raypin said:

  Mmm....for Focal owners, what is the build quality like? Is it built like a tank (can take a lot of abuse) or is it flimsy/sloppily-built that will fall apart in the face of normal wear and tear?

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warrenpchi said:

Hi Guys,

I'd like to drift off-topic for a moment, but in a way that I feel is relevant. If you don't feel like indulging me for this, no worries, please go ahead and skip this post.

When I first joined Head-Fi, I lurked for about nine months. This was a foreign world to me, where the culture - and even the language - was incomprehensible at times. Even after I finally worked up the courage to start posting regularly, I was still very much a noob. And in many ways, I still am.

Yet many of the veteran members here at Head-Fi were forgiving of my ignorance and inexperience. Even though many of them had been here since Head-Fi was founded... and were members at HeadWize before that... they were not jaded, nor did they hold contempt for me. They were patient with me. They taught me, mentored me, and lent me their knowledge until I could acquire my own. And through them, I learned that Head-Fi is all about helping each other, and being good to one another.

As time went on, I developed a strong desire to pass-on what I had learned, to pay it all forward. And as luck would have it, I could do just that. Because I often found myself with better access than most, I was often privy to try new gear before it was released - much like Stillhart was recently privy to the new Focal models before they were released. And like Stillhart, I rushed here to Head-Fi with my impressions to help as many people as I could. I just wanted to help, the way Stillhart was trying to help just now.

And yes, like Stillhart, I took my fair share of criticism from the peanut gallery. Those of you who were here for the Audeze LCD-X and LCD-XC launches will remember what I mean. And by peanut gallery, I mean people that had never even heard the gear that I was referring to. That's fine I suppose. We don't all agree, nor should we. But you know what's one thing that has never happened to me? I was never, not once, not even in jest, accused of being a shill.

Today, for the very first time since the day I joined Head-Fi, I feel genuinely ashamed. I am ashamed of how my fellow Head-Fi members are treating one of our very own. Disagree with him if you want to. Criticize him if you must. But if you're going to accuse Stillhart of something devious like trying to push gear on you, then you better come with something more than hollow words... and you'll have to come through me.

When you belittle fellow members who have auditioned the gear that YOU WANT to learn about (which is presumably why you are in this thread at all), you are killing that volunteer spirit within them. You are insulting them and devaluing their sacrifices (time spent away from their families, time spent listening to music, etc.). And in a way, you are insulting every Head-Fier who has ever tried to help others by posting his/her honest impressions for no reward whatsoever - myself included.

I don't know what would make you think this kind of behavior is okay. But I hope that whatever is bothering you in life, whatever it is that's making you treat your fellow Head-Fiers this way, I hope you overcome it soon so that you can once again treat others with civility and respect.

In the meantime, I hope you can at least realize that Stillhart was not deserving of your scorn or callous accusations, and that you can summon the courage to apologize to him. Actually, what would be even better is this: you can use your resources and connections to secure the Focal headphones for an audition of your own, and then face down the vitriol that you likewise would not deserve, as you try to do nothing more that post impressions and help people. Then you'll understand just how hurtful you've been, as well as how undeserving of it Stillhart was.

TL;DR

Be good to one another.

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arnaud said:

  ... but I don't recall Jude mentioning about eq. curve when we discussed in Tokyo. [sorry if this is too nerdy for the main audience ]
 
cheers,
arnaud

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dandorn said:

Good to know, though I worry about circumference of the pads even more than pliability.

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dandorn said:

  I'd be very interested in knowing how comfortable the ear pads on these new high-end Focals are. I've tried the Spirit One and Spirit Classic and found both to be extremely uncomfortable (more characteristic of on-ear than over-ear cans). I can't tell by video how comfortable these would be relative to the small ear cups of its predecessors.

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jude said:

   
@DanDorn, I hope these photos help a little.
 

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raypin said:

  mmm.....clamp pressure for the Utopia/Elear? Reference for me  is the ultra-comfortable HD 800/S or the T1/1.2 . Ergo is 10/10. It is like wearing nothing (for a full-sized headphone).BAD Ergo (1/10) is the LCD X (because of the sheer weight and clamp pressure) and the FAD Pandora's Hope VI (because part of my ears touches part of the left driver).

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stillhart said:

   
 
 
We all have different ears and different things we look for in a headphone.  I'd take the Elear of the HE-400i any day of the week, but I find the HE-400i to be extremely muddy.  It's not bad at its price point, but it's in a different league from the Elear IMHO.  I think the Elear is much better technically.  Tonally they're different, though, so you may find that you prefer the HE-400i just from that perspective.

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