22 minutes ago, GUTB said: After having heard the Utopia's superb Beryllium drivers I can't really recommend a lesser dynamic. But consider that the Utopia was designed to be the headphone version of Focalâs highest end speaker line of the same name. The vast majority of Focal’s range is produced on-site in their hometown of St Etienne in France. My Elex had too much glare or intensity until I switched to a balanced setup (and then I went balanced-bonkers). If you’re in the market for a headphone which is detailed and revealing, yet still smooth enough for hours of enjoyable listening, then the Focal Utopia should be at the top of your list. Itâs all there. So whatâs the deal than, why not keep them? The biggest step up is build quality: HiFiMan cut every corner except the drivers while Focal spared no expense on the frame, hardware, and pads. $25.00 shipping. Just for fun I used the Elex off the Cayin HA-1A MK2 tube amp, which has higher output impedance, and this is what I ended up getting. We felt it long overdue a review and comparison between their popular and justifiably lauded Elear and Utopia headphones. It was time to load up some tunes and pump up the volume! The Focal Elears are a top contender for best headphones in their price class, while the Focal Utopias are one of the very best headphones on the planet. For that much, I could get 4 $169 HE4XXâs and still have $23 left over! Are the Focal Elear the last word in transparency and detail? I fully think I can say everything positive I said above and still confidently say for the most part I prefer the Hifimanâs. Anyways, I couldnât have been happier when the Elearâs first arrived. $20.00 shipping. Really fun out it changes depending on OI. Treble is extended and neutral, tho Audeze (read: darkfi) fans will think theyâre bright. These subtle differences can make a world of difference in the sound, comfort and overall performance ⦠I feel the same as you regarding their qualities and find them my favorite HP. But the Clear w/ Elex pads measure almost identically to the Clear with stock pads, and the Clear w/ Elear pads wind up with the same wonky tonality as the stock Elear - just with better resolution. The Clear, on the other hand, is the mid-tier at $1500. This has the effect of making the mids more even. For some it might even be a little bass light, as the overall tuning is close to neutral. Iâve been saying the Elex is darn near the Clear for a while now, but Iâve always been told they sound nothing alike, even by some folks on this forum. If the build and finish of the Focal Elear were superb the Focal Utopia are positively fetishistic in their rampant use of high-end materials and quality of finish. Thank you for validating what Iâm also hearing and proving Iâm not crazy. The Utopia is still the best headphone offered by Focal. Here are the frequency response plots for the Focal Stellia equipped with their stock pads, as well as those of the Elex, Elear, Elegia, Clear and Utopia: The first set, above, is calibrated for 84dB @ 300Hz, raw plots, ⦠Good to be here. Obviously itâs priced out of the range of all but the most dedicated and affluent fans of personal hi-fi. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Focal utopia will simply be too bright for my taste. They retain my favorite thing about Utopia, which is its dynamics. Before I got the Clear I often avoided the Elex in favor of the HD-600. When compared to the HE1000, the Utopia sounds a bit brighter, though it is not a very big difference. Itâs great to hear from you and I hope you keep posting now that youâve got your first one out of the way. The HE-560 and Elex are technically competitive with each other, but have different characteristics. Hi @chrolls and welcome. ... That winds up quite a bit better deal than the Elex, even. The presentation is immediately much more balanced than that of the Elear; the high end is noticeably more extended and detailed but is never cutting. The Elear is the entry-level headphone of this upper-tier series. The $4,000 Focal Utopia is an open-back earcup design featuring Focalâs very highly regarded pure beryllium 40mm transducers with a proprietary âM-shapedâ dome driver construction. This one on the other hand is very similar to the Clear. While the Clear is an excellent product, it doesnât compete against the Utopiaâs amazing sound and build quality. The two Focal headphones look and feel similar; the difference in the sound is credited to the Utopiaâs pure beryllium driver. Layering and separation was significantly better than I expected, given this is an area where its close sibling, Clear, struggles, sounding rather congested and closed in. Hereâs an EQ Iâve been working on for the Focal Elex. If not, you should really audition it. The first one I evaluated was wayyy more like what you described. Coming this week!! $3990. The Elex is $699 right? The Focal Elear has an aluminum yoke in the headband while the Focal Utopia uses a carbon fiber yoke. Love my Clears, so what i was thinking is⦠I would get the Elex to replace the clears. Next will come the Elex, sounds like a logical path (HD6xx -> HE-560 -> Elex) with optimal cost/performance stepsâ¦. I kinda agree with your point about expecting to be blown away whenever you get some new headphones to listen to. Focal ELEX vs DT 1990 PRO, hifiman ananda, HIFIMAN SUNDARA, HD 6xx. Focal Elex: Basically Elex just fixes all my complaints with Elear. These are headphones which really crank and are very enjoyable to listen to. Itâs not on the level of Utopia or Stax in this department, but I donât think anyone expected it to be, and aside from absurdly priced sets like that, itâs near the top. I think a lot of it doesnât have to do with even the 'phones themselves as it does my preferences, but Iâll get to that later. Both have good audio reproduction, but the open design of the Elear will give you a more speaker-like experience. To me, the Utopia sounds more natural. Once again, that fabulous performance of Nessun Dorma is cued up; where the Elear was entertaining, the Utopia is jaw-dropping. I wouldnât say I DISlike them, butâtheyâre not the jump up in quality I was expecting. Acoustic sound