[Mhog55]

mids i like to be clean, and not too close or too far but presented in a natural way.
treble i dont mind at all, i do enjoy classical and would like highs to be detailed but not too sharp as to cause discomfort for long periods of time when i listen to violin or piano songs.
as for bass, im not too much of a bass head, i'd rather the bass be there and sound as natural as possible, but not to be overly emphasised. (I've heard the bass on the LCD2Classic and it felt fake and too too much.)

Based off this, I'm not sure either of these headphones is what you're after.

 

[PaganDL]

I'm in Montreal, Canada.
headphone bar i think is in Vancouver, i ordered my astell and kern sr15 from them and they got it from south korea and shipped it to me. so pretty awesome site!
i got to try the entire focal line at an audio show that come here last feb. was great, i really enjoyed the clear and stellia. found thoes two really spoke to me. the utopia was too expensive and for some reason the heaviest in their lineup and not that comfortable. the elear wasnt good at all, kinda boring imo. and the elegia was good, but for the price, i've heard better closed backs. also, wasnt a fan of the way the cups looked on the outside, made it look much cheaper than its actual msrp.

Hi @Tsukuyomi,

That is correct, Headphone Bar is in Vancouver so yeah, unless you want to go cross country for demo, up to you.

Subjectively & personally, I like some Focal myself though not a fan of the Utopia for various reasons, chief among them is sound overall just disappears into the ether in an uncontrolled manner whereas the Elear was a little better overall but not by much.
Then the Elegia came out which was subjectively & personally more enjoyable to my tastes but still had something missing.
Stellia is still the best option in their higher tier range fir ne but given the high local pricing (almost 2 x MSRP) doesn't make any of them compelling enough to own so I agree with your points.

Honestly, if I was going to spend anywhere north of 1K in any currency, there are better options which stand out but I am in no rush as the ones I'm after aren't going to disappear any time soon.
They are as follows in no particular order :

Fostex TH 909
Klipsch HP 3
Meze Empyrean
Senn HD 820 (Only Senn I have ever liked period)

These are among the few high end open backs I have tried which are good enough to consider owning along with the Senn but given the fact these are all almost or close to double their MSRP locally due to exchange doesn't make it necessary or great to consider.

Oh, by the way, if you ever get a chance if you haven't already, I suggest listening to Warwick Acoustics Sonoma One.
Subjectively & personally the best E Stat headphone system I have heard so far...maybe one day, definitely be a more compelling choice than the other high end I have listed though average 3K is a stretch when there are more worthwhile gear to consider both higher & lower.

In other words, just stick with the Fostex 610 with Yaxi Alcantara for comfort & you will be more than good.

Hope you have a great day !

 

[Mhog55]

Hi @Tsukuyomi,

That is correct, Headphone Bar is in Vancouver so yeah, unless you want to go cross country for demo, up to you.

Subjectively & personally, I like some Focal myself though not a fan of the Utopia for various reasons, chief among them is sound overall just disappears into the ether in an uncontrolled manner whereas the Elear was a little better overall but not by much.
Then the Elegia came out which was subjectively & personally more enjoyable to my tastes but still had something missing.
Stellia is still the best option in their higher tier range fir ne but given the high local pricing (almost 2 x MSRP) doesn't make any of them compelling enough to own so I agree with your points.

Honestly, if I was going to spend anywhere north of 1K in any currency, there are better options which stand out but I am in no rush as the ones I'm after aren't going to disappear any time soon.
They are as follows in no particular order :

Fostex TH 909
Klipsch HP 3
Meze Empyrean
Senn HD 820 (Only Senn I have ever liked period)

These are among the few high end open backs I have tried which are good enough to consider owning along with the Senn but given the fact these are all almost or close to double their MSRP locally due to exchange doesn't make it necessary or great to consider.

Oh, by the way, if you ever get a chance if you haven't already, I suggest listening to Warwick Acoustics Sonoma One.
Subjectively & personally the best E Stat headphone system I have heard so far...maybe one day, definitely be a more compelling choice than the other high end I have listed though average 3K is a stretch when there are more worthwhile gear to consider both higher & lower.

In other words, just stick with the Fostex 610 with Yaxi Alcantara for comfort & you will be more than good.

Hope you have a great day !

Have you heard the Elex by any chance? I've been eyeballing that one myself. I like the Klipsch HP3 recommendation. Another headphone I'd like to own some day, but it a bit out of my price range for sure.

 

[PaganDL]

Have you heard the Elex by any chance? I've been eyeballing that one myself. I like the Klipsch HP3 recommendation. Another headphone I'd like to own some day, but it a bit out of my price range for sure.

If you mean the Drop version, then no.
As said, not a fan in general of Focal or Focal sound though as said, their overall sound ain't bad & some of their pro gear is a little better but not by much.

HP3 average retail price in US has dropped to $ 1200 so shouldn't be too far out for you @Mhog55, easy enough to save up for though I believe there are some genuine sellers who have it for just under a 1K, $950 has been the cheapest I have seen so far but as I am outside the US, so can't grab it at that price, not easily anyway.
Where I am, it still works out to $ 1800 after exchange & there is no way it's worth that.
If I was crazy enough & had money to burn, $ 1500 be the most I pay for them but for that price, there are certainly other gear overall which is more compelling for both more & less, either on its own or combined.

Hope you have a great day !

 

[CoryGillmore]

I own Z7M2 and am listening right now to a pair of TH610 (borrowed from a friend). For me personally, Z7M2 all the way. I do not like the TH610 at all. But reading your posts it seems like the 610 may be best for you. The Z7M2 have elevated bass, at least compared to the 610, which I feel is sorely lacking in bass. The 610 does have good detail and speed up top, though I feel too much. These things are almost as fast as a planar. The Sony is much more laid back and IMO much easier to sit back and enjoy for long periods.

I know this thread is old but I had to reply as I'm literally comparing these two headphones right now lol. For me, the Z7M2 is a much more pleasant and fun sound.