[qsk78]

del

 

[Inks]

 
 
Measurements of these. Have to say, this is exactly how I heard them. It's tuned better than the EQ5, but it's driver hasn't been improved. Main issues I find is that the driver itself can't cover the whole spectrum, it lacks subbass and severly lacks treble extension. This is why I found it very lower midrange centric with a smooth midhigh region and good but undefined treble sparkle. Overpriced and overrated imo. 

 

[shotgunshane]

Those measurements don't show a lack of sub bass.  It shows about -3db from 1hz under 50hz.  Plus that's compensated.  Goldennears puts some kind of missing 6db sub bass compensation on all their raw measurements that Rin, Speakerphone and Innerfidelity don't use/disagree with.  Raw shows a very level and extended bass and that correlates with how James, Idsy and myself hear it.
 
I question the 3.5k dip GE shows too, as I hear that area fairly forward. Female vocals and guitars are definitely forward to my ears; much more so than the E-Q5. I really expected it more filled in here.
 

 
Agreed on lack of extension. That's the E-Q8 weakness. Lack of air and sparkle due to it.
 
Lol, overrated?  Really?  The last post before yours is 4 weeks old.  Doesn't something have to be owned by more than half a dozen head-fiers before it's overrated? 
 
I have a soft spot for single driver armatures.  The E-Q8 is one of my favorites all time, with the ER-4S and GR10 (e or not e) following close behind.

 

[Inks]

Actually GEs compensation is like a brighter olive-welti which is what Rin/Tyll, etc. regard as the best we have at the moment. Thus with a welti compensation it will show even more lack of subbass. If you think raw is a good representation of sound, I guess I'll disagree cause that will sound thin and hollow and Harmans research shows this.


It's overrated IMO because some give it really high praise, I think it's just a bit above average. It certainly isn't popular and I think that it's price is one of the reasons.

Armature drivers can't cover the whole spectrum, Yashimas drivers aren't necessarily better than your average BA. Best single Ba, IMO ER4S with red filters are still the best single BAs but it lacks bandwidth

 

[shotgunshane]

If you think raw is a good representation of sound, I guess I'll disagree cause that will sound thin and hollow and Harmans research shows this.

 
No, I think diffuse field is a good representation of what I hear over 150/200 hz all the way up through upper treble. I personally think 3 to 4 db flat elevation over diffuse field below 150/200 hz sounds correct.  I do not think rising raw sub bass of +6db sounds accurate, and that's what it would take to measure flat in a GE compensated graph. I also don't think harman's treble compensation sounds correct for accuracy in IEMs either.
 
Edit: I hope to start measuring IEM's myself in the next few months. Working on putting a rig together and my budget simulator/coupler just came in today.

 

[Inks]

Well I will disagree then, diffuse field sounds too forward even with a bass boost. Also Even with a DF compensation these measure a bit poorly. I've been listening to flat speakers recently and I will say IEMs definitely need a subbass boost, but it's tricky because mechanical tuning won't allow a clean midbass with good subbass presence so I've been using EQ. Also there seems to something going on in the sibilant regions with IEMs because they seem to be more sibilant than average. I don't think GE/Welti is perfect but much better than the dated DF compensation.

 

[psygeist]

I liked the subbass extension in EQ5. And the silky mids. How is EQ8 in comparison. I might get a new pair of EQ5 as backup if I get a good deal. EQ8 looks bulky.
 
As I peaked through last few posts, looks like EQ8 has linear bass response. And in your face mids. Why would they change the formula ?

 

[Inks]

another thing to note that if one sees the CSD of the EQ8, it basically has NO bass decay. Like the driver just can't move air in the lower regions, ironic considering it's suppose to be a "moving air" BA, then again none of the iterations before had good bass decay either, including the Grado ones. 

 

[james444]

  Those measurements don't show a lack of sub bass.  It shows about -3db from 1hz under 50hz.  Plus that's compensated.  Goldennears puts some kind of missing 6db sub bass compensation on all their raw measurements that Rin, Speakerphone and Innerfidelity don't use/disagree with.  Raw shows a very level and extended bass and that correlates with how James, Idsy and myself hear it.

 
X2, GE's bass compensation is a bit far-fetched imo and doesn't correlate with what I hear.

 

[proedros]

  I liked the subbass extension in EQ5. And the silky mids. How is EQ8 in comparison. I might get a new pair of EQ5 as backup if I get a good deal. EQ8 looks bulky.
 
As I peaked through last few posts, looks like EQ8 has linear bass response. And in your face mids. Why would they change the formula ?

 
@shotgunshane has a like-new EQ-5 for sale for just 125$, plus he is a great guy to do business with in case you wanna go ahead with that backup pair

 

[shotgunshane]

I liked the subbass extension in EQ5. And the silky mids. How is EQ8 in comparison. I might get a new pair of EQ5 as backup if I get a good deal. EQ8 looks bulky.

As I peaked through last few posts, looks like EQ8 has linear bass response. And in your face mids. Why would they change the formula ?

The e-q8 bass sounds fuller, flatter and more extended in direct comparison to the e-q5. The e-q5 has a hair more mid bass punch.

The e-q8 mids are more forward than the e-q5 and again fuller sounding. The e-q5 has a good bit more treble sparkle and presence.

Soundstage wise, the e-q8 sounds bigger but a lot more upfront, whereas the e-q5 sounds airier and a bit further away.

X2, GE's bass compensation is a bit far-fetched imo and doesn't correlate with what I hear.

Yeah they've changed theirs a few times. Not to mention their accudio download file for the e-q5 makes it sound thinner and just odd. They haven't added the e-q8 download file but I'd expect it to sound bad like every other eq file I've downloaded from them.

 

[shigzeo]

The e-q8 bass sounds fuller, flatter and more extended in direct comparison to the e-q5. The e-q5 has a hair more mid bass punch.

The e-q8 mids are more forward than the e-q5 and again fuller sounding. The e-q5 has a good bit more treble sparkle and presence.

Soundstage wise, the e-q8 sounds bigger but a lot more upfront, whereas the e-q5 sounds airier and a bit further away.
Yeah they've changed theirs a few times. Not to mention their accudio download file for the e-q5 makes it sound thinner and just odd. They haven't added the e-q8 download file but I'd expect it to sound bad like every other eq file I've downloaded from them.

All of that must be prefaced by: if your source supplies ample current into the e-Q8's insanely low impedance requirements. If you don't have that: no bass, thin mids, and peaky treble. But when all is perfect, e-Q8 is among the best earphones I've heard, bar none. 

 

[shotgunshane]

All of that must be prefaced by: if your source supplies ample current into the e-Q8's insanely low impedance requirements. If you don't have that: no bass, thin mids, and peaky treble. But when all is perfect, e-Q8 is among the best earphones I've heard, bar none. 

Agreed. My iPhone 5S drove them better than the AK240. When driven from the Picollo amp, bass is really great- full and extended.

 

[james444]

  All of that must be prefaced by: if your source supplies ample current into the e-Q8's insanely low impedance requirements. If you don't have that: no bass, thin mids, and peaky treble. But when all is perfect, e-Q8 is among the best earphones I've heard, bar none. 

Agreed. My iPhone 5S drove them better than the AK240. When driven from the Picollo amp, bass is really great- full and extended.

 
So, what else is known about Golden Ears' measurement rig, besides the fact that they use "Golden Ears Headphone Amplifier V1.0" to drive the phones?

 

[Inks]

I remember reading their amp source is less than 1ohm of impedance, think you have to translate for it. So it can't be that. Also if the GE compensation is far fetched I guess the OW is too as they are very similar, both are the best we have at the moment IMO.