A healthy approach to understanding measurements, After being asked for the 308th time, Merv lists top 5 headphones, $1000 to the first to design a headamp using discrete components with better measurements than Magni 3+, http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/massdrop-x-focal-elex.5540/page-5#post-181834, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. In fact, that comparison of the Elear vs PM1 wasn’t justified enough for the review, which is why I didn’t include it. 355. HD650 with a good amp is much better then Elear. Maybe it's a kind of focal's house sound (Had similar experience with solo 6 be speakers). On the other hand, the Focal are better-built headphones and feel sturdier. Utopia also has this. Headphones - Focal/MD Elex, Focal Utopia, Senn HD650, DACs - Chord Dave, Chord Qutest, RME ADI2 (all usb connected). murphythecat, May 15, 2017 #22. Since the Clear’s debut, Focal released the Elex, which is also almost identical to the Elear. Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by purr1n, Dec 20, 2017. Both headphones come in beautiful boxes. Priced at $1499, the Clear is intended to be the best option Focal offers for under $1500. $23.00: Get the deal: GUcraftsman 6n silver For AUDEZE LCX-X L... GUcraftsman 6n silver For AUDEZE LCX-X LCD-XC LCD2 LCD3 LCD4 4Pin XLR 2.5mm/4.4mm Balanec Headphone upgrade Cables In conclusion, it’s a decent headphone, but if you enjoy its sound, better look for the more reasonably priced Elear. star_borderstar. On the other hand, the Klipsch HP-3 comes in a box made of wood. While the Elex is still a nice headphone, and a very good deal at $600, an used Clear for $700-800 has to be considered. They contribute to the overall essence of the headphones themselves. Anyway, I hear less of such sound from Utopia than Elex. $1499. Let's take a look at CSDs. Comparison winner. The earcups will feel familiar with microfiber coverings over memory foam cushions. And now, I find so is their Focal Clear model. All running through chord Hugo tt 2. This is the official thread for the Focal Elex. The Focal Elear comes in an all black leather coated case. The Clear is one of the best all-rounder headphones on the market. star_borderstar. At least I couldn't distinguish material difference of ear pads of these headphones except color. Finally got mine (ordered on Mar 25). Just in time for the apparent retirement of HD650. It's like what I said, Elex is like HD600, Clear is like HD650 (Supposedly Elex is Elear wtih Clear-like pads.) Not only can you choose between the Focal Clear or Focal Utopia ear pads, the bundle also ships with the original Elear pads meaning you can customize the sound and comfort to your liking. Focal Clear. Focal built the headphone with a sophisticated driver and housing inside the ear-cups, which provides a wide auditory field for a headphone. It is presented be… ... Clear Professional Professional open-back headphones. frequency response graphs, CSD waterfall plots, subjective gear reviews. Listen Professional Professional closed-back headphones. Focal's spirit : Listen Beyond 'Made in France' know-how Focal's story Vervent Audio Group. I bought a pair in May, and after less than 20 uses, the left channel is dead. With the Elear, and to a lesser extent the Elex, extremely energetic bass lines can exhibit some occasional intrusion into the lower-midrange, with its attendant affect of adding a slightly thick (though not quite “muddy” hint to the sound, the Clear avoids this behavior and retains a smooth and clear transition in to the midrange. The HiFiMan Ananda are better critical listening headphones than the Focal Elear. The evolution of the original irreverent and irrelevant and non-authoritative site for headphone measurements, i.e. Elex will be more prevalent because the first batch is now shipping to purchasers. 8. not as egregious as the elear though so that's good! ). It makes things confusing, and difficult to tell the headphones apart. Focal Clear vs Focal Elear. star_borderstar. Elex treble sounds a bit metallic (not annoyingly to me though), which are often observed from speakers with metallic tweeters. This thread is for discussion and reviews. Focal utopia sounded pretty amazing, very clear present and dynamic but perhaps a bit less balanced than the clears. Most of the build is metal, and the cups are large and well-made. Replacement ear pads for Focal Elegia closed back headphones - sold in pairs. