[user4404]

Hi all,
I'm sure you have seen this one before but everyone's preferences are different so here we go again. Looking for a higher-end closed back daily driver. I primarily listen to music while working but I also do a ton of gaming. I know those two don't always mix but hoping we can find something.

Headphones I'm currently interested in:
Focal Stellia
ZMF Verite Closed
Meze Liric
Focal Celestee

Headphones I currently own or have recently gotten rid of, and some thoughts:

• Abyss Diana - daily driver, love the tonality, comfort could be better
• Focal Radiance - enjoyed this a lot but fit just wasn't good. I have a thinner head and they slid off with any type of movement
• Focal Elegia - much better fit but sounded off to me, just didn't enjoy the headphone even after some eq
• HD800s - too much stage? i find it hard to pinpoint some sounds because the stage is so good and it gets overshadowed by more emphasized sounds, comfort also wasn't great for me. didn't enjoy music on this at all
• T1 2nd gen - really solid gaming headphone, music was okay but definitely bright
• DT1990 - solid gaming headphone, don't want to own it again
• Ether 2 - one of my favorite musical headphones, I think it got some bad reviews but I really enjoyed it
• Aeon 2 Noire - fantastic headphone for the price, nothing wrong with it, just found I enjoyed the dynamics of the radiance more
• ZMF Aeolus - really good bang for the buck, reminded me a lot of the ether 2 actually, just slightly less technically good, comfort is great

As far as music preference, I'm really all over and don't have one thing I gravitate towards so in a way I'm just looking for a decent allrounder. I think the Stellia is in the lead with the Verite Closed being right up there. Appreciate any consideration and support.

 

[Monsterzero]

Headphones I'm currently interested in:
Focal Stellia
ZMF Verite Closed

These two are the cream of the crop IMO. It really comes down to what kind of amp, if any, you're using.

If you have a nice desktop amp, tubes especially, its the VC all the way.
If you're more into DAPs or portable amps, or perhaps an entry level desktop solution, then I'd opt for the Stellia.

Both are very good sounding headphones, but the VC has slightly better staging, and much better tonality, especially when doing a side-by-side a/b, which is when you can hear a distinct metallic edge on the Stellia.

 

[user4404]

These two are the cream of the crop IMO. It really comes down to what kind of amp, if any, you're using.

If you have a nice desktop amp, tubes especially, its the VC all the way.
If you're more into DAPs or portable amps, or perhaps an entry level desktop solution, then I'd opt for the Stellia.

Both are very good sounding headphones, but the VC has slightly better staging, and much better tonality, especially when doing a side-by-side a/b, which is when you can hear a distinct metallic edge on the Stellia.

Thanks for the reply and I should have mentioned my amps. I have a Burson Conductor 3x Performance and a Monoprice THX. Generally gravitate that direction over tubes as I'm sitting at my desk most of the time (though the Woo Audio is interesting!).

I appreciate the comment on tonality, good to know and something that has become more important to me over time.

 

[Monsterzero]

I should have mentioned my amps. I have a Burson Conductor 3x Performance and a Monoprice THX.

I do not have experience with either of those amps. You may want to ask in the VC thread about those two amps, and how they pair with the VC, or perhaps drop ZMF an email.

Zach has mentioned several times that a given amp's damping factor plays a large role in how it interacts with the VC.

I appreciate the comment on tonality, good to know and something that has become more important to me over time.

Yeah, the Stellia's drivers are 100% beryllium (a metal) whereas the drivers in the VC are simply beryllium coated. Zach opted for the coated version because of the above mentioned metallic edge on a fully Be driver

 

[Congregator]

I had almost all the Focals (except the last Clear Professional MG and Utopia), the Focal Celestee stayed with me for several weeks, and I can say that these are some of the nicest Focals.
They are almost all multi-genre, and in CS:GO you can sometimes hear what happens on the enemy's respawn

Those amplifiers that you have will rock them without any problems

 

[Kevbo]

I just picked up the DCA Ether CX last week and I am very much enjoying it. It has some oddly negative reviews but I really think that after the recommended burn in and with some of the tuning pads on it can become my favorite closed back

 

[user4404]

I do not have experience with either of those amps. You may want to ask in the VC thread about those two amps, and how they pair with the VC, or perhaps drop ZMF an email.

