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Authorized dealers for Astell & Kern AK T8iE

  • Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
  • Advanced MP3 Players — online and in-store — Musselburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (website)
  • ALAIN CHOUKROUN — online and in-store — Paris, Île-de-France, France (website)
  • Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
  • American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
  • Anquan — online and in-store — Glika Nera, Greece (website)
  • Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
  • Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
  • Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)

and 69 more verified dealers

Astell & Kern AK T8iE #1
Astell & Kern AK T8iE variant 1
Astell & Kern AK T8iE variant 2

Astell & Kern AK T8iE

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The AK T8iE makes a compelling premium first impression with a lavish accessory package, detachable balanced and unbalanced cables, and a standout leather carrying case. StereoNET United Kingdom also notes five silicone and three Comply tip pairs, giving owners welcome scope to tailor their fit.

View at Astell & Kern
Specifications2 reviews & sources

WATT RECOMMENDS

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58/100
Rating for AK T8iE

Kinda Soggy

Sound Quality

50/100

Fit Comfort Isolation

50/100

Build Accessories

75/100

Value for Money

85/100

Pros

Exceptionally well-presented package with a standout leather carrying case.

Generous fit accessories: five dedicated silicone tip pairs and three Comply foam tip pairs.

Includes both 3.5 mm unbalanced and 2.5 mm balanced detachable cables.

WATT RECOMMENDS

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Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.

What Reviewers Are Saying

"Astell&Kern have really made the packaging a treat to open up – it's almost like unboxing a fine piece of jewellery."

— StereoNET United Kingdom

SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 50/100

The supplied review excerpt does not discuss the AK T8iE's tonal balance, detail retrieval, staging, or dynamic behavior. Its sound performance therefore cannot be meaningfully characterized from the available evidence.

Bass

50/100

The available review material contains no listening comments on sub-bass extension, bass impact, texture, or control. No conclusion can be drawn about bass performance.

Midrange

50/100

Reviewers provide no comments about vocal placement, instrumental timbre, midrange body, or clarity. The available evidence is silent on this aspect of the presentation.

Treble

50/100

The supplied excerpt does not address treble extension, air, smoothness, sibilance, or fatigue. There is no reviewer evidence to characterize the treble.

Resolution Separation

50/100

No observations are provided regarding microdetail, layering, or separation in dense arrangements. The reviews say little about its resolving ability.

Soundstage Imaging

50/100

The available review extract does not describe soundstage size, image placement, depth, or positional precision. Spatial performance is not covered.

Dynamics Coherence

50/100

There are no reviewer comments on transient response, macro- or micro-dynamics, or driver coherence. The supplied evidence does not assess how the IEM handles rhythmic impact and complex passages.

FIT COMFORT ISOLATION PERFORMANCE 50/100

The package includes several silicone and Comply tip options, which should give owners some scope to experiment with fit. However, the supplied review does not report actual wear comfort, seal consistency, or real-world isolation.

Seal Stability

50/100

StereoNET lists five pairs of dedicated silicone tips and three pairs of Comply tips. It does not say whether the earpieces reliably maintain a seal during use or whether fit changes the sound.

Comfort

50/100

The review excerpt contains no first-hand observations about shell ergonomics, nozzle fit, pressure points, or long-session comfort. Tip variety alone does not establish comfort across different ears.

Isolation

50/100

Although the AK T8iE is specified as a closed in-ear design, the review provides no practical comments on outside-noise attenuation. Its passive isolation performance is therefore undocumented here.

Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.

Build Accessories

75/100

StereoNET highlights a well-presented accessory set: five silicone tip pairs, three Comply tip pairs, a cable clip, and a leather carrying case. The reviewer calls the leather case a standout, though the supplied material offers no direct assessment of shell durability, MMCX reliability, or cable construction.

Value for Money

85/100

At $999, the AK T8iE sits in a premium IEM segment where sound performance, fit, and long-term build execution need to be convincing. The supplied review does not directly compare its value with similarly priced rivals or state whether the asking price is justified.

Reviews & Sources

Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.

Online Reviews & Mentions

YouTube Reviews

Forum Mentions

No forum mentions found yet

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Specifications

Model
AK T8iE
Transducer type
Dynamic, moving-coil
Operating principle
closed
Frequency response
8 – 48,000 Hz
Impedance
16 Ohm
Total harmonic distorsion
<0.2 %
Power handling capacity
10 mW
Nominal sound pressure level
109 dB SPL
Sound coupling to the ear
intra-aural
Cables
two cables: one for balanced-mode use, one for unbalanced-use 1.30 m, two-sided, detachable
Connector
MMCX at earphones / 3.5 mm 3-pole jack plug on unbalanced cable / 2.5 mm 4-pole jack plug on balanced cable / 3.5 mm 3-pole jack plug on unbalanced cable / 2.5 mm 4-pole jack plug on balanced cable
Weight without cable
7 g per pair
Specification
- Audio was NOT muted during the measurement. - The image/specification may be changed without notice to improve product performance and quality.

