🔷 Focal Elegia

[CTOXmas]

bit more up front cost but then you don’t have to get 2 or more separate cables for every headphone

[Cardo_Jeremy]

Hi,

I am new to audio fulfillment.
I had a wh1000xm3/ ksc75/kph30i before

Then, I went for a hifiman sundara and HD 600.
I would like add another headphone to my collection .
I really love the sound of the hd600 and sundara ,
Is the focal elegia a good pick ?
I m hesitant.

I listen to a lot of game ost (nier/nier automata/spyro/dark souls123/bloodborn)

Whomever happens to read my message, have a nice day

[fabiokelm]

Hello! So, just to better understand where you are and what you want, few quick questions:

• Do you have any source gear, like a DAC and Amp? Sundara and HD600 are, from y understanding, amp-dependent. Maybe if you feel something is wrong getting a new source gear can help out.
• Are you looking for an upgrade or for something different? What do you like or dislike about your current headphones?
• Where are you based? US shopping can be very different from shopping in the EU or other parts of the world.

I very much enjoy the Elegias but I haven’t heard the headphones you listed except by the KPH-30i, and maybe some parallel with the 600 from my HD58x, and that’s a stretch. Depending on what you’re looking for they’re a great buy on up to $400 market.

[ShaneD]

I don’t think I posted it here yet, but I tried to order the Dekoni Stellia Ltd. Edition pads. It was a no go as they are gone and discontinued. I should have moved faster.

[Cardo_Jeremy]

Hi

Thanks for the response .

I can assure you they sound fantastic out my phone ( galaxy a 72)

but I also have a little portable amp/dac that I use rarely /
(ifi hipdac)
Once in a while to feel the difference.

1)The hifiman sundara.
I hated it at first . I found them lacking in the vocals and I felt the timber was out of balance
then the more the time passed the I noticed the reason why the sundara is so good.
The richness in the highs the textures of the female vocals … the details…
I really loved the detail and shiny sparkles of the hifiman and the bass one of the best.
And the instrument separation. the layering is clearer and better than hd600 .
The Soundstage was phenomenal

2)For the hd 600.

After owning the sundara for a while ,I ordered a hd600 for the famous vocals.

In the beginning i felt like the hd 600 were dull compared to the sundara but i immediately fell in the love with the calmer nature of the highs and that still managed to be sparkly but less shiny than the sundara as well as the vocal presentation .

I eq it slightly like I lower the bass bringing even more of the vocal clarity and higher timber .
The vocals of the hd600…

After a good while I found the hifiman as good vocals details ,better then the hd600

But I liked the presentation and stronger emphasize of the male vocals in the hd600

There so much to say .
But based in thar description, would you recommend me the focal elegia?

I think the focal elegia is a good mix of that but I m not sure at all. So I would like an external opinion from someone that knows.

Does the elegia have some shining ability such as some highs picking through ? I would love it

The bass it doesn’t really matter that much to me as long theere is enough to make the male vocals not sound thin and weak ,I like body for male vocals for example

Thing is I like a good mix of softness and aggressivity . That s how I would put it .

I like to feel the instrument. I like to feel the vocals I like spacious sound I like layering of instrument.

I m in the ue .

400€ ? Where could I get?

Ps : I hope the reading wasn’t to much😅, I tried to make it as small as possible.

[fabiokelm]

Ok, that helped a lot! Based on your description, and the fact you’re in the EU, don’t know if the Elegia is for you. It’s a mid-forward, which does help with vocals. But to some, the way they present can lead to what people call “honk effect”, due to the way the mids elevate in contrast to other frequencies. I have no problem and don’t particularly fell this, but lot of other people do so is important to let you know.

I really love 2 thing in the Elegia: the extension on both the upper and lower parts, and the fast transients. For the first, the elegia don’t have much bass but the the extension give them a presence and texture that’s rather unique. Same for the treble, although I would say they are a little more present than the bass. As for transients, it’s hard to describe but in really complex music the Elegia shines. Being a fast transition of electronic music or a sudden instrument in a orchestra, you don’t feel any slack or missing information. It’s a very nice experience.

Soundstage is really not big though, so if you are wanting that look somewhere else. Is bigger than Sennheiser but that’s not hard.

