I can sympathize with this, living abroad and in a terrible market for expensive items like this. The Elegia was a great experience for me and I really liked them, but itās always a risk. If you have the spare money (remember to include shipping and taxes) and like a neutral-ish sound, not too much bass. Them I would say go for it, they are definitely something else, especially if youāve never heard a Focal before.
Just remember to spend responsibly and try to enjoy your journey. 
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Iāve owned them over a year and theyāre still getting a lot of use from me. Theyāre basically a relaxed set in terms of upper-mids but with good extension in the lows and the highs. Vocal tonality is occasionally a bit wonky compared to the Aeon RT closed, which are very coherent but often too aggresive in the 6-10k region for me. The Elegias also have impressive sense of slam and impact. Not the equal of the Emu-teaks, but close.
But Iām sort of stuck in mid-fi hell, so YMMV.
Yea Iām in the mid-fi range too. I really like the slam on emu teaks but eventually gave it a miss and kept my dt177x with hybrid pads instead. Itās true that Iāve never tried a focal before. Perhaps I should demo some focal cans in my local store to get a gist of their sound signatures before deciding!
āmid-fi hellā LOL Certainly worse places to be.
I also have the Aeon RT and canāt decide if it makes sense to add the Elegiaās to my collection.
Can you give a little more comparison on the two and for which music genres you pick one or the other?
In terms of raw resolution I think the RT just barely edges it out. Elegia definitely has more impactful bass, and more of a ārelaxedā character around the upper mids/low treble, which is a problem area for me with the RT. The RT can be a little too aggresive in this area, though it does provide a certain textured detail to acoustic instruments and female voices that the Elegia lacks. Iād say the RT has the more ācorrectā tonality, where the Elegia gives me a sense of ābiggerā sound with that slam. Or it could just be that the RTās treble keeps me from turning the volume up as loud.
Itās an interesting comparison. Iād probably take the Elegia as my all-rounder for games and music, while preferring the RT for simpler acoustic and vocal tracks, and possibly movies/TV where the Elegiaās tonality can be distracting, depending on the mix.
Do these headbands seriously improve comfort, or are they simply there to help preserve the headphone?
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i use one purely to preserve the headband
Thatās a good breakdown. Thank you for that.
I take it youāve tried the different tuning pads on the RT to tame the upper mid/treble?
For me Iām looking to preserve the underside of the headband. Itās a light gray color and shows any oil or other build up very quickly. Iām balding so was using a topical treatment that after one use left some discoloration.
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Thanks all for the headband cover choices
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I did use the black notched insert for a while, but I found it deadened the sound too much. Things just sounded somehow flat. But I find the black foam insert preserves dynamics and tames the treble just slightly.
I agree with ssjdrnās assessment overall and will add that I find the RT to be a bit more sonically transparent and layered as well as more comfortable, though the Elegia is comfortable as well.
IMO if one wants something easy to drive from any device and values dynamics #1 or 2 on their list, the Elegia will have an edge. If someone values a cohesive presentation and a bit more extension, particularly bass, then the RT may be the better choice. Iām personally moving on from my Elegia in favor of the RT.
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I havenāt read much in this thread about this 4.4 mm balanced cable on Amazon for $50. It looks like the overpriced Meze balanced 4.4mm cable, but at less than half the cost!
Is balanced audio not essential for these cans? If not, Iāll just go with these.
No, balanced is not essential. I daresay rare is the occasion that balance would ever be essential for headphone use.
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Balance can help hard to drive cans, and the Elegia is the very opposite to that. I would say balance is only interesting if youāre using a balanced focused amp, like a Geshelli Erish. If not, donāt bother with it.
Can confirmā¦ was my first āhigh endā headphone
If you had to choose what amp best compliments the Elegia from your experience
Many folks in this thread recommend the ifi hip dac with this headphone. This guy recommends it too!
My favorite ācheaperā option has been the Xduoo Link 2 . Itās not a perfect match, but I like the sound when toggling between the DACās physical settings for each song I hear. It helps when youāre on the go and canāt EQ, which is a must for these headphones IMO.
Seriously, I canāt justify the cost (not even at $400) of these cans without tweaking the EQ settings. My favorite settings are here.
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So far, the SW51+. I like it a lot with the LP but the SW51 is even better (and cheaper).
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My Elegias came in today. This is something I have been thinking about for a long time on a couple of levels. I have been intrigued by the design and the apparent build quality of the whole Focal line. And until recently, these were thousand dollar headphones. It represents that next jump I wanted make. And here we are.
The unboxing was nice. I like the packaging. Kinda sleek and stylish. Once open, you take out this really nice case. Open the case, and there isā¦ the most hideous, short, rubber, janked up mess of a cable I have ever seen. This thing is horribleā¦ HORRIBLE! It went right into the garbage. If I didnāt have a cable to replace it I would be so annoyed! They should really rethink the cable on these things. But I did have a replacement cable, so all is well. We can get on with the actual headphones!
These headphones are simply fantastic. I was kinda taken with them as soon as they came out of the case. The black and silver color scheme looks great, and the quality of the build is superb. The ear cups are spring loaded. I presume to help keep a nice seal around your ears. I think that is a great touch. They are comfortable right out of the box, too.
And the sound? Itās hard to even describe. There is a crispness, a beautiful richness and refinement present in these that kinda surpasses my other headphones. I thought maybe they were going to be too bright, but that is not the case at all. Highs are crisp and pure. For a closed headphone, they sure donāt feel closed. There is this spacial quality that these have. Instruments and vocals feel a bit further away and wonderfully separated, no one thing overpowering the other. Itās a wonderful place to be.
Obviously I need to give them more time to settle in, but they have made a hell of a first impression. I can only imagine what they will be like after 50 hours. The Elegia is a stellar addition to the family.
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