[GearMe]

Sad to hear that. But even if I knew that I wouldn't reject the deal, $400 is a lot
What I wonder is how does Adorama profit by selling Elegia headphones $500 ? How do they obtain Elegia below $500 ?

Yeah -- came to the same conclusion on their pricing/3rd party warranty considerations. TBH, it's consistently been a winning decision for me....basically you're getting a new unit for less than what a used one goes for on HeadFi/Ebay/etc.

Adorama purchases below...just the ones I recall.
Excellent savings, brand new in box, no issues, take trades (if you prefer not to sell your old gear on Ebay, etc.).

FWIW...my experience over the years has been that headphones/amps/dacs just work, as expected, right-out-of-the-box and last a long time. If they don't work (rarely), it's been right away for me and then I just return them.

Focal Clear Pro
Focal Elegia
HiFiMan HE-5SE
Audeze EL8
Senn HD600

 

[Preachy1]

Agreed, although it is a bit frustrating for those us (like me) who are trying to sell a pair without losing like 70% of the original purchase price.

That said, had I seen them for that price, I would've jumped on them as well.

 

[TSAVAlan]

Focal has their very generous 5 year warranty that does transfer with authorized dealers. The Adorama is without a doubt cheaper but is grey market that warranty goes down to 1 year and offered direct from them is... Little sketch.

 

[trellus]

Agreed, although it is a bit frustrating for those us (like me) who are trying to sell a pair without losing like 70% of the original purchase price.

That said, had I seen them for that price, I would've jumped on them as well.

What has taken their place for you? I recall reading some of your impressions early on in this thread but I might have missed what eclipsed them for you. I'm considering getting a pair on the strength of their reputation as being surprisingly close to the Elex or Clear in their presentation / FR.

I have not heard the Elex or Clear, granted, but I do have the Elear and so I'm at least familiar with the Focal sound a little, and having it in a closed back is appealing.

 

[Preachy1]

What has taken their place for you?

Several, actually. I've become a world class unabashed ZMF fanboy! Since acquiring (and really liking) the Elegias, I got the bug big time and picked up the Auteurs, Atticus, and Eikons, as well as a pair of Blackwood planars. At this point, I now just have....

...hold your laughter...

too many cans!!!!

 

[ceeloChamp]

Does anyone know if Focal has any plans for either a) making a different colored Stellia (that's a lot of brown), or b) making a closed back with a price point inbetween Elegia and Stellia?

 

[Andrew DiMarcangelo]

Does anyone know if Focal has any plans for either a) making a different colored Stellia (that's a lot of brown), or b) making a closed back with a price point inbetween Elegia and Stellia?

Nothing announced or hinted at for either.

 

[ceeloChamp]

Nothing announced or hinted at for either.

Bummer! I really like the Clears and Utopias, but the Elegia weren’t for me. I was really hoping for a Close-Backed Clear

 

[trellus]

Bummer! I really like the Clears and Utopias, but the Elegia weren’t for me. I was really hoping for a Close-Backed Clear

I've heard the Elegia described as close to a closed-back Clear -- did you audition them and not find them to be even close to that description?

 

[GearMe]

Focal has their very generous 5 year warranty that does transfer with authorized dealers. The Adorama is without a doubt cheaper but is grey market that warranty goes down to 1 year and offered direct from them is... Little sketch.

Simply an alternative choice -- one that a lot of people prefer.

I don't see your value proposition for the additional $400. As stated, I'll go with the cheaper price and the ability to return them for 30 days...guess I'd consider their 1 year warranty a bonus. Again, never had to use either for products from Adorama.

"Sketch"? Are you saying it's illegal?

 

[ceeloChamp]

Yeah they have a similar sound idk they just feel a bit thin to me, not as much definition/clarity, not as much soundstage. I think they are probably more like the Elear.

 

[trellus]

Yeah they have a similar sound idk they just feel a bit thin to me, not as much definition/clarity, not as much soundstage. I think they are probably more like the Elear.

I've heard the "bit thin" from others, too, not so much the lack of definition/clarity, although with respect to the Clear, I think that probably makes sense given that you're right that it's a step above in price point, and soundstage (for a closed back) is one of the strengths, I thought, for the Elegia, but not surprisingly it's not as good as on the open-back Clear.

I'd be surprised if the Elegia is more like the Elear, though, as I have those, and they have a less neutral tuning than the Elex or Clear, and I thought most people have claimed the Elegia is closer to those than the Elear.

I actually like the somewhat colored sound of the Elear, but I'm not expecting the Elegia to have that same color from what I've read at least.

 

[ceeloChamp]

I've heard the "bit thin" from others, too, not so much the lack of definition/clarity, although with respect to the Clear, I think that probably makes sense given that you're right that it's a step above in price point, and soundstage (for a closed back) is one of the strengths, I thought, for the Elegia, but not surprisingly it's not as good as on the open-back Clear.

I'd be surprised if the Elegia is more like the Elear, though, as I have those, and they have a less neutral tuning than the Elex or Clear, and I thought most people have claimed the Elegia is closer to those than the Elear.

I actually like the somewhat colored sound of the Elear, but I'm not expecting the Elegia to have that same color from what I've read at least.

Yeah I could see that too, but I don’t think calling it closed back Clear is fair because I think the Clear are a lot better sounding. I’ve heard the Clear and Utopia a lot more than either of the others. But to me the ranking is Utopia- Clear-Elex then Elegia and last Elear.

 

[TSAVJason]

Simply an alternative choice -- one that a lot of people prefer.

I don't see your value proposition for the additional $400. As stated, I'll go with the cheaper price and the ability to return them for 30 days...guess I'd consider their 1 year warranty a bonus. Again, never had to use either for products from Adriana.

Sketch"? Are you saying it's illegal?

by their warranty standards yes, it’s illegal. Import laws may be violated but that isn’t your problem as a buyer of grey market goods. That would be on the company of topic in this thread.

 

[MarCo7]

They were $500 at Adorama briefly. I got mine for $500 too

I bought from here but now back to $900.
https://www.adorama.com/fofelegia.html?origterm=focal+elegia

Yes, that's where I got mine from as well. No manufacturer warranty but Adorama covers it for 1 year. Not a bad tradeoff in my opinion.