[IkSak]

The Magni 3 and Tidal HiFi are good combo for the Elex. I run that setup at my office and they sound good. Just make sure to pick good recordings

 

[PopZeus]

I’ve never heard some of this gear, so obviously I’m not qualified to comment on it. I will say that a chief motivating factor for my last round of GAS was to go fully balanced. That’s how I stumbled onto the Audio-gd R2R-1, their balanced resistor-ladder DAC. The tech turned out to be a bigger deal to me than I could have imagined. Without going into too much description, the pairing is very complementary. The R2R-1 throws plenty of micro-detail at the Elex, but the smooth, analog signal just sounds more accurate and life-like than any chip DAC that I’ve ever heard. At that point, all I want the amp to be is “wire with gain” and drive my cans with conviction and cleanliness, which is more or less what I got with the LCX.

 

[jarnopp]

Boy it does!!! Today I listened to two different versions of the same recording, one that was remastered and difference was like heaven and Earth!

One curious thing is that despite the sensitivity and the impedance, the Elex does like power. I've settle to use it in high gain with the schiit Magni 3 and Vali 2. Have you had a similar experience?

Also, which amps have you pair the Elex with?

So, only an hour f listening (so not broken in, if that makes a difference) and I haven’t directly compared to my Hofiman HE-6 yet, but using the Chord Mojo, an excellent dac/amp which has plenty of good power, the pairing (for <$1300) is better than we deserve and would probably be considered endgame by most sane people.

 

[antdroid]

Just received the Elex today from Blinq. So far, it sounds just as good as I thought it would be!

My favorite headphone I own is the HE560, but this is something else. I need to listen to these a bit more and compare back and forth between the two and see what I truly like more.

I was able to demo both the Elear and Clear a few months back after thinking a Focal headphone would be my next over-ear purchase. When the Blinq deal (20% off) showed up, I snapped a pair up. So far pretty happy with them. I do hear the ~90dB bass rattle/popping on some tracks though. I'm not sure I'm listening to it at 90dB either when I hear it but it's usually not an issue with most music I listen to and I don't typically listen that loudly anyway.

The one thing that put me off from buying one of the Focal's earlier was the weight. It is a bit weighty for me, but I've been listening almost exclusively to planar headphones the past few years so it's in the same ballpark. The HE560 is definitely lighter feeling though.

 

[g3n3r1c]

Boy it does!!! Today I listened to two different versions of the same recording, one that was remastered and difference was like heaven and Earth!

One curious thing is that despite the sensitivity and the impedance, the Elex does like power. I've settle to use it in high gain with the schiit Magni 3 and Vali 2. Have you had a similar experience?

No, the Elex aren't particularly power hungry. The signal chain you describe--high gain on a Magni 3--leads to dynamic compression. With compression, everything has pretty much the same volume and music tends to go soft or muted when it would normally go loud. Compression works against the core characteristic of the Elex, which is precise and expansive dynamics. Large volume differences within a song do not indicate the need for more power. The native Elex signal can indeed sound "weird" at first versus other headphones, as it splits music apart per intentional or accidental volume differences in the original source.

Most music had much more dynamic range before the Loudness Wars, and it's fine if you like that profile. But it's also a loss of much of the signal.

 

[IkSak]

I'm not an expert on signal, so if I understand correctly what you mean is that instead of using high gain, I should use low gain and more volume?. Although they sound slightly different, when using low gain, the volume pot has to be about 12-2PM ito get my listening levels in latin music and 2-4PM for classic

No, the Elex aren't particularly power hungry. The signal chain you describe--high gain on a Magni 3--leads to dynamic compression. With compression, everything has pretty much the same volume and music tends to go soft or muted when it would normally go loud. Compression works against the core characteristic of the Elex, which is precise and expansive dynamics. Large volume differences within a song do not indicate the need for more power. The native Elex signal can indeed sound "weird" at first versus other headphones, as it splits music apart per intentional or accidental volume differences in the original source.

Most music had much more dynamic range before the Loudness Wars, and it's fine if you like that profile. But it's also a loss of much of the signal.

