[Music Alchemist]

  Isn't that the whole purpose of monitoring headphones?
 
To be as transparent as possible.
 
Sh!t sound mix = Sh!t listening
Great sound mix = Great listening
 
They are designed to be honest and reveal any flaws in the recording/mixing.
 
I wouldn't imagine these to be used for general listening unless your music is a collection of music production heaven...
Otherwise it'll just be disappointing, not the headphones fault but the source.

 
I meant that certain nice recordings sound great on pretty much any headphone, including the worst ones.
 
STAX is transparent. (And in some cases, about as neutral as it gets.)
 
The MT8 is junk; not even remotely accurate. There are plenty of great recordings that sound bad on it. In fact, most of the time it's just mediocre. I'd put it at about the level of sound quality of the Audio-Technica ATH-M30x.
 
There's a common misconception that because a headphone is used in a studio, it has to be accurate. This is not true. Studios use all sorts of headphones...warm, dark, bright, smooth, harsh, you name it.
 
I have owned many studio monitor headphones and can tell you their sound signatures are quite diverse.
 
They are not designed to be honest. That's just deceptive marketing.
 
Get experience with real audiophile headphones (or better yet, compare to what the instruments sound like in real life) and you will see that most studio monitor headphones are simply low fidelity.
 
You can fix their frequency response via EQ, but not the rest of the sound. (FR is only the beginning.)
 
The MT220 isn't that accurate either, but at least it has good realism, impact, and so on.

 

[Kozak]

Thanks for the advice but I'm good with my current experience as far as real audiophile headphones go
 
 
That's a shame they disappoint you.
I've spoken with others who had different views.
 
Ordered mine to find out for my self, shall see, but I had high hopes for these.

 

[oopeteroo]

Ack. The MT8 is not a worthy successor at all.....

Did u burn them in ?
Aww that's sad I was looking forward for a mt220 with detachable cabe :/

 

[Music Alchemist]

Did u burn them in ?
Aww that's sad I was looking forward for a mt220 with detachable cabe :/

 
I am convinced that burn-in is nothing more than audiophool nonsense. I have owned more than a few headphones, and not a single one of them changed no matter how long I used them, with the exception of ear pads breaking down on a few.
 
I will probably just buy another MT220. I have a Focal Elear for when I want gorgeous high quality sound with softer recordings, but it doesn't have nearly enough aggression and impact for more energetic music like metal and some electronic genres.
 
I hope no one gets offended by the bad things I said about the MT8, but I hold no loyalty to any headphone. If it disappoints, I won't sugarcoat it, even if it's great in certain areas.

 

[Light - Man]

^^^ It is always good to get a strong opinion as it helps others to decide on the vast options that we have nowadays.
 
While you have it, I would still burn it in for at least 24 hours and keep an opened mind about burn-in but I agree that the effects of burn-in can be subtle. I remember that I was impressed with my MT220 out of the box and that effects of burn-in were more the icing on the cake.
 
I reckon that you should get the MT220 soon along with the lambs leather pads as I believe that the combination will hard to beat at any price for energy, dynamics and pure natural tones.
 
I also think that the Mojo is a bit too polite and lacks a touch in dynamics to really show how good your new Elears might sound regarding the energy and dynamics that you mention the Elears may lack.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  ^^^ It is always good to get a strong opinion as it helps others to decide on the vast options that we have nowadays.
 
While you have it, I would still burn it in for at least 24 hours and keep an opened mind about burn-in but I agree that the effects of burn-in can be subtle. I remember that I was impressed with my MT220 out of the box and that effects of burn-in were more the icing on the cake.
 
I reckon that you should get the MT220 soon along with the lambs leather pads as I believe that the combination will hard to beat at any price for energy, dynamics and pure natural tones.
 
I also think that the Mojo is a bit too polite and lacks a touch in dynamics to really show how good your new Elears might sound regarding the energy and dynamics that you mention the Elears may lack.

 
I actually just bought another MT220 from amazon.co.uk.

