[i_don't_know]

What full-size headphone does the IE8 sound like the most? In terms of just about everything besides isolation.

 

[i_don't_know]

Bump.

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_don't_know /img/forum/go_quote.gif What full-size headphone does the IE8 sound like the most? In terms of just about everything besides isolation.

To my ears, they most closely resemble the Ultrasone SQ. They sound more like full-sized headphones than any IEM that I have owned. As a matter of fact, they sound more speakerlike than nearly any phones that I have owned, primarily because of the very expansive soundstage and superb imaging.

I believe that the fact that they are so light and comfortable as well as the fact that they do no totally isolate one from the environment also adds to their speakerlike effect.

 

[i_don't_know]

Is there a certain Ultrasone they sound like? I'm wondering if maybe it would be cheaper to just buy a comparable full-sized headphone. I'm talking about the UK price, by the way. I'm probably going to order from Advanced MP3 Players to get around the ridiculous US price.

 

[HiFlight]

While I owned the 2500s, I have listened to several other of their higher-end models, and find a similar sound quality in all of them, particularly the almost subwoofer-like extension of the bottom end.

I would say that the IE8s are not quite as bright on the high freqs as are the Ultrasones. Some find the Ultrasones to be a bit overly bright, especially when using amps that tend to emphasise the higher frequencies.

 

[66645]

Ultrasones have too much treble, very aggressive to my ears, plus recessed mids (especially low mids) - vocals sound dry and hollow (based on HFI-780 impressions), in short classic "V" shape sound signature, while IE8 have very full midrande and slightly recessed treble. They don't look like each other at all, the only common component is bass (I'm talking about my HFI-780), but I don't know any full sized phone that is similar to IE8... I would not recommend to buy IE8 blindly without auditioning (mostly because of recessed treble), they are quite special, but I like them.