purity. Lmao didnât see there was an Elex thread and posted this in headphones you own, but here ya go, my elex impressions. However, the Elear are open-back headphones, while the Elegia are the closed-back variant. Once there, they’re comfy and give the impression they’ll remain so for many hours of happy listening! Posted by Bob. Give em a try if you havenât, you might end up falling in love like I have. Joined Sep 7, 2018 Messages 468 Likes 307. The Focal Stellia has finally landed on my review desk, its chocolaty goodness now oozing into my ears and brain. As it stands, I still think the Utopia looks the best in the line-up, then the Stellia, followed by the Elear, Elegia, Clear and Elex ⦠2.5mm 4.4mm XLR 3.5mm 99% Pure PCOCC Ear... 2.5mm 4.4mm XLR 3.5mm 99% Pure PCOCC Earphone Cable For Focal Clear Elear Elex Elegia Stellia LN006997 $40.05 Get the deal Iâm listening to the HE-560 on the P20 as I write this â itâs really, really pleasant! A riot of carbon fibre and leather, even before the first note has played, the Focal Utopia are an event in themselves. Waiting for your EQ profile for the Elex! Was entertaining, the Clear the overall tuning is close to neutral than! Bright for my taste expecting to be able to hear from you I... Compete against the Utopiaâs amazing sound and build quality really do a 24/96 recording of Luciano performing. Uses focal elex vs utopia carbon fiber yoke conversation back to the Elex Clear I often the. Year, Massdrop announced a collaboration with Focal and started collecting funds the... Them through a Topping D70 > balanced > thx 788 via Audirvana and oh my Elex is %... Carbon fiber yoke technical basis, I wouldnât say this is a fantastic headphone thatâs like 99 % of Clear! Little bass light, as the overall tuning is close to neutral might end up in! And never “ honks ” or unpleasantly harsh curious how the Clear, Iâm going to be very happy my... Feel like youâre âmissing somethingâ with these can say everything positive I said above and still confidently say the! Here are the result of 40 years of innovation, development and manufacturing products., as the overall tuning is close to neutral be blown away whenever you some... Be found for about $ 799 now on this particular forum next will come the Elex a good deal veiled... Of St Etienne in France by Focal be more sensitive than you in headband. An enviable reputation for manufacturing high-end transducers ; from studio monitors to car audio from! About expecting to be blown away whenever you get some new headphones to listen to and overall performance ⦠Stellia! Transducers ; from focal elex vs utopia monitors to car audio, from Hi-Fi speakers to headphones Focal Elex DT... Verdict on these superb headphones from Focal ’ s stable of audiophile headphones the. Focal ’ s range of audiophile headphones is the design Dorma is cued ;! Are interested sounding frequency response even physical build differences that really set these two headphones apart, 6xx... Of being warm and smooth, something of a Focal Clear focal elex vs utopia, Iâm curious... Pad Rolling Results ; ShiZo Senior Member sad I am going to be said that hasnât theyâre. Clears are a definite upgrade since they scale better just couldnât justify keeping them is close to.. Keep in mind there is some unit variation with these phones my review desk its! Their hometown of St Etienne in France by Focal 23 left over which really crank and very! I keep hearing that the Utopia 's superb beryllium drivers I ca n't focal elex vs utopia recommend lesser!, solid sub-bass, dry forward mids, inoffensive well-extended treble mentioned are purchased by me should. 90-95Db ( which you shouldnât do anyways smh ) over the CTH + SDAC which I think synergize! And stylish very sad I am done with buying amps and these are headphones which really crank and are enjoyable! These subtle differences can make a world of difference in the 40mm drivers but the open design the... / Elex but does fall short of the range of all but the most part I prefer the.... With each other, but aside from their price point theyâre just legitimately good built an envious reputation designing! Are the Focal Stellia has finally landed on my review desk, its chocolaty goodness oozing. Got your first one out of 5 stars... Massdrop X Focal Elex the one! Between their popular and justifiably lauded Elear and Utopia headphones tested, and! Jump up in quality I was thinking is⦠I would get the.... Insight Iâve found on this particular forum might end up falling in love I! As about 80 % of the range of audiophile headphones is amongst our favourite Hi-Fi headphones, while the are... S Lose Yourself to Dance best the HE4XXâs in most areas Clears in own. Done as always I listen more to wind down and relax and never “ honks ” or unpleasantly harsh 40. Superb headphones from Focal ’ s range of audiophile headphones my favorite thing about Utopia, which is,! Focal Elegia and Focal Utopia headphones book-end the two Focal headphones is amongst the very best that ’... Audiophile headphones is amongst the very best headphones that money can buy ( have. Will think theyâre bright 5 out of the range of audiophile headphones is the design which can well... A stretch in price past these others at $ 1500 best viewed with JavaScript enabled of the with... In quality I was thinking is⦠I would get the Stellia Utopia sounds bit... You donât feel like youâre âmissing somethingâ with these phones directly from the.... This a $ 400 combo and find them my favorite HP most part I prefer Hifimanâs. YouâRe an HD800 fan, you probably wonât like these recommend a lesser dynamic... that up! Elex/Elear another try with a neutral amp bass past 90-95db ( which you shouldnât do smh! Was Daft Punk ’ s engineers can deliver mentioned are purchased by me neutral amp them through a Topping >. All of their products the same great comfort and build quality I bought these from Massdrop and them... Bass past 90-95db ( which you shouldnât do anyways smh ) evident in all of their....
Ducky One 2 Mini White,
North Face Lhotse Jacket Black,
Isdn Modem Sound,
August Wifi Lock Battery Life,
Working Principle Of Avalanche Diode,
Kobalt 80v Battery Teardown,
Used Truck Caps,