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Focal Elegia Review (Closed Back Headphone)

Rate this headphone:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 32 15.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 98 45.8%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 59 27.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 25 11.7%

  • Total voters
    214

Snoopy

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Bass and soundstage are much improved with Dekoni Fenestrated pads, and Roon EQ (streaming Tidal).
4-stars from me.
What EQ settings are you using in roon? I will get a new MacBook soon and will try Roon

I'm mostly using my DC Aeon 2 Noire these days and only used the Elegia for like a day in the last couple of weeks.
 

Peterinvan

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I adjust the EQ in ROON based on what the track needs (for my ears)…. For example a bass high shelf…
 

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Peterinvan

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I adjust the EQ in ROON based on what the track needs (for my ears)…. For example a bass high shelf…
Or the EQ suggested above
 

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Snoopy

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Used Amirs EQ filter today . (New roon user), crossfeed, upscaling and headroom and I have to say I'm impressed.
 

pk500

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Jan 9, 2020
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Adorama has this for $379. Is it worth it at that price?
Absolutely, if you want a very detailed closed-back can. Don't expect booming bass. It's present and punches when needed. Some people call these cans bass-light, and that's true if you're used to more bassy cans. But I find the bass on these surprisingly delightful due to the punch.
 

Peterinvan

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Adorama has this for $379. Is it worth it at that price?
Yes, especially if you can get a deal on Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads.
 

Arco

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Feb 19, 2022
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Hi Everyone, I have followed and appreciated the detail measurements and the scientific/objective perspectives of ASR for a long while. I am new to the site and is posting for the first time. I would like to share my 2-cents on the Focal headphones in general. I owned the Focal Elear. It is very fragile. It broke twice within few years before I finally decided to toss it. The first time when it failed it was repaired under warranty. It broke again a little more than a year later, plugged in and no sound both channels, and the repair bill was $475 plus shipping. This is not the quality I expected for a set of headphones costing $999.00.
 

Peterinvan

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Dec 10, 2021
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Hi Everyone, I have followed and appreciated the detail measurements and the scientific/objective perspectives of ASR for a long while. I am new to the site and is posting for the first time. I would like to share my 2-cents on the Focal headphones in general. I owned the Focal Elear. It is very fragile. It broke twice within few years before I finally decided to toss it. The first time when it failed it was repaired under warranty. It broke again a little more than a year later, plugged in and no sound both channels, and the repair bill was $475 plus shipping. This is not the quality I expected for a set of headphones costing $999.00.
Could you share where / how it broke? What do we need to be careful with?
 

Arco

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Could you share where / how it broke? What do we need to be careful with?
On both occasions, the headphone just stopped producing sound when plugged in. I discussed the issues and possible causes with the shop and the sales person. He indicated that the headphones could be damaged if my headphone amp is on when plugging and unplugging. I was rather surprised by that explanation as I use the same process to plug and to unplug with my other headphones: with the amp on. My other headphones are all fine and trouble free which leads me to suspect that this might be a design, engineering and fabrication problem. Or, I might just be unlucky and got a bad unit.
 

Nabooh

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Messages
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I have the Elegia.

Honestly, these are the weirdest headphone I had... And I love them! Actually, I got them new at 280 euros, so maybe I'm not as picky as if I bought them full price...

The Elegia are very, VERY capable headphones. You can feel the drivers have a lot under the hood, it can go pretty low into the subass, mids are actually very pleasant, and treble have a lot of clarity... Once EQ'ed.

Without EQ, you instantly notice the weird tonality , in the very forward voice at some specifics Hz, which make them sound very nasally/radiophonic. The Focal Clear as the same issue with the bump at 2Khz, but it's like 10 times worst on the Elegia without EQ.

Usually, we got some average drivers, with an average "Harmanish" tuning to make it sounds alright, with some already used drivers in other models with any other brands.

With Focal, it's like "hey guys, let's take our high end and capable drivers of our entire line up, and tune it like shit". Seriously Focal...

So yeah, Once EQ'ed, they really shine.
 

Peterinvan

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Open Elegias?

Anyone heard of someone modifying their Elegia cups to try to achieve Clear open sound?
 

Peterinvan

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I'm not sure why anyone would try that considering that Elear and Elex exist.


Open Elegias?

Anyone heard of someone modifying their Elegia cups to try to achieve Clear open sound?
I'm not sure why anyone would try that considering that Elear and Elex exist.


Honest answer: I would have to wait to sell my Elegias, and I am impatient.
 

Rja4000

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I still like my Elegia.

Mine hasn't any issue, even at (very) loud levels with deep bass....
With EQ on RME ADI-2 pro fs.

(-18dBr vs 22dBu FS = +4dBu = 117dB SPL - Ouch !)
 
Last edited:

Duke650

Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2019
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Location
EU
I'm sorry I didn't sell mine before the headband broke. It's a shameful design flaw - every Focal headband breaks sooner or later. And what's even more shameful is the non-existent customer support.
However, the surgery was successful, the patient survived :) Replacement headband from aliexpress + two hours of work = my son got a replacement for his ATH M50
 

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Peterinvan

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Location
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I'm sorry I didn't sell mine before the headband broke. It's a shameful design flaw - every Focal headband breaks sooner or later. And what's even more shameful is the non-existent customer support.
However, the surgery was successful, the patient survived :) Replacement headband from aliexpress + two hours of work = my son got a replacement for his ATH M50
Nice job. What headband did you use for the replacement? Could you post the link. Thanks
 

Stilgar

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Mar 23, 2022
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I just bought an elegia for curios and the cheapest closed back focal nowadays. First i have to say ; these are one of the most comfortable headphones for me. Wondefull earpads ( not leather :) ) , little clamp force , big and deep cups. The sound section is complex, it is shines vocals, certain genres ( trip hop, jazz , classic rock , slow music etc ) but not for heavy & hard rock metal or complexity music. It very dac&amp picky, despite the easy driven they want power. I tested with apple dongles ipad & pihone ( us version botth type c and lightning ) , fiio btr7 , audioquest dragonfly red, fiio q3 mqa , macbook pro 2013 and macbook air m2. Most of the time i liked much with the mbp's 2.1 volt output and cirrus dac's sound. Thx aaa amps very clean distorsion free but too clinical and i like to hear dirty things sometimes :) i'll continue to test with some other dongle dacs , mobile amps and maybe desktop class amps.
 
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