Whilst stocks last, this great deal won't last! Focal Elear high end headphones, now $499!
EDIT: Added for $599 a bundle with the Carry Case, any existing orders please email us with your order reference and will send a new order link to add the case!
https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/focal-carry-case - optional case!
So I've heard.
Crap this is tempting.
Great price, I have them and adore them.
Would not hesitate at this price.
How is this compare to the HD650?
Big step up, similar tone but big step up in detail and resolution.
Very tempting
Are you guys sourcing Elex from Drop hence the sale? Do you have a price in mind if Elex is to be distributed here?
I have both and these are in another league.
Of course we all have different opinions, this is just mine.
Also own many others to compare, Grado, Sennheisers, AKG's, BeyerDynamic.
How do you use them all?
you put them on your head in the 360 fashion so you get surround sound. https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcThLn…
Was about to ask the same. Thanks for the quick reply AtA
Listened to these side by side. The HD650s are great (warm revealing). But the Elears are just WAY better especially in speed, detail and attack, the HD650s seem just too laid back and a bit slow in comparison.
Speed, attack, laid back and slow are made up sound descriptors, they don't mean anything.
Thats why sound is subjective.
I can kind of guess what speed and detail would be, but wtf would attack be.
the feel of being punched in the face by your music.
very much related, they're mostly descriptors of various features that can be objectively measured, see spectral decay graph.
The attack by definition for audio refers to the beginning of a sound. Sweetwater's definition for attack: "how long it takes for the volume of the sound to go from silence to maximum level."
Similarly the decay (or sometimes referred to as release) is the inverse of an attack and refers to the end of a sound.
These are generally easier to understand if you try to imagine what the waveform of a sound clip looks like and when attack is talked about in the context of headphones, its referring to how what the start of a sound sounds like.
Do I need an amp for this one?
Thanks mate. That's very helpful. I am looking for a good pair of studio headphone. I don't think this one fits the purpose. I'll stick with my M50x
Any chance of a deal on Focal Clear?
I'd also be interested in a clear OP
Looking at their respective measurements, you could turn an Elear into a Clear with a pad change and some minor changes inside the enclosure.
Maybe not exact, but very close. A budget version of that kind of mod is what Drop did with the Elex.
You really can't. It's not even close.
Then why does the Elex exist…
I respect that we're talking different coils and magnets here, but everything else that differs should be easy enough to mod, starting with the pads, which are the key difference between this and the Elex.
So you won't get the Clear's driver speed, but you can get most of the sound signature.
Then why does the Elex exist…
To flog headphones to the Massdrop Midfi Army who were never in the market for Clears but will snap up anything at this price point and put them on the shelf next to their Senn 58x and 6xx and Hifiman 400is.
@jjcf: The Elex go for $500 USD… completely different price range to everything else you've named. You must be the only person on the planet who thinks this is comparatively poor value.
For those who want local, this is a good deal, but I'm more interested in targeting the matched planar drivers coming out of China.
And if you have money left over you can buy a carry case. For $249
i was hoping at that price it would have included one, or at least a pouch.
Surprised there aren't more on ebay. I hate the cases that came with my Clear and Elegia and sold them straight away. They are awkward as hell.
people actually buy that? You'd think they already have one.
eBay/aliexpress is your friend for cases.
How's the bass on these compared to the DT990's/Hifiman HE400's?
Soooooo tempted.
non-existant, if you're after bass on open backs - LCD2C is a good option
How is this compared with the Audessy LCD2?
Similar quality, different overall presentation of dynamic vs planar, but comparable!
The Audeze Mobius can be had for this price also (Mighty Ape) although their price is $600 normally.
As someone with some Mobius which I do quite like the sound of for my first set of planars, and hd650 on the buy list, how would these compare?
Going by other feedback / comments:
Focal Elear > Sennheiser HD650.
And at this price of $499 makes it a win for Focal Elear.
Ouch. I paid $1100 for these on special a few years ago. Good headphones, soundstage is very close though.
Are they warm or bright?
Fairly neutral actually.
