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Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones
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Massdrop x Focal Elex Headphones
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Product Description
Made with Focal’s brilliant engineering and extraordinary attention to detail, the Elex headphones take a fundamentally different approach to dynamic drivers—and deliver a better measured performance across the board than headphones several times their price. A refinement of the $1,000 Elear with elements of the $1,500 Clear, they boast several improvements to the sound, build, and aesthetic, too Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downCurrawong
318
Review Team on Head-Fi
Dec 16, 2017
Will contacted me and asked if I’d like to be part of the launch of the Elex, including posting my impressions of the headphones. I received a pair that Will said would be sonically accurate. Here are the impressions I wrote up. I knew other people who had, or were getting pairs, but we didn't have a chance to compare notes, so these are my thoughts completely independent of anyone else. Will didn't even know what I was going to write until I posted publicly.
FYI, I buy clothes and EDC gear from Massdrop and I bought a pair of K7XX in possibly the very first drop. I met will at the Wikia HQ at a Head-Fi meet just after the Utopia and Elear were released, and met and chatted to Will. Given I'm the kind of person who cannot decide on what color of something I will buy and consequently own a lot of black t-shirts, bags, caps and whatever, you could say the Elex has brought things very much full circle for me!
My first impression of the Elex was of a “baby” Utopia. I could simply say that they are a less resolving pair of Utopias and be done. Going through my recent playlists, I hear the same things, just the micro, and ultra-micro detail is missing compared to the Utopias. However what’s left is punchy and enjoyable and more open-sounding. Their tonality comes across as a bit light of neutral overall, but a significant amount of this may be more a factor of the precision of their presentation and quality of their bass. For example, if you found the Elear a bit muffled and bass-strong and want more air and punch, then these may be just what you are after. Out of the Hugo 2, every part of the music seems to jump out — vocals emote strongly, guitars pluck and twang and bass notes punch fast with detail. The soundstage seems wider, with sounds on good stereo recordings seeming to come from way outside the headphones. The treble is very present — not overdone, but clean and clear enough even when modern, brighter music comes on. It doesn’t become irritating, at least at my moderate listening levels, as can easily happen with cheaper headphones. The subtle sounds on high-quality recordings don’t have the finesse I get from the Utopias on my system. While I can hear instrument notes decay and echo, those sounds disappear faster and are more “one note” than from the Utopias, which reveal layer upon layer of detail. Despite that, once or twice I ended up looking up from my computer thinking I’d heard a sound from elsewhere in the house when it was a sound coming from within the studio on the recording. The bass, despite being a bit on the light side on some tracks, is where the Elex totally nails things. There is an absolutely delicious precision with excellent amount of detail for headphones in this price range. This allowed me to enjoy listening with the Elex, even though I have better headphones on hand. I tried the Elex out of a variety of gear I have hear and they drove readily easily and consistently out of everything. Switching from, say, a Chord Mojo to my main rig, I could make out an increase in clarity, suggesting to me that at the $799 price Massdrop are asking, they are going to give other headphones in this price range a very serious challenge. The only negatives I can find are that the treble, at least to my ears, can come across as a tiny bit metallic (irony not intended) and the very low bass doesn’t come out with quite the strength that would be ideal (see music impressions). In all other areas, the Elex makes the music I listen to highly enjoyable. I reckon these are excellent “entry level high-end” headphones that can give one a taste of what the hobby is all about, without demanding a huge outlay in equipment.
Standard bass test tracks:
Angel - Massive Attack
The bass was so punchy that I had to check I hadn’t left the speakers on when listening. It doesn’t have the quantity of deep thump that would make the best match with this kind of track, but then because it is totally the opposite of “boomy” it makes the track quite an experience to listen to anyway. Hey Lion - Sofi Tukker
The (mid-)bass is likewise very punchy from this dance track, and deliciously precise while all the other parts of the track remain distinctly clear. When I Get My Hands on You - The New Basement Tapes
The deep rumble of the low bass notes is distinctly rolled off. On good planars you can really feel those very low notes but not with the Elex. Other tracks:
Rickover’s Dream - Michael Hedges
This is where I compared the detail in note decay. Guitar plucks are beautiful and precise, and this is where you enjoy the emotion of the playing the Elex delivers and are careful NOT to compare to anything better, because this recording has a whole world inside of it. Gentle Storm - Elbow
If there’s a track that was made for the Elex, then this is it. The song itself focusses around the vocals, with a mix of light percussion and piano backing them — no heavy-sounding instruments, Guy Garvey’s vocals reaching right out to you as the other instruments tap and thunk away, each clearly delineated.