Manufacturer's Description — Astell & Kern

Beyerdynamic x Astell&Kern

The first high-end in-ear model with Tesla Technology inside AK T8iE from beyerdynamic in cooperation with Astell&Kern.

The AK T8iE has been developed and designed from scratch to offer a superior in-ear sound experience. The finest engineers who developed acoustic reference headphones such as the T1 and AK T5p also designed the AK T8iE, a new landmark in the Tesla family. The dynamic moving-coil transducer offers an extreme wide frequency range with crisp bass, well-balanced mids and crystal-clear highs.

Each AK T8iE is handcrafted in Germany by skilled employees, who have long-term experience assembling small electronic components. Every single constituent of the AK T8iE is tested and approved multiple times before leaving our assembly line. This guarantees the highest level of quality and long lasting product durability.


Beyerdynamic

Established 90 years ago, 1924, in Berlin, Germany by Eugen Beyer, Beyerdynamic is the essence of audio technology.

Beyerdynamic is the leading audio equipment worthy of its name that has developed controller-mounted wireless conference system starting with the world’s first dynamic headphone--the DT 48, which is available even today.
As the inheritor of the Eugen Beyer brand, Beyerdynamic maintains the leading corporate image, vision and role put in place by the founder. The technological advancements, continuous innovation and the world’s best quality have made Beyerdynamic the undisputed industry-standard and sound technology market leader.


Tesla Technology inside AK T8iE

The Tesla Technology inside AK T8iE stands for a superb listening experience. First emerged in 2009 with the reference headphones the T1 and later the AK T5p, the Tesla in-ear is dramatically miniaturized with the same characteristics of its bigger siblings. An extremely high magnetic flux density within a ring magnet ensures a balanced, undistorted, transparent and neutral sound reproduction.


Sounds like an integrated whole

In comparison to other earphones with Balanced Armature(BA) technology, there is no separate transducer for bass, mid- range or treble tones. This avoids phase problems and the losses of sound quality that results from this. From deep bass to the highest trebles, the AK T8iE sounds like an integrated whole. Additionally, the efficiency of the Tesla transducer is so high that it can easily be matched to a 4-way BA system.


Anatomically shaped for perfect fit

The concha design with the cable running rearwards over the ear has several advantages. The in-ears are easily inserted, and don’t fall out because the cable doesn't pull.

The oval-shaped concha moulds sit very comfortably in the auricle without any pressure. Therefore a variety of ear canals of people from around the world were measured.

On top of that five different sizes of anatomically shaped silicone tips and three pairs of Comply™ foam eartips ensure the perfect ear for every ear.


Great flexibility

All cables are Kevlar-reinforced and exceed highest quality demands, steeled for everyday use and mobile application. Besides the standard 1.3m cable with the general-purpose 3.5mm plug there is an additional balanced cable for Astell&Kern devices (works with AK100Ⅱ / AK120Ⅱ / AK240 / AK380). It provides a balance output with its specific 2.5 mm 4-pole terminal. A leather case stores the in-ears safely for transport.


Handmade in Germany

Products from beyerdynamic are being developed and mainly hand-manufactured in Heilbronn.
Aside from the fact that each AK T8iE is handcrafted in Germany by skilled employees, even the heart of the in-ear the Tesla transducer and the diaphragm are made in our own factory.


All parts are tested and approved multiple times before leaving our assembly line. This guarantees the highest level of quality and long lasting product durability.


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Authorized dealers for Astell & Kern AK T8iE

  • Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
  • Advanced MP3 Players — online and in-store — Musselburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (website)
  • ALAIN CHOUKROUN — online and in-store — Paris, Île-de-France, France (website)
  • Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
  • American Sound — in-store — Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (website)
  • Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
  • Anquan — online and in-store — Glika Nera, Greece (website)
  • Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
  • Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
  • Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)

and 69 more verified dealers

Addicted to Audio logo
Advanced MP3 Players logo
ALAIN CHOUKROUN logo
Alpha High End logo
American Sound logo
Analogue Seduction logo
Anquan logo
Area Hifi logo
Audio 46 logo
Audio Advice logo