[Odin412]

New Elegia owner here. Anyone running it from tube amp? Otl or transformer coupled which sounds good with Elegia

Woo Audio WA6 (transformer-coupled) works well.

 

[Mojo65]

..35 hours and counting...

The Elegia keeps improving and me too, I am getting more acquainted with its sound signature. But it's not simply a matter of "getting used" to something that is not right, the sound is really improving with usage.
Often other members in here mentioned separation as a key word for the Elegia and I really cannot agree more, it is one of the main assets, I am impressed of its capacity to visualize the complex layers of music deploying in front of my ears.
As to the bass frequencies, those do exist indeed, mostly sub-bass as already stated many times, even though I think that Elegia simply does not produce fictional bass lines where do not exists.
Also a bit of warmth is more evident than before, adding pleasure to listening. Another keyword for these is selectivity (or rather finicky approach...?); a good recording/mastering is amazingly reproduced while poor recordings are mercilessly revealed.
Voices, cymbals and acoustic strings are to die for and I am beginning to "understand" the Focal approach to bass lines.

I would not consider the Elegia a pair of headphones for beginners rather more designed to skilled audiophiles that have knowledge and equipment to deal with it, not to mention the patience to spend time to make sure these are put in the best conditions to shine.

I am waiting for a silver balanced cable to use with my Violectric V280 and in a few weeks time I should receive the Dekoni Stellia pads. I'll report on that too...

Some remarkable listening sessions:
Melody Gardot - The Absence
Natalie Merchant - Live in Concert
Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun (check Russia on Ice in case you doubt about basslines capability of Elegia..)
Star Wars The awakening of the force OST

 

[the1andonly]

Much agreement with many things Mojo just said, about the Elegia being sort of acquired taste, most of us probably spit out our first tries of spirits or brew but now that taste is very comforting, About the hidden warmth, especially again like he said for more experienced audiophiles that know how to coax it out, and this headphone has almost no "bass feel" that is you won't feel the sub bass rumble on your head... really ever. Especially compared to a set of big planars, and low lows are quite a bit more (physically) muted than even say DT1990's sub bass, which I just got done listening to and modding, in fact most of the "neutral-ish" tuned Focals I have tried have next to 0 bass feel and I doubt EQ will be able to help much unless you plan on pushing the drivers to their breaking limit.... But event then, there is something magical about them, even to me as someone who thinks I personally value that bass feel....

I am trying them now on a first gen Woo Audio WA7 and it has very much brought the subtle warmth of the headphone out quite a bit more, but it also had destroyed ANY trace of graininess these had even on my Oppo HA-1 with a very smooth 9038 DAC. Needles to say, I couldn't imagine liking them on something like an AKM chip or 9038pro. I will say they do show the age of the TI Burr Brown chip which honestly wowed me with it's capability on headphones that don't care about gear so much like the Ananda, and the DT1990 which is probably the pinnacle of not caring about source... With the Elegia it loses quite bit of micro detail... or at least perceived detail, however it has plenty of resolution and has turned this headphone into something amazingly laid back and smooth, while it's a complete departure from the overbearing for the sub $500 price range, best in class detail, you can still hear it's merits and it is insanely enjoyable.... It's smooth, resolving, with it being tubes and rolling off the already near "flat" unfeelable sub bass it allows you to turn up the volume some, without having your ears cut on the sharp spikes that further serve to increase perceived detail on solid state devices, they are just gone, and in addition to the nice warmth across the smooth mid range, added in is some more forward mid and upper bass, and it now has a decently solid punch!

It's almost with the combination of the admittedly older and showing it's age TI DAC chip, as if it has fused with the best of the Sennheiser 6 series; the HD600, and transformed it's a pseudo Elex. I also assume it is much more reliable, it has forward slightly warm and intimate mids, bass that punches from the middle of the large soundstage, a decidedly Harman treble that refuses to make a single sharp tone... Insane resolution, just outstanding... For anyone considering a a $1000ish tube amp and also wanting a "better behaved" HD600 with imaging, wide soundstage, firmer punch, and much more technical performance, but still some(less) warmth, intimate vocals, and perhaps closed back, which boggles my mind... I would tell you consider waiting for a Gen 1 WA7 to make it's way to the market, they can be had for $500 or less (with the normal power unit which I have not tried, I am running the WA7tp which adds a fair bit of cost to most 2nd hand units, I got a great deal from a fantastic member here)...

