Focal Elear and Utopia

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by SingSing, Jun 14, 2016.

  1. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    lol we're entering into some phrenology type shit right here. i think we can all agree that people differ in their preferences for bass quantity on headphones. i, for one, welcome a new good headphone that isn't skewed bright or lean. i guess time will tell, but i'm still excited to hear these for myself despite the measurology and tea leaf reading going on lately.
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    We can take a poll.
     
  3. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Yes only a lot of people will be less inclined to keep thier own opinions afterwards. Our minds are very impressionable...I'll admit mine isThere are pros and cons to everything though.
     
  4. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang New

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    as long as it doesn't make bongo or Billy Corgan sound thick with warm halo, i'm ok with its midbass hump.
    i hope Elear doesn't do that.
     
  5. Xecutor

    Xecutor New

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    I have not heard any of the new Focal headphones so this is based on what I've read in Tyll's review. When we are only talking about bass.

    Tyll says when comparing to Utopia," It's possible the bass seems just a tad stronger in the Elear given the slightly more emphatic upper-midrange and treble. To my ears, this is a markedly more refined sounding headphone."

    Now this is after the fact that he also states "The Elear has excellent overall tonal balance. Bass is slightly low for my tastes, but bass is very tight and punchy, and extension is extraordinarily good for an open dynamic driver headphone."

    When I read this, as a long time reader of IF, I'm assuming that Tyll's states that Elear has solved the issue of bass impact and punch, which generally lacks with open dynamic headphones. Now I feel, a lot of open planar magnetic headphone do not have this problem when in comparison to dynamic headphones. I used to have a HiFiMaN HE-5 and in terms of bass, it had a much better overall presentation in terms of harmonics, bass extension and impact when compared to my other open dynamic headphones E.G- AKG K501, 712 Pro, T1 (Semi Open)

    So when Tyll's states this, when comparing to Elear's bass "LCD-X has pretty clearly better resolution and control of the bass". I can sort of relate to what he is trying to say, from my own experience.

    Taking that into consideration the above mentioned statements, a lot of folks might prefer the bass of Elear compared to Utopia, if they feel they want more bass coming out of their open dynamic headphones.
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2016
  6. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    I hope somebody gets these to Bob Katz.

    I would be interested in his professional opinion.
     
  7. KurtSvensson

    KurtSvensson Friend

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    We've already seen a professional opinion: Tyll!
     
  8. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

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    Yay, $4000 TOTL headphone with less soundstage than an Ether C...
    :rolleyes:
     
  9. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    Tyll is great but he has to handle the manufacturers with kid gloves. It's part of the nature of his job.

    Bob has no problem trashing everything which I like .
     
  10. Roosta

    Roosta New

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    Can someone that have listened Elears and Philips X2, how is the bass between them? Tyll?
     
  11. Zed Bopp

    Zed Bopp Friend

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    Hearing about the dip the low-trebles and lack of crunch in guitars and crack of the snare kind of put me off the Elear.

    Good punchy kick and bass guitar + the crack and crunch are the most important things for me in rock/metal. And that's what most of my record collection is. I love good sub-bass too and sold my HD650 happily when I realized LCD-2 did this stuff (and highs) much better. The Elear is good I bet, but maybe not for my needs. Interesting development in the hp world anyway, to say the least.

    How do you owners find them to work with rock and metal?
     
  12. Wolfgang

    Wolfgang New

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    [​IMG]
    looks very breathable.
     
  13. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    After looking up phrenology, I completely agree with my distinguished friend and look forward to hearing his Elears or the loaner pair, whichever comes first.

    PS when you take a break from the new T3, pm me!
     
  14. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

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    From googling pics online I determine the driver rear port is approximately 20mm wide and 24mm deep.
    The driver diaphragm itself is 40mm..

    Edit:
    Leave the rest for you to be the judge in the end if this was a good choice.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2016
  15. Schlappen

    Schlappen New

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    But he didn't done this with Ultrasone and Beats (for example). ;-)
     
  16. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    Both are easy targets in our hobby. Especially Beats.

    Of course I respect his approach , that's what he needs to do to do his job.
     
  17. Tyll Hertsens

    Tyll Hertsens Grandpappy of the hobby - Special Friend

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    I'd rather applaud than criticize...I'm likely to last longer that way.
     
  18. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

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    Spent some time w. the Elear yesterday using Modi Multibit/Vali 2 and Yggdrasil/Ragnarok. Hosted a little minimeet too (thanks for coming over @Dr. Higgs, @thegunner100, and @Serious--sorry to everyone I couldn't invite, my place is small and we were basically playing the meet version of Twister all day).

    Started off with the Modi Multibit/Vali 2, immediately noticed a lack of extension at both ends, which then cast a bright, cold, medical examiners light on the midrange suckout. Timbre off in some bands, right in others, as expected when you have noticeably funky response. I liked the implementation of the Fostex TH-X00 much better as a "fun" headphone.

    Yggdrasil/Ragnarok, the extension was back which made the suckout less noticeable. Now more listenable but the Elear's overall response still bothered me. With the Andromedas and my speaker rig a hands reach away, I can't see myself ever bothering with these. Compared to headphones, the HD650s and HD800s, even with their issues don't have as much going wrong in such a critical band. Tonally I've always preferred a smooth response, flatter is better but if there's to be a voicing I prefer a "tilt" from end to end (whether warm or bright) rather than nulls, peaks, and valleys. TH-X00 still one of the only headphones I've heard (briefly, at meets) that's voiced fun/slightly V-shapey and sounds natural enough doing it.

    Other thoughts: spatial resolving was okay, indeed detail retrieval overall better compared to HD650, likely less than HD800. And dynamic indeed but all of these strengths overshadowed by what, to me, is an egregious weakness.
     
  19. Huxleigh

    Huxleigh Almost "Made"

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    Ouch. :confused: Fantastic impressions, @sphinxvc. The write-up, that is... the takeaway is painful. :( But I'm still looking forward to hearing the Elear for myself, whenever it makes it way to my doorstep.
     
  20. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Yeah I agree. With so many better headphones around, why bother with the Elear? I found the soundstage to be compressed and the treble splashy.
     

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