[james444]

^ Agreed on the bass, it's extremely linear but from a good source not lacking in any way.
 
I've actually been without my e-Q8 for the last two months, as my first pair developed some kind of driver distortion and getting them replaced turned out to be much harder than I initially thought. However, a new pair is heading my way as we speak and will hopefully help this thread gain momentum again.

 

 

[audionewbi]

  ^ Agreed on the bass, it's extremely linear but from a good source not lacking in any way.
 
I've actually been without my e-Q8 for the last two months, as my first pair developed some kind of driver distortion and getting them replaced turned out to be much harder than I initially thought. However, a new pair is heading my way as we speak and will hopefully help this thread gain momentum again.

 

This is really interesting, mine also has a distortion that is very audible at louder volumes. I just thought this is to do with the nature of the IEM. Mine tend to be fixed when I blow hard into the IEM. It is okay but after 20 minutes of usage it comes back again.
 
I think I need to send mine back to get checked out too but the problem is I once send my EQ-5 back for the same exact reason and never got a replacement unit back and I just couldnt be bothered to follow up on it. 

 

[james444]

  This is really interesting, mine also has a distortion that is very audible at louder volumes. I just thought this is to do with the nature of the IEM. Mine tend to be fixed when I blow hard into the IEM. It is okay but after 20 minutes of usage it comes back again.
 
I think I need to send mine back to get checked out too but the problem is I once send my EQ-5 back for the same exact reason and never got a replacement unit back and I just couldnt be bothered to follow up on it. 

 
Well, my replacement e-Q8 has landed, and to my utter bewilderment it shows the same tendency to distort as my first pair, only a little less pronounced. Not sure whether it's technically correct to call it a distortion, actually, but there's some kind of resonance or ringing in the upper mids / lower treble that gets exacerbated with certain music. Thing is, the e-Q8's tuning is very forward in that range, and music with a lot of energy there seems to make them virtually go overboard at higher volume levels.
 
FWIW, here's an example, a highly dynamic piano piece that makes the issue clearly noticeable on both my former and current pair. Play at mid to high volume:
 

 
I don't have the e-Q5 anymore, but neither the e-Q7 nor the GR10 (both moving armatures, like the e-Q8) exhibit distortion / resonance with this track.
 
At this point, I'm rather unsure of how to proceed. Dimitri (of MusicaAcoustics) has gone out of his way to get me this replacement, even though (due to some unfortunate communication problem) I had not bought my original e-Q8 from him. So, huge thanks to him for his help and stellar customer service as always, but sadly the new pair fares only slightly better and isn't free of distortion / resonance either... which, together with audionewbi's report of similar issues, makes me think that the issue may be more widespread than I initially thought.

 

[audionewbi]

^just played that clip for the second time and my right earpiece (the one with no dot) just rattled non-stop. 

 

[starck86]

.

 

[shigzeo]

I'm sorry you guys are having issues; definitely contact ortofon to sort it out; I think their customer service is pretty great from my experience.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the impression I'm now getting from a few people on this thread is that it seems like the e-q8 may need a headphone amplifier(?). Maybe that was why some people initially did not care for them as much as we expected?

Thoughts on this would be interesting. I'd like to get them; but not sure if I want to get an IEM that really needs an amp. I like the e-q5's; was hoping for an ortofon "upgrade" path from that.

If you have a player that can put enough current into low-Ω loads, the e-Q8 shouldn't need an amp. But the sad truth is that the AK240 won't give you the resolution/sound the e-Q8 needs. The DX50/90 sound great, so does the X3. 

 

[audionewbi]

O2 does it justice too.

shigzeo do you notice any distortion with your unit?

 

[shigzeo]

My unit doesn't seem to have problems.
 
EDIT: the o2 is of course perfect for it, but for jacket use, a big amp is a big amp.

 

[james444]

  The DX50/90 sound great, so does the X3. 

 
Agreed, my X3 drives them with admirable authority.
 
As for the distortion, I've uploaded my original test track and would appreciate it if you could test it with your own e-Q8 and X3. Sadly, my replacement unit has been getting worse over the last few days and exhibits clearly noticeable resonance / distortion at 50% volume (low gain) on my X3. Would be nice to know if there are indeed distortion free units units out there, before I send mine back for another RMA. Thanks in advance!

 

 

[audionewbi]

   
Agreed, my X3 drives them with admirable authority.
 
As for the distortion, I've uploaded my original test track and would appreciate it if you could test it with your own e-Q8 and X3. Sadly, my replacement unit has been getting worse over the last few days and exhibits clearly noticeable resonance / distortion at 50% volume (low gain) on my X3. Would be nice to know if there are indeed distortion free units units out there, before I send mine back for another RMA. Thanks in advance!

 

I hear faint distortion on my right channel, no where as bad as it was before.

 

[RobinK]

I cannot find anywhere to buy these IEMs. Can someone point me to some places that carry it?

 

[james444]

I cannot find anywhere to buy these IEMs. Can someone point me to some places that carry it?

 
Musica Acoustics

 

[starck86]

    .   

 

[audionewbi]

Just started using the eq-8 I will report back by Sunday.

 

[DimitriTrush]

Any one having the issues with the distortion mentioned earlier?