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Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones

Audiophile

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Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones

rfmusic4life

Jul 3, 2018

Verified Buyer

I already owned the Focal Elear (which I adore for watching movies on my Questyle CMA6001 solid state amp) so I don't know what prompted to get the Massdrop Elex other than I was curious about Focal's Clear, but thought it was too much money. Anyway, I digress. I have many headphones to choose - from Sennheiser HD6XX to a pair of Audeze LCD-X. Well, I wasn't expecting the Elex to kick crazy butt, and it did. It has blown everything I own out of the water and lives most happily sending me music out of my DarkVoice 336SE amp (also purchased from Massdrop.) It's just great across the board. Great bass and impact without being tubby or flabby, doesn't milk into the mid-range which sounds fluid and rich. The top end is great as I like, lots of detail and clarity without sounding hard. Ever so-slightly rolled off (probably the tubes in the DarkVoice.) Depending on the recording, lots of space and air felt in the headphones. Overall, I think these are great headphones, especially for the price. Well done, Massdrop and Focal!

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kcetjon

Jul 9, 2018

rfmusic4lifeHow will you compare the Elex to the Elear?

tholt

Jul 9, 2018

rfmusic4lifeAlso want to know how you think it compares to the Elear, especially w/respect to bass. I was intrigued by the Elear owning Hifiman 400i's, which I love for the clarity but I feel the bass could use a punch up or two. From reviews, the Elear had that, but it sounds like the Elex is less so?

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rfmusic4life

Jul 10, 2018

kcetjonHi kcetjon, Sorry, I didn't see your question until now. I think the Elear and the Elex have a lot in common, with the Elear pulling ahead a bit, to my ears. The Elear are a very good headphone. The main difference in a listening comparison with both in the same amp and listening to the same song and at a fairly equal volume level, the main difference I feel between them is in the bass. The Elear has a more pronounced bass. I find both sets of can are pretty similar other than in this one area. In this respect, it comes down to a matter of preference. I don't find the bass in the Elear objectionable, but it is definitely a bit more accentuated. You'd probably have to listen to them both to make an educated decision, but I find both are good. The Elex definitely has a more refined bass. You can't go wrong with either of these headphones. If you tend to like more "bottom" the Elear is the solution. It's really a matter of taste. I hope this helps and as always, good luck in your search.

rfmusic4life

Jul 10, 2018

tholtHi tholt,
If you hunt down my reply to kcetjon's question, I address that question. Hope this helps!

rfmusic4life

Jul 10, 2018

tholtAs a follow-up to your question, the Elex is not bass light, either. It is very much a recording dependent factor as well. The chances of auditioning the Elear is surely greater than finding a pair of Elex's to compare them to. That said, as I stated in my original review, I like the Elear a lot for movies and I prefer the Elex for music but, if it were a horse race, they are very close aside from the bass differential. Then it becomes a matter of preference.

tholt

Jul 21, 2018

rfmusic4lifeThanks @rfmusic4life. Appreciate you answering those questions. I found a great deal on Elears and I am enjoying them quite a bit. I do hear a bit of the upper-mid 'suckout' some have reported, but it really doesn't bother me too much. I think it also depends a lot on the type of music you play. I'm a bit of a basshead and I do have electronic and alternative music in heavy rotation. The Elears can sound pretty amazing with those genres.
Anyway, I'm still interested in the Elex's (this hobby, right???). Do you notice that upper mid suckout at all, compared to the Elear, and if so, how noticeable is it? I know that's subjective, but you're unique in that you own both headphones :)
And I have one last question -- I read that you're running the Elex (and presumably the Elear) with the Darkvoice 336. How are the pairings? I assumed due to the high output impedance of the DV that the Elear, let alone the Elex w/ even lower impedance, would work. Very interested to hear your thoughts and what the sonics are like using that amp with the Focals. Sorry to barrage you with questions... Sincerely appreciate your thoughts

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Senpai-sama

Jul 21, 2018

tholtPeople have stated that the Elex sounds more closely to Clears than Elears (you can also see this from the frequency response curve). I suggest you look up reviews of clears and so what people are saying about that.

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rfmusic4life

Jul 24, 2018

tholtHi tholt, I'm going to answer your second questions first because it impacts the first question as well. When answering both your and kectjon's questions, I was auditioning both the Elex and the Elear through the Dark Voice at the same volume, back and forth on the same music, and was also careful to use the same cable on both to assure a fair comparison. They both sound great to my ears on the DV and allowed me to make more critical assessments between them. Hence my answers. As far as the ability to drive the headphones adequately, the DV has more than enough horsepower to make them both come alive. I'm on average at 9:05 on the volume pot and that's about 25%. It's plenty loud and sounds great. (Better tubes are worth investing in over the stock tubes, as others have noted, and I agree). As both sets of headphones are rated at 80ohms impedance, it was a very even comparison.
As far as sonics go, for on this amp, it's hands down great. As I stated in my review above, "Well, I wasn't expecting the Elex to kick crazy butt, and it did. It has blown everything I own out of the water and lives most happily sending me music out of my DarkVoice 336SE amp (also purchased from Massdrop.) It's just great across the board. Great bass and impact without being tubby or flabby, doesn't milk into the mid-range which sounds fluid and rich. The top end is great as I like, lots of detail and clarity without sounding hard. Ever so-slightly rolled off (probably the tubes in the DarkVoice.) Depending on the recording, lots of space and air felt in the headphones." But, they both sound good to me on the DV.
Now, to your first question. I actually don't hear the upper-mid suck out in either set, so I can't accurately answer your question. Everyone hears differently, apparently and I'm not hearing that. In any case, I'm glad you like the Elear's you found. As to specific specs, you could check the frequency response curves (as Senpai-Sama states below) for both headphones on their respective sites and look for a change in the upper-mids, but I'm not hearing it. If it is an affect that people are hearing and the Elear has learned tricks from the Clear, that might have been addressed and cleaned up. As I stated previously, I like both headphones a lot, they just a bit different. As always, good luck in your searching.

tholt

Jul 24, 2018

rfmusic4lifeThanks for the thorough reply, that helps quite a bit and I appreciate your impressions! Also good to know that your Focals work with the DV. Lots of what I've read essentially says the pairing shouldn't work (high output impedance amp -> low impedance headphones = bad sound). While I respect the science and logic behind this, it goes to show there are no true absolutes in this hobby, and everyone has different ears, tastes, and (most of all) opinions. I'm guessing it also very much depends on the specific headphones.
Tempted to pick up the DV before the drop ends. More research to ensue... ;) Thanks again!

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rfmusic4life

Jul 25, 2018

tholtYou're welcome, tholt, a couple of thoughts in closing. Above, I meant to state, "If it is an affect that people are hearing and the 'Elex' has learned tricks from the Clear, that might have been addressed and cleaned up." As to the high output impedance amp and low impedance headphones question, I don't have any issues. My ears tell me what I need to know. Based on the music you said you primarily listen to, you like a little more bass slam, a good solid state amp might be your preference and I use both, depending on mood and material. But, I tend to keep coming back to the DV as my preferred source. As you rightly state, different ears, tastes and opinions. Some feel tubes are too soft in the bottom end. I don't. As always, whatever you read is one thing, what you hear is quite another. Cheers!

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