This is the official thread for the Focal Stellia
This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Type: over ear
- Amp needed: no, but use one anyway
- Closed Back
- 2990 USD
Hifiguides Amazon Link[Reviews]
Z Reviews
How did this thread not exist yet!?!?!? Lol. Does now.
1 Like
I was thinking the same when I saw this thread 
INTRODUCTION
The Focal Stellia ā a closed-back, dynamic-driver, over-the-ear, $3000US headphone ā is the latest headphone loan to come across my desk. Thanks, @sa11297 for the loan! Iāve given it a good listen, and itās time to dive in.
TL;DR
The Stellia is one of the best sounding closed-back headphones on the market with excellent resolution, impressive spatial presentation for closed-back, fantastic macrodynamics and physicality, and well-textured bass in a well-built, easy-to-drive, comfortable package. Its carrying case might be a bit too big for some travel situations and its biggest sonic drawback is that it can be a bit too forward in the upper-mids, breaking timbre and leading to some shout/honk. Even so, it brings a lot to the table and finds a nice niche for itself in its portion of the headphone market.
KNOW YOUR REVIEWER
My preferred genres are rock/metal and classical/orchestral music. Iām getting to know jazz more and enjoying quite a bit. I also listen to some EDM and hip-hop. My hearing quirks include a high sensitivity to midrange frequencies from just under 1KHz to around 3Khz, give or take. My ears are thus quick to perceive āshoutinessā in headphones in particular. I describe āshoutinessā as an emphasis on the āouā sound of āshout.ā Itās a forwardness in the neighborhood of 1KHz and/or on the first one or two harmonics above it (when I make the sound āooooowwwwwā into a spectrum analyzer the dominant frequency on the vowel sound is around 930Hz, which also means harmonic spikes occur again at around 1860Hz and 2790Hz). In the extreme, it can have the tonal effect of sounding like a vocalist is speaking or singing through a toilet paper tube or cupping their hands over their mouth. It can also give instruments like piano, but especially brass instruments, an added āhonkā to their sound. I also get distracted by sibilance, or sharp āsā and ātā sounds that can make ssssingers sssssound like theyāre forssssssing esssss ssssssounds aggresssssssively. Sibilance does not physically hurt my ears nearly as quickly as shout, though. Itās distracting because itās annoying and unnatural. Finally, Iām discovering that I have a preference for more subtle detail. I like good detail retrieval and hearing what a recording has to offer, but I prefer what many would consider relaxed and subtle rather than aggressive or detail-forward. To my ear, more subtle detail-retrieval sounds more realistic and natural than aggressive, detail-forwardness. There is a balance here, though, because detail retrieval can get too relaxed and that can sound unnatural, as well, or simply leave out important aspects of the recording. Readers should keep these hearing quirks and preferences in mind as they read my descriptions of sound.
FEATURES & BUILD
The Stellia has the look of Focal. They all share the same chassis and mostly change in the color and quality of materials. All of the normal Focal stuff is here ā the slightly wider-than-average relaxed size, the vertically-swiveling cups on spring-loaded hinges, and the geometric pattern on the back of the ear cups. The Stellia comes in a very unique and attractive cognac color.
The drivers in the Stellia are dynamic āM-shapedā domes, a uniquely Focal feature, and made of pure beryllium. Theyāre easy to drive with a rated impedance of 35ā¦ and sensitivity of 106dB/mW. Indeed, I had no trouble driving them with the E02 module on my Cayin N6ii DAP. The ability to drive the Stellia with mobile devices is clearly one of Focalās goals, as they mention portability a number of times on their Stellia webpage (https://www.focal.com/us/headphones/for-home/stellia#documentation). I have a few quibbles with this, however. The Stelliaās frame and chassis are not at all collapsible, and the carrying case they ship with, while luxurious, is not particularly travel friendly. Both the headphone and the case take up some room in a bag or suitcase. The Stellia stays on the head quite well, though, so if youāre heading to coffee shop thereās very little risk they will slip off. They also isolate very well. Theyāre not noise-cancelling, but they do a solid job of blocking out external noise and also donāt leak a ton. This isolation bit is a trait that has trickled down into Focalās cheaper closed-back models (Elegia, Radiance, Celestee) as they all isolate well.
