[arielext]

Are you referring to the Radiance or Celestee? And yes, I know a headphone is going to work for me when the bangin begins. Which DIO song did you post? It's not showing up.

I can only compare to the celestee. And I linked to one of the most impressive live versions of Black Sabbath's heaven and hell

 

[vonspanky]

After living with my Fostex 900mk2's for a while now I'm surprised that more folks don't rate these? The soundstage is the best I've heard on a closed-back. The execution of the bass is excellent as well. I really want to try the Denon D9200's but until then I am very happy with these.

It does seem that most of the online reviewers focus on the same few HE manufacturers?

 

[Malevolent]

I believe the T5.3 is better in this regard though, but nothing compared to the Focals that actually dip the high-bass in order not to bleed and bloat and heck it works.
For me it's easy: if a headphone can make me headbang to this it's a good headphone.



RIP Ronnie James Dio, you are missed.

I wasn't able to compare the Atticus and the T5 (3rd Generation) side-by-side. However, going from memory, I think the bass bloat on the Beyerdynamic is a little thicker than on the ZMF. I may be wrong, though, but this is what I felt. In any case, the new T5 is a smooth, silky bandit - if you love a darker, lush tone, this fits right up your alley. I can see the AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon fans flocking to this one.

 

[Malevolent]

After living with my Fostex 900mk2's for a while now I'm surprised that more folks don't rate these? The soundstage is the best I've heard on a closed-back. The execution of the bass is excellent as well. I really want to try the Denon D9200's but until then I am very happy with these.

It does seem that most of the online reviewers focus on the same few HE manufacturers?

Well, to be frank, the TH900 Mk2 isn't exactly the epitome of clarity; furthermore, its sound isn't aligned toward the classic audiophile poles of neutrality and/or balance. Look at the myriad headphones that have colored signatures - the Empyrean, the MDR-Z1R, the TH900 Mk2, et al. All of these headphones have their detractors, but they also have a passionate band of supporters/fans.

For me, I usually stray away from a neutral sound, and I find myself gravitating towards a colored tone. My preferred signature is a v-shaped one, but I'm also a fan of anything with a huge bass slant or a lusher, thicker sound.

Going back to the Fostex - it's a v-shaped headphone, but one that's done supremely well. The pounding bass is balanced by an equally prominent treble section. The end result? An energetic, dynamic, and fun headphone that's perfect for dance.

Ultimately, tastes are diverse and disparate. Many audiophiles prefer a balanced signature, but there are fans of colored ones, too.

 

[bythebookiii]

Well, to be frank, the TH900 Mk2 isn't exactly the epitome of clarity; furthermore, its sound isn't aligned toward the classic audiophile poles of neutrality and/or balance. Look at the myriad headphones that have colored signatures - the Empyrean, the MDR-Z1R, the TH900 Mk2, et al. All of these headphones have their detractors, but they also have a passionate band of supporters/fans

A lot of time since my last post, and the great @Malevolent just made the perfect excuse for me to jump in. First time I disagree with something you said... "epitome of clarity" is really close for what the TH900 mk2 stands for me, and I don't know if we are talking about the same cans because I own the "White Pearl" edition and I also changed the stock pads with a black dragon cable, so there can be a big difference for what you and me are both hearing.

As many claim, for me there're no recessed mids, no annoying treble and the bass is just perfect as it is (not even over emphasized). I don't find a V-Shaped signature as maybe the Z1rs or the WP900's, instead I hear a well balanced sound, with no range taking the spotlight bleeding into the other and they perform with a high end detail retrieval as any HP I've ever tried.

My journey to find an "endgame" is in halt mode because these HPs don't stop to amuse me, they really checked all the boxes and recently I even took the decision to eliminate any kind of minor EQ on my Hiby R8... just perfect sound.

Again, if I want to find something to improve on these beauties, I would say the lack of intimacy of any NC HP's when I travel, but well, we all know that's really hard to achieve on an audiophile level (I confess I tried the Airpods Max for travel, and well, some comfort issues came back and I had to return them).

