[Music Alchemist]

you still don't like the mt8 ?

 
Correct. It's like an inferior version of the MT220. Also cross-posting this, as I find it relevant:
 

 
 
Got my third MT220 today. (That's the MT8 in the middle.)
 
It has the same type of peaks and dips, as heard with a frequency sweep.
 
Put the Brainwavz sheepskin leather pads (straight, not angled) on it. Sounds awful! Major downgrade, not an upgrade.

 

[TrixtonSk8]

I've been using my MT8 every day at work on my Fiio E17k since I got them and still enjoying them quite a lot.  I miss them when I go home to my 400i.  Not that they are superior necessarily, but different.  How can you know you don't have a faulty pair?  Especially odd since the drivers on the MT8 and MT220 are the same and the housings look very similar to me.  Maybe I just need the MT220 now.  I hate this hobby 

 

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I've been using my MT8 every day at work on my Fiio E17k since I got them and still enjoying them quite a lot.  I miss them when I go home to my 400i.  Not that they are superior necessarily, but different.  How can you know you don't have a faulty pair?  Especially odd since the drivers on the MT8 and MT220 are the same and the housings look very similar to me.  Maybe I just need the MT220 now.  I hate this hobby 

 

 
Although I said they sound pretty different, they're similar enough. I can tell when a headphone is defective. I just don't like it nearly as much as the MT220 and countless other headphones. My statements need to be put in the context of being used to very nice headphones. The MT8 just sounds closer to average studio monitor headphones in the $100 range to me.
 
How do you know the drivers are the same?
 
And yeah, I feel ya. This hobby drives me crazy. Read my profile. Way too many headphones...haha.

 

[TrixtonSk8]

   
Although I said they sound pretty different, they're similar enough. I can tell when a headphone is defective. I just don't like it nearly as much as the MT220 and countless other headphones. My statements need to be put in the context of being used to very nice headphones. The MT8 just sounds closer to average studio monitor headphones in the $100 range to me.
 
How do you know the drivers are the same?
 
And yeah, I feel ya. This hobby drives me crazy. Read my profile. Way too many headphones...haha.

 
My Yamaha EPH-100 IEMs were in the "$100 range".  I loved them.  So did my cat 

 
I wish I had an MT220 to compare them to so I could confirm or deny, but alas, I do not.  Maybe I can snag a pair in a couple months lol...
 
Edit: BTW what chain are you using for these?  Maybe you said it already...

 

[Music Alchemist]

  My Yamaha EPH-100 IEMs were in the "$100 range".  I loved them.  So did my cat 

 
I wish I had an MT220 to compare them to so I could confirm or deny, but alas, I do not.  Maybe I can snag a pair in a couple months lol...

 
There are definitely great budget headphones out there. I actually prefer the Koss KTXPRO1 over most headphones...which is crazy 'cause it only costs ten or fifteen bucks! I've been using four-figure headphones lately, and although they are far superior in terms of technical performance, I often reach for the KTX over even them. Just goes to show ya there are compromises to deal with no matter how much you spend.
 
(I was referring to studio monitor headphones in that range, though.)
 
I've owned three MT220s now. Had the first one in 2015 but returned it due to an emergency. Got the other two recently. The first was defective (left driver rattles, especially in the sub-bass) so I am going to return it along with the MT8.

 

[chrone]

   
There are definitely great budget headphones out there. I actually prefer the Koss KTXPRO1 over most headphones...which is crazy 'cause it only costs ten or fifteen bucks! I've been using four-figure headphones lately, and although they are far superior in terms of technical performance, I often reach for the KTX over even them. Just goes to show ya there are compromises to deal with no matter how much you spend.
 
(I was referring to studio monitor headphones in that range, though.)
 
I've owned three MT220s now. Had the first one in 2015 but returned it due to an emergency. Got the other two recently. The first was defective (left driver rattles, especially in the sub-bass) so I am going to return it along with the MT8.

 
Could you compare the sound signature between Yamaha HPH-MT8 and Audio Technica M40X? If there's not much difference than I think I'll stick with M40X since it's way cheaper.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Could you compare the sound signature between Yamaha HPH-MT8 and Audio Technica M40X? If there's not much difference than I think I'll stick with M40X since it's way cheaper.

 
Hmm. Well, I have owned the M30x, M40x, and M50x. (I'd actually like to buy another M40x, but with all the summit-fi headphones I've been using, I'm not sure how often I'd use it.) It's difficult to accurately describe sound in general, but I would describe the MT8 as a combination of the M30x and MT220, leaning more towards the former. If you have the M40x already, then yeah, I wouldn't bother with the MT8, personally, and if you were going to spend that much anyway, the MT220 is a much better choice, in my opinion. (The MT220 is by far my favorite closed-back headphone, which I'm sure you've noticed.)

 

[chrone]

   
Hmm. Well, I have owned the M30x, M40x, and M50x. (I'd actually like to buy another M40x, but with all the summit-fi headphones I've been using, I'm not sure how often I'd use it.) It's difficult to accurately describe sound in general, but I would describe the MT8 as a combination of the M30x and MT220, leaning more towards the former. If you have the M40x already, then yeah, I wouldn't bother with the MT8, personally, and if you were going to spend that much anyway, the MT220 is a much better choice, in my opinion. (The MT220 is by far my favorite closed-back headphone, which I'm sure you've noticed.)

