To negotiate the best possible price for our customers, we agree to hide prices prior to logging in.
1 request
·
99 Sold
Product Description
This Refurbished Sale is for B-stock Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones. For more information, please refer to the Refurbished Details & Guidelines below.
They looked pretty good out of box and all cables/manuals were included. However on first test the right earcup is completely dead (how can this possibly happen if these are checked??). It really does seem this a common problem and i would not advise buying this version without a long warranty. Still no response from Drop either on refund/return. Not a great experience so far :(
Update on Jul 24th Drop did give me a full refund
marcduckHi yes just as a update Drop did give me a no hassle refund about 2 weeks after my review. I do give them credit on that but thoughts on this particular headphone remain the same.
These headphones were great......for the 2 days that they works. The left side earcup stopped working on the 3rd day. Seems to be a common theme among buyers. Not sure why are still for sale. I will say that drop was very good about responding immediately and i have been refunded. I. Am sure i will buy from drop again. Just not Focal product.
I've had the Elex for a few days. This headphone seems to be notorious for its QC mishaps, and also the infamous clipping issue that seems to plague all Focal headphones. So far, I have experienced neither, but I will update this review accordingly if any issues pop up. Driver matching is exceptional across the entire frequency range, a pleasant surprise for a B-stock/refurbished offer. The storage case was a bit damaged at the seams, but the headphone itself looks brand-new with no blemishes/defects.
Sound: Feels like a V-shape while not being V-shaped in the slightest. It's a very neutral FR, a bit brighter with less sub-bass than the Harman curve. It has the punchiest bass of any closed-back I've heard, without being a bassy headphone. Mids are rich, smooth, and well-textured - not recessed but also not saturated. Treble resolution is through the roof; it's a bit sibilant as a result, but it's a pleasant kind of sibilance, not the ear-bleeding kind like Beyerdynamics. Overall, the sound is energetic and incredibly dynamic, great for analytical listening in most genres. Not the best for jazz, ambient, and classical - look to the LCD-2C or Ananda instead for these genres.
Technicals- Micro-detail retrieval is boosted by the high resolution and dynamic range. It's tied with the Ananda, though it seems to favor upper mids/treble detail while the Ananda favors bass detail. Soundstage is wider than a closed-back or HD58X/6XX, but still rather intimate. It's a traditional "spherical helmet" soundstage instead of the "concert hall" soundstage on the Ananda. Though the center image is not as deep as Ananda, it is remarkably stable and precise - vocals and instruments tend to feel like tight, short beams instead of walls or waves. Precision imaging is the second-best aspect of this headphone, after the energy/dynamics.
Verdict: It's part of the "best under $1000" trifecta, along with the Ananda and LCD-2C. One of the best deals in the current audiophile landscape, if you're aware of the risks of buying refurb.
Edit: 1 month later and still going strong. Also works wonders when paired with vinyl, plus a good turntable/cartridge/phono stage. I use a Cambridge Alva Duo since it's one of a few phono preamps to have a headphone amp along with a line contact stylus, and it sounds like speakers - all the sound is in front. It certainly beats out the Ananda for vinyl, despite having a more analytical sound and small soundstage. This headphone really comes alive when paired with vinyl in a way that digital can't provide.
I use it extremely careful every time and hope it can work for 1-2 years. It still death on the right-hand side in 28 days. The sound and looks is a beast in this price range, no doubt. It may be the only reason this headphone has been reported so many fail cases but still on sale.
I recommend it if anyone wants a good sound and do not mind half of its lifespan is on shipping:)
I wish the QC was better on these. I canceled my Order and bought a set of Shure SE846’s that I’ve wanted to get forever. I bought a Sony NW-WM1A as well. Hopefully the SE846’s can sufficiently introduce me to DSD.