[CanadianMaestro]

  Man! Im in a quandry. I HATE choices like this  but I can pull the trigger on a new set of Elears ( Using B&W P7W now) or I can get a portable DAP Astell & Kern AK300 that ive been eyeballing for awhile now. I run a Dragonfly Red now on my iphone but as you know thats not exactly "High Fidelity" that I use while hiking. I can only purchase one ......sigh

Since you have the AK320, then the Elear would be my pick.

 

[pofdstudios]

Ended up canceling my order on the AK320 due to a New furnace was needed ASAP. So I never took it off my profile. Updated that now. So original problem still exists

 

[jb001e9634]

If you play the game a little while, you eventually hear what you are looking for and can say, I'll stick with this!

Yep, I like both amps a lot. If I only had to stick to one, it would be the Deckard, but there are headphones (like my DT1770) that just sound excellent with the Nuforce. I'm very happy to have both of them in the arsenal. The good thing with the nuforce is that it was quite a good, low price for a full sized desktop amp.

Agreed the price was a bonus. Sometimes less is more and you just have to listen and ignore the sticker price. The Mojo makes the Elear plenty loud enough of that there's no doubt but the HA200 drives them to and there's a clear difference sonically.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Ended up canceling my order on the AK320 due to a New furnace was needed ASAP. So I never took it off my profile. Updated that now. So original problem still exists

Then do the 300. Will give more satisfaction being a source component.
Never skimp on the Source -- it all starts with the Source.

 

[pofdstudios]

yeah I'm leaning that way

 

[beyondthepale35]

Anyone use a mimby with their Elear? Just hought one to go with my Project Polaris, still thinking about upgrading my amp as well but wouldn't even know where to start.

 

[gefski]

Anyone use a mimby with their Elear? Just hought one to go with my Project Polaris, still thinking about upgrading my amp as well but wouldn't even know where to start.

I do way better if I just change one component at a time, then allow a few weeks to really see how I like it, without throwing anything else into the mix. Depending on what dac you came from, Mimby should have you rediscovering lots of your music for quite a while.

IMO
YMWV

 

[beyondthepale35]

I do way better if I just change one component at a time, then allow a few weeks to really see how I like it, without throwing anything else into the mix. Depending on what dac you came from, Mimby should have you rediscovering lots of your music for quite a while.

IMO
YMWV

That's what I plan on doing. I was tempted to sell my Elear, but I think I'm going to give it a few weeks. I love the sound, but unfortunately I'm always way too curious about other headphones. I'm going from a pre 4490 modi uber, so I'm sure it will be a solid improvement. Just think a 1000 dollar pair of headphones deserves a better chain haha.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I have to say, the Elear is pretty easy to drive...works well with my HTC10 and with Pono (single ended). That said, I'm sure there are synergies to be had with some upstream gear and improvements depending on the matches. And, again, these are a really odd set of cans to my ears; not odd in a bad way, just have a different view of the musical world than most audiophile gear I've listened to. I'm hoping to post my review soon (if I can get off my rapidly enlarging bum!!!).

So far to me they are easier to drive then the Z1R. I got pretty decent volume and sound out of my Axon 7 mini with the new Dac inside of it.

 

[nojdrof]

I think any expensive headphone that brings a man to do this I will pass on.

Starting to hear not so great things about these. Was considering them very much, but the driver issues etc and a some bad reviews have really put me off. I'm sure they sound great and all just not gonna risk it personally.

Gonna upgrade my Mr Speakers headphones instead.

I've owned and auditioned too many to list and have owned my Elears for about 4 months now. I think these things are fantastic! No issues or problems and they sound fantastic. What sold me is the clean crisp punchy sound. I don't have to play them at excessively high volume levels to get tight punchy bass. Great headphones!

 

[judomaniak]

I've owned and auditioned too many to list and have owned my Elears for about 4 months now. I think these things are fantastic! No issues or problems and they sound fantastic. What sold me is the clean crisp punchy sound. I don't have to play them at excessively high volume levels to get tight punchy bass. Great headphones!

totally agree, absolutley wonderfull headphones, i am am on my second pair though. first pair had the same bottom out as everybody else is talking about. this pair is fantastic. i think for me this is about has good as it will get. the utopias are better but not 4 times the price better.. very happy with my focals

 

[pofdstudios]

Thats the ONLY thing thats stopping me from buying a pair of Elears. I dont want to drop a 1000.00 plus tax only to discover they are defective then have to deal with waranty crap. Thinking Ill hold off until they fix the issues. Going to purchase my source gear first as advised by CanadianMaestro above

 

[dannybgoode]

Thats the ONLY thing thats stopping me from buying a pair of Elears. I dont want to drop a 1000.00 plus tax only to discover they are defective then have to deal with waranty crap. Thinking Ill hold off until they fix the issues. Going to purchase my source gear first as advised by CanadianMaestro above

They fixed the issue months ago ...

 

[judomaniak]

  Thats the ONLY thing thats stopping me from buying a pair of Elears. I dont want to drop a 1000.00 plus tax only to discover they are defective then have to deal with waranty crap. Thinking Ill hold off until they fix the issues. Going to purchase my source gear first as advised by CanadianMaestro above

bought mine from a brick and mortor  store, not online. returned to the store no problem. just received a e-mail from focal giving me a 5 year warranty.also $1000 is a deal, $1500 in Canada, a 50% increase, when the utopias are $5000 which is a 25% increase over the American price. not sure why the big price jump for the elears

 

[pofdstudios]

Connecticut SUCKS for High End Audio. Not one Astell & Kern dealer and only one Focal earphone dealer. You know if it wasnt for the great job I have Id kiss this dogshiet state goodbye.