[tjkohli]

Got my Elite and here's my super short review:
Much more musical (and fun) than the Utopia. Slightly more bass. Slightly less "forward" upper mids.
Looks really dumb on my head.

 

[tjkohli]

Got my Elite and here's my super short review:
Much more musical (and fun) than the Utopia. Slightly more bass. Slightly less "forward" upper mids.
Looks really dumb on my head.

Follow up review: been listening to the Elite all day and switched back to the Utopia for a bit. The Utopia feel anemic. I never thought that was possible. They have no heft to their sound, but do eke out a bit more detail than the Elite.

 

[up late]

^ which pads are you using with your elite?

 

[tjkohli]

^ which pads are you using with your elite?

Leather pads. The alcantara ones were way too “hot” for me.

 

[up late]

^ i've only heard the elite with the leather hybrid pads

 

[Toonartist]

Leather pads. The alcantara ones were way too “hot” for me.

The leather pads do have more weight to them. The Angled Alcantara sacrifice a it of that weight for a more open and detailed sound with improved imaging. I'm used to them now so I can get away with them even in the warmer weather. If it's too hot.... then I put up with it as I prefer the sound, sometimes sacrifices have to be made

 

[commtrd]

I was a doubter, about the thicker angled alcantara pads for the Elites. And, they cost $200. Finally at the urging of a couple of guys on here, I broke down and bought the new pads. I had to try them to hear for myself. OMG. They do make a difference. If you guys haven't heard the Elites with the thicker angled alcantara pads, you have not properly heard the Elites and what they can truly do. With my component stack, these are sounding glorious. Highly recommended.

 

[mcemce13]

I was a doubter, about the thicker angled alcantara pads for the Elites. And, they cost $200. Finally at the urging of a couple of guys on here, I broke down and bought the new pads. I had to try them to hear for myself. OMG. They do make a difference. If you guys haven't heard the Elites with the thicker angled alcantara pads, you have not properly heard the Elites and what they can truly do. With my component stack, these are sounding glorious. Highly recommended.

Hows bass compared to the hybrid pads?

 

[commtrd]

Bass is deep, into the sub-bass, detailed, and placed correctly so it rumbles, not bleeding into the mids, just to die for. And it can hit pretty hard to when the selection calls for that. The hybrid pads do this as well, but more airiness if that's the right word, instrumental placement within the stage is somewhat improved, seems like the bass is improved whereas before, I thought the bass on these phones could tend towards "muddiness" or incohesiveness to a small degree, but with the new pads, all that seems to be gone. My ears, my stack, so as usual take all this with a couple grains of salt. YMMV

All of this elevates the Elites above my LCD 4z, due to the scoop in that phones upper mids, don't know exactly how the Elites will compare to say the ZMF Caldera.

 

[SteveM324]

I have 3 pairs of pads for the Elites, the original alcantara, the hybrids and the thick alcantara angled pads. I still prefer the hybrids by far.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

I have 3 pairs of pads for the Elites, the original alcantara, the hybrids and the thick alcantara angled pads. I still prefer the hybrids by far.

totally same result from me too

Future Elite owner here! Coming from Utopia (‘22) and Chord TT2. Chasing a bit more musicality!

What do I need to know?

What do you think about diana dz coming from Elite?

p.s: TT2 is awesome for Elite

 

[tjkohli]

What do you think about diana dz coming from Elite?

Still waiting for my DZ! Any day now. But compared to the MR, the Elite has similar bass, more pronounced mids, and better treble + detail. The Elite just have a fuller sound!

 

[tjkohli]

I switched from the leather/hybrid pads to angled Alcantara pads and spent the entire day today on them. I'd have to say my results were somewhat opposite of some of you! The Alcantara angled pads made the sound a bit more "muffled" and rounded off the top end. I agree they may have added slightly more soundstage width, but I'm a much bigger fan of the more "direct" and bold sound that the leather pads elicit.

 

[Solasuke]

I switched from the leather/hybrid pads to angled Alcantara pads and spent the entire day today on them. I'd have to say my results were somewhat opposite of some of you! The Alcantara angled pads made the sound a bit more "muffled" and rounded off the top end. I agree they may have added slightly more soundstage width, but I'm a much bigger fan of the more "direct" and bold sound that the leather pads elicit.

Are you sure those are the angled alcantara? What you’re describing sounds like the OG alcantara.

 

[tjkohli]

Are you sure those are the angled alcantara? What you’re describing sounds like the OG alcantara.

They are definitely angled when viewed from the bottom/top.
May be a dumb question — but which side does the angle go? Lol. Maybe I had them backwards.