeze 2016 headphones, you are all welcome to write in my thread linked at top of this post.
Thank you for reading ^^