[grizzlybeast]

^yeah I thought 4K was a ridiculous price for a hp. After hearing it I think it is still a bit high but not ridiculous. The Elear is great though. A very good headphone at 999

 

[KC33]

I'll wait for these to come down to 990.00 

 

[TSAVJason]

If the t5p and the Elear is about the same sound quality "level" I'll be happy, as I just put a deposit on the Beyers. The portability of the t5p and the good price I got tipped the scale.
Edit- I haven't even heard the Elear, but Tyll from Innerfidelity called them a game changer.

Just curious but how are the 2 of the same SQ level if Tyl says it's a game changer? We sell both and I like both but the Elear IMO is a much more musical headphone. Of course I am the first to admit no one hears the same so it could be the T5p is the right can for you.

 

[TSAVJason]

I keep seeing people say this and I wonder why.  The Flow is almost double the price of the Elear, they use different driver tech, they're tuned differently, etc.  Can you enlighten me on why people want to compare the Elapple to the Florange?

Hahahaha funny one Dan

 

[nordkapp]

Preordered just now through Crutchfield. Hopefully they best my T1.2 with the ability to convey high energy dynamics and frequency extension. My musical taste runs the gamut, however my first loves are electronica, synth pop, trip hop, chill lounge etc...If my suspicions are correct, then the Beyers will become the go to cans for all other genres ( acoustic jazz, classical, male/female vocal etc). Now the long, painful wait........

 

[gr8soundz]

Look forward to your impressions. Been wondering how the Elear compares to my T1.2 as well.
 

 

[scarfacegt]

Hi.

How do the focal elear compare to the beyerdynamic t5p 2 gn? Maybe a bad comparison since one are open and the other closed.But just wondering.I have the t5p 2 and i love that it is a good allround headphone,and easy to drive.But the isolation is bad.So maybe i could have an open back instead.I listen to all kind of music.And for the most rock and electronic

 

[nordkapp]

Ok, just secured a pair headphones through Natural Sounds, Framingham, MA. Next week arrival. Aaahhhhh. Can finally sleep now.......the thrill of the hunt is over.

 

[nordkapp]

Does anyone know what is an adequate burn in time for these to reach optimal SQ?

 

[Deftone]

i read in a review that if you still love and hang on to the HD650 because you feel like there isnt an upgrade then the Elear is for you.
 
do any of you owners agree with that statement? HD650 on steroids?

 

[Odin412]

  i read in a review that if you still love and hang on to the HD650 because you feel like there isnt an upgrade then the Elear is for you.
 
do any of you owners agree with that statement? HD650 on steroids?

​Not sure. I own and love the HD 650 and I've heard the Elear, and it sounds good. However, I haven't spent enough time with it (or done a side-by-side comparison) to decide if it's better than the HD 650.

 

[grizzlybeast]

here is an unedited copy and paste from a private message. I think the Elear is an awesome headphone do not get the below wrong but for what I wanted the Elear for (punch, slam, wholesomeness, and solidity) the Vali did better so I sold the Elear for a headphone that plays a lot differently than both, ie a Code-X or Ether Flow (have to save for the latter)
 

[img]http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/ae/38x38px-ZC-ae8f532f_900x900px-LL-eca429af_LLscg.jpeg[/img]
grizzlybeast
Yesterday at 11:50 pm

I am slacking Jim,
 
Impressions:
 
Bass:
Very  good balance, low distortion, decent speed. good control, a little warm in the mid bass but not overly so for my tastes. Not as hard hitting as the Omni or the THX00 or the Vali when the track calls for that slam but does decent. Extension seems pretty good. Just missing a little rumble for me. 
 
