Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones Reviews | Drop

Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones

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Jan 20, 2019

Verified Buyer

The Elex makes music sound fun and exciting. The aluminium drivers give these headphones a punchy sound that's addictive and the tuning makes sure these don't sound offensive. The rigid metal driver gives a slight coloration to the sound but it makes loud music clear and enjoyable whereas the Hifiman HE4XX, Sennheiser HD58X & HD6XX, breaks up at loud volumes. I recommend using oratory1990's Harman EQ presets as the drivers are very well matched. The soundstage is drastically improved while giving it extra sub-bass and substantial improvement for female vocals! The Elex can get tiring to listen to for long periods as it's quite heavy and gets quite hot. The soundstage of the Elex is underwhelming considering it's price point; the soundstage is similar to the DT1990. The ADX5000 makes you feel like you’re in a small jazz hall with the singer right in front of you. The HD800S makes you feel like you’re in an orchestral hall with voices and instruments surrounding you. The DT1990 makes you feel like you’re in an small acoustic treated recording studio and listening to studio monitors. The ZMF Auteur makes you feel like you’re on the 6th row on a live show and the two guitarists and drummers are flanking the singer. The Elex makes you feel like you’re hearing everything from awesome speakers in a small room.

(Edited)

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audioinmyears

Jan 23, 2019

WHO23Is the low bass strong? I have many of the same headphones you listed and the Fostex TH-900mk2 so your thoughts would mean a great deal.

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Jan 24, 2019

audioinmyearsThe sub-bass of the Elex is weak. The Clear is much better at sub-bass. Overall the bass still feels good and fun but not as full as NightOwl, LCD-2C or the cheaper M1060. All the Focal headphones have a really punchy bass and have nice zing with string instruments. The DT1990 has more sub bass and they have similar mid bass with the Balanced pads while the Analytical give the DT1990 lower mid bass than Elex.

(Edited)

Jan 29, 2019

WHO23Is this with the B or A pads on the 1990? I've had the 1990 for over a week now, and am considering returning them for the Elex.. just not too sure. Soundstage and midrange do seem a little disappointing with the 1990 if I had to specify any reason I'm not overly happy with them.

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Jan 29, 2019

ls13cocoIf you tell me what you're looking for then I can help you out. What gear do you use and do you use FLAC? What musical genres do you listen to and do you listen to music loud? I'm using the A pads right now for the DT1990. The Analytical pads lowers the mid-bass and makes the midrange stand out more. However it also makes the music more flat and boring.If you are looking for a something like the DT1990 with balance pads with a more punchy sound then the Elex or ZMF Aeolus are good choices. If you're looking for more soundstage but a more neutral sound then the Sennheiser HD800/800S/700 are better aswell as some planar headphones. The soundstage on the Elex is the same as the DT1990 but somehow the Elex gets warmer during use compared to the DT1990. The midrange is better on the DT1990 than the Elex, but Elex is still overall more exciting to listen to due to it's punch and speaker like sound.

(Edited)

Jan 29, 2019

WHO23I am using a Creative X7 with 4x Sparkos op-amps, and a LD1+ with Burson V5i op-amp and Mullard M8100 tubes. I'm awaiting the next drop of the THX 789, the MD R2R dac and a sale on the Liquid Platinum. Once I purchase either of those amps I'm also ordering the SMSL SU-8. Currently I have the AKG K712 Pro, Fidelio X2 (both my go to for gaming), Fostex TH-X00 Purple Heart, HE-400i (was my top choice for music) until I got my LCD-2C, and recently also the HD 6xx which though the Audeze is my favorite can now, I love the 6xx too. Also have a Mr Speakers Ether Flow shipping out. I have 95% FLAC files and listen to a lot of 90s music, some rap, death metal, classic metal, little DNB, Johh y Cash, Pink Floyd.. big range really. I am torn on whether I like the 1990 more with the A or B pads, but I don't have much interest in the Senn 700 or 800 as for music the 2c definitely has an adequate soundstage for me, while the 712 ad X2 fill the gaming stage. The fact that the Elex gets warmer seems appealing, as the 6xx and 2c are warmer HPs and I reach for most for music, though before that was the 400i. The 1990 does have better or more pronounced vocals in your opinion? My other mindset is the Elex seems to be one of the most dynamic.. dynamic driver headphones, which might be a nice addition to the collection! Also, does the 150 hour recommended burn-in really affect the 1990? I probably only have 7 hours on them.

Jan 29, 2019

WHO23Ah also forgot that I have a DarkVoice 336SE on order.

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Jan 29, 2019

ls13cocoI demo-ed the Utopia with tube amps recently and it doesn't sound good with tube amps. The sound was off and there was harsh sibilance. I think the Elex may not pair well with the DarkVoice.

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Jan 29, 2019

WHO23Yeah I'm not betting on much aside from the 6xx to pair extremely well with the DV.