Before trying this, I really almost wanted to buy an old HD600, one like the black silk/paper version of old, and saw a great deal on one, but listening to this now I have to say it's a very good imitation of the Elex, probably with a little less detail but much more smoothness and resolution, and closed back to boot! Which is crazy, and I don't think I will ever be having another yearning for either a HD600 or Elex again, personally my biggest gripes are fixed with this. (Soundstage/imaging/rolled bass going into mid bass/technical performance) Absolutely fantastic little mistake I have made! Absolutely astonishing sound coming from these, even now I can hardly believe it....

P.S. My pads are decently low use but certainly not new, and placement of pads on ear is my normal, of slightly high up/down placement and pads just touching the backs of my ears. I will also add in further listening the lower mid range is not quite as boosted as the HD 6's are(and the upper midrange does retain a very very slight forwardness), which is odd as it is still definitely warm overall and vocals are warm, but the vocals aren't quite as warm as the honey vocals of the HD600, I prefer their more warm vocals, some I think would like this better, but overall it's a much better package IMO still.

 

[Unterstuffz]

..35 hours and counting...

The Elegia keeps improving and me too, I am getting more acquainted with its sound signature. But it's not simply a matter of "getting used" to something that is not right, the sound is really improving with usage.
Often other members in here mentioned separation as a key word for the Elegia and I really cannot agree more, it is one of the main assets, I am impressed of its capacity to visualize the complex layers of music deploying in front of my ears.
As to the bass frequencies, those do exist indeed, mostly sub-bass as already stated many times, even though I think that Elegia simply does not produce fictional bass lines where do not exists.
Also a bit of warmth is more evident than before, adding pleasure to listening. Another keyword for these is selectivity (or rather finicky approach...?); a good recording/mastering is amazingly reproduced while poor recordings are mercilessly revealed.
Voices, cymbals and acoustic strings are to die for and I am beginning to "understand" the Focal approach to bass lines.

I would not consider the Elegia a pair of headphones for beginners rather more designed to skilled audiophiles that have knowledge and equipment to deal with it, not to mention the patience to spend time to make sure these are put in the best conditions to shine.

I am waiting for a silver balanced cable to use with my Violectric V280 and in a few weeks time I should receive the Dekoni Stellia pads. I'll report on that too...

Some remarkable listening sessions:
Melody Gardot - The Absence
Natalie Merchant - Live in Concert
Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun (check Russia on Ice in case you doubt about basslines capability of Elegia..)
Star Wars The awakening of the force OST

Nice summary i agree with erverything you said !The Elegia will always have a special place in my heart as my first pair of "good headphones".
Ive switched the pads with the Dekoni Stellia Pads and now it is my perfect set of closed back headphones little more mid and upper bass forward same details and separation only the soundstage is a more intimate but the sound ist all in all clearer it feels like.

 

[Shane D]

Nice summary i agree with erverything you said !The Elegia will always have a special place in my heart as my first pair of "good headphones".
Ive switched the pads with the Dekoni Stellia Pads and now it is my perfect set of closed back headphones little more mid and upper bass forward same details and separation only the soundstage is a more intimate but the sound ist all in all clearer it feels like.

Sexy Empyreans...

 

[peterinvan]

Much agreement with many things Mojo just said, about the Elegia being sort of acquired taste, most of us probably spit out our first tries of spirits or brew but now that taste is very comforting, About the hidden warmth, especially again like he said for more experienced audiophiles that know how to coax it out, and this headphone has almost no "bass feel" that is you won't feel the sub bass rumble on your head... really ever. Especially compared to a set of big planars, and low lows are quite a bit more (physically) muted than even say DT1990's sub bass, which I just got done listening to and modding, in fact most of the "neutral-ish" tuned Focals I have tried have next to 0 bass feel and I doubt EQ will be able to help much unless you plan on pushing the drivers to their breaking limit.... But event then, there is something magical about them, even to me as someone who thinks I personally value that bass feel....

