[alvarg]

I gotta say, the elex has distorted my view of music now, because see now that i've heard all that extra detail i can't ignore it, but even when i switch back to the hd650 because i know its there i listen for it and still hear it, when before i wouldn't pay any attention to it, so i fully understand the term detail overload now and in that sense if can be a little fatiguing, but a short 10-30 minute break from music will fix that unlike listening fatigue caused by silbilance which can last for hrs.

Another weird thing i gotta say is how the soundstage when from 3 blobs like it is on the hd650 to like 1000 pin point sound placements which is good and bad because even the elex can suffer if the music is to complex, one thing i do like is that i can listen to movies at night at really low volume and still hear all the detail on the elex, while with the hd650 I'd have to have it quite a bit louder to compensate the veil.

and well because i love comparing things to nature, i'd say listening on the hd650 is like sitting next to the ocean at night, just that smooth swaying, with the occasional quiet rumble
while the elex is more like sitting in a rain forest in the middle of the day, its still very pleasant but you hear the leaves rustling, the birds singing, creaks and cracks of the forest, frogs and insects, loud crashes of trees falling over, the slight spattering of rain, all those details but its (usually) presented to you in a very smooth and inviting way.

Still hope to get a better amp for these because although the CTH sound signature didn't pair as well with them as i hoped i could still notice that the overall sound quality on it was a set up from the O2 when tested with the hd650.

 

[phthora]

Why not just get the Elear? Then again, if you do get an Elex and buy Elear pads you can have both headphones in one

Well, I would have to buy a balanced cable for the Elear and earpads to get it tuned like the Elex. After that, they're about the same price and I think the Elex looks cooler.

 

[phthora]

So, if Focal releases a model between the Clear and Elear, will they call it the Éclair or the Dlear?

 

[SilverEars]

I need to change my opinion on the Elex brightness. I think after I listen with my TH-X00 Ebony, it sounds brighter. TH-X00 Ebony isn't a dark headphone.

I think it more or less equals Utopia brightness(just the treble sounds more emphasized due to lower level bass and mids I believe) with Clear more balanced in brightness level.

Drivers are definately high quality. Sometimes you hear that nuanced crisp sounds of recordings that Focal drivers tend to accentuate. Focals tend to have a different sound like Fostex, Audeze, Sennheisrs, and Hifimans. I think it's the ambient effects and that small sound crispness. Treble does tend to have a fine-ness sharpness about it. The driver tend to have that HD800 like fast response.

 

[Anaz]

how much was it, and how does it compare to other amps you've had, if you have the O2 that would be perfect as that's what im currently using.

I think it was $350 inclusive of shipping - it might be closer to $375 now.

The R2R 11 has a ladder DAC and a decent (and powerful) amp. I don’t have an O2 for comparison unfortunately.

The R2R 11 (DAC and amp) sounds slightly warm and dark and IMO it pairs very well with the Elex and the Hifiman Sundara bringing out the strengths of both - I did not perceive any treble harshness that some complained about using the R2R 11. The R2R 11 lacks detail and brightness compared to a good neutral DAC/amp combo but for me a relaxed sound is sometimes more enjoyable.

I would rate the sound of the R2R 11 as slightly below a Chord Mojo in terms of quality and enjoyment - and a lot of people here rave about the Mojo, myself included, so this a favorable comparison. But factoring the price and more powerful amp section, I think the R2R 11 has a much better price to performance ratio.

Edit:
You mentioned an MCTH. The R2R 11 pairs a lot better with an Elex.

Also, the MCTH fed by a good neutral sounding DAC pairs exquisitely with an HD6XX.

 

[SilverEars]

I still didn't hear clipping. I know I listened to plenty of music with waveforms maxed throughout. I know waveforms depends on music type, quiet passages, etc..

Perhaps not loud enough or dac amp has to do with it.

 

[AnakChan]

I've had the Elex for quite some time now and I've not heard any clipping either. I've tried quite a few different genre.

 

[Daiyama]

Would the Elex owner who could directly compare the Elex to the Clear say that the Elex is
not so close
close or
very close
to the Clear?

Thx

 

[Raphael DeLaGhetto]

Would the Elex owner who could directly compare the Elex to the Clear say that the Elex is
not so close
close or
very close
to the Clear?