 

[g3n3r1c]

I'm not an expert on signal, so if I understand correctly what you mean is that instead of using high gain, I should use low gain and more volume?. Although they sound slightly different, when using low gain, the volume pot has to be about 12-2PM ito get my listening levels in latin music and 2-4PM for classic

Yes, correct. You'll have more dynamic range with low gain, lower volume inputs and with the pot turned farther to the right. The best explanation I've found is here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/7xbzy7/gentlemen_and_ladies_allow_me_to_present_some/

Long story short, the Magni 3 apparently tightly limits input voltage/volume (for electrical safety), and in doing so it compresses or clips the dynamic range. This is not a good thing. I owned a Magni 3 for 13 days and sent it back to Schiit because I hated the compressed sound. I found it hard to avoid compression with my input sources, so it added no value.

 

[dontfeedphils]

Yes, correct. You'll have more dynamic range with low gain, lower volume inputs and with the pot turned farther to the right. The best explanation I've found is here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/7xbzy7/gentlemen_and_ladies_allow_me_to_present_some/

Long story short, the Magni 3 apparently tightly limits input voltage/volume (for electrical safety), and in doing so it compresses or clips the dynamic range. This is not a good thing. I owned a Magni 3 for 13 days and sent it back to Schiit because I hated the compressed sound. I found it hard to avoid compression with my input sources, so it added no value.

Regardless of amp you always want to stay in low gain until you run out of volume on your pot, then up the gain and lower the volume. If you can get the volume you need in low gain, then keep it there.

 

[IkSak]

Boy!!!!! This is one of these days that I say God bless you all and God bless head-fi!

For all Elex users with a Magni 3, DO READ THIS!!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/7xbzy7/gentlemen_and_ladies_allow_me_to_present_some/

Long story very short. Try this:

- Set your Magni to low gain.
- Use 100% of volume in your source and find the appropriate volume in the Magni 3. Give it a listen.
- Now set the source to, say 60% and find your desired volume in the Magni 3. Listen and compare. You may iterate until you find the more dynamic sound

I tried this in my office where I have the Magni 3 connected to my PC (don't have a dedicated DAC here, though I'm thinking of getting a Modi) and it provided great results. Dynamics and details did improve a lot, to a comparable level to my home setup (Bifrost + Vali 2/Lyr 2).

 

[g3n3r1c]

Boy!!!!! This is one of these days that I say God bless you all and God bless head-fi!

For all Elex users with a Magni 3, DO READ THIS!!!

Happy to help.

To kick the Elex into yet another realm, get a balanced setup and use the XLR cable. I bought a FiiO Q5 ($350) and a 2.5mm balanced to XLR adapter ($30 at Amazon). With the low gain setting and 35 percent volume it has a blacker background, punchier dynamics, better bass than my other sources. And it has high quality, battery powered Bluetooth. It's well worth the price to me.

I came away from the Magni 3 thinking they spent all the production money on the hefty chassis and power supply, not the internals... By the way, some Magni 3 test data just came out here (note that this guy is usually a strong Schiit critic):

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...g-a30-and-schiit-magni-3-headphone-amps.4024/

 

[jarnopp]

If you're a fan of incredibly dynamic, neutral (but natural, as opposed to clinical) headphones with oodles of micro detail, then you'll love the Elex. It's true that the drivers will reveal flaws in poor recordings, and in your music chain. It might cause an outbreak of GAS as you upgrade your upstream gear to match the quality of the headphone, but keep in mind; Elex scales up very well, and would likely be summit-fi for most aficionados. I fell in love with Audio-gd's ladder DACs because the Elex.