I am trying them now on a first gen Woo Audio WA7 and it has very much brought the subtle warmth of the headphone out quite a bit more, but it also had destroyed ANY trace of graininess these had even on my Oppo HA-1 with a very smooth 9038 DAC. Needles to say, I couldn't imagine liking them on something like an AKM chip or 9038pro. I will say they do show the age of the TI Burr Brown chip which honestly wowed me with it's capability on headphones that don't care about gear so much like the Ananda, and the DT1990 which is probably the pinnacle of not caring about source... With the Elegia it loses quite bit of micro detail... or at least perceived detail, however it has plenty of resolution and has turned this headphone into something amazingly laid back and smooth, while it's a complete departure from the overbearing for the sub $500 price range, best in class detail, you can still hear it's merits and it is insanely enjoyable.... It's smooth, resolving, with it being tubes and rolling off the already near "flat" unfeelable sub bass it allows you to turn up the volume some, without having your ears cut on the sharp spikes that further serve to increase perceived detail on solid state devices, they are just gone, and in addition to the nice warmth across the smooth mid range, added in is some more forward mid and upper bass, and it now has a decently solid punch!

It's almost with the combination of the admittedly older and showing it's age TI DAC chip, as if it has fused with the best of the Sennheiser 6 series; the HD600, and transformed it's a pseudo Elex. I also assume it is much more reliable, it has forward slightly warm and intimate mids, bass that punches from the middle of the large soundstage, a decidedly Harman treble that refuses to make a single sharp tone... Insane resolution, just outstanding... For anyone considering a a $1000ish tube amp and also wanting a "better behaved" HD600 with imaging, wide soundstage, firmer punch, and much more technical performance, but still some(less) warmth, intimate vocals, and perhaps closed back, which boggles my mind... I would tell you consider waiting for a Gen 1 WA7 to make it's way to the market, they can be had for $500 or less (with the normal power unit which I have not tried, I am running the WA7tp which adds a fair bit of cost to most 2nd hand units, I got a great deal from a fantastic member here)...

Before trying this, I really almost wanted to buy an old HD600, one like the black silk/paper version of old, and saw a great deal on one, but listening to this now I have to say it's a very good imitation of the Elex, probably with a little less detail but much more smoothness and resolution, and closed back to boot! Which is crazy, and I don't think I will ever be having another yearning for either a HD600 or Elex again, personally my biggest gripes are fixed with this. (Soundstage/imaging/rolled bass going into mid bass/technical performance) Absolutely fantastic little mistake I have made! Absolutely astonishing sound coming from these, even now I can hardly believe it....

P.S. My pads are decently low use but certainly not new, and placement of pads on ear is my normal, of slightly high up/down placement and pads just touching the backs of my ears. I will also add in further listening the lower mid range is not quite as boosted as the HD 6's are(and the upper midrange does retain a very very slight forwardness), which is odd as it is still definitely warm overall and vocals are warm, but the vocals aren't quite as warm as the honey vocals of the HD600, I prefer their more warm vocals, some I think would like this better, but overall it's a much better package IMO still.

My experience is the Dekoni Sheepskin pads will bring out more bass “feel”. They make the Elegia sound like the Bentlys

 

[Unterstuffz]

Sexy Empyreans...

Thanks there are a present and something i could not have been able to afford otherwise so they will be always in sight the next weeks ...

 

[the1andonly]

My experience is the Dekoni Sheepskin pads will bring out more bass “feel”. They make the Elegia sound like the Bentlys

Thank you, normally I would jump at something like that, and I did want the bently's but refused to pay that price, no matter how sexy they look. I also love sheekspin, but there is something about the Elegia that makes me not want to go for it, combined I guess with the fact I just bought a chunk of someone else's ZMF/high end pad collection and am a little upset as focal for nor having adapters I can use with basically any of it... the final nail in the coffin that is stopping from instantly purchasing them right now is the outrageous upcharge Dekoni puts on it's focal as well as HD800 and other pads, atleast in this case for seemingly no reason as they are smaller than the normal ones that go for what $40 or $50, and this new discovery of the crazy synergy with my WA7 that has made for the first time ever, headphones will rolled sub bass that I like and knowing it would bastardize what may be the highest quality version of this sound (for a reasonable price) that I have neglected to show love because of my gripes with the HD600 mainly soundstage and the QC of the Elex.... It's like for once I actually appreciate this, and any change even if I would normally prefer more sub-bass energy and bass feel would kill the experience of having an upgraded but not fundamentally changed HD600ish experiment....