Zach has mentioned several times that a given amp's damping factor plays a large role in how it interacts with the VC.

Yeah, the Stellia's drivers are 100% beryllium (a metal) whereas the drivers in the VC are simply beryllium coated. Zach opted for the coated version because of the above mentioned metallic edge on a fully Be driver

Good call on the amp pairing question, though I'm certainly not married to any of these. Thank you.

 

[user4404]

I just picked up the DCA Ether CX last week and I am very much enjoying it. It has some oddly negative reviews but I really think that after the recommended burn in and with some of the tuning pads on it can become my favorite closed back

I was initially interested in this one as I owned some other DCA headphones in the past, but I've found that I'm starting to enjoy the dynamic punch which seems to be missing from the DCA line. I do love these headphones for just easy listening though, ether 2 is still one of my favorite. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[user4404]

I had almost all the Focals (except the last Clear Professional MG and Utopia), the Focal Celestee stayed with me for several weeks, and I can say that these are some of the nicest Focals.
They are almost all multi-genre, and in CS:GO you can sometimes hear what happens on the enemy's respawn

Those amplifiers that you have will rock them without any problems

Thanks for this, I love that blue too. Any thoughts on Celestee vs Stellia?

 

[ST33L]

I’m surprised that you didn’t like the Elegia after EQ’ing. I thought they were meh… but raising the bass did the trick. I guess the natural progression would be the Stellia

 

[user4404]

I’m surprised that you didn’t like the Elegia after EQ’ing. I thought they were meh… but raising the bass did the trick. I guess the natural progression would be the Stellia

I guess I was a little harsh... good headphone and fantastic value (especially now with some of the open box units you can find), just overall it wasn't for me. That being said, the Radiance was right up there but just got frustrating with how they fell off my head.

 

[Congregator]

Thanks for this, I love that blue too. Any thoughts on Celestee vs Stellia?

For me on Celestee sound is more natural and the attacks are closer to real things

 

[Codyyy]

For me the Celestee sounds very similar to the hd 600 series so I believe that you like those I would just buy the Celestee and Hope I dont get fomo of the stellia

 

[Cactopus]

Hi all,
I'm sure you have seen this one before but everyone's preferences are different so here we go again. Looking for a higher-end closed back daily driver. I primarily listen to music while working but I also do a ton of gaming. I know those two don't always mix but hoping we can find something.

Headphones I'm currently interested in:
Focal Stellia
ZMF Verite Closed
Meze Liric
Focal Celestee

Headphones I currently own or have recently gotten rid of, and some thoughts:

• Focal Radiance - enjoyed this a lot but fit just wasn't good. I have a thinner head and they slid off with any type of movement

I own the Radiance and Elex and tried a few more and in my experience, all the focal headphones' fit are all pretty similar beside differences in weight and pads.
With the Radiance, to fix its fit (for me at least) is to use a thicker pad (more specifically this one https://dekoniaudio.com/product/elite-sheepskin-ear-pads-for-focal-headphones/) as the factory one gets soft and deflates quickly with body heat, losing support on both sides while rubbing my ears against the driver causing pain after long uses.

Also from what I've heard the Liric is not the best bang for the buck at its price point.
Also if you are hunting a daily driver maybe give the new Hifiman Arya Stealth edition a shot?
I liked them when demoing them at a local hifi store and they seem like a better 800S in almost every way besides the sound stage and not nearly as bright, though because they do share some similarities I didn't get them as my 800S in an irreplaceable part of my gaming setup.

 

[user4404]

I received the Stellia in house and I am impressed. Unfortunately the headphone is not comfortable for me at all. The spring action is so tight it causes the bottom of the ear cup to jam into my jaw and I can only wear it about 45 minutes. It’s debatable what I will do with this. I am pretty bummed as I think if I could get the comfort right I would be happy selling everything else I own and just keeping this. It really is fantastic for music and gaming.