The Stellia, like all of Focalās line, uses a detachable dual-entry cable system with the very common 3.5mm jack size in each cup. The jacks are recessed into the cup some but the diameter of the recess is bigger than most other headphones that have these recesses, and will accommodate many of the larger plugs that are often found on aftermarket cables. Thatās important as Focalās stock cables have become a bit of a joke, and deservedly so. They are stiff, cumbersome, and not particularly nice to use. Stellia suffers from that same problem.
SOUND
Test Gear
I split my listening time with Stellia mostly between two systems. The first is my desktop system with a Singxer SU-2 DDC connected via USB to a Windows 10 desktop PC, a Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha S2 DAC, and a Violectric HPA-V281 headphone amp. I also used the Stellia in my transportable rig with a Cayin N6ii DAP used as a digital transport and connected to a Chord Hugo 2 DAC/amp via Cayinās USB-C-to-coaxial digital interconnect cable. I mentioned testing the Stellia directly from the E02 module output of the N6ii. That was mostly checking to make sure the Stellia are easy to drive with a mobile amp like that. They are. I didnāt do much listening beyond that on that device.
Sound Signature
The overall sound signature is mid-forward. There is a slight forwardness in the upper mid-range that stands out from what is otherwise very close to perceptually neutral. There is very good bass and treble extension. Both the bass and treble sound appropriate present without being forward or calling attention to themselves either through being too much or too little. The overall presentation is also very dynamic, being lively and snappy in the mids and treble and very punchy and physical in the bass. Thatās also a Focal trait. The Stellia is now the fourth Focal headphone Iāve gotten on my head and they have all had very punchy macrodynamics and high physicality.
The bass is tight, tuneful, and extended. Itās not elevated with respect to the rest of the frequency spectrum but it digs deep and hits hard. Itās also well textured, with the slight wavers of the waves on the string being resolved in addition to rich, accurate tone. The Stellia gave me a āwow, thatās coolā moment when listening to Dvorakās 9th Symphony with my Hugo 2. I could hear the resinousness ā that āzizzyā sound of bows being dragged across strings ā on the string basses, which no other headphone has really pointed out to me before, at least not that Iāve noticed. Stellia also resolves the upper harmonics and overtones of bass guitars very well. Bass players like Flea, John Entwistle, and Geddy Lee, who are all vigorous players known for being violent with the strings, sound wonderful on Stellia with those aggressive plucks and strums leading to rich and realistic overtones, and sometimes fret buzz, in the midbass. Those little sounds go surprisingly far in the direction of reproducing a realistic, believable listening experience.
The upper treble is also airy and extended but rarely ever harsh or sibilant. Itās one of those somewhat clichĆ© cases where the Stellia is only sibilant if the recording is sibilant. It doesnāt add much in on its own. There was another wow moment when listening to The Whoās Who Are You album where Keith Moon was riding a crash cymbal and it sounded startingly realistic.
The midrange is biggest area where the Stelliaās performance gets a bit dicey. There is a forwardness to the upper midrange that can make female vocals and some higher-pitched male vocals (hello, Geddy Lee again) sound shouty and some horns, strings, pianos, and guitar sounds sound hollow or honky. Thereās still lots of detail and resolution in the mids, but this forwardness causes the overall sound to get a bit wonky. The extent to which this happens does vary some with signal chain. I thought the effect was less on my Alpha S2 + V281 than with the Hugo 2, but it was noticeable and timbre-breaking on each chain. Thatās unfortunate because outside of that range the timbre on the Stellia is fantastic, but that range is critically important to the overall presentation of most music so itās difficult to say the Stellia is a headphone with a natural timbre.
Detail Retrieval
Iāve mentioned the Stelliaās resolution capabilities a bit already with the bass texture. Room reverbs, echoes, the sounds of fingers rubbing across strings, are all there. What I like about its detail retrieval is that itās not forward or aggressive. Some headphones announce how resolving they are by assaulting the listener with constant, non-stop, in-their-face detail. The Stellia is more subdued in that regard by producing the subtle details, well, subtly. There isnāt much of consequence missing, but itās not forced either. In fact, it took me some time to realize just how resolving the Stellia is as it took quite awhile to see what it was doing better than its siblings the Clear MG and the Radiance. But, rest assured, in time its resolution chops were audible. Iāll leave a more thorough comparison with the MG and Radiance to another post.