Finally I don't envy anymore those who own the Denon's D9200 and don't have comfort issues (I was really frustrated back then), because even as I remember them as the best ones I've ever tried, I'm more than happy with the white pearls

P.S. Missing someone, yes... the Z1r's!

 

[Malevolent]

A lot of time since my last post, and the great @Malevolent just made the perfect excuse for me to jump in. First time I disagree with something you said... "epitome of clarity" is really close for what the TH900 mk2 stands for me, and I don't know if we are talking about the same cans because I own the "White Pearl" edition and I also changed the stock pads with a black dragon cable, so there can be a big difference for what you and me are both hearing.

As many claim, for me there're no recessed mids, no annoying treble and the bass is just perfect as it is (not even over emphasized). I don't find a V-Shaped signature as maybe the Z1rs or the WP900's, instead I hear a well balanced sound, with no range taking the spotlight bleeding into the other and they perform with a high end detail retrieval as any HP I've ever tried.

My journey to find an "endgame" is in halt mode because these HPs don't stop to amuse me, they really checked all the boxes and recently I even took the decision to eliminate any kind of minor EQ on my Hiby R8... just perfect sound.

Again, if I want to find something to improve on these beauties, I would say the lack of intimacy of any NC HP's when I travel, but well, we all know that's really hard to achieve on an audiophile level (I confess I tried the Airpods Max for travel, and well, some comfort issues came back and I had to return them).

Finally I don't envy anymore those who own the Denon's D9200 and don't have comfort issues (I was really frustrated back then), because even as I remember them as the best ones I've ever tried, I'm more than happy with the white pearls

P.S. Missing someone, yes... the Z1r's!

Hey mate, it's been some time since I've seen you around. How are you doing? I hope everything's fine.

Anyway, I guess I could have worded myself better. The TH900 Mk2 doesn't suffer from a lack of clarity; it is actually decently resolving. However, the context of my post was framing the appeal of a headphone like the Fostex in the greater (TOTL) market. In that sense, the TH900 Mk2 isn't the first name that comes into my mind when we talk about clarity and absolute detail - famed beasts like the SR-009S, the HD 800 S, and the Utopia would be the ones that readily spring into thought when these attributes are discussed.

In any case, my red TH900 Mk2 - with both stock and Yaxi pads - is still very much "v-shaped"; the mids have an apparent scoop in them. It's not an egregious offender, though, but its signature is certainly not balanced.

Nevertheless, I'm glad that you've found your end game. For EDM at least, the TH900 Mk2 remains one of my all-time favorites. For that sole reason, the Fostex ranks very highly on my personal list.

 

[tudedude]

Same here.

I have the Radiance, and love it (great with tubes!)- and the only other two headphones that are tempting are the Atticus and the Denon AH-9200. (But @Mhog55 , the Radiance is definitely a great rock headphone, and good-looking/very comfy!)

I am pretty versed in the differences between them on paper, but am not sure how different the Atticus would be from the Radiance.

Any feedback is appreciated!

I have both the Radiance and 9200. I prefer the Radiance. To me the denon sounds flat and boring with music that lacks sub bass, so not good for rock and jazz music imo, sounds better with electronic backed music since that tends to include a lot of subbass layering. The Radiance is much more dynamic and the soundstage is way deeper.

 

[Mhog55]

I have both the Radiance and 9200. I prefer the Radiance. To me the denon sounds flat and boring with music that lacks sub bass, so not good for rock and jazz music imo, sounds better with electronic backed music since that tends to include a lot of subbass layering. The Radiance is much more dynamic and the soundstage is way deeper.

Nice. The Radiance is sounding better and better, but that's a lot more coin than I typically drop on a set of cans. I hop they're what I'm after.

 

[tudedude]

Nice. The Radiance is sounding better and better, but that's a lot more coin than I typically drop on a set of cans. I hop they're what I'm after.

Maybe buy it from a place with a good return policy like headphones.com if you can.