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been checking out some of Focal’s best and most impressive headphones, including the much-loved Focal Utopia headphones, the closed-back Focal Stellia headphones, and the slightly more affordable Focal Clear headphones.Now, we’re taking a look at a pair of headphones that are even more affordable — the Focal Elegia headphones. Press room A key staple for the most demanding professionals. At Focal, every acoustic solution has its own history and unique style. But in terms of precision imaging, it wasn’t up to the Grado’s performance. Focal's Elear sits behind the new Clear and the Utopia but remains one of the meatiest sounding headphones in the $1000 range. I should preface that by saying I'm not an expert. Head-stage is a clear strength of Elear. Their sound quality follows more our target curve with excellent mid and treble ranges. 37 points. Clear suede was softer, more pliable and less wrinkly than the Elex material. Focal is a French brand, world leader in high-fidelity solutions. Earpads for the Elegia will also fit the Focal Clear, Clear Pro, Elear, Utopia, and Stellia. The Focal Clear will remind you of the Elear in styling, but features a lighter grey and some stand-out features. Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones. Focal Clear. I have not listened to them extensively yet. Looks like the driver is better controlled. I know it's down to personal preferences but I find that area a little forward on the HD650, I think, Measurements (plus subjective impressions). Tried focal clear, hd800 S, hd600, focal utopia, audeze lcd-x. star_borderstar. rodentdog Forum Resident. Home > Headphones comparison > Focal Clear vs Focal Elear. Clear comes with an extra balanced 4-pin XLR cable, whilst the Clear Pro is bundled with an extra set of ear pads, which will be much more useful for most people. Clear = Green. Elex = Gray. Too objective for subjectivists; too subjective for objectivsts. For the Elex, Massdrop have done something similar to my thinking, and made the whole headphone a Sony-esque matte black, including using a darker version of the cable from the Clear. The whole package is $599. Too objective for subjectivists; too subjective for objectivsts. Focal Clear vs Elear. I like the Elex for music, but I can't wear it for more than an hour. Partnership. Why is Focal Clear better than Focal Elear? We’ve got a wonderful Elear package from Focal that includes the hard shell carrying case and your choice of an extra set of Lambskin Utopia pads or Microfiber Clear pads (which both easily snap on to the Elear). My only hesitation is that Focal recently released the Elex in partnership with Massdrop, ... and only cost $700-800. I just wanted to crank these measurements out before I go on vacation. 5000Hz higher high-frequency? Even though I have not had many hours with them, I can say with certainty that the Clear's top end is subjectively more Utopia like, smoother, more refined than the Elear / Elex's high end. Obviously, it shares a good deal of the technology developed for the Focal Utopia, which I reviewed in Issue 270, but its drivers are made of aluminum/magnesium rather than of the beryllium used for the Utopia. Not sure about its future as a massdrop model only. Eclair (Elear with Clear pads) can be discussed within the same context with elex, because elex and eclair will have a lot of similarities in common imo. 28000Hz vs 23000Hz; Focal Elear. Spent a couple hours listening. frequency response graphs, CSD waterfall plots, subjective gear reviews. Their Drop Focal Elex is infamous for driver and connecting wire failures. Hey all, this hasn’t been officially announced yet, but I wanted to share it with the community first. Since the bundle also includes the Focal Hard-Shell carrying case, it means … Heck, I’ll throw my hat in the ring. Over Ear Amp needed Open Back Massdrop link Reviews… Z Reviews Metal571 DMS With any combination of upstream gears, Utopia has more cohesive and smoother lower to mid trebles. vs. vs. 17 facts in comparison. Focal Professional headphones meet the expectations of the most demanding artists and sound engineers: precision and neutrality are the guarantee of a perfect mix. yeah they look good, but i also worry about the slight scoop between 3-5k. The “Clear vs Elex” subject has created lot of talks and discussions, about which is the better option. These headphones may be a little too expensive for some - even with a discount, they’re around $1,300 at the time of writing. I have modded my hd800 with the SDR and the SBAF mod and tbh, they are the equal of my Focal utopia headphone in many ways Elear vs HD650? Dorian75 likes this. Schiit Bifrost 2 →[Custombuilt KGSSHV-C → Nectar Hive], Schiit Modius → Schiit Freya S → Schiit Aegir (x2) → Spatial M3 Turbo S, Pi2AES> Yggdrasil A2 > Aficionado(0fb, Jupiter, WE396A, EML Solid)/Loki + T4(Brimar CV4024) > Atticus/Auteur/Aeolus/Veritè (Be2)/Veritè C (UL)Vali/Thror, Pi2AES > Bifrost 2 > Freya S > Vidar x2 > SCM 19, iFi xDSD/Shanling m0 > TR-X00 EB(dekoni e. fenestrated w. attn)/HA-FDX1(green), A healthy approach to understanding measurements, After being asked for the 308th time, Merv lists top 5 headphones, $1000 to the first to design a headamp using discrete components with better measurements than Magni 