FYI, I buy clothes and EDC gear from Massdrop and I bought a pair of K7XX in possibly the very first drop. I met will at the Wikia HQ at a Head-Fi meet just after the Utopia and Elear were released, and met and chatted to Will. Given I'm the kind of person who cannot decide on what color of something I will buy and consequently own a lot of black t-shirts, bags, caps and whatever, you could say the Elex has brought things very much full circle for me!
My first impression of the Elex was of a “baby” Utopia. I could simply say that they are a less resolving pair of Utopias and be done. Going through my recent playlists, I hear the same things, just the micro, and ultra-micro detail is missing compared to the Utopias. However what’s left is punchy and enjoyable and more open-sounding. Their tonality comes across as a bit light of neutral overall, but a significant amount of this may be more a factor of the precision of their presentation and quality of their bass. For example, if you found the Elear a bit muffled and bass-strong and want more air and punch, then these may be just what you are after. Out of the Hugo 2, every part of the music seems to jump out — vocals emote strongly, guitars pluck and twang and bass notes punch fast with detail. The soundstage seems wider, with sounds on good stereo recordings seeming to come from way outside the headphones. The treble is very present — not overdone, but clean and clear enough even when modern, brighter music comes on. It doesn’t become irritating, at least at my moderate listening levels, as can easily happen with cheaper headphones. The subtle sounds on high-quality recordings don’t have the finesse I get from the Utopias on my system. While I can hear instrument notes decay and echo, those sounds disappear faster and are more “one note” than from the Utopias, which reveal layer upon layer of detail. Despite that, once or twice I ended up looking up from my computer thinking I’d heard a sound from elsewhere in the house when it was a sound coming from within the studio on the recording. The bass, despite being a bit on the light side on some tracks, is where the Elex totally nails things. There is an absolutely delicious precision with excellent amount of detail for headphones in this price range. This allowed me to enjoy listening with the Elex, even though I have better headphones on hand. I tried the Elex out of a variety of gear I have hear and they drove readily easily and consistently out of everything. Switching from, say, a Chord Mojo to my main rig, I could make out an increase in clarity, suggesting to me that at the $799 price Massdrop are asking, they are going to give other headphones in this price range a very serious challenge. The only negatives I can find are that the treble, at least to my ears, can come across as a tiny bit metallic (irony not intended) and the very low bass doesn’t come out with quite the strength that would be ideal (see music impressions). In all other areas, the Elex makes the music I listen to highly enjoyable. I reckon these are excellent “entry level high-end” headphones that can give one a taste of what the hobby is all about, without demanding a huge outlay in equipment.
Standard bass test tracks:
Angel - Massive Attack
The bass was so punchy that I had to check I hadn’t left the speakers on when listening. It doesn’t have the quantity of deep thump that would make the best match with this kind of track, but then because it is totally the opposite of “boomy” it makes the track quite an experience to listen to anyway. Hey Lion - Sofi Tukker
The (mid-)bass is likewise very punchy from this dance track, and deliciously precise while all the other parts of the track remain distinctly clear. When I Get My Hands on You - The New Basement Tapes
The deep rumble of the low bass notes is distinctly rolled off. On good planars you can really feel those very low notes but not with the Elex. Other tracks:
Rickover’s Dream - Michael Hedges
This is where I compared the detail in note decay. Guitar plucks are beautiful and precise, and this is where you enjoy the emotion of the playing the Elex delivers and are careful NOT to compare to anything better, because this recording has a whole world inside of it. Gentle Storm - Elbow
If there’s a track that was made for the Elex, then this is it. The song itself focusses around the vocals, with a mix of light percussion and piano backing them — no heavy-sounding instruments, Guy Garvey’s vocals reaching right out to you as the other instruments tap and thunk away, each clearly delineated.
Motorrad
2898
Sep 23, 2020
pfft...not another cult member who read some numbers on ASR and now thinks he actually knows what he's talking about. better yet...arguing with another dolt @ripsterarmy99 who knows less than nothing. This is like watching two blindfolded kids swinging at a pinata and they occasionally hit each other. hilarious.
ripsterarmy99
153
Sep 29, 2020
>Instead of "You measure a ton of headphones", did you mean "You measure a ton of headphone cables"?