Oh, I’m a fan! Here are some initial impressions, we’ll before any potential break-in. I don’t know how useful they will be, as my primary headphone is a modded HE-6, but the relative comparisons will hopefully be useful. The chain was Roon -> Poly streamer/Chord Mojo -> Cavalli Liquid Carbon (v1). The Mojo has plenty for f power for the Elex, but to keep it fair, I used the LC for both, but note the transparency is better without it. (The real test will come with the Chord TT2 which will output 6 watts into the Hifiman’s 50ohm load from th balanced speaker out)

As @PopZeus stated, “incredibly dynamic”is right. It’s hard to listen to them quietly, because they don’t seem to want to play quietly, with the high sensitivity and forward vocals. The Hifiman can play more reservedly, with nearly as much detail. When played loudly, the HE6 seem to hold it together more, though both are very well controlled, and at normal listening levels, the bass in the Elex may be the more controlled.

Regarding detail, they both have fantastic detail, but the Elex has a dynamic detail, almost made up. I say this because in tracks that are intentionally recorded dryly (like Joy Division - New Dawn Fades) this comes through in the HE6, but not as much on the Elex. Still, the Focal detail is better. I’m pleased about 5is, because I auditioned the Clear briefly and did not hear this much open detail. It reminded much more of the Senn HD650.

Bass detail and presentation on both is excellent. I kept going back and forth over which was better. I think ive (again, initially) concluded that where the track does not have deep bass, the Focal benefits from the mid bass presence more, while when the low bass is there, the HE6 presents it better with more detail. Regardless of specs, I think the HE6 ultimately goes lower.

I am hearing the “metallic” sheen that people say will fade. That may be some of the zing in the upper presentation. For what it’s worth, I didn’t try to clip the drivers, and didn’t ever hear the clicking some have noticed. SN 868 for the curious. The only mod I’ve had to perform so far Is applying some red and blue nail polish to the ear up plugs. These old eyes can’t barely see those Ls and Rs, even with readers! These two phones are more similar than different, than enough uniqueness that I’m fortunate to have both. Though I may never listen to the AQ NightHawk again.

 

[XERO1]

For all Elex users with a Magni 3, DO READ THIS!!!

Long story very short. Try this:

- Set your Magni to low gain.
- Use 100% of volume in your source and find the appropriate volume in the Magni 3. Give it a listen.
- Now set the source to, say 60% and find your desired volume in the Magni 3. Listen and compare. You may iterate until you find the more dynamic sound

I tried this in my office where I have the Magni 3 connected to my PC (don't have a dedicated DAC here, though I'm thinking of getting a Modi) and it provided great results. Dynamics and details did improve a lot, to a comparable level to my home setup (Bifrost + Vali 2/Lyr 2).

In my experience, ALL Schiit amps sound their best on low gain. When high gain is used, they take on a brighter, more up-front character, that is often too much for all but the most laid back sounding headphones.

 

[g3n3r1c]

In my experience, ALL Schiit amps sound their best on low gain. When high gain is used, they take on a brighter, more up-front character, that is often too much for all but the most laid back sounding headphones.

If I were a cynic I'd say that Schiit intentionally makes their amps sound better with their own DACs, and uses lower input voltage purely to make it difficult for other vendors. And if I were a cynic I'd say they use clever product/brand names mainly to create an image of attitude and quality. And if I were a cynic I'd say they use direct sales without free shipping to reduce comparison shopping and returns. And if I were a cynic I could write similar critiques of Bose and Microsoft and Apple at certain points in history.

 

[Allentown]

I came home to a new Elex and a new Tr-x00 ebony.

Both are impressive.

I have only had my elex running a couple hours but I did not experience a loss of dynamic range when listening on high vs low on my Magna 3....could be I not getting much dynamic range due to my dac.

The onboard DAC on my gaming rig setup is designed for gaming could be that is the issue.

I have a Topping D50 on the way so when I switch away from on board dac maybe it will make a difference.

 

[g3n3r1c]

I came home to a new Elex and a new Tr-x00 ebony.

Both are impressive.

I have only had amy elex running a couple hours but I did not experience a loss of dynamic range when listening on high vs low on my Magna 3....could be I not getting much dynamic range due to my dac.

If your line level output to the Magni is high then you may experience compression with both the low and high gain settings. If the line level is already low, then compression is probably not an issue (but keep the Magni on low gain if at all possible).