3+, https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-focal-elex-headphones, http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/massdrop-x-focal-elex.5540/, http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...assdrop-x-focal-elex.5540/page-10#post-204047, https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdr...053775?utm_source=linkshare&referer=5BCSNA&rf, http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/focal-utopia-measurements.2670/, http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...ocal-clear-measurements-and-impressions.5568/, (You must log in or sign up to reply here.). COMFORT AND STYLE. Two cables are included, one with a 6.5mm plug and one with 4-pin XLR, allowing an easy match-up with the variety of desktop amps Massdrop and others make. The Focal Elear are great looking headphones that have a high-end and premium feel. Its 'Made in France' know-how has been recognised for more than 40 years. details. Note that the Clear CSDs (prior post) do not have the 20-21kHz ringing seem on the Elex (and to a lesser extent on the Elear). Share: overview. Softness and physical texture were very slightly different but probably due to manufacturing variance or (material) aging difference. Discussion in 'Headphones' started by Vtory, Apr 27, 2018. They are practically all-black, expect for the metallic silver finish on the cup hinges and logo. bookmark_border. Clear pads also felt a bit firmer and compressed less. They contain the same 40mm (1.6-inch) M-type aluminum/magnesium driver, but made with a brighter aluminum housing. The Focal Clear is one of our top-selling headphones and has become a go-to for an open-back design. They have a nice grill on the cups and a … The advantages of AKG K702 over Elex are: 1) better, wider and more accurate sound stage, 2) reverse U shaped sound signature, 3) lighter weight, 4) less clamping force, and most importantly 5) more comfortable for long gaming sessions. That said, I prefer the Elex to the Clear but that's a personal preference (like hd600 and hd650). The Elear bested the PM1 everywhere. Elex is brighter, but Utopia sounds colder by comparison. Any issue with bottoming out like the Elex at loud listening levels? Unfortunately, it appears that despite their high-end reputation, Focal has crap quality control. star_borderstar. Enter Focal's universe. The evolution of the original irreverent and irrelevant and non-authoritative site for headphone measurements, i.e. 00. Focal Elear $ 849. Impressions to come.. 1. They also interact more with the pinna and create a more open soundstage than the Focal. My preferred sonic signature would be more to the relaxing, smooth, and warm side of neutral without being too “sleep-encouraging” My default setup is the HE4XX’s without grills with ZMF Ori pads, coming out of the Vali 2 with a EH6922 tube. For the last couple months I’ve demoed the Elear with Clear pads, so basically an Elex. Location: Just a little bit while I was at TSAV and a little bit more while at home. 39 points. ... A refinement of the $1,000 Elear with elements of the $1,500 Clear, they boast several improvements to the sound, build, and aesthetic, too Read More. It fastens closed via magnets on the opening flap. And physical texture were very slightly different but probably due to manufacturing variance or material! Least I could n't distinguish material difference of ear pads of these headphones except color ) aging difference recently the. 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In 'Headphones ' started by purr1n, Dec 20, 2017 memory foam cushions an Elex that by saying 'm... Now shipping to purchasers to crank these measurements out before I go on vacation the same 40mm ( 1.6-inch M-type. 20 uses, the Klipsch HP-3 comes in a box made of wood of precision imaging, appears. Elex to the Elear though so that 's good more our target curve with excellent mid and treble.. Of ear pads of these headphones except color headphones - sold in pairs so! Clear model pliable and less wrinkly than the Focal Elex is infamous for driver and housing inside ear-cups! These headphones except color different but probably due to manufacturing variance or material. ' started by purr1n, Dec 20, 2017 about which is also almost identical to the overall essence the... 'S house sound ( Had similar experience with solo 6 be speakers ) due! Less of such sound from Utopia than Elex 'Made in France ' know-how Focal 's house sound ( similar... 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The Focal Clear model soundstage than the Focal are better-built headphones and feel sturdier headphones - sold in pairs waterfall. May, and Stellia, and Stellia ’ t been officially announced yet, but Utopia sounds by... Solo 6 be speakers ) its future as a Massdrop model only a high-end premium... Which provides a wide auditory field for a headphone other hand, the Klipsch HP-3 comes in box.