Headphone diaphragms also have natural tolerances, so you'd have to measure 1000 headphones with each cable to ensure that not only the cable is ruled out of the picture, so is the diaphragm.
>I'm interested in the potential sound differences due to various core sizes, materials, shielding, etc.
You're someone with a superiority complex who thinks owning more expenisive things than other people makes you superior, as all audiophiles are. You are rather quick to downplay the HD600s when world renowned recording engineer, Tony Maserati, chooses them as his headphones of choice. I await your masterful work in the realm of audio engineering and mixing. Please let me know at the earliest possible time what great music you help produce and have win awards.
>I see you admitted that "the quality affecting the conductance, resistance, temperature coefficient of resistance due to changes in the testing environment, among other factors" of a cable do affect the sound.
This is known as MARGIN OF ERROR.
>"No headphone has been ever measured with an expensive/good cable, with verifiable measurements that show a consistent, purposefully enhanced sound signature that cannot be achieved with EQ."
>How do you know this to be true? Because a conclusive scientific experient has never been published with such parameters. >as it cannot quantify sound-stage (width, height, depth), imaging, and other facets of sound as human ears hear. If it cannot be quantified through verifiable scientific means, it cannot be used when talking in the realm of scientific data. >"...enhanced sound signature that cannot be achieved with EQ." What? Audiophools, most notably middle aged white men, often cite that more expensive cables "make the sound more open, airy, make the bass more impactful, increase the "speed" of a headphone (lol), and other such nonsense. Whether the cable is OEM or 10 grand, the cables will not measure differently outside of margin of error, meaning they accomplish the same sound.
>How do you know this to be true? Because a conclusive scientific experient has never been published with such parameters. >as it cannot quantify sound-stage (width, height, depth), imaging, and other facets of sound as human ears hear. If it cannot be quantified through verifiable scientific means, it cannot be used when talking in the realm of scientific data. >"...enhanced sound signature that cannot be achieved with EQ." What? Audiophools, most notably middle aged white men, often cite that more expensive cables "make the sound more open, airy, make the bass more impactful, increase the "speed" of a headphone (lol), and other such nonsense. Whether the cable is OEM or 10 grand, the cables will not measure differently outside of margin of error, meaning they accomplish the same sound.
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Dec 15, 2017
Hello Friends,
When Focal announced the Elear in 2016, I was on the hype train immediately. A company known for incredible driver design, built off its own research and IP entering the Flagship headphone arena for the first time? It’s incredibly rare (once every 10-15 years, if that) and intriguing.
I saw Jude’s interview with Nicolas and the hype train hit Mach 1. The Elear wasn’t made by an OEM contracted by Focal, it was made by their team in Saint-Étienne, built from the ground up to exacting standards at every level of production. I saw Jude’s measurements... this looks like a super 650... Mach 3. I bought a pair right away. Those were the longest 40 hours of burn-in I’ve done since my first HD800. Put them on, hit play, and... Mach 0. The bass was too strong for me, the mid presence was too weak for me, the FR reminded me of the early 650 when it had a veil and bass distortion. The clarity, transient response, and soundstage was on another level, so the driver technology delivered on everything it promised, but the FR just wasn’t for me.
This spring, discussions around Focal picked up on Massdrop. We started seeing polls asking for Elears and Utopias. The community started to voice their feelings on both within our platform, and the overall sentiment matched closely with my own experience. Folks didn’t like the bass, folks wanted a little more mids (though there was much debate on this, very easy to have too much in the upper midrange), the driver tech was great, but the FR needed to change. Beyond that, the discussions dove into physical characteristics of the headphone. The Elear is heavy, add a thick, rubberized, 4m cable to that (this was on release, it’s been revised down to ~3m since) and you’re hanging a 100g weight from your 450g headphone with the rubberized material catching on everything for those microphonics we all love.
