Focal Elegia - what do you think?
- Thread starter Hoegaardener70
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Do you have any specific questions? I'd be happy to answer. I think the Elegia is an excellent mid-fi choice and the Stellia is my current top pick for the best closed-back headphones on the market.
Well, I have a HD820 and will be trying out a Stellia at home next week. What would you say are the differences between those two if you heard the HD820? Soundstage is an important given for me as well.
Regarding the Elegia: would you say it's a nice allrounder or only good for specific genres?
I haven't spent enough time with an HD 820 to give a proper comparison. I feel as though the Stellia soundstage is very natural and "regular" in that it does not feel too closed nor wide like Sennheiser is known for. The Elegia is a great allrounder! But probably not a great choice for someone who listens to mainly well recorded classical and jazz as it doesn't resolve some of those intricacies as well as something like a Stellia or Utopia.
teknorob23
Member of the Trade: Network Acoustics
sorry hope you dont mind me chucking my oar in, but i have both the HD820's and Stellia. They couldnt be more different, but my preference is for the Stellia by some distance, because IMO they have a natural, dynamic and coherent presentation. Both do details well and the HD820s on first listen sound wider and perhaps more impressive, but i find their presentation slightly artificial and un-even with certain stand-out frequencies dominating and not fully integrating within the range as whole. I.e the snares have an amazing snap and kick drums are really dynamic and direct, but i find in longer listening sessions this can become almost distracting in kind of "look at me, arent i clever" way, if that makes any sense
, whereas the stellia, alhough slightly north of neutral warmthwise is completely coherent and therefore great as a reference headphone, whilst also being thoroughly addictive in pure listening pleasure terms. I've been experimenting with mixtures of UP-OCC silver and copper wire making headphone cables over the last week to replace the piece of old rope Focal supply and the stellia alllow me to quickly the differences whereas i dont find the HD820s give me an even enough presentation to easily make reference with.I'm sure music preferences come in to play. My listening is split between electronica and indie guitar rock with only smattering of classic and jazz. Guitars just sound incredible via the Stellia, they thick, but 3D layered with real crunch. (eg Loveless, my bloody valentine or any thurston moore's recent post sonic youth allbums), whereas through the 820's the guitars thinner and buzzy.. not unpleasant or unnatural, but just lacking in body and emotion. With electronica, say take an album like singularity/ jon hopkins, with its mixture of propulsive beats and totally enveloping ethereal soundscapes, the Stellia just 100% immerse you, whereas with 820s i feel like i'm standing back marvelling at certain instruments and thinking more about the headphones than the music.
I had a very similar experience with 64 Audio's flagship 18 driver A18t custom iems, which were technically jaw dropping, but ultimately un-involving as listening became all about the headphone and not the music, whereas the Empire Ears Phantom, like the Stellia, didnt instantly wow me with bright flashing lights and back-flips, but they have both provided more long term returns because they both have beautiful timbre, dynamic excitement in spades and work, for me at least, with most types of music. I agree the Elegia do a lot of what the Stellia's do, in terms of tonal balance and dynamism, but as you'd expect for £2k more, the Stellia add in Utopia levels of detail and just more of everything else.
I'm not saying the HD820s are bad, they're just not for me which is why theyve taken up long-terms residence at my brother's house and might even be paid for one day too
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Good points, teknorob23! But you may want to edit your post so it doesn't look like I said all that.
teknorob23
Member of the Trade: Network Acoustics
Good points, teknorob23! But you may want to edit your post so it doesn't look like I said all that.
yep sorry my phone messed with inserting your quote, but hopefully fixed now
Thank you both. I do like the HD820 a lot but am looking forward to hearing the Stellia next week.
Mr H
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it's weird to be calling a 900€ pair of headphones mid fi but that how the market has evolved
I didn't tried the others but I like the focal's voicing. I like the dynamics and instrument separation I don't get from other brands
Ha, I agree...and at least in Focal's lineup it is appropriately mid-fi.
It’ll be interesting to hear what you think
I hope I like them, my wallet doesn't ...
I'll be comparing them to the HD820 of course mainly with some rock, hardrock, a bit of classsical and some Diana Krall songs I like. Not really into Jazz myself.
Not that I'll be selling the HD800S or HD820, I'll need those for when the Realiser finally comes in.
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I remember I bought my first high-end headphone back in 2007 I think, a HD650 at about 400€. I thought I was getting nuts buying a headphone that expensive at the time. Manufacturers are really filling their pockets over the hype in my opinion.
teknorob23
Member of the Trade: Network Acoustics
Wow, going the full Luxman, thats some serious upgrading, all good units but that headamp is supposed to be seriously special. Congrats
Wow, going the full Luxman, thats some serious upgrading, all good units but that headamp is supposed to be seriously special. Congrats
Thanks!
It is indeed, I have the P-750u and DA-06 for about 10 days now. The rest comes in tomorrow along with the Stellia on demo.
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