I have Grado PS1000 (older model, bought in 2016). Would that be an upgrade?
Very different sound would be complimentary more than anything!
Many thanks for the feedback! Both are open back. I guess, more complimentary to Grado will be closed back Elegia. Am I right? I can see you have Elegia on special, but price-wise Elear is better value for money, unless… :)
Any further discount on elegia/clear too please? :)
Nothing I am afraid as the elegia is bundled with the dragonfly already!
Can you remove the dragonfly and reduce the price on Elegia as a standalone? Dragonfly has shown to be pretty crappy for the price through measurement.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/r…
I myself owned it before for about a month, was not impressed and sold it off quickly. Most people looking at this price range already have their own dac/amp setup anyway.
Do not solely rely on measurements when making buying decisions. For audio equipment actually listening is much more important. For example, global feedback design in amplifier can result in better measurements, however for most people, non-feedback design gives much smoother sound. To some extent, that forum is misleading many people tbh.
@woahipxc: Agree, bottom line only way to know for sure is to have a listen yourself. As mentioned for the dragonfly red I did, it just wasn't impressive for the price to me.
Hi Op,
Could you do a deal without the dragonfly?
Thanks
Another vote from me for stand-alone Elegia sale. I had a dig through OzB and saw that you guys did a paired sale with the Elear in the past. Even if it wasn't possible to match the price 1:1 I'd be keen :)
Damn I wish I had the money
Hello addictedtoaudio, how would you compare these to he400i, and can I use them with a schiit modi 2 and Magni? Will it go well with those two?'
Thanks :)
Big step up and perfect with the schiit stack!
Any chance the b stock can be discounte?
https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/products/focal-elear-open-bac…
Will be more!
why not just get a Z7M2 for $39 more?
Elear is much better to be honest.
Closed vs open for a start.
Z7M2 are not good headphones, owend them for an hr before selling them.
Very uninteresting, unengaging sound.
Are these headphones any good for listening to pop music? Are they considered "OKAY-ish" audiophile headphones?
This price is crazy, I bought one for $1400, at this price might just buy another one so I don't "missout"….
To A2A associate, I wonder why are they doing this? Is the elear discontinued?
Not sure to be honest!
read it as fecal
haha same
Why aren't there places where i can rent one for the weekend
Let me know if you can find such a service!
Mini disc in chatswood has nearly all the top end headphones on demo.
too much saving to miss out damn ozbargain
The temptation is strong
dw i already ordered before the comment :)
Such a good price, must resist. Have been eyeing these off for ages but dont really need them when i already have Audeze LCD2
But why miss out?
So tempted but I have already 8 high end headphones. What to do :(.
Get rid of your wife.
any diy solution?
Buy 8 more and she'll leave on her own
@[Deactivated]: Actually, today I put on this Elear headphone and even have her to put it on her head but she has no idea that it was a new pair because she cannot tell the difference. She does not really care really.
. #Humblebrag
For those on the fence here are some notes I gathered from Youtube.
- weight is 450g
- uses dual side split cable
- the cable that comes with it is high quality, but it’s heavy and 3m long
- due to above you may need to invest in an additional (shorter / lighter) cable
- Elear has emphasised bass, the Elex (Drop version) is more neutral overall
that is heavy.. :/
I caved in, even though I don't need them =/
My concern is a dip in 1000 to 4000 frequency response. Which gives vocal bodies.
https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/enter-next-generation-…
What have I done ?!! I have my Nuraphones… Hope these are better
These are night and day better than that junk
haha. Heavily EQ'd 2009 Beats By Dre, sold at booths in the mall.
But… but.. it measures my PERSONAL hearing and optimises the music just for me ! :P
Picked up a pair, now I need an amp!!
Use the home AV?
I'd recommend waiting and listening to them first before deciding if you need an amp. They're surprisingly easy headphones to drive!
The misses is going to kill me when she found out I bought this.
Perfect purchase for those long days and nights in self isolation. ;)
Sorry Dear, what was that?
Is this what pro DJs , music producers and stuff use
This is a great deal!