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Was hoping to cop a Clear Pro MG but picked up the less popular AWAS instead. I just thought, if I really still wanted to, it's much easier to get a used Clear Pro MG down the road than an AWAS.

 

[wazzupi]

Was hoping to cop a Clear Pro MG but picked up the less popular AWAS instead. I just thought, if I really still wanted to, it's much easier to get a used Clear Pro MG down the road than an AWAS.

How do you like the awas I loved my awkt

 

[ThEvil0nE]

How do you like the awas I loved my awkt

Just bought them and hoping to get it later this week.

 

[AudioDuck]

I have just been fortunate enough to purchase a pre-owned pair of as-new Focal Stellias, and as I am also in possession of a pair of the Focal Radiance (just listed in the classifieds), I did a quick comparison to help anyone who is looking at either of them and wondering about comparisons. I hope the notes below are useful!

Build and comfort:
First, they are both amazing headphones with excellent build quality and comfort. While the Stellias are top-notch in both of these areas, the Radiance does not yield any ground to them. The Radiance's Pittards leather pads are every bit as sumptuous as the Stellia's full-grain leather pads. This one will simply come down the taste, but I'd actually give the edge to the slightly suede-like surface of the Radiance pads. (Side note: Pittards is a top-flight leather brand that supplies high-end glovemakers and other leather goods companies) The design of both headphones are very similar ergonomically, with shaped aluminum structures around the headphone cups. I won't belabor the design further here as pro reviewers have done so more articulately than I could, but suffice it to say that both products are immaculately built and finished. The only complaint I've seen about any of the Focal models is some slight creaking in the headband. I have not had issues with this.

Accessories:
The Stellia and Radiance share the same carrying case with only cosmetic differences to match the headphones' color schemes. Frankly, neither model's cables are that great, but they are passable- the Stellias has both a 3.5 mm short/mobile-use cable and a longer XLR/balanced cable. I appreciate the inclusion of a balanced cable, but personally I've found high-quality aftermarket cables (Moon Audio and my favorite, Norne Audio) to be worth the extra money. Feel free to disagree, but that's my experience. None of these cables were noticeably microphonic, and are well-built. The faux-leather storage boxes for both headphones impart the appropriate level of high-end quality and are well worth keeping post-purchase. As a former packaging professional for electronics, I have to applaud Focal's choices and quality bar for the presentation.

Listening:
I powered the two headphones with my Feliks Audio Echo (mk I), which has stock power tubes and Mullard NOS EC88 input tubes. For those who have a fondness for organic midrange and rich bass coupled with detailed yet smooth treble, I highly recommend this Polish bargain. It's one heck of an amp for the money, though the mk II version is a bit more expensive than the original model. Even so, if the mk II is at least as good as the mk I, it's worth every dollar. But I digress.

The source was a Schiit Gungnir multibit DAC, feeding the Echo by way of single-ended Harmonic Tech Truth-Link cables. Both the DAC and amp are plugged into a Furman power conditioning strip using Wireworld Aurora power cables. I used the stock Radiance headphone cable (single-ended) for both headphones to keep things as even as I could, especially given that I did not match SPL levels between the two.

First, I was really impressed how close the Radiance gets to the level of the Stellia. The Radiance is a very, very impressive headphone, and one any audiophile (who likes the Radiance sound signature) could happily live with for years. It is voiced a bit differently than other Focal models, with more mid-bass emphasis and a richer midrange. While its treble is reasonably laid-back, it is still quite detailed and really spot-on with instruments such as cymbals. As someone who is a fan of Naim hi-fi gear, I definitely feel Focal has voiced the Radiance in a similar manner to Naim's electronics and speakers. The connection here is the Bentley luxury car models, which have Naim Audio systems in them, and the Radiance carries the Bentley mark and design cues. While I haven't confirmed this Radiance voicing was intentional, it seems possible, and there is definitely a common spirit between the headphones and Naim's sound signature. Naim is known for a focus on PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing) and a slightly warm, organic mid-range along with slapping bass.

