[urs]

Dear All,

In the Top CLOSED Phones section, there was some development recently, with the new model from FOCAL, the STELLIA, and a new version from Audio Technica of their ATH ”L" Line, the L5000.

Who had a chance to directly compare those two closed phones ?

I’m aware that the STELLIA seems to be more popular here in Europe (Focal being a French company), while, so I assume, the L5000 is better known in the Asian & American markets.
Further: The L5000 reportedly is a “limited edition” model.....and is even more expensive

Anyway: Any direct experience or reviews & tests between the two?

Thanks & best regards

Urs


PS: I DO own the STELLIA, and I do rate it as best currently available - or better: known to me !! - CLOSED phones. (Missing in my "test-field" is, as indicated: the L5000)

 

[urs]

No one ?
Urs

 

[urs]

Somewhat late, but today I could do a very “quick & dirty” comparison between the STELLIA, and the ATH L5000 at my local Headphone store, in Zürich
https://www.k55.ch/bigear

To make it also very quick: the L5000 has just one point, where I would suggest it wins over the Stellia. The Bass is somewhat tighter. e.g. on track: Moonshine Sonata, Ray-Brown & Laurindo-Almeida
https://www.discogs.com/Ray-Brown-Laurindo-Almeida-Moonlight-Serenade/master/403964
Sources: CD, via Chord Hugo TT2

(I should add that I’m NOT a “bass-head”; anything boomy is out of my range….unfortunately, the Stellia is here touching “borderline” on some tracks…BTW: I do own the Stellia since a few months)

But on all other aspects, I always preferred the Stellia. E.g. voices – one of my top priorities: the L5000 is to sharp in the highs, but still lacking in “ambiance”

Comfort & weight: no winner

Build quality: a matter of taste ("old style fine leather" vs "high-tech metal" )

Price: the L5000 is imho NOT worth the called 5ooo.- plus Swiss Francs

Regards

Urs



(oooch, actually I’m more than happy with this out-come: How on earth would I justify to cough up another princely sum for a third High-End Headphone within less than 12 months…?? )

 

[skootb]

I returned the L5000 after 1 day. there just wasn't enough low end. I'm not a bass-head, either. The L5000 just had an unnaturally low amount of bass.

As for the Stellia, I liked them, but they didn't offer me anything that my Noble Katana in-ears already gave me. I actually like the denon 9200 the most of the closed-backs I've tried

 

[Marce]

Somewhat late, but today I could do a very “quick & dirty” comparison between the STELLIA, and the ATH L5000 at my local Headphone store, in Zürich
https://www.k55.ch/bigear

To make it also very quick: the L5000 has just one point, where I would suggest it wins over the Stellia. The Bass is somewhat tighter. e.g. on track: Moonshine Sonata, Ray-Brown & Laurindo-Almeida
https://www.discogs.com/Ray-Brown-Laurindo-Almeida-Moonlight-Serenade/master/403964
Sources: CD, via Chord Hugo TT2

(I should add that I’m NOT a “bass-head”; anything boomy is out of my range….unfortunately, the Stellia is here touching “borderline” on some tracks…BTW: I do own the Stellia since a few months)

But on all other aspects, I always preferred the Stellia. E.g. voices – one of my top priorities: the L5000 is to sharp in the highs, but still lacking in “ambiance”

Comfort & weight: no winner

Build quality: a matter of taste ("old style fine leather" vs "high-tech metal" )

Price: the L5000 is imho NOT worth the called 5ooo.- plus Swiss Francs

Regards

Urs



(oooch, actually I’m more than happy with this out-come: How on earth would I justify to cough up another princely sum for a third High-End Headphone within less than 12 months…?? )

I got the opportunity to try both of them in Minidisc, which is a headphone store based in Australia. While they only have Stellia and not the L5000, one of the costumer actually brought it to the store to try some DACs, in which i manage to ask for a test run.

Now to be fair, i didn't use the Amp and DAC that he was trying just to see the sound as it is to find which one is better without any external help, and since both of them have a fairly low impedance, it was very easy to power even with phones.

I would say that overall, i prefer Stellia more so than the L5000. Stellia excels in being the musical type of headphones while the L5000 was very clear, but excels in bass. In terms of comfort, i would go with Stellia as well since it was very comfy and feels lighter, while the L5000 has a better grip, but just a tad bit too much.

Lastly, the price. Both of them are very expensive headphones, but as guy who loves highs and mids, i have to go with Stellia. But imo, both headphones are too expensive and not really worth its price, especially the L5000.

I did manage to try to use Chord Mojo to compare both and i have to say, it was a wonderful experience. If you like more bass and impact, then L5000 wins, but if you want to go for natural and musical highs, go for the Stellia. Personally, i think Stellia would be more enjoyable for audiophiles that enjoy classical music or music that has a lot of high and cheery tone since it is warm.

 

[skootb]

You really found the stellia to have less bass? Maybe the L5000 pair I had was defective? There was a tiny amount of bass. the Stellia had much more low end

 

[urs]

Just to clarify:

The STELLIA has generally more bass - for my taste on some occasions a tad too much.
But only on that above mentioned track with Ray Brown's Double Bass solo, I just liked the tighter, but less pronounced bass, of the L5000, a bit better.

On most other tracks, the L5000 produces no such result, e.g. on a drum solo with "punch", the Stellia was clearly more natural & enjoyable all round, from bass to treble.


Urs

One of my more “work-like” applications for the closed phones is digitizing of Shellac records. As you may guess correctly, they have considerable noise level, and typically low (or virtually NO !!) bass content. Hence the Stellia is just fine for this job - and it compliments my STAX set that are ideal for classical music - also for some jazz and my odd rock & pop records I have.

 

[Piotr Michalak]

The L5000 just had an unnaturally low amount of bass

Obviously Stella has more bass (see Head-fi measurements), but L5000 is also not completely flat, it already has a bass boost too. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audio-technica-ath-l5000.886814/page-10#post-15328187