[SpeakUp]

Agreed, many Americans have no idea how bad we get screwed over here in Canada. For instance, the HD6XX ends up costing over 300 in Canada after currency conversion, duty, and taxes. The Focal Elex here would end up costing 1100 Canadian. The Elear costs 1500 plus tax here !!!!

https://www.amazon.ca/Focal-Elear-Over-Ear-Headphones-Black/dp/B01H2NDPGI/

It is only 800 in the US. That is just highway robbery to be charging us that much more.

https://www.amazon.com/Focal-3544055725015-Elear-Headphones/dp/B01H2NDPGI/

Plainly a US vacation is called for

 

[gardibolt]

I wish that Mass Drop had started with the Clear. I listened to the Elear, Clear, and Utopia a few weeks ago. The Utopia was stunning, but not in my budget. The Elear just didn’t present even close to the detail that I heard with the Utopia - no surprise since Focal has to build to price points. The Clear, for me, presented far more detail than the Elear. Nice compromise.

Same here. I have the Elear, and can't justify a slightly better Elear. The Clear I could see as a big enough improvement to go for it. The timing certainly hurt too; had they gone through this week with the drop to get a payday in past Christmas they probably could have sold a few more Elex.

 

[Currawong]

I think adding the balanced cable also needlessly added to the cost.

More than likely, the outer box(es) cost more than the cable, especially with the added shipping weight, so I don't think that's it.

I agree that balanced cables are unnecessary for most people. For instance, balanced output have double the power of single output in some amps (e.g. 0.5 w vs 1 w) but a well made amp can offer this power on single output as well (e.g. iDSD Micro BL which outputs 4W on single ended). I think other supposed benefits are unnecessary. A well made amp with a good single ended output such as Chord Hugo 2 will sound far better than the balanced output of a mediocre amp such as Schiit Jotunheim. Thus, balanced cable is totally unnecessary. I guess they had surplus in their stock. I would much prefer a 1.5m 3.5mm cable to be used with portable amps.

I'm going to guess that it has something to do with their community members and the number of balanced amps they sell. I'm sure if they didn't include a 4-pin XLR cable, different people would complain. Also, given that they are open-backed headphones, portable amps aren't really a consideration.

For all those who own these headphones and love them, good enough. Otherwise I am astounded by how many who have no idea how these actually sound have a spare $700 to throw at something they may not actually enjoy listening to.

Nobody owns a pair yet. They handed out pairs to reviewers so that people could get an idea how they sound first before buying them (or not).

 

[mtoc]

elex voice coil ccaw but size same as Clear? (25.5mm/4.4mm)

 

[raven0us]

I agree, massdrop for Canadians doesnt really make much sense. After everything is said and done you're almost paying full price anyway, except with a 4 month wait? No thanks. The elex are intriguing though, I would like to get my hands on a pair when they are released. Maybe pick up a used pair in the summer.

 

[alonwa]

Drop reopens. 250 units. $699.99. US, Canada, Australia, and Taiwan only. Shipping Apr 30. 15 days till drop closes again.

 

[jim723]

Tempting

 

[raven0us]

So very tempting.

 

[Humblepie]

Well just joined the Elex drop for $699.

 

[PopZeus]

Hearing how well the Clear stands up to other open-back cans in the $600-800 price range (like the Aeon Open Flow & LCD-2 Classic) has me glad I could grab an Elex for around that price.

 

[tienbasse]

Drop reopens. 250 units. $699.99. US, Canada, Australia, and Taiwan only. Shipping Apr 30. 15 days till drop closes again.

Obviously Europe is out, thank you Focal for shipping these fo free to the other side of the world, but not to Europe (I live 150km from Focal facilities in France).

You obviously wouldn't want to make Europe a remotely competitive market, we have to pay every of the 999 Euros any day of the year for Elear, without the slightest rebate, even during sales periods and Black Friday. Free market is a dream, distribution agreements with no rebate policies are real...

 

[luckybaer]

Obviously Europe is out, thank you Focal for shipping these fo free to the other side of the world, but not to Europe (I live 150km from Focal facilities in France).

You obviously wouldn't want to make Europe a remotely competitive market, we have to pay every of the 999 Euros any day of the year for Elear, without the slightest rebate, even during sales periods and Black Friday. Free market is a dream, distribution agreements with no rebate policies are real...

Massdrop has to abide by the conditions set forth by their vendor partners. Massdrop doesn’t want to run afoul of them and end up having the relationship terminate. Maybe one day the rules will change, but right now, they are what they are.

 

[stenog]

Massdrop has to abide by the conditions set forth by their vendor partners. Massdrop doesn’t want to run afoul of them and end up having the relationship terminate. Maybe one day the rules will change, but right now, they are what they are.

Massdrop is not to blame here, Focal are. It's exactly as tienbasse wrote.

 

[silverbox]

He/She is blaming Focal not Massdrop

 

[luckybaer]

Massdrop is not to blame here, Focal are. It's exactly as tienbasse wrote.

Why do you suppose Focal set up such stringent conditions? Is this a French thing, and EU thing, or purely something tied to the agreements Focal has with distributors?