With a detailed community mandate in-hand, we approached Focal this spring, suggesting we work together on a refinement of the Elear, utilizing elements of the Clear to reach these goals:
1. Reduce the bass response to a tasteful ~3 db above neutral 2. Bring up the midrange presence so it’s in line with the rest of the frequency range 3. Change the cable to be lighter and 6ft long 4. Remove the rubberized coating on the cable 5. Simplify the aesthetic with a black on black on gunmetal colorway
Focal was receptive to our proposal and over the next 8 months we worked to achieve these goals. To reduce the bass response and bring up the midrange, we changed the earpads to a similar style as the Clear while tweaking the damping scheme.
We dropped the long rubber cable and replaced it with two cloth covered cables. One is terminated with a 4-pin XLR, one is terminated with a 1/4”, both are 6ft long.
We changed the colorway from the black + silver combination to a black on black with the cable providing a little contrast with black on gunmetal.
Across all our headphone collaborations, I feel we’ve executed the community mandate most completely in the Elex. This is the Massdrop flagship open headphone collaboration.
None of this would be possible without your interest, your discussions, your insights, and your support. Thank you for your continued interest in our collaborations and community designed products.
This drop is limited to 1000 units, all serialized, the first 500 purchases are guaranteed a serial number under 550.
When Focal announced the Elear in 2016, I was on the hype train immediately. A company known for incredible driver design, built off its own research and IP entering the Flagship headphone arena for the first time? It’s incredibly rare (once every 10-15 years, if that) and intriguing.
I saw Jude’s interview with Nicolas and the hype train hit Mach 1. The Elear wasn’t made by an OEM contracted by Focal, it was made by their team in Saint-Étienne, built from the ground up to exacting standards at every level of production. I saw Jude’s measurements... this looks like a super 650... Mach 3. I bought a pair right away. Those were the longest 40 hours of burn-in I’ve done since my first HD800. Put them on, hit play, and... Mach 0. The bass was too strong for me, the mid presence was too weak for me, the FR reminded me of the early 650 when it had a veil and bass distortion. The clarity, transient response, and soundstage was on another level, so the driver technology delivered on everything it promised, but the FR just wasn’t for me.
This spring, discussions around Focal picked up on Massdrop. We started seeing polls asking for Elears and Utopias. The community started to voice their feelings on both within our platform, and the overall sentiment matched closely with my own experience. Folks didn’t like the bass, folks wanted a little more mids (though there was much debate on this, very easy to have too much in the upper midrange), the driver tech was great, but the FR needed to change. Beyond that, the discussions dove into physical characteristics of the headphone. The Elear is heavy, add a thick, rubberized, 4m cable to that (this was on release, it’s been revised down to ~3m since) and you’re hanging a 100g weight from your 450g headphone with the rubberized material catching on everything for those microphonics we all love.
With a detailed community mandate in-hand, we approached Focal this spring, suggesting we work together on a refinement of the Elear, utilizing elements of the Clear to reach these goals:
1. Reduce the bass response to a tasteful ~3 db above neutral 2. Bring up the midrange presence so it’s in line with the rest of the frequency range 3. Change the cable to be lighter and 6ft long 4. Remove the rubberized coating on the cable 5. Simplify the aesthetic with a black on black on gunmetal colorway
Focal was receptive to our proposal and over the next 8 months we worked to achieve these goals. To reduce the bass response and bring up the midrange, we changed the earpads to a similar style as the Clear while tweaking the damping scheme.
We dropped the long rubber cable and replaced it with two cloth covered cables. One is terminated with a 4-pin XLR, one is terminated with a 1/4”, both are 6ft long.
We changed the colorway from the black + silver combination to a black on black with the cable providing a little contrast with black on gunmetal.
Across all our headphone collaborations, I feel we’ve executed the community mandate most completely in the Elex. This is the Massdrop flagship open headphone collaboration.
None of this would be possible without your interest, your discussions, your insights, and your support. Thank you for your continued interest in our collaborations and community designed products.
This drop is limited to 1000 units, all serialized, the first 500 purchases are guaranteed a serial number under 550.
tuga45
32
Jan 8, 2020
Hello Will. I am one of those who wants an Elex and can´t because i´m in Europe (Portugal). Please give a name for one of those freight forwarding services that you mencioned. I will give a look at them to see if it´s worth it. Please, thanks.
Jotunn
87
Apr 7, 2018
Hey guys I'm pretty new here but excited to begin experiencing hi-fi audio. I have my eyes set on these Elex and the Cavalli Tube Hybrid Amp. I'll just be running them through my macbook pro. Question is do I need a dedicated DAC to enjoy the music since the DAC in the macbook is likely minimal in its performance?
