[AndrewG]

Has anybody compared these two? Which headphone came out on top? Do beyers function well with classical music?

 

[MacedonianHero]

I own both and really enjoy both. But I prefer the T1s in the end. The Edition 8s are the best closed headphones I've heard to date, but the T1s are phenomenal with rock, jazz, classical, acoustic...you name it...simply breath taking with the beyers (on a good tube amp).

 

[Sophonax]

I had both before, though I no longer own either now.  I do have to say that I drastically preferred the T1 over the Edition 8.  The T1 sounds great with just about everything, including classical music -- excellent tonal balance, very quick and detailed, a natural soundstage, and some of the sharpest imaging I've heard with any pair of headphones.
 
I may be somewhat biased, as I personally did not like the Edition 8.  It was too strong in the midbass for my liking.  About the only thing I could say that it did better than the T1 was isolation.  The Edition 8 did block out nearly all exterior noise and provide a very quiet background, so it became possible to hear very low-level details with the Edition 8, which was kind of cool.
 
But other than that, I'd go with the T1.  Please note, though, that the T1 requires much stronger amplification than the Edition 8.  The Edition 8 is adequately powered by just about anything, whereas the T1 needs a good headphone amp to really shine.  I've found that OTL tube amps pair well with the 600-ohm Beyers.

 

[dallan]

As a rule i usually feel that closed headphones cannot compete with open ones on the same level.  If you have to have a closed phone the ED8's are great but over here if it is quiet in the house and i am not bothering anyone with the sound, I will chose my open pair(HD800s) every time.  The T-1 is up in that range so I don't doubt the fact that it would outperform any closed pair.  Take note, i am not a fan of the R-10's either.

 

[oqvist]

I had both but sold the T1 since I preferred the ED 8. It was just better musically with a sweeter mid range where the T1 was often more uninspiring to listen to music with despite having a larger soundstage and a really good one as.  I preferr both on my tube amp where the LCD-2 performs the best on solid states.
 
T1 does work well with classical. On the Auditor it was very transparent and with a huge soundstage but incredibly booring to listen to. Tubes help it a bit with the bottom end which it really needs I feel. Most beyers I tried are bright and thin sounding.. ED 8 is a superb allrounder.  

 

[idletime1213]

I liked the T1 better, Better balance, more engaging sound, larger soundstage, more organic. I liked the ED8, and it had an excellent soundstage for a closed headphone, but in the end, I just didn't feel that it was worth $1300 or so. More on the $500-600 range would have been a lot better.

 

[butchrR]

I think the most obvious difference is the bass on Ed 8s versus the openness of the T1s. If you were listening to an explosion, you'll probably hear it's glory on the T1s but u'll feel the impact of that blast coming at ya on the Ed 8s.
 
Basically I enjoy the T1s immensely on most tracks but as long as the track depends mostly on amazing bass to make the track hot; sometimes, it can be uninspiring to listen to on the T1s because you'll be wishing for a little more umph behind it and concentrating hard on what gentle bass you get -Maybe if all i listened to was classical I wouldn't care.
 
Just a random example- After listening to 'Hold it down' by Israel Cruz on Edition 8 then going back on T1s it feels like the bass is broken, like there's something wrong and okay so you say what about the larger sound stage and all that balance? Well it just sounded a lot less involved, thin and blander to me on tracks utilizing a lot of bass and i am not certain those great qualities of the T1s can make up for the lack of bass for those type of tracks.
 
On Timberland's 'The way I are' Towards the end my honest reaction on the edition 8 was like holy ****** I didn't even know there were bass there! Not only that, it was almost massive bass so the contrast couldn't be more stark! On the T1s there was like nothing, peanuts.
 
But personally I can wear the T1s all day and forget it was there but on the edition 8s they are clamped down with a bit of force so a lot less comfortable; but because of its tight design, portable and insulated from outside noise. To be fair its only my second day with the Ed 8s but if this is what it can do now i can't wait to hear it fully burnt in.

