An Eclear (or “Eclair”) was a popular community mod consisting of putting Clear pads on an Elear. When it came out there were some claiming Elex was something like that combo (others disagreed). There’s plenty of discussion out there about this combo on other sites (maybe here, too).
I did jump on that deal some months back, but have never taken the Elears out of their box. I’m undecided whether I want to listen to them, flip them, or hang onto them for some other purpose (e.g., jumpstating another friend or family member into the HiFi game). In any case, I haven’t heard them–the Eclair vs Elex debate had me convinced that at the very least, Elex > Elear w/ stock pads.
ah okay, thanks man… im in the tiny unpopular group that isn’t too keen on the clears, I found them too aggressive and forward for my tastes whereas im really enjoying the elegia as a sort of more laid back clear… I just have a hunch I won’t prefer the elex from what I hear its more forward and dynamic than the clear (im really glossing over these comparisons) so maybe I should pass on the elear then
@M0N if you have a minute maybe you could weigh in? its my understanding you’ve heard all of the focal line tl;dr how the elear compares to the elegia and clear
Just like that other link posted about the combo it is sold out though I haven’t seen that combo in a long time. This one just sold out yesterday. They had it about a month ago too and it seems to last a day maybe two tops. I have played with one before and liked it so I was lucky enough to get in on this run. Not sure when more will come. They just did some stuff with their warehouse and apparently that last 12 they listed was the last of it.
I never really understood that. For the music I listen to the elear was the most pleasing of the ones I heard and a simple pad swap turns them in to an elex if that is someone’s ideal signature. I just find they work well with modern music but I’m going off memory. My pair isn’t set for delivery until Wednesday.
Ok, lol. I definitely don’t share your opinion and I have heard them. I wasn’t a fan of the Elegia and sold that immediately. I got one of those during the $490 sale after I missed the first batch of the cheap elears. I liked the clear but it seemed closer to the standard “audiophile” sound and lacked the body I enjoyed in the elears. There definitely was not a sound quality difference big enough to say one sucks and the other doesn’t.
I think this is purely a preference based opinion. I personally liked the elear, but feel it was way overpriced until recently. I also think the elegia sounds better but only marginally. The Clears on the other hand sound better to me than the elegia or elear…and that’s not knocking the other 2 headphones either (I still own an Elegia)…it is just better at resolution and more dynamic sounding). But for fun fatigue free listening, the elear are fantastic. Preferences and application of usage can change what is the better option.
YMMV, however, they were at a serious disadvantage when I heard them as I had just listened to the Stellia, then the Clear, then the Elegia and then the Elear. I was very disappointed in how the Elear and Elegia sounded, but my ears had just been spoiled by totl equipment.
I don’t doubt they are good, especially with their competition…and now that it’s been so long since I’ve listened to the Stellia, they probably would sound good.
For what it’s worth I’ve also been enjoying my Elear a ton, and all the EQ experiments I did with it to fix it commonly perceived flaws just made it worse. I planned on purchasing the Clear pads eventually to turn it into an Elex, but I no longer do - looking at how the FR changes it does not look like it’s worth it for me.
I do still plan on buying the Clears if a deal comes along, however.
Agree, compared to my other cans the Clear have much less substantive sound. Which is strange because they can be really punch and I associate that capability with body sometimes.
I’m jealous, the clear was as high up as I could hear. I never seem to be lucky enough to hear any totl stuff. It’s probably a good thing. lol
I was hoping that wasn’t true. I really wanted to try that so I could wait longer before buying clear pads. Regardless I plan to buy the Clear pads. The Elex impressed me so much when I heard it I couldn’t live with myself knowing the only thing stopping me from hearing that is a pair of pads.
Don’t get me wrong, what I meant was that I liked the baseline so much that changing the frequency response wasn’t working for me - it might still work for you. I tried EQing out the dip in FR, that made them sound less natural for me, I also tried two separate harman curve presets made specifically for the Elears and that was just a mess. I did those mostly too see if I can improve them further, not because I didn’t like what they were.
