[gameboy115]

4 is most annoying for me, except that I have no compliant in other 3 points u listed

 

[Hentai11]

I don't find the IE8 lacking in treble energy; in fact, out of the box they are the most balanced phones I've ever heard. I have notice that things that require treble precision--percussion attack, breath and air and hard consonants in vocals--escape them. Not a dealbreaker, but an imperfection.

Isolation is, with rare exception, a fit problem. It's why I stockpile tips. Most of the time, if you're patient with switching things around, you'll find something that works.

 

[scrane]

Too expensive.

 

[mvw2]

Brand new retail, sure. Just search for the deals. But yeah, this level of earphone is quite up there in the price point versus the vast array of $50 to $150 products available. It is somewhat difficult to justify.

 

[Hygienist]

Fit's a bitch but it sounds awesome. Favorite IEM out of RE0 and TF10.

 

[midnightwalker]

I agree with point 4, the design of IE8 that makes them less isolate than others but yup, it's lighter. Switching between the foams can make a better isolate, I'm using M bi-flange.

 

[kwang411]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onza /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. lack of treble energy (but not necessarily treble response) 2. over prominence of bass - particularly mid bass... 3. unusally large sound / head stage (this may be a pro or a con for some ppl) 4. lack of isolation (this is somewhat of an issue for me)

#1 I don't think it's lacking treble energy, but the highs along with the mids are just overshadowed by its prominent bass. The IE8s are definitely not balanced.

#2 This is the biggest problem for me with the IE8s, the midbass hump. It really gets on my nerves after some listening, and as a result, I can never listen to them for very long. They are also too warm for my taste.

#3 I don't find the soundstage of IE8 to be particularly big compared to other IEMs, at least I think the lateral soundstage of my CK100 is on par with IE8. In fact, CK100 soundstage has a greater depth, giving it concert hall-like qualities. IE8 has a more in your face presentation, while the CK100s are more laid back.

#4 is not a major problem, but it obviously doesn't have the noise attenuation of 26dB as advertised by Sennheiser, because even my ES3X only claims to be 25dB, and it is leagues better than IE8 in real practice.

 

[scrane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvw2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Brand new retail, sure. Just search for the deals. But yeah, this level of earphone is quite up there in the price point versus the vast array of $50 to $150 products available. It is somewhat difficult to justify.

Actually, I got mine for $223. new a year ago, so I know somebody is making a very good profit. If I had to get them today... no way.

 

[digivate]

They look like they should be really easy to wear but getting them into the right position is actually a pain in the backside and noise isolation is no where near 26 dB as claimed. I also have doubts that the treble goes up to 20,000 Hz. I think the top end is a little bit weak as things like cymbals and hi-hats lack a bit of detail and clarity.

 

[sebhuber]

I think they extend pretty far, but their sig is just soo laid back, making it less sparkly. A flaw of the ie8 would be their slow speed in comparison with BA drivers, but they make up for it in other areas.

 

[HONEYBOY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digivate /img/forum/go_quote.gif They look like they should be really easy to wear but getting them into the right position is actually a pain in the backside and noise isolation is no where near 26 dB as claimed. I also have doubts that the treble goes up to 20,000 Hz. I think the top end is a little bit weak as things like cymbals and hi-hats lack a bit of detail and clarity.

The IE8s treble isn't the most energetic but it has some of the best treble extension I've heard from an IEM. I've yet to hear a BA driver that extends as high as the IE8.

 

[mvw2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrane /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, I got mine for $223. new a year ago, so I know somebody is making a very good profit. If I had to get them today... no way.

Oh sure. There's a massive amount of markup on this stuff versus what it actually costs to produce, some companies more so then others. $223 new is an excellent deal. I didn't even find that digging through used ones when I bought mine. As well, with the influx of fake IE8s, the few well priced real ones get mixed in with the cheap fakes and may get overlooked. I think the multi-driver earphones have a little smaller market. Tossing 3 BA drivers into an earphone isn't the cheapest thing. There are probably high quantity discounds, but if I were to buy 6 BA drivers and make an earphone with just a custom mold, it would cost me around $200 if not more depending on the actual drivers I picked. A single dynamic driver is a good bit more affordable, although, it depends on if the company is making up for R&D costs. Retail pricing may very well be a 200% to 300% markup on the realistic cost of some of these earphones. This isn't to say that all are this way. The profit margins on some are far lower.

 

[maverick777]

1. lack of treble energy (but not necessarily treble response)
I'd agree with this point although I can't say it's necessarily a con. Just depends on your personal preference.

2. over prominence of bass - particularly mid bass...
From an analytical standpoint, I'd agree that there is a hump, but for the kinds of music I listen to it matches very well (trance, Jpop, Kpop, R&B, etc). I enjoy the bass produced by the IE8. I have my knob set to 3/5. The bass does settle down a bit after 100 hours, in a good way.

3. unusally large sound / head stage (this may be a pro or a con for some ppl)
Yes, very large head stage and a pro in most cases. Sometimes I do miss having in-your-face type vocals, but you can't have both. (Unless they invent a knob for that too

)

4. lack of isolation (this is somewhat of an issue for me)
Yes, the IE8 have average isolation when compared to IEMs that fit deeper in the ear. However, once the music is on, I'd say the isolation is good enough for most purposes (bus, train, planes, kids, etc). For me, it's also the reason why I find my IE8's to be the most comfortable of the IEM's I own (SA6, Super.fi Pro 5, im716).

 

[Photofan1986]

Maverick, I see you have the Super fi 5 pro. I have them too, and would like to upgrade...maybe to the ie8. Could you please share your impressions with both?
Is it a real upgrade? Concerning highs/mids/bass/clarity/isolation...
Thanks

 

[maverick777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photofan1986 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maverick, I see you have the Super fi 5 pro. I have them too, and would like to upgrade...maybe to the ie8. Could you please share your impressions with both? Is it a real upgrade? Concerning highs/mids/bass/clarity/isolation... Thanks

It's an upgrade in every way (including the price

). No question.

It was totally worth it for me.