Massdrop x Focal Elex Review and Measurements

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by purr1n, Dec 15, 2017.

  1. Soups

    Soups Sadomasochistic cat

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    As a former owner of the Clears that moved down to the Elex, I appreciate and agree with your comparison. I'm pretty glad I made the "downgrade", as it freed up enough funds for some other nice gear. I'm also relieved to not have to worry about finding a way to clean the Clears, which were guaranteed to look soiled in no time.

    Now I can only compare from memory, but echoing some of the things you mentioned, I immediately found the Elex a tad drier (especially with that rougher, but not rough, treble). The Clears had a nice warmer tilt with an unusual coherence/lushness to it. Maybe the upper-mids on the Clears aren't as recessed?

    Bottom line though, I really enjoyed the Clears, and still prefer them to the Elex (minus color) but NOT at nearly twice the price (new). Elex is further proof that chasing the TOTL dragon amounts to paying exponentially for the remaining 5-10% gain in performance.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2018
  2. westermac

    westermac Friend

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    How in the heck do Jude's measurements show the Elex midrange/upper midrange FR being so similar to the HD650?

    [​IMG]

    I own both and the above doesn't represent what I'm hearing at all... The HD650 is supposed to have a 5kHz peak comparable (or higher, according to the graph) the 6kHz peak of the Elex? The 6kHz peak of the Elex isn't THAT bad, and certainly nowhere near unmodded HD800 levels of screech, but in listening it sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the HD650. Is the Elex's peak just more pronounced because it is relatively recessed in the 2-5kHz range compared to the HD650?

    From what I understand Jude's equipment is top notch, I'm just trying to get my head around around what I'm hearing.
     
  3. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Different rigs, different results. Also, could be a positioning and clamp thing. Focals are a PITA to measure consistently.
     
  4. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    Anyone play with mods on the elex yet?
     
  5. westermac

    westermac Friend

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    I had the crazy idea of sticking a superdupont resonator in the cavity behind the drivers to help with the 6kHz peak, but it doesn't have the same effect (seems pretty obvious in retrospect). I'll probably experiment with rear damping a bit further, to see how it might effect bass/treble.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2018
  6. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    Wondering if they're going to drop again... ever. I see Blinq (they're a liquidator) is selling them...
     
  7. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    And as soon as I post this, the Elex drops the next day... for less than the liquidator is charging...:D
     
  8. loki993

    loki993 Facebook Friend

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  9. sahmen

    sahmen New

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    I am tempted to join the drop... out of wanting a new toy, as opposed to really needing one, I already have the
    LCD-X, the Hifiman He-1000 and He-500, and the Sennheiser HD 6XX, 650, and 800. Does the SQ of the ELEX offer a flavor that would be different in an interesting enough way to be worthwhile from such a vantage point?. Notice that I have no experience with any Focal Hps, I am just aware of the hype through all kinds of readings I have done about them, some negative and many positive, and readings about how the Elex ranks among them (most rank the Elex above the Elears, if I am not mistaken, but is the Elex more of a "baby Utopia" than it is a "baby-Clear" or are such designations simply misleading?)

    Yes, I know that the question as to whether the Elex would be worth my while sounds like one only I can ultimately answer... And yet even so, it is not a plunge I would like to take without some guidance from the collective wisdom of hobbyists who are more knowledgable and experienced than I am in these matters, if you know what I mean.

    Any helpful thoughts would be welcome.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2018
  10. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Unless you want a newer toy (or unless you are not happy with the current headphones), I recommend you to skip Elex. What Elex can do for you will be achieved by the careful combination of hd650 and hd800 (you already own both!) if they are properly amped and sourced.

    If you don't have a clear idea about Focal's house sound (Utopia, Clear and Elex share a lot of similarities in tonality and sonic presentations), find any opportunities to hear them prior to joining the drop. Statements like baby utopia or baby clear are right and wrong imo but they may be completely BS for those who did not experience Clear and Utopia.
     
  11. sahmen

    sahmen New

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    This sounds exactly like what I needed to hear at this moment! Wise words! Thanks.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Go for it. It's different from HFM, Senn, Audeze, etc. Collect them all. The tone is most like HD600.
     
  13. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    The drop is ending soon and I'm almost ready to pull the trigger. Impressions that the tonality is more similar to HD600 than HD650 are the only thing holding me back. I compared both a long time ago and found the 600 to be a bit too bright for my tastes. Both had pretty beat up pads.

    I'm prepared to do @Hands foam-over-driver mod to tame the brightness. Would the modded Elex get me 90% of the Clear?
     
  14. I_want_all_the_tacos

    I_want_all_the_tacos Friend

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    I own Elex and Elear and have auditioned Clear a few times. I would say Elex is the most neutral of the three. I haven't had a chance to listen to Clear back to back with Elex but they are pretty similar in both correcting Elear's wonky mids. Elex definitely isn't as warm/thick in mid-bass as HD650 is. It still has really nice and extended clean bass though, but it isn't overly emphasized like Elear or HD650 can get. Based on reviews I was thinking Elex might be a tad light in bass quantity, but I think it is spot on. Elex and Clear are definitely more similar to each other than they are to Elear.

    Elex isn't as upper mid forward as HD600 so if it is that 2-4k area of HD600 that gives you problems, I don't think Elex will be an issue. There honestly isn't really anything offensive about Elex's tonal balance.
     
  15. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    @gixxerwimp Not sure if you saw my review but I found Elex to be better than Clear. I've since talked to others and they agree. I think equating Elex to HD600 vs HD650 is more to do with Elex being leaner than Clear but it is not as forward in the presence region as HD600 IMO. There is the 6kHz peak but the cloth pads help control the ringing very well and it's not much of an issue, at least for me.

    EDIT: Beaten by @I_want_all_the_tacos nice timing!

    Here is a comparison of Elex, HD600 ( a very old one with channel imbalance) and @purr1n 's original HD650 modded headphone using a NEW compensation curve where FLAT with a "BBC dip" is reference neutral ie a mastering studio*:
    [​IMG]

    *I'll go into more detail on the compensation curve when I have some time.
     
  16. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Well this is exciting stuff! Looking forward to that write up :)

    Reading all these makes me wish I knew someone with an Elex. Swapping pads on the Elears seems to bring them closer to the MDxFocals, but has anyone taken them apart to check for changes behind the cup/ changes to the drivers? Might have missed that.
     
  17. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Thanks! Yeah, I'm super excited about this. I've been working on it for a while and finally everything clicked. It might still need some massaging but it's close enough for public consumption.

    Here is a review with measurements comparing Elex vs Clear and Elear. There should be some useful information in here for you:
    https://www.verumsonus.com/focal-clear-vs-focal-elear-vs-focal-elex-comparison-review/
     
  18. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    That review was posted in the Elex/Eclair thread, and was what got me thinking about getting Elex to satisfy my yearning for Clear after hearing @Mithrandir41's at Marv's in February. I had a hard time coming to a clear conclusion after reading all the different measurements and impressions, but @westermac and @Soups' happiness with their downgrades and the above replies have put me at ease.
     
  19. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Missed that in the other thread, thanks @cskippy, @gixxerwimp! Hmm, yeah, I'm a tad iffy about Focal's headstaging, plus the metallic nature of the sound (biodyna ftw). Still need to demo extensively to see if it'll be a bother, plus checking to see how much resolution one can eke out of an Elex/Elear
     
  20. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    I know how people feel about the biodyna drivers, but I found the clears to be less metallic sounding than the Eikon/Auters. The Utopia does have a distinct Be sound, though to my ears
     

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