Well Bob in KY's hot potato/cold potato question is one I cannot answer. After having the 820 ED (allegedly ED) binocular for awhile now, it cannot convince me that it does in fact possess ED glass. It shows absolutely no optical improvement over the Audubon 804 I have. It may be a tiny bit brighter, but that is to be expected since my 804 is from 1999 and coatings should be a little better now. Other comments on the 820 ED made reference to the fact the 820 ED was not as bright as the non ED, but the color and contrast was much improved. The 820 also focuses somewhat closer. But color rendition, contrast, CA control, edge distortion and other image parameters are such that I can really tell no practical difference between the two.
Edit: Both the 820 and 804 are very good binoculars, very close (at the least) to alpha quality. So I guess I'd have to say they are both hot potatoes with butter and sour cream, but without bacon bits and chives. I just can't be sure the 820 is ED.
The 820 is really the only binocular where I have ever had any real objection to the eye cups. The oculars on the 820 are the same size as the objective of the Leupold Yosemite. The covers interchange perfectly. That is too large for hard use in a long day with the 820 as the primary optical instrument. The old fold down rubber eye cups and the smaller diameter of the ocular assembly (the ocular lenses are the same size in both 804 and 820) of the 804 are clearly superior for me. I also do not use glasses, even at 61, with binoculars, so that is a non issue for me. The ergonomics of the 820 are clearly superior to the 804, especially if you have small hands. But the 804 is not uncomfortable for a large porro prism binocular, unless you have small hands. It seems to me that if you have small hands, you typically will be a smaller person and thus also have a smaller face, and that will magnify the objection to the large ocular diameter of the 820. The eye piece bridge is also too flimsy for my liking with an eye towards long term viability.
Also I talked with Eagle Optics in a research mode. They tell me that all of the 820 ED they have, and have ever had, are black armored and have a red logo. Further, they tell me that both the 820 and 820 ED weigh 30 oz on their scale, so that seems not to work as a determining factor.
I have until April 20 to return the 820, and it is going back. I have a line from Nicholas Crista on one of his refurbished 804 ED for a too good to turn down price, so that made the return of the 820 a no brain-er.
As a point of response to the last post from dbuss, my favored 1-2 combination with my 804 will be my 7x36 Eaglet