All that mumbo jumbo said if I see the pads being sold at a reasonable or too good to pass up price maybe for B stock I will probably jump on it and discover something else new, so thank you, that sort of mod is literally from look, to fit, to feel, to sound right up my alley, lol. Going to be pretentious for a little longer until curiosity drives me to stalk Dekoni's website for B-stock.

 

[Mojo65]

Much agreement with many things Mojo just said, about the Elegia...

My experience is the Dekoni Sheepskin pads will bring out more bass “feel”. They make the Elegia sound like the Bentlys

Nice summary i agree with erverything you said !The Elegia will always have a special place in my heart as my first pair of "good headphones".
Ive switched the pads with the Dekoni Stellia Pads and now it is my perfect set of closed back headphones

Thank you guys for you words... The balanced silver cable arrived yesterday and is already warming up, Dekoni Stellia pads are going to clear customs next week.. in the meantime I keep Elegias busy...

 

[the1andonly]

man a radiance is in the classifieds for $780... I know normally that is my preference but there is something about this headphone even without tubes.... it really is so good it makes me almost like the Clear's despite it not being my normal choice, I think I just have to admit the Elegia is magic, technically amazing, and such a great deal I can never hate it. I cannot buy the radiance because then I would have to sell the Elegia! Literally bass bumped closed back smoother treble Clear with 90% of it's performance that sounds like a super HD600 on tubes, the only thing I don't love is the upper mid bump.

 

[Unterstuffz]

Thank you guys for you words... The balanced silver cable arrived yesterday and is already warming up, Dekoni Stellia pads are going to clear customs next week.. in the meantime I keep Elegias busy...

How exciting!! im awaiting a review when they arrive

 

[mainguy]

man a radiance is in the classifieds for $780... I know normally that is my preference but there is something about this headphone even without tubes.... it really is so good it makes me almost like the Clear's despite it not being my normal choice, I think I just have to admit the Elegia is magic, technically amazing, and such a great deal I can never hate it. I cannot buy the radiance because then I would have to sell the Elegia! Literally bass bumped closed back smoother treble Clear with 90% of it's performance that sounds like a super HD600 on tubes, the only thing I don't love is the upper mid bump.

why not buy radiance and sell the one you like less? thats an amazing deal for radiance!

 

[TheRealDz]

I found the Denon pads even cheaper, plus in sheepskin:

Geekria QuickFit Protein Leather Replacement Ear Pads for DENÔN AH-D600, AH-D7100, Headphones Earpads, Headset Ear Cushion Repair Parts (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P8X6ZX...t_i_TD0W7DRFVVMHQX27EQAZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Geekria Elite Sheepskin Replacement Ear Pads for DENON AH-D600, AH-D7100 Headphones Earpads, Headset Ear Cushion Repair Parts (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P8YQ11...t_i_B9FAQ1X1A1MPNFNY8M6A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Those, plus the $13 adapter sound amazing. While the soundstage is intimate and the presentation is a bit close for my tastes (which is a subjective preference) every other attribute is first rate. The musicality is off the charts.

 

[550591]

Got the Elegia out today because I didn't use them for a while and listened to The Beatles, White album deluxe on Qobuz.

20 songs later I noticed I'm still listening to music with the Elegia.

Even though I prefer the Aeon 2 Noire the Elegia are still fine Headphones.

 

[gdwallasign]

After taking a break from these while using the Zeus and my DT880 black 250ohm I'm all in on these again. I had to stretch them out by leaving them on a speaker overnight so the back of my glasses wouldn't dig into my head the last time I used them. Now it's all quite pleasant and I prefer them easily over the Zeus.