 
Awesome! Thanks for the info!

 

[oopeteroo]

No more impression ?

 

[TrixtonSk8]

Been doing some more comparisons and critical listening with the HPH-MT8, essentially revisiting them.  There are some things I really like about these headphones and other things that could be better.
 
Sound - The strong points of the sound with these is the instrument and vocal representation, timbre, transient qualities, and bass texture.  Though I enjoy the transient qualities overall, sometimes the attack is a little weak and the decay a bit extended, but this works well for some tracks.  The bass does lack a bit in impact and it a bit thin for heavy music like trap or rap.  There are certain frequencies that sound downright anemic, almost non-existent in some tracks.  But, with most types of music, it creates a beautiful texture and blending that sounds fantastic.  So, mixed feelings on the bass.  Acoustic music or electronic with organic elements sound very good with these phones.  Heavy electronic or electronic with synthetic qualities don't sound as good, in my opinion.
 
Design/Build/Comfort - These headphones are sturdy, the joints articulate enough without being flimsy.  It comes with two cords, one long and straight, the other coiled.  I use the coiled one while I'm at work because it can fit in a small space on my desk without hanging down, effectively reducing the overall weight.  Comfort is quite good, though the pads are slightly shallow, which causes light irritation on my eyes after hours of listening, so beware if you have large ears.
 
Overall, good headphones, but are they worth the price?  I'm not sure anymore, especially with some really great budget IEMs coming out these days.  I would recommend having a listen before buying them if possible to form your own opinions on them.  They might work well for the type of music you listen to, but they might not.
 
TL;DR - contrasting my previous post... I'm not sure that these headphones stack up to the competition value-wise.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I got my first studio monitor speakers recently: JBL LSR305. Despite costing only $250 (originally $400), I think they outclass any headphone, honestly. (And I've owned/heard plenty of expensive ones.) I'm mentioning this here since the MT8 is marketed as a studio monitor headphone...but for studio work, I'd say you should be using speakers. (And, of course, they're a treat for listening to music in general.)

 

[vonSchatu]

Hi there!
 
I am quite new to the site, but I passionately use headphones for a few years now. Recently I bought the MT8 as a possible ugrade for mixing and monitoring from my M50x, as I was searching something more neutral. I think based on the specs they are direct competitors. So here are my two cents on them.
 
I think the MT8 outclass the M50x in many ways. Comfort is better, as the openings are bigger, it sits comfortably around the ears. Though they are a bit heavier, the weight distribution is good and they don't really feel heavier. Build is excellent and sturdy. Overall I am quite impressed by their physical appearance.
 
Soundwise they are interesting, they have pros and cons. They have nice punchy bass and the transition to the midrange is well made. The bass is kind of the weak point of the M50x. It is a bit accentuated, and less refined than that of the MT8 (though it is still miles better than any consumer oriented headphones in the same price range). The treble on the MT8 is well defined and extended, no typical "8k peak and then downwards" feature. Therefore also no sibilance on them. Soundstage is big enough for me though not as big as some pleasure hi-fi cans. Certainly bigger than the M50x, but it is known to have the smallest soundstage existing. Imaging is good, you can hear the instruments well defined. Overall below 300Hz and above 7k there is nothing to be ashamed of.
My problem with these headphones is that they sound a bit honky. Like someone is speaking to you through a tube. If you look at the graphs of the MT220 (assuming they kept some of the characteristics), and compensate them to the Harman curve, the problem can immediately be seen. The area between 1k and 4k has a hude dip it it, and it makes the area between 500 and 1k accentuated. So overall the middle and the upper part of the midrange are not in balance. When I was in the studio where I study I could recreate the effect on the speakers by adding a massive -6dB dip at 4k. It is really a shame because, these headphones make so much things so right. But as J Gordon Holt said "If the midrange is not right then nothing else matters."
 
Overall I think I will send them back, though with a bit heavy heart. They are comfortably, overall good sounding, and really very well made headphones. They are not more accurate than my M50x, but have a different kind of inaccuracy, ones that I am less forgiving for. But if you look for a decent pair of studio monitors, these deserve a consideration.

 

[Music Alchemist]

 
Just a thought: Any serious speaker user does equalization to achieve a neutral frequency response. Although this is more difficult with headphones, you can fix most frequency response-related issues of any headphone with it. However, of course, this won't fix other aspects of the sound.

 

[Mad Max]

  I got my first studio monitor speakers recently: JBL LSR305. Despite costing only $250 (originally $400), I think they outclass any headphone, honestly. (And I've owned/heard plenty of expensive ones.) I'm mentioning this here since the MT8 is marketed as a studio monitor headphone...but for studio work, I'd say you should be using speakers. (And, of course, they're a treat for listening to music in general.)

 
Pffft, that's what I would say that the Yammie HS8 or Mackie MR8 monitors come very close to doing.  But LSR305?  Riiiiiight.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Pffft, that's what I would say that the Yammie HS8 or Mackie MR8 monitors come very close to doing.  But LSR305?  Riiiiiight.

 
They sound far better to me than any headphone. It's not even close. And I've owned/heard most of the popular high-end ones. But it's good to know about the other two you listed potentially being even better.