Any advice is appreciated. I'm trying to stay under 250 for the amp or amp/dac. Thanks!
Any advice is appreciated. I'm trying to stay under 250 for the amp or amp/dac. Thanks!
Rosiebar
126
Jul 11, 2018
Yes. But can you avoid endless audiofile discussions on half truths and subjective misinterpretations in doing so?
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Dec 29, 2017
Hello Friends,
When we approach a company to propose a collaboration, we come with a complete vision based on the discussions and community activity on Massdrop. This means a base product, the change requests voiced by Massdrop members, and a price point. The price points we present are based on our analysis of the sentiment surrounding the base product on Massdrop.
Usually our partners accept our proposal, sometimes they try to debate/negotiate, and even more occasionally it’s impossible for them to accept.
When we approached Focal to create the Elex, our pricepoint was $699.99. This was impossible for them to accept, so we launched at $799.99.
We’ve been talking with Focal since launch day, working to create a new drop level at the original $699.99 proposed pricepoint.
After much discussion, we are pleased to announce the addition of a $699.99 drop level! This means all participants (existing and new) in the drop will get the Elex for $699.99 instead of $799.99.
The $699.99 drop point will be available for the remainder of this drop (next two days) but as of today, this is the only time Focal is comfortable with this drop level.
What does this mean for future drops of the Elex? By default, it means all future drops of the Elex will be $799.99. However, if the response is strong enough, you may convince Focal that $699.99 is the correct price point for future drops of the Elex.
Thanks for your time, interest, and lively discussion on this drop!
rastus
1392
Jan 2, 2018
They could have ran a group of magnets with other R&D prototypes for the betas. Yes, I am hoping for something beyond a simple Lego Chimera.
Inferences/allusions are speaking in tweak: Will: “I'm sorry I have to phrase all of this in rhetorical questions and alluding language, but business relationships are complicated, and I may have to take down this post anyway depending who calls who over the next couple days.”
And I keep looking at this:
And I keep looking at this:
zhouharvey
179
Feb 13, 2018
If the Clear MSRP is just 999, then yes, this should be 599. However Clear seems to be hyped very much by some reputable reviewers, and sell at least $1199 for now. The reviewers who hype the headphone, I believe, have a strong personal connection to the companies. Still, Clear is a good headphone, and compared to the other headphones on the market, it worths the price tag. On another end, the MrSpeakers Ether Flow sevies did not deserve its 1799 price tag in the beginning.
Project86
142
Headphoneus Supremus on Head-Fi
Dec 16, 2017
Hello all. In the interest of making the information more accessible, I'm reporting my review here. This originally appeared at HeadFi. I'll skip my pics as there are already many good ones on the main product page.
First things first - I really dig Focal speakers. Or perhaps I should clarify by saying I enjoy many of their designs, if not quite all of them. I've owned various models over the years from the Electra, Cobalt, Aria, Chorus, and Utopia lines. Some of these were branded as Focal, others JM Labs, but the company strictly goes by Focal nowadays.
The ones I enjoyed most had exceptional detail and clarity, precise imaging, and very tight, articulate bass. The ones that didn't work so well for my preferences (and room) tended to go too far in that direction, sounding overly analytical while lacking in warmth and tonal density. No doubt about it though - Focal knows how a thing or two about building speakers, even if some of them didn't quite work out for me.
Focal entered the headphone market a few years back with their Spirit series, and later worked their way up to the Elear, Utopia, and Clear headphones. My experience with their headphones somewhat echos my history with their speakers.... I can certainly see the skill involved, even if I don't always enjoy the end product.
Astute readers might have noticed my lack of comments about the Utopia and Elear. Despite both models being released well over a year ago, I have yet to mention them anywhere in my reviews at InnerFidelity, Digital Audio Review, or HeadFi. That's no accident. Despite doing many things right - particularly build quality and comfort, but also in terms of sonics - both models have various traits which I dislike. These add up to enough of a problem where I don't quite enjoy them, nor do I recommend them at their regular prices.