Midrange:
Acceptably present. I can't call it warm or thick, nor can I call it full. There is a slight trimming of the midrange to my ears. Only slightly. The last octave of the upper mids have a hole just like tylls measurements and when messing with eq I can hear it. Fixing it brings back some necessary harmonics. Below 3khz where the voice itself has its presence is not bad. The main problem for me here is not actual balance but that voices sound a little artificial to me even after treatment. They are clear but sound like a recording. I think the HD650 will have better mids. This could be because the image size is relatively small and lacks a bit of body or density and since the dynamics are really responsive it can come off as shouty vs wholesome. 
 
Treble: 
Probably nothing that would bother most people but at first the peak wasn't bothering me. Later on the peak became more and more evident as well as the vocals that were a bit unrealistic for me and the combined effect of the shouty sound gave for a bit of fatigue and my hand was on the dial alot. I love dynamics but I love it with some density behind the tones as well. The Elear isn't a bright headphone though but does sound open and airy to my ears. Past that peak (which again will probably be a non issue for most) is very good in balance. 
 
Soundstage:
Now this doesn't have the best imaging but it is has such a natural and flowing sound to it that makes you forget about wanting the biggest soundstage. I really liked how this was done. Nice height, decent depth but good air around the instruments and such an effortless and natural sound. Also   when I use the word open I don't usually mean soundstage. Instead I mean how free the driver sounds from enclosure, like the difference between putting your hands over your he-6's and taking them away and in that sense the Elears sound very open to me. 
 
Resolution:
Very good and its priced just right.
 
Attack:
Very good as well as dynamics. I mean, my gear has excellent dynamics and the Elear may take it a little overboard for my gear. 
 
Things like percussion, that tonal density that the HE-6 has to make it visceral, and lack of shouty mids is what makes the Vali my preference. I do know the Vali is a polarizing headphone though so its harder to recommend over the Elear to the Average useer, especially when the Elear is practically the best built headphone I have held(after the Utopia). It feels awesome in the hands and on my head. 
 
 

The Vali is simply more visceral and I haven't heard any dynamic headphone like it in that regards. That physical feel of the music is what I am learning I treasure most. Which is why up until the Utopia, the HE-6 was king for me. The Elear and Utopia are both very dynamic and don't have that planar weight. But the resolution of the Utopia makes the midrange very realistic as well as it being balanced better to my ears. So when vocals project through, they do it with such realism that I am left captivated. Neither were very romantic sounding to me and I don't find either of them relaxing headphones but I kinda like that.  
 
The Elear even in its price tier has a lot of details there. It is no slouch. I think it is still, after the Omni and Utopia, balanced better than any headphone including the Vali and has a wonderfully expressive and free sound to it. The reason the dynamics seem to be a little overboard for me is because the tones are relatively solid but not planar solid so sounds seem a bit shouty at times like @Hansotek mentioned. I could be off as to why I feel that way because I kept racking my brain as to why something in the midrange was missing that realism on some recordings. So I theorized, rather than affirmed those to be the reasons for its lack of realism there. Yet the Utopia has a similar effect and sounds very realistic so I am slightly puzzled because even after eq something was off to me on the Elear. 
 
I think this headphone is a great one though for obvious reasons and were I able to afford another TOTL at the same time I would have kept it. But with the Vali getting a lot more head time. I simply need a higher res hp beside it to get the best out of my pavane and trafomatic head 2. 

 

[KC33]

I listened to the Vali and thought the sound was awfully good but I couldn't wear them for long, at all. I really didn't have time to figure out the adjustments but they didn't sit well with my head. Beautiful pair of headphones but just not for me. 

 

[grizzlybeast]

@FLTWS... No... The utopia is a bit to expensive for my blood. It is in the distant future for me though. I really think it is the best I have heard to date. 
 
Quote:

  I listened to the Vali and thought the sound was awfully good but I couldn't wear them for long, at all. I really didn't have time to figure out the adjustments but they didn't sit well with my head. Beautiful pair of headphones but just not for me. 

definitely the Elear is leaps and bounds more comfortable and designed. 

 

[Deftone]

i signed up for the preorder, fingers crossed its not another expensive let down.