[jasonb]

I have the same setup on an IPhone 14 Plus. They drive many over ear headphones very well without an amp.

I find the Apple dongles to be plenty good, especially since I listen at low(ish) volumes. With my Elear with Clear pads I’m usually listening at between 31% and 43%, the 5th and 7th step on Apples volume control. With my Aful Performer 8 IEMs I’m at 6-12%, the 1st and 2nd step on the volume control.

 

[Plieb]

I’ve been using mine with a Type-C Apple dongle out of my iPhone 15 ProMax and they sound just fine this way as well.

tried with my dragonfly cobalt which is an excellent performer. Was not to my liking. Thin sounding.
Btw cobalt is excellent using as line in to all my amps. Singxer, Rebel amp,.Gashelli ,thx 887.
Elex loves Rebel Amp the most. Great pairing. Crazy detail and dynamics.

 

[jasonb]

tried with my dragonfly cobalt which is an excellent performer. Was not to my liking. Thin sounding.
Btw cobalt is excellent using as line in to all my amps. Singxer, Rebel amp,.Gashelli ,thx 887.
Elex loves Rebel Amp the most. Great pairing. Crazy detail and dynamics.

Sounds like how I hear mine when I try it through the Qudelix 5K. Too thin.

If I had extra money and an actual headphone space, like a desk or whatever then I’d try some big full size amps and probably find great synergy, but I don’t have money or space. I just use my phone and listen on my couch.

 

[Shane D]

I had the Elex's for a few years and Man, I loved those headphones.
Great news as Headphones.com is selling open box Elex's for $449.00!!
I am biased but I think this is one of the best deals in ALL of the headphone world.

They even have open box Clear OG's for $790.00, if you are feeling flush.

 

[rafaelo]

Just arrived!!!

 

[oldkid]

Elex ranked super high in the recent headphones.com tier list. The rule was to rank each pair by stock sound quality alone.
Elex is basically a beryllium free version of Utopia

 

[jasonb]

Elex ranked super high in the recent headphones.com tier list. The rule was to rank each pair by stock sound quality alone.
Elex is basically a beryllium free version of Utopia

They called it “A tier”. They also called the K371 “B tier” which I also own. Good enough for me. I definitely can’t afford anything “S tier”, and probably never will.

 

[dougms3]

Elex ranked super high in the recent headphones.com tier list. The rule was to rank each pair by stock sound quality alone.
Elex is basically a beryllium free version of Utopia

While the elex sounds good and imo is the best value headphone for the price (when its on sale), I don't think it comes close to the utopia.

 

[oldkid]

While the elex sounds good and imo is the best value headphone for the price (when its on sale), I don't think it comes close to the utopia.

I have listened to the Utopia 2022 not too long ago, and I would say it beats the Elex only in clarity thanks to their beryllium drivers, otherwise they're very very close.
Even closer when you add leather pads to your Elex like I did.

 

[dougms3]

I have listened to the Utopia 2022 not too long ago, and I would say it beats the Elex only in clarity thanks to their beryllium drivers, otherwise they're very very close.
Even closer when you add leather pads to your Elex like I did.

Lol I've listened to them many times also. And I own the clears.

These are some the areas where the utopias are superior to the clear, body, richness, treble extension, tonality, sparkle, stage, resolution, the clear is slightly better than the elex in every category.

 

[oldkid]

Lol I've listened to them many times also. And I own the clears.

These are some the areas where the utopias are superior to the clear, body, richness, treble extension, tonality, sparkle, stage, resolution, the clear is slightly better than the elex in every category.

That's your opinion. I have shared mine. Let's agree to disagree. The Clear Mg sounds better to my ears than the Utopia. Also, in the headphones.com tier list that I was referring to, one of the reviewers ranked the Elex higher than the Clear OG.

The Utopia Elex is a classical example of the law of diminishing returns. Utopia is better than Elex but not 3000 bucks better, absolutely not.

 

[dougms3]

That's your opinion. I have shared mine. Let's agree to disagree. The Clear Mg sounds better to my ears than the Utopia. Also, in the headphones.com tier list that I was referring to, one of the reviewers ranked the Elex higher than the Clear OG.

Right and thats your opinion. Agree to disagree. Clearly the pricing doesn't agree with you though.

I could care less what headphones.com reviews say.

I've heard the mg as well and theres a reason I own the OG and not the MG. The MG sounds closer to the elex. Ask anyone with a clear OG, if they'd trade for an elex.

I owned an elex before as well and no longer have it.

If you like the elex theres nothing wrong with that but lets be reasonable, its not "better" than the clear or uptopia and you would trade the elex for either of those if given the opportunity.

 

[oldkid]

Right and thats your opinion. Agree to disagree. Clearly the pricing doesn't agree with you though.

I could care less what headphones.com reviews say.

I've heard the mg as well and theres a reason I own the OG and not the MG. The MG sounds closer to the elex. Ask anyone with a clear OG, if they'd trade for an elex.

I owned an elex before as well and no longer have it.

If you like the elex theres nothing wrong with that but lets be reasonable, its not "better" than the clear or uptopia and you would trade the elex for either of those if given the opportunity.

If I had the opportunity to trade my Elex for an Utopia, I would sell the Utopia, buy the Elex again as well as a Clear Mg and a HD 800s. And I would get a R2R DAC if there's spare money.

 

[AnyDave]

If I had the opportunity to trade my Elex for an Utopia, I would sell the Utopia, buy the Elex again as well as a Clear Mg and a HD 800s. And I would get a R2R DAC if there's spare money.

It sounds like you just prefer the sonics of that model, which is great. There's certainly nothing wrong with being satisfied with a lower cost option.

I have an Elex, Clear OG, Clear MG and currently have an older Utopia on loan.

To me, the Elex/OG/MG each sound quite a bit different, but closer to each other in sound than any of them are to the Utopia. I think the Utopia is amazing (the best of the bunch) and assume that I'll own one at some point. But the Elex sounds great and is a wonderful headphone, even ignoring the price. Personally, I like it a lot better after swapping the pads to Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin, but personally preferences come into play there as well.

It's great that you enjoy the Elex. That's what this hobby is all about.

 

[oldkid]

Personally, I like it a lot better after swapping the pads to Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin.

See, we can agree 100% on something.