Thx

Pros of the Elex: Wider soundstage, more air in the treble, sexier aesthetic (imo at least I love all the black), more even mids
Pros of the Clear: Better treble extension overall (more bass, more sparkly highs), more energetic as a result, less even mids but they're more full & have more finesse (the voice coil helps a lot here)

Both are fast, both have some of the best imaging I've heard. Elex is the better value, provided your luck is better than mine (which for most it seems to be). I'd save your money & EQ more bass if the Elex doesn't have enough, but other than that they're as close as the measurements suggest.

 

[AnakChan]

Would the Elex owner who could directly compare the Elex to the Clear say that the Elex is
not so close
close or
very close
to the Clear?

Thx

Post #422 back in March.

 

[g3n3r1c]

I still didn't hear clipping. I know I listened to plenty of music with waveforms maxed throughout. I know waveforms depends on music type, quiet passages, etc..

Perhaps not loud enough or dac amp has to do with it.

Maybe yes.

I received my Elex about two weeks ago and tried the tracks mentioned in this thread...and I also started wondering if the issues arise somewhere else in the signal chain. I'm definitely hearing Youtube quality issues at a very modest volume...but nothing that I attribute to the headphones. I haven't heard anything close to clipping at my normal listening volume with other sources and a whole lot of musical styles. What I do hear from all sources is vastly more dynamic range (and weird production details/mistakes) than with any other headphones I own. Is the high dynamic range magnifying source flaws or artifacts via a bright DAC or clipping amp? There's no doubt this could be unpleasant, but actually a bad interaction rather than a headphone flaw?

 

[Daiyama]

Post #422 back in March.

Thx!

 

[Slashn77]

Looking to buy a used pair for some acoustic classic rock and some pop or edm as well as something with great imaging and soundstage for postitional quest for pc gaming.

Anyone compare these with the Sennheiser HD 700s?
Those are the 2 I have in mind.

I know the 700’s are super comfy and it seems these are as well and that is very important because sometimes I game for 3-3.5 hours on my day off work when I’m really into a game like I am now with fortnite and overwatch

I have the CA cascades which are great for edm hip hop for portable use and sennheiser hd 650s which are nice for acoustic but not very good for gaming.

Any advice? Should I look elsewhere because of the clipping issue? Or is that a very small percentage?

Budget is $600 max (maybe a bit more if excellent for gaming and music- 2 birds 1 stone) but want to stay below that so I’m looking for used options vs another MD drop

 

[PopZeus]

Looking to buy a used pair for some acoustic classic rock and some pop or edm as well as something with great imaging and soundstage for postitional quest for pc gaming.

Anyone compare these with the Sennheiser HD 700s?
Those are the 2 I have in mind.

I know the 700’s are super comfy and it seems these are as well and that is very important because sometimes I game for 3-3.5 hours on my day off work when I’m really into a game like I am now with fortnite and overwatch

I have the CA cascades which are great for edm hip hop for portable use and sennheiser hd 650s which are nice for acoustic but not very good for gaming.

Any advice? Should I look elsewhere because of the clipping issue? Or is that a very small percentage?

Budget is $600 max (maybe a bit more if excellent for gaming and music- 2 birds 1 stone) but want to stay below that so I’m looking for used options vs another MD drop

If PC gaming is your thing, look into the Audeze Mobius for quite a few bucks less than you max price. I got in during the indiegogo campaign. Currently they're taking pre-orders, and are supposed to start shipping any day now...

To your other point, if you get the Elex you could sell your HD650 to recoup some cost. To me, the tuning differences do a good job of masking how similar they are otherwise. Those tuning differences (deeper bass extension and less treble roll-off, mid boost is slightly more forward/brighter on Elex than HD650) might be a non-starter depending on your sensitivities, or you might find that you stop reaching for the 650s after awhile.

 

[Boerd]

I have to correct a statement made on this forum about my Elex. They do not distort. I had 2 (not 1 but 2) recordings that are poorly engineered and I overreacted thinking it was the Elex.
Using other good headphones I came to the conclusion that the Elex accentuates those recording deficiencies - either they are more revealing or are simply more sensitive in that region (trumpets/cymbal).
Just setting the record straight, I meant to do this for awhile. I've just been too busy. My bad. In my defense, these problems were not that audible with other headphones (Senny 650, Beyer 880 and even LCD-4).