Macrodynamics
It bears repeating that a key feature of the presentation for the Stellia is its physicality. Itās a Focal trait but the Stellia brings it with authority. There is lots of punch, hard-hitting attacks, and plenty of dynamic range. I never found the punch to be over the top, but I like the physicality, particularly in the bass, as it draws me into most of the music I listen to. However, some listeners will likely object and find it distracting.
Spatial Presentation
Here the closed-back nature of the Stellia is a bit limiting. You should not expect an expansive soundstage. The Stellia is more on the intimate side. Itās not claustrophobic at all, and not as intimate as the Sennheiser HD6?? series, but nor is it big. The Focal ābubble around the headā staging is also present, sometimes feeling like itās placing you in the band rather than in the audience. Iāve described this elsewhere as like being at a symphony performance and the Stellia placing you on the Maestroās stand rather than in the 3rd or 4th row of the auditorium. This trait is neither good nor bad, just different than other approaches where the music is more out in front. Within that staging though there can be some very good imaging and separation. The live recording of Eaglesā Seven Bridges Road was really fun because it sounded like I was in the crowd and could make out several individual cheers and claps all around me. Cool. That said, the spatial presentation lags behind other headphones Iāve heard around $3000. But, thatās most likely due to all of those being open back and the Stellia being closed. What the Stellia is able to accomplish with the spatial presentation while being closed is genuinely impressive, though.
COMPARISONS WITH OTHER HEADPHONES
Comparing the Stellia with similar products is very difficult because there simply are not very many similar products. The most closely priced closed-back is probably the ZMF Verite Closed, and unfortunately Iāve not heard that one. Dan Clark Audio just realized the Stealth. Iāve not heard that yet either but itās also $1000 more than Stellia. Putting Lawton chambers on a Fostex TH-900 can run upward of $2200-ish. I have a TH-900 with Lawton Purpleheart chambers on it. The TH-900 Lawton is definitely more v-shaped in its signature than Stellia, having more bass and treble presence. It also punches like and has similar dynamic qualities to the Stellia. The TH-900 Lawton is not as resolving as Stellia though and can be sharp and sibilant in the treble about as often as the Stellia is shouty or honky in the mid-range. Another key difference is the Stellia isolates much better, holding sound both in and out more effectively, and also fitting on the head more securely. These traits make Stellia more mobile friendly.
I had the opportunity to compare the Stellia directly against its sibling models the Radiance and Clear MG. Iāll have a more thorough report on that in the near future. For now, suffice it to say that the Stellia is easily the most resolving of the three and presents the most realistic spatial presentation of the three. Where it can stumble a bit in comparison is in the timbre as Stelliaās upper-mid presence is just too-forward. Radiance easily has the more natural, realistic timbre through that range and the Clear MG is right there with Stellia, and may even be a bit more natural in timbre on some signal chains. But again, Iāll have a more complete report of this comparison soon.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is a lot to like about Focal Stellia. It puts excellent resolution, punchy and fun dynamics, excellent isolation, and world-class build quality in an easy-to-drive and comfortable package. For a closed-back headphone its spatial presentation is also impressive. Its resolution is also well-presented by being present enough to be noticed but also relaxed enough to not become distracting. The one aspect of sonic performance where it gets iffy is in timbre, and that is due to the upper-midrange and lower treble region being a bit too forward. Shoutiness, honk, and hollowness are frequent results. Still, some like that sound and even for me, who is someone who perceives shoutiness and honk quite quickly, I rarely found it a deal-breaker. If youāre in the market for a high-end headphone that can be driven by your portable device, put the Stellia on your short list for audition.
Thanks for reading, all. Enjoy the music!
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And the video!
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Have you heard any other mid tier closed backs? Lcd-xc, kennerton gjallarhorn/lsa hp-2, drop ether cx, ath-wp900?
I love closed backs and I am always trying to figure out if the stellia is worth it. I havenāt heard any focal and donāt know if their sound works for me.