 
Which lamb leather pads are you referring to? These ones?
 
http://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/accessories/products/headphone-memory-foam-earpads-sheep-skin
 
What improvements do you hear over the stock pads? Any downsides?
 
My comments on the Elear are compared to other headphones. For example, my Koss KTXPRO1 has pretty nice impact and dynamics on anything, including the Mojo. But it is true that the Mojo is more refined and less obnoxious than cheaper DAC/amps.
 
I drove the MT220 with a Schiit Fulla back in 2015 and it blew my mind. If it doesn't sound as good or better on the Mojo, I may get an additional DAC/amp. (Maybe another Fulla.)
 
As for the MT8, I could keep it around to compare directly to the MT220.

 

[Light - Man]

^^^  that looks the same as the pair I got, mine were about  £33 from Amazon Uk but I have seen them for about £29 - so €37 is a good price, remember that the Hawks pads are as much as $80 for pleather (and micro velour) and are not real leather.
 
The soundstage improves with them and becomes more expansive and immersive.
 
When I bought mine - I was gong to make a joke about them needing to be run-in

 but I do believe that they benefit from use over a few weeks as the foam and leather softens and you don't get a touch of the reverb or resonance on some tracks but other than that I don't believe there is any downside to the real leather pads and you don't get sweaty ears like you can get with pleather.  

 

[Music Alchemist]

Tried listening to the MT8 again today...but it's just unlistenable for me.

 
I dunno what Yamaha were thinking when they discontinued possibly their best headphone (the MT220) and replaced it with something that's not even a fraction as good... 

 

 

[vkvedam]

Tried listening to the MT8 again today...but it's just unlistenable for me.

I dunno what Yamaha were thinking when they discontinued possibly their best headphone (the MT220) and replaced it with something that's not even a fraction as good... :blink:  

Sounds like there is something wrong with your pair may be, they can't really be that bad

 

[Music Alchemist]

Sounds like there is something wrong with your pair may be, they can't really be that bad

 
It's definitely not defective. They just made a crap successor that sounds more like sub-$100 studio monitor headphones but costs twice as much.
 
You own an MT220 and know how great it sounds. If you heard my MT8, you'd know why I'm so distraught by it.
 
I have high standards, so what's unlistenable for me may be pretty good for someone else. Some people do like it...for whatever reason.

 

[vkvedam]

It's definitely not defective. They just made a crap successor that sounds more like sub-$100 studio monitor headphones but costs twice as much.

You own an MT220 and know how great it sounds. If you heard my MT8, you'd know why I'm so distraught by it.

I have high standards, so what's unlistenable for me may be pretty good for someone else. Some people do like it...for whatever reason.

I can understand your point, I do assess things quite critically. Looks like they might have cocked it up. It's strange though as both these headphones share the same 45mm drivers

 

[Music Alchemist]

I can understand your point, I do assess things quite critically. Looks like they might have cocked it up. It's strange though as both these headphones share the same 45mm drivers

 
I don't see how the drivers could be the same, because they sound nothing alike. Just because they're the same size does not mean they are the same.
 
As far as sensitivity goes, the MT220 is 99 dB/mW while the MT8 is 102 dB/mW.

 

[chrone]

   
I don't see how the drivers could be the same, because they sound nothing alike. Just because they're the same size does not mean they are the same.
 
As far as sensitivity goes, the MT220 is 99 dB/mW while the MT8 is 102 dB/mW.

So the sound signature is not the same as with the speaker Yamaha HS 8? T_T

 

[Music Alchemist]

  So the sound signature is not the same as with the speaker Yamaha HS 8? T_T

 
I have not heard that speaker, but there's no way any headphone is going to sound the same as a speaker. (Without cheating via something like the Smyth Realiser.)

 

[oopeteroo]

I have not heard that speaker, but there's no way any headphone is going to sound the same as a speaker. (Without cheating via something like the Smyth Realiser.)

you still don't like the mt8 ?