As I compared several tracks (Adele's "Daydreamer" from "19" for midrange timbre and detail), Massive Attack ("Angel" from "Mezzanine" for bass/sub-bass; several tracks from "100th Window" for speed/clarity), a few areas started standing out where the Stellia shows its quality and advantages: Bass/sub-bass, midrange detail, sound stage, and air around sonic elements:

• The sub-bass goes notably lower with the Stellia, and the mid-bass is more linear. While the Radiance's mid-bass is hardly overcooked, bloated, or slow, it's definitely emphasized more. You could argue that the Radiance is a better fit for bass lovers, as long as you aren't looking for subterranean depth- and frankly, even the Stellia doesn't match the hair-raising rumbles that the Audeze LCD-XCs can generate, for example.
• The midrange detail is similar, but microdetails stand out a little more with the Stellia. That said, I would not pick that out without a side-to-side comparison- the Radiance has a rich amount of detail without being overbearing (my issue with the abovementioned LCD-XCs, which fall in the "detail monster" category). Both headphones have a rich, organic midrange that is top-notch and make vocals a pleasure to listen to.
• The effortless sound staging of the Stellia is subtle, but the air around instruments and voices help build an enveloping, immersive experience. While the Radiance is no slouch in this area, the Stellia simply puts you right in the venue in a way that is really, really impressive for a closed-back, Of course high-quality open-backs will always lead the way in this area, but the Stellia is pretty magical. The air and spacing of instruments, voices, and effects feels more like how quality speakers create the illusion of a venue. The Radiance, while good, reminds you more subtly that you are still listening to headphones.

While I won't pretend this is in any way more than swift impressions over the course of half an hour of comparisons, the Stellia reinforced how good the Radiance is for the price, while also exhibiting what a TOTL closed-back headphone can do. I look forward to many happy years with the mocha-colored magicians!

[Side note: When switching out the Radiance stock cables with my Norne Drausk heavy-gauge copper "ropes" as shown below, the Stellias went to "holy sh..." level. Highly recommended combo!]

 

[FlanBrosInc]

I just got the Dekoni Limited Edition pads and threw them on the Elagia. As I've said previously I'm not the best at describing differences and stuff, but I do think they sound significantly better and feel much more comfortable on the head. Definitely noticed a boost in the bass and some more clarity overall. They also isolate from outside noise much more. Really pleased with the upgrade.

 

[Terriero]

I have just been fortunate enough to purchase a pre-owned pair of as-new Focal Stellias, and as I am also in possession of a pair of the Focal Radiance (just listed in the classifieds), I did a quick comparison to help anyone who is looking at either of them and wondering about comparisons. I hope the notes below are useful!

Build and comfort:
First, they are both amazing headphones with excellent build quality and comfort. While the Stellias are top-notch in both of these areas, the Radiance does not yield any ground to them. The Radiance's Pittards leather pads are every bit as sumptuous as the Stellia's full-grain leather pads. This one will simply come down the taste, but I'd actually give the edge to the slightly suede-like surface of the Radiance pads. (Side note: Pittards is a top-flight leather brand that supplies high-end glovemakers and other leather goods companies) The design of both headphones are very similar ergonomically, with shaped aluminum structures around the headphone cups. I won't belabor the design further here as pro reviewers have done so more articulately than I could, but suffice it to say that both products are immaculately built and finished. The only complaint I've seen about any of the Focal models is some slight creaking in the headband. I have not had issues with this.

Accessories:
The Stellia and Radiance share the same carrying case with only cosmetic differences to match the headphones' color schemes. Frankly, neither model's cables are that great, but they are passable- the Stellias has both a 3.5 mm short/mobile-use cable and a longer XLR/balanced cable. I appreciate the inclusion of a balanced cable, but personally I've found high-quality aftermarket cables (Moon Audio and my favorite, Norne Audio) to be worth the extra money. Feel free to disagree, but that's my experience. None of these cables were noticeably microphonic, and are well-built. The faux-leather storage boxes for both headphones impart the appropriate level of high-end quality and are well worth keeping post-purchase. As a former packaging professional for electronics, I have to applaud Focal's choices and quality bar for the presentation.