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Jan 29, 2019

ls13cocoAh what I meant is that the ear cups of the Elex can get quite hot after 2 hours of use. Yeah the Sennheiser 700/800 is redundant for you. From your headphone lineup it seems the HE-400i is the most neutral, the AKG K712 Pro the most comfortable. You also like bassy headphones such as the Fostex and LCD-2C but also love the 6XX for the vocals. I can see why you wouldn't be too impressed by the bass of the DT1990 but I still think it has the most realistic bass with the Analytical pads. The bass of the DT1990 sounds really good on live music and orchestral music. HD6XX has the most pronounced vocals but quality wise the DT1990 and HD6XX are both very flat and realistic. HD800S vocals sound hollow and HE4XX vocals sound slightly muffled. Elex has clear vocals but has a hump which you can hear when they pull the notes. The DT1990 & HD800S both make old recordings sound bad. If you're looking for a headphone to add some dynamism to music, particularly old recordings, the Elex is excellent and I also recommend trying ZMF headphones. The wood on ZMF headphones give a reverb to guitar strings while the diaphragm makes the voices intimate. Plus pair really nicely with tube amps too. I was A/B testing the HD800S. HD6XX, HE-4XX, DT1990 and Elex on the THX 789. My DAC is Oppo Sonica but I will switch to ApplePi / SMSL SU-8v2 soon. The results are as follows: Vocals: HD6XX>DT1990>HD800S>Elex>HE4XX Live Instruments: HD800S>DT1990>Elex>HE4XX>HD6XX Bass Quantity: DT1990>Elex>HD800S>HE4XX>HD6XX Bass Quality: DT1990>HE4XX>Elex>HD800S>HD6XX Soundstage: HD800S>HE4XX>Elex=DT1990>HD6XX Fun: Elex>DT1990>HD800S>HE4XX>HD6XX Treble: Elex has just the right amount but is not as detailed. DT1990 & HD800S has lots of treble and unfortunately also sibilant.

(Edited)

Jan 29, 2019

WHO23Ah I understand now, I am hoping for a release of a Schiit Loki with more bands to release, or I might just buy the mini so hopefully in the future that wouldn't be an issue if I were to run a Focal through the DV. Plus, it should be fun to play around with the Loki altogether. I should have actually mentioned that I am selling my Fostex, I just never use it unless I want to listen to some rap with EQ'd low-end added and that just doesn't happen often. The bass mixed with the soundstage and warmth fairly forward mids of the 2c seems to be what does it for it being my go to currently, but I did want a nice dynamic driver, more accurate if slightly bright HP to the collection. I do have hopes of purchasing the Arya as my final piece (if I can stop..) and am debating maybe skipping the 1990/Elex and saving up more might be the route to go. I also do not listen to many live recordings. Thank you very much for all your informative help, it's very appreciated!

Jan 30, 2019

ls13cocoNo problems. For live recordings like Eagles - Hotel California (Hell Freezes Over), the DT1990 and HD800S are amazing. But when I listen to the original they became lifeless. If you like to EQ, the Elex responds really well to EQ. I tried all the oratory1990 Harmann neutral EQ from reddit with EqualizerAPO and the DT1990 and HD800S became bland but the Elex sounded great.

(Edited)

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Wyatt1974

Feb 1, 2019

WHO23I have the Aeolus on order. Do the Elex sound different enough to justify buying them? How they compare and differ?

(Edited)

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Feb 2, 2019

Wyatt1974I went to demo during December, a few months ago. I was looking for technical headphones to upgrade from the HD800S and really liked the ADX5000. I was skeptical of ZMF because the drivers were not made in house but when I put the Auteur on I was really amazed by the full sound, the amazing way string instruments sounded and the interesting way they place instruments in front of you on a stage. After making up my mind, I went back another time to buy the Auteur but ended up ordering the Aeolus instead. I felt that the Elex was fun sounding but it didn't sound completely right for vocals. Also whenever I go from the HD800S to the Elex, I didn't like the soundstage of the Elex. Elex is technically a better headphone than the Aeolus as the drivers have better speed and rigidity, giving it good imaging. However that speed also makes voices thin. I love the way the NightOwl and HD6XX/HD650 presents vocals and I felt the Aeolus was a step up from both of them. The Aeolus, much like the NightOwl and HD800S, makes voices sound fuller and smoother. The warm tonality of the Aeolus and the soundstage also makes this voice stand out, much like how the HD6XX/HD650 presents it. ADX5000 is also amazing for vocals but it goes for a technical sound so it is very clear but dry sounding.

(Edited)

stormmilk

Feb 7, 2019

WHO23So basically you mean we should still get the HD800s? What about HD800 and HD820? Thanks.

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Feb 7, 2019

stormmilkThe Elex has an average soundstage, being just a tad bigger than the 58X. I think it’s due to their decision to make the driver so close to your ears. If you like a huge soundstage, then you really should consider the HD800 & HD800S but definately not the HD 820. If the Edition XX is close to its siblings, it will probably have a huge soundstage and imaging capabilities and is also considerably cheaper. I personally hated the HD820 as it took away the thing that made the HD800 great, the soundstage. Between HD800S and HD800, the HD800S has more but distorted bass, has fuller vocals but is not as technical, and has less sibilance. Overall though, Elex is still more fun to listen to, especially at high volumes. Build wise, Elex also feels more luxurious and you will be undewhelmed by the use of plastics on the HD800 & HD800S especially at that price range.

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