The Elegia usually go for $400 in the US, thanks to Adorama’s frequent sales. In the EU I remember someone here or in the deals thread posting about a €400 sale but I don’t remember where. Maybe searching the forum you can find it. Used market is also a good try, they do pop up often even if more on the US. They are discontinued from Focal but I guess the stock is still running.

Don’t know what more to say. The Elegia seems to me maybe an incremental upgrade on some aspects. Transients should be nice,maybe with less “airness” than the Sundara. If you want more of the same flavors than I think it makes sense. But if you’re finding them for the full price of what, €800 or €900? Then no, there are better thing out there.

Also, @WaveTheory said a lot of good thing about Elegia with ifi bass boost, if this is any reference.

(Sorry for the long answer)

[fabiokelm]

Really? Man, I must say I was eyeing them too. Really a shame, imagine if Focal has anything to do with it.

[Cardo_Jeremy]

Ok,

with what your are saying, I m sold on the elegia.

it would be nice to have a closed back for a change , I saw the focal elegia new sold with a dragonfly black dac bundle 500€ that s a good deal
Thanks for the precision.
I will check that person you written about.

[Multibeast]

I will +1 on the Elegia and iFi bass boost. I have a hip dac as well and do think the Elegia take well to the boost. They are the headphone I gravitate towards the most often since they seem to be my closest to an ‘all around’ headphone for my personal collection. For reference I own the ksc75 and kph30i, as well as sort of adjacent headphones to your experience with the hd 6xx and hifiman x drop 4xx. Also have a few Sony wireless phones and would take Elegia if I had to choose one from all those.

[fabiokelm]

Interesting, this does sound like a good deal. Hope you find what you’re looking for. Please share here your impressions after hearing the Elegia.

[Multibeast]

Might be worth seeing if Adorama delivers to your country since they are running their trypical ‘sale’ on the Elegia right now for $379 USD (about 335€).

[Cardo_Jeremy]

They unfortunately don’t deliver in my country.
I would like to be able to purchase my product in several time. Would make the audio more accessible that s in not possible unfortunately.

But thanks for the information, I will need to wait February to take the elegia

[awh]

You can use a shipping forwarder like reship or myus - but beware that fedex, ups et al prices are quite high right now though - $70 and up for an average size 7lb package.

[ShaneD]

I missed out on getting the Dekoni Ltd. Edition Stellia pads, so I ordered the Dekoni Sheepskins tonight. Just wanna bass them up a bit.

[Raptor168]

Cool. Anxious to hear how they do for you. I was gonna switch from 660S to HP-2 last night and ended up grabbing the Elegias instead. Glad I did. Had a great sessoin with them and was reminded as to why I bought them.

[ShaneD]

We do share a lot of headphones.

[Kaisei]

I’m deciding between the Elegias ($379) and the T60rp Argons ($499) with ZMF Suedes. Does anyone have a comparison between the two in regards to detail, sound stage, imaging, and bass?

[ShaneD]

I think the Elegia’s have much more detail, but that comes with being a little more focused on the mids and above. They can come across as a little bright or bass light. They do enjoy some bass boost and I have a set of Dekoni sheepskins coming in for them.

The Argons do not have the detail, but are more bass focused. They take to bass boost like a fish to water. They lack clarity and precision compared to the Elegia’s and are harder to drive.

I think the Elegia’s are the better all round headphone. You can run them off your phone or DAP quite well. That Argon will keep you tied to a desk. Up here in Canada both cost me about the same, landed.

My music is new rock, classic rock, blues and horn jazz. I am not a Loud listener.

[Kaisei]

Thanks for your input. Just to be clear - are you talking about the T60 Argons? I’ve been going through a bunch of reviews and they say the T60 Argon has more detail than the T50 Mk III Argons.

I’m using the THX 789 so power shouldn’t be an issue.

[ShaneD]

Yes, T60 Argons. And yes I read the same about them being more detailed than than the T50 Argons, which is why I bought them. I wanted good bass without a lot of boominess.

I like these 'phones but two things stand out after owning them:

1. They are not as detailed as I had hoped, although that was not the main reason I bought them.
   And
2. They were not as bassy as I had hoped, however they take to bass boost/EQ better than any headphone I ever had.

Lastly, they aren’t really hard to drive. They were nice with the Liquid Platinum and are great with my iFi.