I have not heard the Stelia, but I have seen some on here comment that they (the Elegia) have a bit of that timbre to them (though I have not heard it on them myself). So, YMMV.
Focal Elegia - what do you think?
- Thread starter Hoegaardener70
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Hi, my first reaction would be to ask you if burn-in was sufficient, nevertheless I do not know Stellia so I may have the wrong judgement.
For sure Elegia requires a lot of hours before performing as it should. Now that mine has stabilized performances I hear no clue of harshness or metallic timbre.
I use a Violectric V280 amp with old fashioned CD players and it sounds very good.
Tried with my humble Motorola mobile phone and it sounds good, a bit too soft so to say and the phone does not have enough power to drive despite the sound quality is rather surprising.
Nevertheless I have to admit that during the firs days/weeks with the Elegia I was disappointed at how it sounded fresh out from the box. Reading this thread I learned form others' experience that I needed to be patient and I did.
Now I am only using Elegia and SASH Tres as my main headphones. Using the Stellia pads on the Elegia helps for sure as like as a good cable (you don't need to spend a fortune for a good cable but a good one will make a difference).
pk4425
1000+ Head-Fier
I'm ready to be pelted with rocks and garbage, but here's my objection to the Elegia -- even at $350 -- besides the wonky tuning and metallic timbre: I understand some headphones need a bit of tweaking, but I can't think of another headphone that requires so many aftermarket changes to sound "good" to most people.
I think about one-tenth of the people who like Elegias in this thread enjoy them stock. Everyone else says you need to add pad X and cable Y, run them from amp Z and then burn them in for 100 hours.
I owned the Elegia for six months. I pad-swapped. I tried a different cable. The tuning was still wonky and metallic to me, especially with my preferred genres of rock and alt-country. And I often wondered, "Why am I going to all this trouble to put Band-Aids on a headphone with flawed tuning?" So, I sold them.
Go ahead: Place me in the pillory in the public square. Let the stoning or tar and feathering commence.
I think about one-tenth of the people who like Elegias in this thread enjoy them stock. Everyone else says you need to add pad X and cable Y, run them from amp Z and then burn them in for 100 hours.
I owned the Elegia for six months. I pad-swapped. I tried a different cable. The tuning was still wonky and metallic to me, especially with my preferred genres of rock and alt-country. And I often wondered, "Why am I going to all this trouble to put Band-Aids on a headphone with flawed tuning?" So, I sold them.
Go ahead: Place me in the pillory in the public square. Let the stoning or tar and feathering commence.
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Lol. Good thing is my expectation is low. I just couldn't pass up the Adorama dealI'm ready to be pelted with rocks and garbage, but here's my objection to the Elegia -- even at $350 -- besides the wonky tuning and metallic timbre: I understand some headphones need a bit of tweaking, but I can't think of another headphone that requires so many aftermarket changes to sound "good" to most people.
I think about one-tenth of the people who like Elegias in this thread enjoy them stock. Everyone else says you need to add pad X and cable Y, run them from amp Z and then burn them in for 100 hours.
I owned the Elegia for six months. I pad-swapped. I tried a different cable. The tuning was still wonky and metallic to me, especially with my preferred genres of rock and alt-country. And I often wondered, "Why am I going to all this trouble to put Band-Aids on a headphone with flawed tuning?" So, I sold them.
Go ahead: Place me in the pillory in the public square. Let the stoning or tar and feathering commence.
. Guess i'll find out in a few days.Thanks. I'm not a burn in kinda guy, but i had the Stellia for over a year so i'm sure that wasn't the issue. If I don't like the sound of the Elegia ootb, i'll play around with different pads.
peterinvan
1000+ Head-Fier
The driver is a mechanical device. The rubber surround and diaphragm flexes and settles down into its permanent elasticity after about 100 hours in my experience.
My experience with Dekoni:
- Sheepskin pads make the Elegia sound like the Radiance, i.e. more bass. I am using these most these days.
- Fenestrated sheepskin pads are an improvement all around over the stock pads. Comfortable and neutral.
Being retired, and listening mostly in my den, I am now favouring open back phones; looking for a deal on the Clears.
Anyone got an opinion on Clears vs. Grado SR325is?
pk4425
1000+ Head-Fier
You may love them, dude. I hope you do. Many do. I just couldn't get there, and I also quickly reached the point of diminishing returns with the tweaking.Lol. Good thing is my expectation is low. I just couldn't pass up the Adorama deal
peterinvan
1000+ Head-Fier
Convert Elegias to Open?
Anyone heard of modding the Elegia to open (i.e. to try to make them into Clears)?
Anyone heard of modding the Elegia to open (i.e. to try to make them into Clears)?
Sure, one year is more than enough
and your ears are always the Supreme JudgeSince when the decision to buy a new headphone it's a hard decision...?
...look at the head-fi station thread..... If you can afford it help the economy and unleash your credit card...
Look from a different perspective, buy both...and open a thread with comparison, the community will thank you, I am sure
Have you tried the D5200? Out of all the HPs I've owned, D5200 was one of my least favorite, and i've owned many. It was all around meh and had this weird hollow sound. And the weirdly shaped (too flat) headband was super uncomfortable. Of course I haven't heard the Elegias yet as I am still waiting for mine to arrive, but I would almost take anything over the D5200. Of course YMMV
In my opinion, this is a recipe for disaster. So much care went into the dampening inside the Elegia earcups, it is often compared to miniature room treatment. Converting it to open back would literally remove these headphones greatest feature
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If money is no concern, I'd go for the Elegia. I have both and while I really like the D5200, the Elegia is just better.
Because I'm lazy, I have 3,5mm cable on the D5200 and 2,5mm balanced on the Elegia. So the Elegia gets used with DAPs that have 2,5mm balanced , the D5200 with everything else. The very positive thing is that the cables are interchangeable between the two
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Rob80b
Headphoneus Supremus
Ditto.
As per....
https://www.focal.com/sites/www.focal.fr/files/shared/catalog/document/stellia-elegia_whitepaper.pdf
"A speaker driver operating in a limited inner volume environment must first and foremost have low compliance. Indeed, the surround on this type of transducer must permit excellent control of the moving part and thereby induce less elongation. The surround plays a dual role.The first is to provide the largest elongation possible, which lies at the root of the ability to reproduce the dynamic range of the original audio signal. At the same time, it is also designed to control the travel of the moving part to ensure a piston action from its lowest to its highest amplitude. Focal, therefore, decided to choose a dedicated surround, constructed in the same way as the Elear, Clear and Utopia speaker drivers. The material used is the same, but the thickness of the Stellia & Elegia transducer has changed to 110 microns. The geometry of this new half-roll NBR surround was the subject of an extremely detailed study into how to gain optimum control of the moving part, even at the lowestfrequencies and loudest volumes."
On another note, I don't recall ATM who recommended this for the Elegia on here (TY BTW), but I bought one of these for my Marshall Monitor headphones (stupid protein leather, it's only been 9 years ). I also got new pads for it (though I couldn't find real leather for them). My point is that this was a kind of "trial" run, and I have to say I am really impressed, and will be getting another one for the Elegia.
). I also got new pads for it (though I couldn't find real leather for them). My point is that this was a kind of "trial" run, and I have to say I am really impressed, and will be getting another one for the Elegia.
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