[bugger43]

Sublime is a good descriptive......

 

[gonzfi]

With a mojo the Elears are fantastic, with a hugo tt they are outstanding. Punchy is a great word to describe them but at the same time they have such high resolution/clarity. Really remind me of my he-500 but even better.

 

[TsKen]

Had the Elears to compare with the HD 800 side by side.
 
Sad to say although I preferred the sound of the Elears, the soundstage/imaging of the HD 800 overshadows the strengths of the Elears.
 
If you don't care about soundstage/imaging, the Elears are the clear winner.
 
but it's really just apple and oranges. These headphones are pretty much polar opposites. If you don't enjoy the HD 800 then the Elears are the  clear way to go.
 
Though if I was to compare stock HD 800 vs stock Elear, the Elears are MUCH better. But after the superdupont mod on HD 800, it fixes a lot of it's treble issues and it's sound rivals the Elears.

 

[bugger43]

What about comparing the new HD800S? The black updated version with the Elear?

 

[Alex7755]

I would agree with 'punchy' as one of the elears traites.
Purposeful being another.
I had an HD800 a year back (stock).
The image was breathtaking however on too many tracks the overall presentation was lifeless. I eventually sold them despite their obvious strengths. My overriding objective being to 'enjoy' music.

 

[deutschemark]

I heard a big improvement using the Mojo as a dac (line out function with 4 volume clicks lower to get it closer to 2v) into the Alo Continental V5 portable tube amp. Better separation, imaging, and soundstage. Mids are lush and warmer. Improved bass response.

 

[Imusicman]

I use the Elears with my chord hugo which maximises the detail available.
No matter what technical graphs tell you, I think it is important to 'listen' to the music and if a set up captures your heart and soul you've cracked it.

Totally agree

 

[jlbrach]

ad the Elears to compare with the HD 800 side by side.
 
Sad to say although I preferred the sound of the Elears, the soundstage/imaging of the HD 800 overshadows the strengths of the Elears.
 
If you don't care about soundstage/imaging, the Elears are the clear winner.
 
but it's really just apple and oranges. These headphones are pretty much polar opposites. If you don't enjoy the HD 800 then the Elears are the  clear way to go.
 
Though if I was to compare stock HD 800 vs stock Elear, the Elears are MUCH better. But after the superdupont mod on HD 800, it fixes a lot of it's treble issues and it's sound rivals the Elears.
 
I had the 800's and sold them because although the soundstage is very wide and at first for me very interesting...in time i came to hear it as artificial and no longer enjoyed listening to them...they are great if you like that soundstage but otherwise nothing special to me....

 

[Sonic Defender]

  ad the Elears to compare with the HD 800 side by side.
 
Sad to say although I preferred the sound of the Elears, the soundstage/imaging of the HD 800 overshadows the strengths of the Elears.
 
If you don't care about soundstage/imaging, the Elears are the clear winner.
 
but it's really just apple and oranges. These headphones are pretty much polar opposites. If you don't enjoy the HD 800 then the Elears are the  clear way to go.
 
Though if I was to compare stock HD 800 vs stock Elear, the Elears are MUCH better. But after the superdupont mod on HD 800, it fixes a lot of it's treble issues and it's sound rivals the Elears.
 
I had the 800's and sold them because although the soundstage is very wide and at first for me very interesting...in time i came to hear it as artificial and no longer enjoyed listening to them...they are great if you like that soundstage but otherwise nothing special to me....

Total opposite of my experience with the 800S. I arrived at the 800S after years of reading about the 800 and being curious. I do not at all find the sound artificial, it is spatial for certain, but I do not find it exaggerated at all. Now perhaps the 800S is different enough, and I do slightly push up the bass, but artificial and nothing special are not descriptors I could ever use to describe the 800S. I had a lovely LCD2F (2016 manufacture) at the same time and despite the seductive warmth and tonal thickness of the sound (which was fantastic) I kept the 800S.
 
For certain the 800S will not offer a warm and rich experience, but it is certainly not cold and un-natural either, it is just a different presentation and frankly, a presentation that will show what has been recorded pretty faithfully. I will be purchasing a warm and thicker, romantic signature such as the LCD XC soon, but I will be doing so knowing it offers an even more colored and unnatural, but very pleasing signature as opposed to the 800S. I think we go through phases in our head-fi career, and eventually we may grow tired of signatures we have owned which may shift our perception. In the end, what floats your boat is what floats your boat. I rather doubt the Elears are much better for everybody, certainly different, and for some much better, but that will indeed be highly subjective.

 

[frigginloony]

I am into the 2nd night of having them. I am continuing to burn them in with multiple amps, varying volumes, a multitude of musical genre and a demeanor much like Frankenstein must have displayed in his quest to impart life to non-living matter. 
 
Never being one to make or invent snap impressions or decisions, it is very tough to NOT now tell how these cans have impressed thus far. Instead, I WILL offer to those who have ordered these and are waiting, or to those who are on the fence with slapping out a big K, rest assured... you have not or will not waste your hard earned currency.  
 
I promise that i'll expound in detail once I can formulate proper thought and put into words exactly what to expect from these cans. Even then, take into consideration, i am NO expert, nor am I a total buffoon either. The ear likes what the ear likes..... In the meantime.... back to the laboratory!!   

 
 

 

[Coccis]

Took a while, but yesterday I finally got a chance to demo the Elear. Paired with a Moon 230, as that was the most neutral one they had set up in the shop.
They felt a bit weird when I first put them on, compared to my AKG K712's the clamping was much tighter. But that was quickly forgotten, after a while I could barely feel them on my head. Ears not touching anything and a very good seal. And that was the main issue for me with the K712, ears touching the drivers and the seal was ok'ish but not 100%. Not made for my head and ears I guess.
 
The more I listened to them, the more I fell in love with them. They seemed to handle everything I threw at them. Very solid all-round cans
Many smiles later, and heart raising a bit, I just had to get them.
 
Was a bit worried my ODAC and O2 wouldnt do them justice, but very pleased with the results so far. After a 6 hour maraton, I'm not regretting a thing. Super comfortable, soild build, punchy clean sound. Not experienced enough to decribe them in any other way

 

[Bern2]

@Coccis
Welcome aboard!  Look forward to hearing your thoughts over the coming days.  I'm currently in a happy zone with an HD800(with Sonarworks) and an Audioquest Nighthawk.  Teac HA-501 does a nice job (especially on the Hawks).  Possibly looking for some portable phones...still up in the air about that.  Have the Sony MDR-1ABT with the Sony NWZ-a17.  I find the Sony's to be a bit too boomy for me...and can't EQ it out with the DAP.  The LDAC feature works very nice though.
 
Bern

 

[xenithon]

I'm also enjoying the HD800 with SW together with the Elear. I've been thinking though, what profile may work well with the Focal?

 

[joeq70]

I'm also enjoying the HD800 with SW together with the Elear. I've been thinking though, what profile may work well with the Focal?

I have tried Sonarworks with headphones not listed, and it never quite sounds right. I feel like you pretty much have to send such headphones in for a custom profile.

 

[ray-dude]

For the Focal Elears, I pulled down the DMG EQ plug in demo and used the frequency response curves at innerfidelity to approximate some adjustments.  I haven't had the time to really tune the curves though.