oreo cables: ortofon's ec7s x ec8s

June 20, 2016 ohm

Closely mirroring the fit and finish of their e-Q7/8 series flagship earphones, ortofon’s latest production, a pair of MMCX cabless, are beautiful, if awkward. Beautiful in that they look, and feel, like first-party offerings. They are slim, comfy, mostly free of touch noise, and, aside from the lack of a neck cinch, great for use out and about because they lack spiny memory wire. Awkward in that ortofon don’t sell earphones compatible with them; if you want them, you’ll have to attach them to another maker’s earphone.

shotgunshane reviews the ortofon e-Q8

March 12, 2015 ohm

shotgunshane's views on the ortofon e-Q8 VS the Final Audio VII are spot-on:

“The e-q8 has better bandwidth (extension at both ends), slightly fuller note weight and quite frankly the best distortion guitars I think I’ve heard on an iem. This may be THE iem to own for rock and metal.

The only area in sound the heaven VII beats the e-q8 is with that FAD magical reverb. Pianos are fantastic on the heaven and more lifelike due to reverb imo. The keys’ notes linger so beautifully and tastefully.

If I mostly listened to pianists, I’d have to look hard at the FAD line up. But I’m a rock-n-roll kind of guy and the e-q8 is excellent in guitar tone, timbre, grit and bite.”

He continues later:

“So... I liked the loaner set so much I ordered my own pair tonight from Dimitri. The e-q8 is easily the best single armature I’ve heard.”

Right on, shane. If you can drive them properly, the e-Q8 is one of the top two or three single-driver earphones on the planet.

His thoughts, among others, can be read in the ortofon eQ-8 headfi thread.

And here is my review of them at Headfonia.

ansible ohmage: ortofon e-Q8

May 19, 2014 ohm

Back in 2012 I had rip-roaring time with the ortofon e-Q5. And in 2010, its older brother, the e-Q7, did me well. Since then another two years have passed. Naturally, it is time to get my ortofon on. The e-Q8, which costs around 400$ USD, is a good upgrade. On the outside, it’s a white e-Q7. But on the inside, it’s got a love-for-rock-thing going on in a new way.

UPDATE: I since have written a full review of the ortofon e-Q8 at headfonia.