Ultrasone Edition 8 Review | 93 Data compared

The review from DER SPIEGEL evaluates the Ultrasone Edition 8Go to product viewer dialog for this item. as a high-end luxury headphone with a striking aesthetic and flawless build quality. A major pro highlighted in the review is the impeccable design and premium craftsmanship, featuring earcups coated in the rare transition metal palladium and an included transport bag crafted from fine French goat leather. While the reviewer notes that the palladium coating does not alter the sonic performance, it gives the device a uniquely elegant look. However, the review outlines several prominent cons, chief among them being the extremely high retail price of at least 1,200 Euros. Additionally, the reviewer points out a functional drawback in the design: each earcup requires its own dedicated cable, and these cords are completely non-detachable. This permanent connection requires users to be exceptionally cautious, as any damage to the wires cannot be easily repaired by simply swapping out the cable.

The Ultrasone Edition 8 EX is a premium, closed-back headphone priced at €1,799 that excels in build quality and spatial reproduction. Handcrafted in Germany, it features an all-aluminum headband, magnetic sheepskin ear pads, and stable LEMO cable connectors that support balanced connections. Its defining acoustic feature is the patented S-Logic® EX technology, which integrates the outer ear into the listening experience to create an exceptionally realistic, open, and wide soundstage that avoids the typical "boxed-in" feel of closed-back designs. It operates efficiently with low amplification power, making it easy to drive at original concert volumes while maintaining excellent detail retrieval and micro-dynamics in the treble range without the harsh peaks of its predecessor.

Review Summary The Ultrasone Edition 8 EX is a luxury, over-ear headphone handcrafted in Bavaria that delivers exceptional visual and acoustic craftsmanship for its €1,800 price tag. Visually, the model features high-gloss chrome-plated ear cups, a silver aluminum headband, ceramic inlays, and dark grey leather ear pads sourced from Ethiopian long-haired sheep. On the technical side, the 330-gram headphones are equipped with titanium-coated 40mm Mylar transducers and a detachable 3-meter cable anchored by two connectors. They also integrate proprietary S-Logic EX technology, which utilizes a funnel-shaped, forward-and-downward transducer arrangement to mirror frequent signal reflections and elevate spatial imaging. The headphones earned a "very good" overall rating due to several distinct performance advantages. Pros include an enormously wide stereo soundstage, an incredibly natural sound profile, distortion-free performance even at high volumes, and a tight yet highly comfortable fit that barely registers during wear. Additionally, they excel at extracting the finest acoustic nuances and microscopic details with crystal clarity, and feature practical, magnetic ear pads that can be effortlessly replaced. On the other hand, the cons are primarily centered around its steep...