B&O A8 Earphones

I personally haven't tried this model, but I've heard reviews ranging from awesome sound to really poor sound...all style and no substance.

And of course if one considers the Shure E2c, another really good option (if not better) would be the Etymotic ER6. I have tried the Apple buds, the Sony 70's, the Shure E2c and the Ety's and I got the Ety's. B&O is known the world over for its style which comes at a price. It is not really known as a high fidelity brand.

@ maleablekat

I have compared all 4 pairs ( Sony, Apple, B&O & Shure ) with many different sources and the results were the same:

Sony, Apple, B&O: poor to very poor...

Shure: Outstanding!

Hi maleablekat.
Like you I find that earbuds (like Apple's) constantly fall out of my ears.

I had a pair of A8's and my flatmate has the Sony EX71 (with the long cord).

Sound quality of the A8 was not anything to talk about (especially at the price) but , IMO, was slightly better than the Apple and Sony earphones. The Sony earphones have more bass but were a little murky/muddy sounding.

The main reason I bought them was because they were incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time and could NEVER fall out of my ear (great for jogging).
I lost these babies about 6 months ago and am trying to decide between the Etys or the Shures. I have found a dealer here in Australia unfortunately he is on the other side of the continent. I really want to try them before purchasing

i own the a8s but don't use them anymore, imo, they do not sound good for the amount of money they sell for
however they stay in ears very well(especially for running) and very stylish(keep in mind the aluminun WILL damage your ipod's finish if made contact)
the ear muffs never stayed on the phones either, this is a small reason to disapprove but it annoys me

B&O always made flashy products with no substance. Their mp3 player was a joke.

http://www.unex-t.com/bando.jpg

i have the B&O and this is what i believe:

Pros:
- beautifully designed
- perfect for jogging (they never fall out of the ear)
- very adjustable
- maybe the only B&O item you will ever be able to afford

Cons:
- absolutly no bass at all
- no bass
- zero bass
- and no bass

Sound wise I am very disappointed. Was expecting a lot more. After owning them for 2 years I have recently decided to sell my 20gb ipod, get the blue mini AND get better earphones.. the E2c.

I wont be selling the B&Os because I run often and cant imagine any other earphone more suitable for running.

i was gonna buy it from amazon and they list the E2c and the ER6 for 99$

thing is though i am looking for more bass. you would expect to find a lot of clear reviews on both the ER6s and the E2cs but suprisingly I have probably read every review i could find on google and I am still not sure which to get. But the general feel is that the E2s have more bass and are more durable then the ER6.

I live in Kuwait (most kuwait pics on ipod around the world are mine) and i will be ordering the earphones without actually trying them first.. just what i read here online.

thanks kent. all this reading is just confusing me. one sec E2, one sec E3 and now Er6! urgh!

interesting to finally read something positive about the A8s; I'm thinking of getting them after trying them at the store, but all of the negative reviews on the forums has made me start to doubt myself.

am I crazy to get them?

It seems to me that if you want good looking headphones then get the A8s. I'm looking at getting a pair of E3c's because i want performance.

i agree with andrewm, sound quality wise not the best choice, but if you do physical activities like running, cycling, snow sports etc they are perfect for them, i've tried many other earphones and nothing can beat the a8s

and yes, the foams are bs, unless you superglue them they won't stay on

I've been a proud owner of the A8s for more than a year now. I feel that no, the earphones definitely don't sound crappy, and they DO definitely sound better than the stock ipod earphones. It's not so much the bass(which is pretty weak) but the overall clarity that everything is produced at, it's all very crisp.

I've used in ear earphones and althought they do sound good, they're just too compromised for everyday use, especially if you're a person who likes to leave the earphones in your ear for fear of snagging them onto something and ripping them apart. Try talking/eating/drinking with your fingers in your ears and you'll know what i mean. Nevertheless, i do admit that they're great, especially for times when you want peace and quiet with your music(plane/bus etc)

Here's my opinion about the A8's -- I like them...

First, they sound aesthetically pleasing -- they sound great. Interestingly, they sound very good with classical, electronic, and vocal music, as you can hear instruments in the background (more fine guitar and violin sounds) that weren't noticable with my other headphones. There is less bass than I expected, but I personally don't care for too much bass in my ears (although I DO prefer it in my car). The sound out of the earphones is more crisp and clear than loud and heavy. There is accurate reproduction of sounds, giving the music a more "live" or "concert" feel. Again, less bass means that these earphones are probably not the most ideal for rap or heavy rock songs. But don't get me wrong, because they still sound great with these types of music. The vocal sounds are also wonderful. The singer's voice is quite crisp. In addition, what I like about the earphones is that you can still hear the outside world, so you won't get run over by a car while biking or running. (Note, that there is also little leakage, so people beside you on the bus or train shouldn't have to hear your music.)

How do they look? Well, they just look really cool. They have a small and delicate appearance and are made of high-grade aluminum (earpieces and side bars) and rubber (around the speakers and the piece that folds over your ear) to give you strength and durability, as well as classy looks. (Note that durability does not seem to be a problem because, after you register them, the A8's come with a 3-year-warranty from Bang & Olufsen.) They just look expensive. I think, for people who like earphones/earbuds, these are one of the better looking pairs. (You may or may not know that Tom Cruise wore the B&O A8 earpiece in "The Minority Report" movie -- so obviously Hollywood thought they were nice!)

Are they comfortable? I have noticed, from trying various earbuds, that my right ear hole is a bit smaller than my left! Yes, strange as this may sound, I find myself always trying to push the right side in to keep it from falling out. The great thing about the B&O's is that it really isn't that much of a problem even though, at times, I still found myself pushing in the right side. But, they fit so well around your ear that THEY WON'T fall off anyways. You can run, dance, ski, or whatever active thing you want to do, and the earphones will stay in. You can pull the cord from your player and the earphones will stay in your ear. There are 3 types of adjustments you can do that allow you to have this type of support around the ear: 1) The rubber earpiece folds over your ear to hug around your ear lobe as tight as you would like it 2) You can raise the aluminum earpiece up and down a couple of centimeters to find the right fit and 3) The earpiece can tilt towards your ear in case you need to push it in against your earhole. They are quite comfortable -- you might not even notice you have them on.

Now, if you are using the headphones with an iPod, know that they are only available in black. They do not come in white or silver. I knew this before buying them. However, I didn't care because they match my black Krusell leather iPod case. Also, for some of you who may be worried about getting your iPod robbed or stolen if people see those "white earphones" on the streets, be aware that this may confuse would-be thiefs!

Overall, I think they are very nice earphones. They sound clean and accurate and look stunning. The problem I think is the cost. They retail for $160.00 (USD), so this is quite expensive. If you are looking for a mid-end to high-end earphone and don't have to worry about how much to pay, then I would recommend them. If you are uneasy about spending this much on earphones, I probably would think about it. In my mind, I believe they are overpriced. It seems you are paying more for the B&O name, so you could most likely find a comparable or better pair for the same cost. For me, I wanted a pair of excellent-sounding portable earphones that I could exercise with, as well as also be able to listen to sharp, resonating smooth sounds in my home. You can definitely do both with these.

Ok, hope this helps! It's all about your preference and what you like, but that's my opinion.

Enjoy!!!!

Missile