[Facta]

The Elegia was designed by Focal to be a closed back Clear. It’s not quite as good as the Clear because its impossible to completely overcome all of the disadvantages of a closed back design, but it is VERY close. The Clear sounds a bit thicker because it has more of a mid bass emphasis than the Elegia. The Elegias treble is a bit smoother. They’re both extremely dynamic, like all $700 plus Focal headphones are, but the Clear is a tiny bit more dynamic, and a bit more detailed.

All that to say that no closed back headphone is going to sound more like that Clear than the Elegia. The Stellia is “better” than the Elegia, but I dont think many people would say that its 20% better. It also has a different tuning and doesn’t sound much like the Clear. The HD820 is overpriced, even by audiophile standards, and sounds less like the Clear than the other two.

Thank you. Glad Stellia needn't be aspired for.
Could someone share how Elegia compares to Sony Z1R, if flat frequency response is not a high priority?

 

[JoePR31]

I 1000% agree here. The Stelia are overall a more technical headphone but defs not 20% better. And I actually prefer the tonality of the Elegia more as I found the Stelia to sound slightly to warm and sometimes a bit to laid back with some genres for my liking while the Elegia is pure intensity and excitement. The HD 820 is also a more technical headphone but wayyyyy to over priced and the tonality is seriously wonky...

Now I'll say something about that cable you have shown. WOW , I should have gone for that instead of the cable I am waiting for :/. I am still waiting for my Cardas Parsec cable for the Elegia, it's been nearly a month now . Once I get it, I'll do further listening with my E1DA 9038s Gen 2 on performance mode. I'll also be ordering a E1DA 9038s Gen 3 which has improved sound quality, can't wait .

That is a long wait! Though I’m sure it'll be a very good cable for you. Hopefully they wont keep you waiting much longer. I do wish I had shared the info on the Meze Silver Plated Upgrade Cable sooner. For the money, it is a spectacularly nice cable.

I recently decided that I wanted a change of profession, so I went back to school 3 weeks ago, and it’s pretty much consuming most of my spare time. So, very little time to hang out online right now. But, I’ll still poke my head in here once or twice a week.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

That is a long wait! Though I’m sure it'll be a very good cable for you. Hopefully they wont keep you waiting much longer. I do wish I had shared the info on the Meze Silver Plated Upgrade Cable sooner. For the money, it is a spectacularly nice cable.

I recently decided that I wanted a change of profession, so I went back to school 3 weeks ago, and it’s pretty much consuming most of my spare time. So, very little time to hang out online right now. But, I’ll still poke my head in here once or twice a week.

It is a long wait but I know it'll be worth it . We'll all be here for you when ever you can come back online

 

[emacs]

Do those Focals absolutely need burning, or do they sound grand out of the box?

 

[Benaudio]

Hard to say, I did notice the bass going up and the mids setting down a bit after a few dozens hours, but it might as well have been brain burn in...
Also they did not impress me so much out of the box, I learnt to appreciate more with time, maybe because the space between instruments, imaging, clarity and soundstage are not the most in-your-face attributes.
These are a grown-ups HP IMO, will not blow you away in 5 mn listening in the store, but will reveal more capabilities as you listen to different sources and genres in the long run

 

[340519]

My Clears sounded fantastic right out of the box. Burn in seems to be a hot topic on here.

 

[bcaulf17]

I just read somewhere that the Elegia was recently discontinued...if that’s true that’s a bit sad but also interesting. I’m wondering why Focal has decided to discontinue it and if they’re coming up with something new as a replacement.

Adorama is selling the Elegia at a discounted price of $429 right now for anyone interested.

 

[benjamind2012]

It is...but maybe Elegia are being replaced with something that sounds better.

I heard these against the T5p gen2 and the Clear and was underwhelmed. Yeah, it was the bass. The bass actually sounds quite a bit thinner than what the frequency graphs seem to indicate and without EQ these sound leaner and brighter than what one would assume from the FR graphs.

Overall a nice headphone but frankly at its price point there were better choices. For closed cans they did an admirable job at keeping the treble from feeling too etched but the lack of bass slam for a closed headphone was frankly disappointing. I wanted to be wearing these on transport and without some big EQ boosts to the low end there's no way that the bass would cut through in that scenario. But if there is anything I can say is that, ironically, the bass was both the best and the worst aspect of these cans. That bass was so damned accurate. Not quite as accurate as the Clear but damned accurate - almost planar magnetic accurate. Sadly for me me, just a little too lean for a closed can.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

It is...but maybe Elegia are being replaced with something that sounds better.

I heard these against the T5p gen2 and the Clear and was underwhelmed. Yeah, it was the bass. The bass actually sounds quite a bit thinner than what the frequency graphs seem to indicate and without EQ these sound leaner and brighter than what one would assume from the FR graphs.

Overall a nice headphone but frankly at its price point there were better choices. For closed cans they did an admirable job at keeping the treble from feeling too etched but the lack of bass slam for a closed headphone was frankly disappointing. I wanted to be wearing these on transport and without some big EQ boosts to the low end there's no way that the bass would cut through in that scenario. But if there is anything I can say is that, ironically, the bass was both the best and the worst aspect of these cans. That bass was so damned accurate. Not quite as accurate as the Clear but damned accurate - almost planar magnetic accurate. Sadly for me me, just a little too lean for a closed can.

I find it strange that the low end was lacking for you. For me it was perfectly fine but I did add 1 - 2db at 125 and 250 but that's no hard eq, after that the low end was perfect. If not, some of the best low end I have ever heard, the slam is BLOODY INTENSE. Even though something like the Campfire Cascade might have more low end quanity, the overall dynamic slam and extension of the Elegia was much more intense, the detail is insane and the separation between low, mid and high bass is perfect. I found source plays a roll with how the Elegia sounds and most especially output impedance. I love me some intense low ene but the Elegia for me, are right on point, never lean, just pure intense .

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

I just read somewhere that the Elegia was recently discontinued...if that’s true that’s a bit sad but also interesting. I’m wondering why Focal has decided to discontinue it and if they’re coming up with something new as a replacement.

Adorama is selling the Elegia at a discounted price of $429 right now for anyone interested.

Damn that sucks, but maybe Focal might make a new replacement?.... I guess time will tell

 

[GiullianSN]

Damn that sucks, but maybe Focal might make a new replacement?.... I guess time will tell

I would think (want) thrm to come with new revisions. I can see Elear, Elegia e Clear heavily discounted in a feel places. Heve in AUS they are a Bargain now.

 

[benjamind2012]

Yeah I just caught a bargain. For what it's worth I just snagged a pair. Couldn't believe how cheap they were considering they were like $1400 not so long ago.

When I use them with my FiiO Q5s amp I will report here on my findings.

I will compare them with the Clear and the T5p.2

I was using a desktop amp with who knows what output impedance but I know here at home my FiiO Q5s is like 1ohm.

 

[thecrow]

I would think (want) thrm to come with new revisions. I can see Elear, Elegia e Clear heavily discounted in a feel places. Heve in AUS they are a Bargain now.

And utopia and stellia for that case

 

[obsidyen]

Elegia wireless with more bass?

 

[benjamind2012]

Elegia wireless with more bass?

That would be quite a departure from what Focal have released in the past. But if so then it would be nice. I bet it would be expensive since the amps would need to be fine tuned to the drivers and bluetooth chip would need to support LDAC.