[montanari]

it s probably the mismatch with the high output impedance of the vintage amplifier and the non flat impedance of the focal (peak at 50hz)
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalElear.pdf
that make blow that frequency

 

[BubbaJay]

It's been a while since I used the good old Elear and they still sound as good as I remember. It's nice to go long stretches not using a headphone because when you go back its like getting to hear them for the first time all over again. I've thought about selling them but everytime after I listen to them I always change my mind.

 

[sinquito]

There is a pair of this headphone on amazon (from Dedicated Audio) at $450. I think that is a good deal but I am worry about the faulty driver dying. Here in Mexico there is no approved distributor, and I wouldn't like to send it back to the USA and wait for the lengthy warranty exchange/support.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

There is a pair of this headphone on amazon (from Dedicated Audio) at $450. I think that is a good deal but I am worry about the faulty driver dying. Here in Mexico there is no approved distributor, and I wouldn't like to send it back to the USA and wait for the lengthy warranty exchange/support.

The driver issues were dealt with a long time ago - you shouldn't have any problems with the drivers unless you simply get unlucky. I don't think there's a better chance of having any problems with Elear vs any other headphone.

 

[Oregonian]

it s probably the mismatch with the high output impedance of the vintage amplifier and the non flat impedance of the focal (peak at 50hz)
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalElear.pdf
that make blow that frequency

It happened to many more folks who were NOT using vintage speaker amps..................

 

[Mani ATH 87]

I've been using theses settings with Equalizer APO and PeaceGUI a bit this morning

For anyone that feels like the sound is too warm...this removes a touch of mid bass and brings forward and smooths vocals a bit. It also opens the sound stage up somewhat for me.

 

[angpsi]

Please read carefully what I wrote:
I did not write that they were not efficient or difficult to drive, they are indeed very efficient and easy to drive.
What I wrote =
"Focals often don't combine so well with amps (e.g. some tube ones) made for high-impedance headphones or difficult to drive planars, e.g. this could lead to an over-emphasis of their bass."
Amps designed to drive high impedance headphones (lile some Sennheiser or Beyerdynamic) will normally have a correspondingly higher output impedance than amps designed for efficient headphones (like Focals).
The impedance of the Elear is about 85 Ohm for most of the frequencies, but at around 50 Hz it peaks at about 330 Ohm:
https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/enter-next-generation-focal-elear-headphone-measurements
The impedance of the Clear is about 55 Ohm for most frequencies, but peaks at 350 Ohm around 50 Hz:
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalClearsnA1BRQE000013.pdf
By the voltage-divider rule, combining these headphones with an amp having a high output impedance (designed for inefficient headphones. e.g. having a high impedance)
will result in a boost (bass over-emphasis) around the impedance peak, i.e. quite a loss of neutrality (but maybe great fun for bassheads?).

Hi guys, been contemplating on a set of Focal Elears to upgrade from my Sennheiser HD600. My rig is based on an SPL Auditor headphone amp, the output impedance of which is rated at 9Ω. Following the 'rule of eights' (see e.g. here) this should put the Elear quite ideally into the optimum range for impedance matching, shouldn't it? Reason I'm asking is that I used to consider the SPL as a design that favors high-impedance headphones (my HD600 really sing on the SPL), but I wouldn't want to end up with a bassy Elear on my hands since it already looks prone to rendering things on the dark side.
Btw, impedance matching is also what's keeping me away from planars (but I wish it didn't)...

Any informed opinions/advice would be well appreciated, thanks!

Edit: this guy puts the Elear at 115Ω instead of the official 80Ω. On the other hand, I'm reading Tyll's measurements that put the chances of the dreaded bass bloat with hp amps with output impedances grater than 20Ω. Looks like the Focal is indeed a good match to the SPL, isn't it?

 

[441879]

Hi guys, been contemplating on a set of Focal Elears to upgrade from my Sennheiser HD600. My rig is based on an SPL Auditor headphone amp, the output impedance of which is rated at 9Ω. Following the 'rule of eights' (see e.g. here) this should put the Elear quite ideally into the optimum range for impedance matching, shouldn't it? Reason I'm asking is that I used to consider the SPL as a design that favors high-impedance headphones (my HD600 really sing on the SPL), but I wouldn't want to end up with a bassy Elear on my hands since it already looks prone to rendering things on the dark side.
Btw, impedance matching is also what's keeping me away from planars (but I wish it didn't)...

Any informed opinions/advice would be well appreciated, thanks!

Edit: this guy puts the Elear at 115Ω instead of the official 80Ω. On the other hand, I'm reading Tyll's measurements that put the chances of the dreaded bass bloat with hp amps with output impedances grater than 20Ω. Looks like the Focal is indeed a good match to the SPL, isn't it?

I think it should work pretty well, but you won’t know for sure until you try it. My amps are all fractional ohm output impedance so I can’t really offer an opinion based on personal observation.

 

[elicohen]

Hi guys, my Focal Elear just arrive today, but I think I have got faulty unit because when I plug it in on iFi Micro iDSD there is no sound coming out from the left driver. Tomorrow I will contact my dealer to ask for a replacement unit because the unit I have right now is faulty unit, the left driver is dead.

I have the same issue - and it happened to me twice.
The first time, they were replaced.
And now, after just a few months, same thing - left side is dead.
I lost confidence in them. Not sure what to do.

 

[ahossam]

I have the same issue - and it happened to me twice.
The first time, they were replaced.
And now, after just a few months, same thing - left side is dead.
I lost confidence in them. Not sure what to do.

You should contact your dealer again and see what they can do. Focal Elear has notorious driver failure but I have mine for almost 3 years now since they replaced it and still working fine.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

You should contact your dealer again and see what they can do. Focal Elear has notorious driver failure but I have mine for almost 3 years now since they replaced it and still working fine.

"Notorious driver failure" seems like a bit of a stretch.

 

[ahossam]

"Notorious driver failure" seems like a bit of a stretch.

Maybe I am wrong but base on my experience and others some even on their fourth Elear, try searching on this threads "driver failure" and see for yourself.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

Maybe I am wrong but base on my experience and others some even on their fourth Elear, try searching on this threads "driver failure" and see for yourself.

This thread probably represents a fairly small number of overall people that own an Elear. It's also probably more skewed towards people having trouble with their product as internet forums usually are.

I think you'd need some more data to make a broad statement like "Focal is notorious for driver failure". Seems like an irresponsible thing to say.

 

[dontfeedphils]

You should contact your dealer again and see what they can do. Focal Elear has notorious driver failure but I have mine for almost 3 years now since they replaced it and still working fine.

"Notorious driver failure" is def an overexageration. There were a good number of failures initially, but since they fixed the production issue (quite a while ago) it's been all but non-existant.

 

[abvolt]

Don't feel too bad driver issues are common with the Elear's I'm on pair #4, I'd never recommend those hp's they've went from a 1K pair of hp's to a 400 or less, that should say everything..