Listening:
I powered the two headphones with my Feliks Audio Echo (mk I), which has stock power tubes and Mullard NOS EC88 input tubes. For those who have a fondness for organic midrange and rich bass coupled with detailed yet smooth treble, I highly recommend this Polish bargain. It's one heck of an amp for the money, though the mk II version is a bit more expensive than the original model. Even so, if the mk II is at least as good as the mk I, it's worth every dollar. But I digress.

The source was a Schiit Gungnir multibit DAC, feeding the Echo by way of single-ended Harmonic Tech Truth-Link cables. Both the DAC and amp are plugged into a Furman power conditioning strip using Wireworld Aurora power cables. I used the stock Radiance headphone cable (single-ended) for both headphones to keep things as even as I could, especially given that I did not match SPL levels between the two.

First, I was really impressed how close the Radiance gets to the level of the Stellia. The Radiance is a very, very impressive headphone, and one any audiophile (who likes the Radiance sound signature) could happily live with for years. It is voiced a bit differently than other Focal models, with more mid-bass emphasis and a richer midrange. While its treble is reasonably laid-back, it is still quite detailed and really spot-on with instruments such as cymbals. As someone who is a fan of Naim hi-fi gear, I definitely feel Focal has voiced the Radiance in a similar manner to Naim's electronics and speakers. The connection here is the Bentley luxury car models, which have Naim Audio systems in them, and the Radiance carries the Bentley mark and design cues. While I haven't confirmed this Radiance voicing was intentional, it seems possible, and there is definitely a common spirit between the headphones and Naim's sound signature. Naim is known for a focus on PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing) and a slightly warm, organic mid-range along with slapping bass.

As I compared several tracks (Adele's "Daydreamer" from "19" for midrange timbre and detail), Massive Attack ("Angel" from "Mezzanine" for bass/sub-bass; several tracks from "100th Window" for speed/clarity), a few areas started standing out where the Stellia shows its quality and advantages: Bass/sub-bass, midrange detail, sound stage, and air around sonic elements:

• The sub-bass goes notably lower with the Stellia, and the mid-bass is more linear. While the Radiance's mid-bass is hardly overcooked, bloated, or slow, it's definitely emphasized more. You could argue that the Radiance is a better fit for bass lovers, as long as you aren't looking for subterranean depth- and frankly, even the Stellia doesn't match the hair-raising rumbles that the Audeze LCD-XCs can generate, for example.
• The midrange detail is similar, but microdetails stand out a little more with the Stellia. That said, I would not pick that out without a side-to-side comparison- the Radiance has a rich amount of detail without being overbearing (my issue with the abovementioned LCD-XCs, which fall in the "detail monster" category). Both headphones have a rich, organic midrange that is top-notch and make vocals a pleasure to listen to.
• The effortless sound staging of the Stellia is subtle, but the air around instruments and voices help build an enveloping, immersive experience. While the Radiance is no slouch in this area, the Stellia simply puts you right in the venue in a way that is really, really impressive for a closed-back, Of course high-quality open-backs will always lead the way in this area, but the Stellia is pretty magical. The air and spacing of instruments, voices, and effects feels more like how quality speakers create the illusion of a venue. The Radiance, while good, reminds you more subtly that you are still listening to headphones.

While I won't pretend this is in any way more than swift impressions over the course of half an hour of comparisons, the Stellia reinforced how good the Radiance is for the price, while also exhibiting what a TOTL closed-back headphone can do. I look forward to many happy years with the mocha-colored magicians!

[Side note: When switching out the Radiance stock cables with my Norne Drausk heavy-gauge copper "ropes" as shown below, the Stellias went to "holy sh..." level. Highly recommended combo!]

Thanks very much for the detailed comparison. The people debating between these two models, will appreciate a lot your comparison (in this case more important because of the price gap between both models...). At the end, will you keep both?