Which leads me to the new Massdrop x Focal Elex - a headphone which I can very easily recommend. It's pretty much textbook Massdrop at this point: take an existing headphone, tweak it for the better, and sell it for less than the original. This formula has resulted in modern classics such as the AKG K7XX and Fostex TH-X00, two headphones which every enthusiast should own at some point. And we can't forget the Sennheiser HD6XX which maintains the same (excellent) performance as the HD650 while dropping the price substantially. Massdrop pairs with Focal this time around for their new Elex - and I think it's another classic in the making.
The Elex starts with the Focal Elear and sprinkles in certain aspects from their new Clear design. Specifically, we get the drivers from an Elear, pads from the Clear, housing elements from both models, and cables from the Clear, all with a blacked out "stealth" theme. The result is a headphone which, for my tastes, transcends the performance of both "donor" models. All for $799 - significantly less than the MSRP of Elear ($999) and Clear ($1499).
I really wanted to like the Elear. Many people enjoy it, and initially I thought it had tons of potential. But after much listening, I just can't quite get over the issues I hear. My complaints focus on two specific areas.
First, the bass, which is just too prominent and overbearing. It's fun for a few songs but over time becomes tiresome (with most music). To be clear (no pun intended), I enjoy the quality of the presentation just fine... it's the quantity I take issue with. If it was squarely confined to the low-bass region, I'd probably be less bothered by it, but Elear also makes too much midbass for my liking.
Next - and this is one I have a harder time nailing down precisely - is what sounds to me like a suckout in the upper midrange region, followed by a spike further up in the highs. The resulting sound is just a bit... weird. It's not so noticeable at times, but when I do hear it... it really takes away from the experience. Thus the Elear, which initially seemed like a potential upgrade to the classic HD650, becomes a sort of "also-ran" as far as I'm concerned. Interesting, yes, but not really to my taste. Which is a shame as I feel Focal did a great many things right in the Elear design.
Now for the good news - the Massdrop x Focal Elex pretty much fixes my issues with Elear. It's a phenomenal headphone. It's not perfect, but to my ears it comes closer to perfection than the Clear does - despite Clear costing roughly double. I think Focal tried to make the Clear a mixture of the uber-dynamic Elear and the ridiculously fast/detailed Utopia. It's an interesting result but not really the direction I would have wanted, and the price is also a bit too high in my opinion. Meanwhile the Elex aims to be an improved Elear for a great price, which is a design choice I can really get behind.
First off, the bass. While remaining very dynamic and beautifully textured, it's been toned down just enough to keep it from being obnoxious. I'm talking a reduction of roughly 2 or 3 dB, which means bass still hits plenty hard but doesn't color the overall experience so much. Also midbass is better behaved this time around - no more issues with intruding into the midrange.
The highs, if still not quite perfect, are more even than the Elear. That troublesome dip seems to be gone, and the spike is (mostly) under control. This makes for exceptional imaging and superb resolution. Seriously, I can't think of anything else in the sub-$1k price range that comes close to the Elex in that regard. The HD800 initially seems more detailed, but that's the result of its brightness and somewhat lean sound. If I really listen, I hear similar levels of detail and resolution from the Elex, presented in a more natural way. HD800 still wins in technicalities, as does Utopia, but the differences are surprisingly small. This is impressive not only for the price, but for the fact that Elex doesn't really set out to be a stereotypical "detail monster" as so many headphones do.
Is the treble perfect? Not quite. It still feels a little rough in context of the best available performance (Stax, for example). But overall I'm happy with what has been accomplished here. The Clear sounds a bit more insightful, but does so at the cost of balance. And it feels lacking in dynamics, which is definitely not a problem with the Elex. I also find Clear a tad bright - perhaps that would be the Utopia emulation showing? Meanwhile Elex is just wonderfully balanced, with a presentation I'll call "neutral yet exciting" for lack of a better term.
This is the best new headphone I've heard in quite some time. I've acquired a few expensive headphones recently, including Sony's "interesting" Z1R, the MrSpeakers Ether C, and several custom IEMs. I find myself reaching for the Elex over all of those in most cases, with the possible exception of 64 Audio's ambitious A18 model - but that's an apples to oranges comparison if ever there was one. As far as full-size headphones go, the Elex is shaping up to be one of my all time favorites. While I initially saw Elear as a possible HD650 upgrade/evolution which didn't quite pan out, the Elex actually does just that - but for the HD600 instead. It's just a superb headphone that I can't recommend highly enough.
