Torn: Focal Elegia or Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X/RT?

Headphones Headphone Discussion / Help
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Hi all:

I’m looking to step up from my Meze 99 Classics in a closed-back. The Mezes’ bass is just too uncontrolled, too bloomy.

Seeking something with some warmth and a bit of richness in controlled bass, with no bleed or bloom into the mids or treble. I do NOT like hot treble, as a pretty serious case of tinnitus makes me pretty treble-sensitive. Yet, I still want clear, detailed mids and treble. Basically, I seek something on the slightly warm or rolled-off side of neutrality, with good soundstage, detail and imaging.

My extensive research has led me to the discontinued Focal Elegia at $540 on Amazon or the Drop.com special on the Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X for $380. I will drive these from the iFi hip-dac, SE with the Dan Clark’s until I can get a balanced cable. I can go balanced with the Focals out of the box since the outstanding Audiophile Ninja balanced cable I have for my HiFiMan HE-400se – LOVE those cans – will work with the Focals.

My primary genres are classic rock, alt-country and Americana, with a hint of blues, hard bop jazz and progressive house EDM.

So, would the Elegia or Aeon Closed X/RT work best for me? Appreciate the advice!

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I have the Aeon RT Closed and they are fantastic. At the current drop price of $380 you really can’t go wrong. My only hesitation is I’m not sure the hip dac has enough juice even balanced. I don’t have the hip dac, but at a similar power output, the Fulla 3 didn’t do the Aeon’s justice. They shine off more powerfull amps like the xDuoo xd05 plus or anything from Schiit magni and up.

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Thanks. Maybe I can use the cost savings from Drop and get a better amp. Looking to get a desktop amp, anyways.

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That would be a solid move.
Other than the XD05 plus, I also use them on Magni 3+, Asgard 3 and the Xduo MT-602 with upgraded tubes. I find they all do great.

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Cool. I’ll start with hip-dac, which has a surprising amount of power for a portable, more than iFi’s desktop Zen DAC (maybe that’s why hip-dac’s battery life sucks!). Then I’ll move up to a more powerful solution.

Thanks for your tips. Other readers: Keep the opinions coming! Thanks.

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i vote for the aeon

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The Elegia can be found occasionally on sale @ Adorama for $399 which is what I paid for mine. Enjoy the hell out of the them but they need eq.

Very tempted to buy the Drop Aeon Open X @ $399.

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The Aeons require a nuclear reactor to power them. On some classical pieces I’m going past 2 o’clock on a Magni. They do sound fantastic though.

I would recommend getting the Aeon RT (same headphone) from DCA where you can choose a 4.4 cable to run balanced off the hip dac

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I’ve had 2 Elegia and am currently kicking the idea around of picking a set up again, to take to the office. For the money you can get them for these days they are pretty darn good.

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What are you trying to fix with the EQ? Add more bass? Tame the mids or treble?

Thanks.

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I was very interested in the Dan Clark Aeons that Apos has, but I could not quite swing the 900 buck price tag right now. I was able to pick up the Elegias for less than 500. I am quite OK with these Elegias at that price, man. They are very engaging and every time I put them on I just want to keep listening to them.

That said, had I had the scratch I would have purchased the Aeons. The only thing about the Aeons I wasn’t hip on was the headband. It’s this foldable thing that doesn’t look very sturdy to me. Not at that price. And I don’t know what the differences are between the real Aeon and the Drop model. Oh well, doesn’t matter - I’ll be rockin’ the Elegias tonight and I’ll be a happy boy!

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The Aeon X (drop) and Aeon RT (DCA’s site) are retuned versions of the Aeon Flow. The $900 ones are the Aeon 2.

That gimbal feels very sturdy, although I’m talking about the Aeon RT which doesn’t fold. It’s solid metal and doesn’t feel weak at all. Never heard of it breaking

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Don’t have the DCA to compare, but I own the Elegia for over a year now and I’m quite happy with it. That said, it is not warm headphone, the Bass is very linear and we’ll extended but it isn’t pronounced. Mid-range is very forward, and a peak between 1k and 2k can be annoying to some people, although I’m not one of them. Soundstage is decent but not wide, and the detail is great. Some say the Elegia is the gateway to the world of high-end headphones and I can say it does present music in a way I’ve never heard before.

I will say the Aeon closed X pricing is excellent, and would be probably harder to see again than the Adorama $399 recurring “sale”. That’s something to take into consideration.

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Hm if you’re really treble sensitive I’m not sure the elegia are it for you, those are one of the only cans except the t60rp where I can get treble fatigue
But I did Rock some dt990 for some time so I think they have a peak at 1k or 2k but after some burn in it did get better not sure if I did adapt to the HP or the drivers got a bit looser but what ever XD
What I personally can also recommend is something like a Denon ath 7000 or 7200 if you can get them for a decent price
Otherwise have fun ^^

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