[skfktkwjs]

Since I noticed the raw leather is very easy to observe any types of oil so I dyed mine to espresso color.

Before


After

Leathers are always decaying and start to pick up patina, and it is very natural things to have.
After few years when leather took too much stain, you can start thinking about dye your headband and cans. I've done it since I am not thinking about reselling for at least the next few years and I think none treated leather won't look the same after a year or two anyway.

Through my experiment (I do color, leather care for $1000+ bespoke/hand made leather shoes for hobby/part time job), I recommend not to use Audeze's leather conditioner or any kind of leather cream that has lots of oil. the oil in the cream is making the leather darker. if you want to keep it as original as possible, I recommend you to use Collonil 1909 leather cream nutural color (clear). this is water base cream so it will minimize the stain.​

(link https://www.amazon.com/Collonil-Supreme-Protects-Revives-Variety/dp/B0169JWHNS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=collonil+1909+leather+cream&qid=1577404308&sr=8-1&th=1)
use clean soft toothbrush to apply cream but very small amount at a time. apply the cream every 3~6 month should keep ur headphone in good condition.

 

[ChrisIsAwesome]

Wow, demo'd these. Amazing treble extension without being fatiguing!!
I really like the intimacy of closed back, definitely best closed back can I've heard this far by a significant margin.
But felt like something was lacking, couldn't figure out what it was!?

 

[teknorob23]

Wow, demo'd these. Amazing treble extension without being fatiguing!!
I really like the intimacy of closed back, definitely best closed back can I've heard this far by a significant margin.
But felt like something was lacking, couldn't figure out what it was!?

you should try the zmf verite closeds. For my money they share the crown for best closed back, but with a completely different tuning, astonishingly wide/tall stage with visceral bass kick and sweet full musical tuning, still crisp at the top. I was lucky enough to have them both in the house for a couple of months. Initially I thought there was no contest, the zmf’s are real showboats, but to my surprise I ended selling them and keeping the stellias, which I found much more nourishing long term. Their pace and consistency across the range, conbined with a more forward immediate tuning, mids and treble to die for and a more cultured low end. Overall I find them a better more transparent window to the source media and component chain behind them, but still throughly musical. If I could afford to keep both I would buy from what I’ve heard they’re a country mile in front of any other closed backs on the market.

 

[GMaxx]

As a noobie here, all I can say is that I can't give up the detail retrieval and presentation of the Stellia. I got the Clear first and thought they were good but then I had a chance to pickup the Stellia at an awesome price. I've been going back and forth between the two of them. The Clear are more comfortable because my ears sweat a lot more with the Stelllia's leather ear cups. I end up taking off the Stellia once and a while to let me ears breath a little bit. Thus, I was hoping that I could settle on the Clear given the price difference but I just can't give up on the Stellia. Once you start listening to the Stellia, they just suck you in. I've heard details in songs that I never heard before. Currently, I'm only going to be able to have one set of headphones for a while so why not make it one of the best closed backs.

 

[noplsestar]

So. Here it is, my Christmas present I gave myself! A new Arctic Cable for Focal Stellia, which is an 8-Core Neotech UP-OCC Pure Silver 7N LT-6 Cable (with Neutrik plugs on the phone and Viablue 3.5mm plug for the DAP -> Calyx M -> Vorzüge VorzAMP Duo II)

This is it. End game. Easy as that. It was a pleasure to deal with Roy (as always, because I already own a UPOCC 4 core copper cable that matches nicely with the brown/black coating ... well, I guess I won't use it that often anymore, now that I have this silver beauty)

I had a Silver Lavricable once and can tell you: This is no contest. UPOCC is on another level compared to a "normal" silver cable.
I never thought I would write that stereotype cliché, but I really can hear details I never heard before in tracks I know by heart. I also made a blind test with a friend of mine and could tell in an instant which cable is which after a few seconds (compared to the Focal stock cable).

For starters: There seems to be more room. Not exactly in width but more in height and depth. Especially when listening to very complex songs, such as "Before your very eyes..." from Atoms For Peace, it´s such a pleasure to listen to this tidy stage where every nuance is heard and the voice of Thom Yorke is right there in the middle, clear and with this great reverb (thanks to the genius producer Nigel Godrich!) Also the separation is clearly making a step up. Pin point. I am in honeymoon, I know, but it is that good.

This cable takes everything what's there and makes it better. Bass, mids, treble. I am sorry to boast here, but it really is unbelievable what a cable can make a difference. It´s not that the Stellia sounds different in any way. It sound refined. I always found the upper mids a bit shouty. This shoutiness is gone without taking away anything of its resolution. In the contrary. The resolution is like I have never heard it before out of these phones.