 

[nanaholic]

I think the T1 is the better all-rounder as it's more neutral but it also requires more upstream investment to get the most out of them.  The Edition 8 works well with minimal gear (I think it sounds plenty good from my HP-P1) and has a more "happy" sound signature with its more boosted bass and works better with pop and electronic music.  Ultimately I think they serve difference purposes so it really depends on your usage (eg do you really need a closed headphone, what is the budget you have and do you plan on investing in source components and what type of music you listen to mostly). If you listen to classical a lot the T1 might be a better fit.

 

[butchrR]

Okay, as quickly as I got to like ed8s at first, I am returning these as promptly before I get killed. After travelling on a long trip with these, the edition 8s revealed its serious flaws.
 
With its extreme enclosure of my larger ears there seems to be excessive bass on just anything. Now without amplification and just by the iphone 4s, to lower the bass to a safe volume would mean that the vocals would be much less ;otherwise, ostensibly, ear damage may ensue over extended listening.
 
Now for the most serious fatal flaw... When the size of the ed8 is extended fully for a larger face, the bottoms of the ear cups actually touch and form a strong pincer. There is like no cup hinge at all so its locked in that upside down tear drop form! Meaning the bottom part will bite extremely hard against any resistance thanks to its rugged construction- And only the headband will expand (adding pressure) as you fill in your head! So I ask what is the point of advertised exquisite materials if the actual design is seriously dumb?
 
While I generally approved the sound characteristics and thought the tightness will wear down over extended use; upon closer inspection, its a fundamental flaw making this headphone design a defect for people with larger heads. My head still hurt like * * * * hours later.
 
I will go T1s for sure for unfatiguing class home enjoyment. I appreciate them even more now. And so anyways, my personal search for a decent portable continues...

 

[nanaholic]

Fortunately for me I have a small head so the ED8 are good for me and I think they are actually very comfortable and extremely light weight, I've fallen asleep with them on. 

 

[Questhate]

Quote:

Okay, as quickly as I got to like ed8s at first, I am returning these as promptly before I get killed. After travelling on a long trip with these, the edition 8s revealed its serious flaws.
 

 
For a second there, I thought you were referring to the dangerously sharp treble. Seriously I can almost feel my brain hemorrhaging from the stabbing assault of the treble of these things.

 

[cyclingbobe]

Ultrasone Edition 8 vs Beyerdynamic T1s
 
I have now had the Edition 8 for nine months and have grown to love them. At first I thought they were too brightly lit and piercing but over a long period the treble has settled down to give a level of detail that I find it difficult to do without. The bass is exceptional with real impact but no boom and bloom. I have always found them comfortable so obviously the discomfort reported by some depends on ear/head size. 
I am prompted to write after being tempted to bring my  T1s out  again after a favourable review in Hi Fi News. I found them bland and boring. The bass, compared with the Edition 8s , was imprecise and had a tendency to boom. It was a relief to return to the 8s and hear the detail which the T1s lost. I listen to a wide range of music but mainly classical . A test piece I used for the comparison was Handels Water Music played by Jordi Savall. This has wonderfully pungent woodwind and a firm  bass. Much of its appeal was homogenised out of existence on the T1s. I then  tried Herbie Hancock's Gershwins World  album and again the bass was imprecise (relatively) on the T1s but firm and realistic on the Ed 8s. The T1s lost much of the detail of piano and percussion. I was using an ALO National  amplifier with a line out feed from an iPod through an ALO cable and CD standard files .
So my advice to anyone interested in these two headphones is : persist with the Edition 8s provided they fit your head ! They do need a long break in as Ultrasone stress in their literature.
The T1s are in my view overpriced and, to my head, not particularly comfortable. They achieve the undesirable end  of making much music bland and boring. 
 
Roger Ellis  

 

[dallan]

It's alive! Yes i like mine better than the T1 as well.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

T1 should be much better.

 

[dallan]

Should be because it is open, it has an advantage.