[Rob80b]

Also I have a question, if you purchase a used “for parts” Focal Clear on eBay and transfer the drivers assembly of the Elegia, to the Clear, will it sound like the Clear or are the drivers of the Elegia physically tuned differently?

Has been discussed previously.......

Convert Elegias to Open?

Anyone heard of modding the Elegia to open (i.e. to try to make them into Clears)?

As noted earlier

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

This is not 100% with any surety, but I think that the driver is the same as the OG Clear, and you could (in theory) use it as such.

Drivers are different.......

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."

But who knows, might be worth a try.

 

[mainguy]

This is not 100% with any surety, but I think that the driver is the same as the OG Clear, and you could (in theory) use it as such.

Let us know your thoughts on that if you do decided to remove the foam on them?! You have me curious about that.

I think it's the same Al-Mg dome, but it's not the same driver assembly.

 

[Rob80b]

I think it's the same Al-Mg dome, but it's not the same driver assembly.

In reference to the white paper the dome shape is the same but thickness was changed to 110 microns as well as quite a few other differences to accomodate a closed phone.
"......The domes used for Stellia & Elegia use the same materials and geometry
as those developed for the Elear, Clear & Utopia headphones.
..........transducer has changed to 110 microns"

https://www.focal.com/sites/www.focal.fr/files/shared/catalog/document/stellia-elegia_whitepaper.pdf

 

[mainguy]

In reference to the white paper the dome shape is the same but thickness was changed to 110 microns as well as quite a few other differences to accomodate a closed phone.
"......The domes used for Stellia & Elegia use the same materials and geometry
as those developed for the Elear, Clear & Utopia headphones.
..........transducer has changed to 110 microns"

https://www.focal.com/sites/www.focal.fr/files/shared/catalog/document/stellia-elegia_whitepaper.pdf

oh interesting, I wonder what the old thickness was?

I just got Utopia and comparing it to Stellia it is indeed different, and a lot better in my opinion. So it makes sense there are some changes at a fundamental level.

 

[Nickapalooza86]

This is not 100% with any surety, but I think that the driver is the same as the OG Clear, and you could (in theory) use it as such.

Let us know your thoughts on that if you do decided to remove the foam on them?! You have me curious about that.

Different driver, same m shape thing.

 

[eat2na]

Well, disregard that. There’s no piece of foam that you can pick up. It’s a glued on paper thing foam like damper. When you press on it there’s nothing that would indicate that there’s any vent that would allow air to the outside. I shined a light from the back and there’s no light that comes thru. Also when I took the aluminum cover off the back that piece behind the metal mesh is all solid plastic. It’s interesting how it indeed looks like a treated acoustic panel with all the tiny pyramids shaped domes. I like that once you take the speaker cover the driver can just be picked up. It’s just free floating with no soldering. But that was fun to investigate. Also sorry if this has already been done and documented. I’ll search next time lol!

 

[eat2na]

I found how it gets the pressure from inside the chamber and air to the outside! There’s another tiny mesh area and a port or tube that goes thru to the bigger triangle kind of shape part with that padding and out the back and to the outside. I guess a lot of people knew about this from You-Tube videos but again, I really didn’t do any searches before I took it apart

 

[Nickapalooza86]

I found how it gets the pressure from inside the chamber and air to the outside! There’s another tiny mesh area and a hollow tunnel or tube that goes thru to the bigger triangle kind of shape part with that padding and out the back and to the outside!

Here I am just listening to my headphones meanwhile you are doing science with them! Really Cool!

 

[eat2na]

Here I am just listening to my headphones meanwhile you are doing science with them! Really Cool!

I like to see how things are put together lol!

 

[Rob80b]

I like to see how things are put together lol!

Thanks for sharing. Great job.

 

[eat2na]

No problem! I do like them more after the sheepskin pads and EQ on the Qudelix and also the low price I got them for.

 

[DarknessEclipse]

Just popping in to say that Focal Elegia sound amazing when playing 'The Legend of Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom'. They really make the soundtrack shine, especially the piano notes. Focal Clear are lovely, but I prefer Elegia with it.

 

[Rob80b]

No problem! I do like them more after the sheepskin pads and EQ on the Qudelix and also the low price I got them for.

I was going to open mine also but your photos will do just fine. Interesting about the port, after all this time I believe many assumed it went straight though, interesting design all round, Focal indeed did their home work.
Also didn't know the driver was terminated with pressure contact points, hardwired is usually best but the reported failures on Focal happen at the solder connections so it possibly explains the low failure rate on the Elegia.
Good to hear the pads are working out, no means for EQ at my end but I find the balance just fine.

 

[Nickapalooza86]

No problem! I do like them more after the sheepskin pads and EQ on the Qudelix and also the low price I got them for.

What is the benefit you heard after the pad swap? I eq'ed them and really love the sound now, but everyone mentions pad swapping on these, and for the 300 I paid I am certainly not apposed.

 

[eat2na]

What is the benefit you heard after the pad swap? I eq'ed them and really love the sound now, but everyone mentions pad swapping on these, and for the 300 I paid I am certainly not apposed.

Better isolation and increased bass response. Also with EQ on my Qudelix the bass and sub-bass becomes huge with the better sealed pads. Check to see if the Voarmaks brand at Amazon are back on stock. They are $38 instead of $79 for the Dekoni pads. Or if you can wait they also can be found on Aliexpress.

I was watching a video on YouTube when Head-Fi did an interview with Focal and they took the Elegia apart and goes into detail. They mention how they made the Elegia driver and compared it to the Clear OG. They designed it to be extremely rigid and how it can take a lot before any distortion. I have been able to raise the bass to a ridiculous amount and the treble via EQ and I get no distortion.