The cable manages to extend the treble (and bass) without adding something that isn't there. It is a neutral cable, if you ask me. The Stellia doesn't sound "brighter" at all, like you would expect from a silver cable. It doesn't sound warmer either. The treble is just "there". On spot. The mids are present. The voices so nicely rendered. And then the bass. I didn´t expect the subbass to be elevated, but it somehow did by a small margin. That's a very welcome alteration, too, as I always found that the very low sub frequencies of the Stellia somehow were too gentle (primarily compared to the mid bass).

Oh, and by the way: As you can see on the pictures: The cable looks absolutely stunning. In real life even better than on any photo I have seen (and made of them). They are completely pliable (laughable when compared to the stock cable!), and there are no microphonics whatsoever.

I am not a reviewer, just a musician / engineer and a guy who loves to listen to the music on the go and that needs to feel all the emotions that are evoked when I listen to the records as well as to hear the accuracy and beautyness of the production.

So, what can I say as a conclusion: It is a balanced cable. No frequency is exaggerated, no frequency suppressed. It reminds me when I was at a mastering studio for finishing a recording I produced and when I heard some albums I love on those great loudspeakers and I thought screw, that's what music is supposed to sound!

And here some eyecandy

 

[Caruryn]

Great post and pics! Is there a shop in EU we can order this cable or is it for US only?

 

[noplsestar]

Great post and pics! Is there a shop in EU we can order this cable or is it for US only?

as far as I know there is no EU shop. You can buy the arctic cables products on eBay or better just write them an email an tell them what you would want/need and Roy will get back to you: http://arcticcables.com/

the production of the cable was fast (even before Christmas and also the worldwide shipping is fast.

 

[TooFrank]

as far as I know there is no EU shop. You can buy the arctic cables products on eBay or better just write them an email an tell them what you would want/need and Roy will get back to you: http://arcticcables.com/

the production of the cable was fast (even before Christmas and also the worldwide shipping is fast.

Many thanks for this review. How expensive was your Christmas present? Was wondering, if my main listening is via a 6.3 mom amp, but also would like to use it with a dap/iPhone, how will an adaptor affect the sound?
Happy new year

 

[noplsestar]

Many thanks for this review. How expensive was your Christmas present? Was wondering, if my main listening is via a 6.3 mom amp, but also would like to use it with a dap/iPhone, how will an adaptor affect the sound?
Happy new year

Thank you very much.

Their silver Upocc cables start from $550 for the 8-wire version and $369 for the 4-wire version (depending on length and plugs)

An adaptor, if soldered „right“, should be no problem at all. Just take care to use a quality adaptor. But it’s probably best to speak with Roy directly what you need and he will come back to you with a plan, because these guys know better than me what’s best fo your special needs.

 

[TooFrank]

Thank you very much.

Their silver Upocc cables start from $550 for the 8-wire version and $369 for the 4-wire version (depending on length and plugs)

An adaptor, if soldered „right“, should be no problem at all. Just take care to use a quality adaptor. But it’s probably best to speak with Roy directly what you need and he will come back to you with a plan, because these guys know better than me what’s best fo your special needs.

Again many thanks. Will check: when spending a fortune like that, you should clearly hear any enhancement!

 

[noplsestar]

Again many thanks. Will check: when spending a fortune like that, you should clearly hear any enhancement!

I see it a bit like that: We have a Ferrari standing in our garage, but with the stock cable it’s a bit like having decent tires, they will absolutely do the job, but it’s another feeling to cruise around when having the best possible tires on the car to take the bend with the fastest possible speed, at least if you want to

In my opinion it is worth the cost. Of course it’s a matter of how much money you want to spend (or can spend) and we all know that those famous last percentages of sound quality we want to squeeze out of our gear are very pricey!

 

[TooFrank]

I see it a bit like that: We have a Ferrari standing in our garage, but with the stock cable it’s a bit like having decent tires, they will absolutely do the job, but it’s another feeling to cruise around when having the best possible tires on the car to take the bend with the fastest possible speed, at least if you want to

In my opinion it is worth the cost. Of course it’s a matter of how much money you want to spend (or can spend) and we all know that those famous last percentages of sound quality we want to squeeze out of our gear are very pricey!

So, after a couple of mails with Roy, I finally gave in and have just pulled the trigger - now waiting in eager anticipation....this hobby is indeed expensive.

 

[subguy812]

So, after a couple of mails with Roy, I finally gave in and have just pulled the trigger - now waiting in eager anticipation....this hobby is indeed expensive.

Welcome to the Audio Rabbit Hole

 

[noplsestar]

So, after a couple of mails with Roy, I finally gave in and have just pulled the trigger - now waiting in eager anticipation....this hobby is indeed expensive.

You won’t regret it!

 

[noplsestar]

Welcome to the Audio Rabbit Hole

seeing his headphone inventory, he is already deep into the audio rabbit hole