Let me cover a few other aspects while I'm at it. I had zero problems with comfort when it came to the Elear. Yet Elex is even better. The perforated Clear pads used by the Elex are wonderful. Super comfy even for several-hour-long listening sessions, and very open feeling. This is still a really large headphone so I can see folks with tiny heads being somewhat overwhelmed by it.... but for most, it should be exceedingly comfortable. There's practically zero isolation while wearing these - so keep that in mind.
The Elex doesn't need a lot of power to do it justice. Based on size and lack of isolation, I'd never consider it a portable design, but it does pair very well with quality players like the Fiio X5 3rd gen or Astell&Kern Kann. It even sounds respectable out of Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices. At home, Massdrop's own Grace Design m9XX is a particularly good match, as is their SDAC and Cavalli CTH combo (depending on tube choice).
I'd stay away from anything overly bright, as it might accentuate the slight roughness in the treble range. I'd also avoid devices with higher output impedance - I tried a tube amp with 32 ohm output impedance, and solid state amp at 10 ohm, and they both sounded wonky to me. 1 ohm or thereabouts is really the goal in this case.
To wrap this up: Massdrop is known for their value releases. Elex has a price tag quite a bit higher than classics like HD6XX and K7XX. But that doesn't mean it isn't a good value. Relative to many new releases with four-digit price tags, the Elex is affordable, and the sound is what I'd call competitive in that class at the very least - and often times superior. If you're looking for a great headphone for $200 or less, Massdrop regularly has several options for you. For those looking to spend more in exchange for extreme performance, the Elex is just the thing.
HifiHero
29
Feb 25, 2019
Project86How would the Elex compare to the Elegias?
I'm was thinking about buying a pair, but if these are better, and cheaper...
You advice would be appreciated.
AveryC
1571
Mar 6, 2018
Hi everyone,
With the positive community response around the Elex, we’ve been able to work with Focal to add more units to the end of the initial production. We will likely be able to open up a couple of limited quantity drops over the next few months.
The first of these runs will launch tomorrow (Mar. 6), with 125 units. The estimated ship date for this production run is May 7.
With the positive community response around the Elex, we’ve been able to work with Focal to add more units to the end of the initial production. We will likely be able to open up a couple of limited quantity drops over the next few months.
The first of these runs will launch tomorrow (Mar. 6), with 125 units. The estimated ship date for this production run is May 7.
Assimilator702
184
Apr 6, 2019
Ok thanks for that. I was thinking of maybe swapping my Elear for the Elegia but for the $900 they're selling for I think I'll pass. I was listening to some fairly Lo Fi Rock yesterday and while it had some thump in the bass drum it was presented as a THUD without much detail on the 58X. Switching to the Elear and I could hear the tone of the bass drum. The Elear is still surprising me after 3 weeks. Just need some Elex pads to find out what everyone else is raving about
A community member
Dec 7, 2019
If I should be so lucky, just emailed Drop to see what they suggest!
JaleesaG
1550
Marketing Team
Aug 18, 2020
UPDATES FOR MARCH-AUGUST PURCHASERS
September 15th Update We randomly pulled a sample unit from the latest batch from Focal and tested to make sure it falls within specifications. First the headphone was tested to ensure both drivers were operational by using a mixture of music and sine sweeps to test for any unnatural resonances in the drivers and the headphone frame. These tests found the drivers to be operating as intended. We then examined the earpads to ensure that they use the same materials and construction as previous batches. After inspecting the pads and comparing them to older batches, we found them to be of comparable quality. Additionally, Focal has included individual serial numbers on the inside of the headphone to better track headphone production batches. Overall the headphones look and sound excellent and we’ll proceed with shipping them later this week. September 10th Update Hey folks, Checking in on the Focal Elex headphones that are scheduled to ship next week. We’re happy to announce that they’ve arrived at our warehouse and, should everything work out as planned, will begin shipping soon. Given the issues with the replacement Elex pads that Focal shipped us in the past, we’re going to be doing a final round of QC on these headphones to ensure that the issues raised by the community have been resolved. Once we’re sure everything is as it should be, we’ll get these shipped out to all of you. Thanks so much for your patience as we work through these final steps. August 18th Update Hi everyone, We’re reaching out to let you know we’re tracking about 2.5 weeks behind on the Focal Elex Headphones and we now expect to ship around September 18th. Our apologies for the delay. If you’d prefer not to wait the additional time, you can cancel your order on your Transactions page: https://drop.com/transactions. Thank you so much for your patience. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Community Support team at drop.com/support.