Iāve had Elegia 3x, Elex, Elear, Clear Pro, and Stelliaā¦resold all but one. Pretty sure the Stellia was the quickest turn around for resale. I wasnāt impressed.
Have Verite Closed now and very satisfied. Elegia are banging for price- ive bought and resold a few when ā¬ were shortā¦most recently I grabbed a ā¬350 second hand limited edition for work. Elex is one I regret selling most. For me Elex and Elegia are two best value Focals. Stellia was just too much ā¬ for mehā¦could get 95+ % sound for less than half cost.
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Why is the VC better for you?
My goal is fun. And the most fun thing I have heard yet is the LSA HP-2 Ultra. But I also want balanced clear sound. Not sure the hp-2 is beatable for my preferences.
Does an elex give me a good enough āpreviewā to make a decision on stellia? Or any focal?
Elegia, Radiance, TH-X00 w/ stock and Lawton Purpleheart chambers, TH-900 w/ Lawton Purplheart chambers, ZMF Eikon.
IMO it earns its pricetag through the technical performance itās able to achieve while being closed-back. That said, I still personally prefer the Radiance as it has a bassier tuning and more natural timbre in the midrange.
If youāre willing to spend Stellia-level money I might recommend you at least audition a TH-900. They definitely have a āfunā tuning to them. You can also upgrade them some by swapping out for Lawton chambers.
Itās on the list. I need to be careful with bass. While I want lots of rumble/slam, I donāt like sonic bass invasion. Th900 may cross that line. Of course, I wonāt know until I hear it.
I wish the th-x00 were still available.
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How is this not a band name yet? lol. Also, what does this mean to you?
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You are not wrong about the name!
I havenāt determined exactly what it means on a graph. I think itās usually elevated bass too far into the mids and/or a recession in 2-4k.
Example, quad era-1 crossed the line. I canāt stand the lcd-x. The lcd-xc is wonderful (gets a bit shouty) and could have more bass without bugging me.
The timeless IEM is awesome. Bass seems to mix in perfectly.
I could describe more headphones.
For me the Stellia had solid imagining and resolution but the soundstage was meh and I wasnāt a huge fan of the trebleā¦again 95+% of this sound can be had with Elegia. Great detailed machine but not all that enjoyable for me listening. The Verite Close has great imagining and resolution with deep and wide soundstage and nice ZMF tonal balanceā¦not as warm as some other ZMF tuning (Aeolus) - actually Id argue moves towards neutral but thatās not a bad thingā¦I own both for different things. I REALLY recommend both (especially VC in this case
If you were curious but donāt want to lay down the cash why not grab a 2nd hand Elegia and 2nd hand ZMF - eikon or aeolus- get a feel for both manufactures āsoundā and then go with the one you preferā¦I liked both ā¦and while itās been an expensive adventure finding my end gameā¦itās been fun and Iāve learned a lot.
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Interesting so no go on LCD-X ā¦what were you listening to it off of? Really like what I Ve heard off my Sony DAP so far WM1A. I had the LCD-2 CB and liked them and huuuuuge bass off Schiit Bifrost 2 + Jot 1.
When I had the lcd-x I had a mix of amps available. Sp200/m200, xduoo ta-30, dx3 pro, ifi idsd micro signature. It wasnāt an amping thing.
I also donāt know if I had the 2021 version. I had it just after the production switch over but wasnāt aware of that.
It was a while ago. And I was demoing a lot of headphones. I chose the he6se, which immediately died after I had gotten rid of everything else.
Went to iems and closed backs after that. And have genuinely enjoyed most harman tuned headphones with at least decent balance and tasteful bass.
Sonic bass within harman is awesome. Bleeding elsewhere or getting too dark is suffocating.
Hereās the shootout video I promised:
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Try to find a used TH-X00 ebony. It has extremely good bass performance without being bloated. I was honestly very surprised at how neutral it is despite the amazing bass response it has. Probably in my top 3 headphones Iāve owned. Only problem (for me at least) is the stock pads suuuuuuuck.
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I have been keeping an eye out for that one.
But I also ended up getting an lsa hp-2 which is glorious. It kind of put a hold on fun headphones. Itās hard to imagine anything better. I will hear all those mentioned when I can.
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A little shootout for ya!