This is, in all honesty, the best pair of headphones I own. Amazing impact, amazing clarity. Pairs VERY well with Schiit Audio Jotunheim. I bought my pair off Amazon (as the Focal Elear), but since these are being sold on Massdrop now, I just wanted to add my $0.02. If you can afford these, I'd most certainly recommend them.
RareAirsPretty darned close in sound profile... Very hard to tell the difference. All aspects: lows, mediums, highs... all hit hard and don't distort at loud volumes.
The build quality seems a bit cheaper, but this could be a psychological aspect of purchasing a MD collaborative product (sorry!!!).
However, the accessories (the balanced XLR!!!) is a huge plus to me... I think I spent an additional $100 or so on a high quality cable, and this drop includes one??? Bah!
Honestly, if you're a purist... go with Focal. This company is clearly an industry leader and makes a superb product worth every penny. If you want to save a buck or two, MD offers a great alternative and I can't say anything bad about this offering. I am 99% positive that anyone with anything other than stupidly high-end headphones will find this set an entirely different experience.
I am however, a purist.
Please keep in mind I wasn't able to try out the Elex over an extended period of time. My Focal Elear headphones are my go-to when I want to listen to something new, hi-res, or just show off. I'm particular to "brand name" items and I'm sure there's a level of bias present because of that. I also tested these on my Schiit Jotunheim, which I'm certain plays a big part in overall sound quality.
Both the Elex and Elear don't sound as bright on the Hiby R6 or a HP X360.
Overall: If you have the $$ to spend... You will NOT be disappointed with these headphones. Oh, and make sure to crank the volume up. Wow.