September 15th Update We randomly pulled a sample unit from the latest batch from Focal and tested to make sure it falls within specifications. First the headphone was tested to ensure both drivers were operational by using a mixture of music and sine sweeps to test for any unnatural resonances in the drivers and the headphone frame. These tests found the drivers to be operating as intended. We then examined the earpads to ensure that they use the same materials and construction as previous batches. After inspecting the pads and comparing them to older batches, we found them to be of comparable quality. Additionally, Focal has included individual serial numbers on the inside of the headphone to better track headphone production batches. Overall the headphones look and sound excellent and we’ll proceed with shipping them later this week. September 10th Update Hey folks, Checking in on the Focal Elex headphones that are scheduled to ship next week. We’re happy to announce that they’ve arrived at our warehouse and, should everything work out as planned, will begin shipping soon. Given the issues with the replacement Elex pads that Focal shipped us in the past, we’re going to be doing a final round of QC on these headphones to ensure that the issues raised by the community have been resolved. Once we’re sure everything is as it should be, we’ll get these shipped out to all of you. Thanks so much for your patience as we work through these final steps. August 18th Update Hi everyone, We’re reaching out to let you know we’re tracking about 2.5 weeks behind on the Focal Elex Headphones and we now expect to ship around September 18th. Our apologies for the delay. If you’d prefer not to wait the additional time, you can cancel your order on your Transactions page: https://drop.com/transactions. Thank you so much for your patience. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Community Support team at drop.com/support.
(Edited)
landwalker000
19
Oct 12, 2020
JaleesaGThis update doesn't really matter. It sounds nice but it is meaningless. I bought a pair a year ago and recently my right driver failed. I shipped back the broken unit and Drop shipped a used and broken (the right driver failed again) pair to the wrong address. Their customer service has been terrible. They also shipped the Elex with the cheapest and slowest FedEx service.
albertlam349
11
Nov 22, 2020
Not only should the Elex's driver failure rate be not "particularly elevated", it should be lower when compared to products from Koss/AKG/Hifiman that are selling for half the cost or less. I assume Drop only has significant visibility into the products you sell with those companies, none of which have products at the Elex price point.
Magiko
105
Feb 12, 2018
"When we approached Focal to create the Elex, our pricepoint was $699.99. This was impossible for them to accept, so we launched at $799.99. ...After much discussion, we are pleased to announce the addition of a $699.99 drop level! This means all participants (existing and new) in the drop will get the Elex for $699.99 instead of $799.99.
The $699.99 drop point will be available for the remainder of this drop (next two days) but as of today, this is the only time Focal is comfortable with this drop level. "
Hey Will,
I'm glad to see that others will be able to pick up this re-opened drop, but can we talk about this^^ for a minute? Is Focal now okay with this price point in perpetuity? Other than a low serial number, the re-opening at the $699 drop level appears to negate the perceived value/bonus afforded to members who purchased the Elex before Jan 1st. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad those who want it have a shot at it and that MD is moving more product on something that was given a lot of time/work/thought/effort but it chafes those (myself included) who jumped on the first round. Feel free to share with the group, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this thought.
Hey Will,
I'm glad to see that others will be able to pick up this re-opened drop, but can we talk about this^^ for a minute? Is Focal now okay with this price point in perpetuity? Other than a low serial number, the re-opening at the $699 drop level appears to negate the perceived value/bonus afforded to members who purchased the Elex before Jan 1st. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad those who want it have a shot at it and that MD is moving more product on something that was given a lot of time/work/thought/effort but it chafes those (myself included) who jumped on the first round. Feel free to share with the group, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who has this thought.
DenonFanboy
825
Feb 14, 2018
Without you guys I wouldn‘t have gotten awesome affordable headphones like the 6XX, TH-X00 and soon to have Elex. Really appreciate the time and effort it takes to even get the ball rolling on projects like these and hope to see more!
Will
8470
Chief Product Officer
Mar 21, 2018
DenonFanboyThanks man, you as well @Jay_P . These projects can be arduous but support from you and others in the community keeps us pushing for more.
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