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Showing 1 of 82 conversations about:
SendyAudio Aiva Planar Magnetic Headphones
carinishead
56
Oct 16, 2019
Damn, I went in on these, but now the Elex is dropping again... Tempted to cancel and spend the extra $200...
TonyRizo
179
Oct 16, 2019
carinisheadLook into the Monolith M570 which just came out that are supposed to have the same driver.
tooitchy
309
Oct 17, 2019
TonyRizoSame driver is not the same headphone, nor same sound. the 200$ takstar HF580 uses the same driver too, and it's nowhere near the sound quality of the aiva.
TonyRizo
179
Oct 17, 2019
tooitchyWatch this
https://youtu.be/sxWLkE4318s
Chalkball
48
Oct 17, 2019
tooitchyI had the Sendy Aiva and returned it, the sound wasn't for me, but I can say that the M570 sounds near identical, only with more sound stage, the highs are less fatiguing, and the recessed mids aren't as jarring on the M570, and I think it's largely to do with the backs on it being more open than the sendy's metal grille
tooitchy
309
Oct 17, 2019
TonyRizoSeen it, he also said the HF580 was similar to the Aiva. The only one that's been close in sound quality has been the blon b20, which also has a different sound signature, so also not the same. Point stands, same driver does not mean same sound. The buick roadmaster from the 90's uses the same engine as the corvette of that time, they are nowhere near comparable driving experiences. Same thing with headphone drivers, tuning matters, build matters, materials matter, all have an effect on the sound. Not hating on the m570's, I haven't heard them, and i'm sure they're probably good, but the same driver does not mean jack by itself.
tooitchy
309
Oct 17, 2019
ChalkballI have the Aiva's and I don't find the highs fatigueing at all, but that's why sound is so subjective, everyone reacts differently to different frequencies, and frankly hear sounds differently to one another. Previous owner bought them and sold them immediately cause he found them way too bright, yet I can listen to them for hours and I don't find them even a little bit bright. Same exact pair. I need to try the m570's, but my point still stands, just because they use the same driver, does not mean they will sound the same, not even a little bit, hf580's sound pretty bad, and they use the same driver as well, blon b20's sound great, but they also don't sound like the Aiva's, despite same driver, different sound signature, rolled off treble, etc. m570's I'd bet are better than the 580's, and are more in line with the blons status in the line of headphones with this driver. Quality headphone, that sounds excellent, but has a different sound than the aiva/blon. My only point was it's not really valid to suggest someone get headphone B over headphone A, simply because they're cheaper with the same driver, as though that means they will sound the same.
Jdub11
26
Oct 18, 2019
carinisheadThe Aiva is way better than the Focal. I have the Aiva and the Elear and the Aiva blows the Elear away in every way imo. Much better detail retrieval, better bass response, crisper and cleaner sound, it's just a better headphone period.
tooitchy
309
Oct 19, 2019
Jdub11the elex is way better than the elear though
jaydunndiddit
3262
Oct 20, 2019
carinisheadThe Elex is the smoother, more neutral headphone and isn't rolled off in the lows like the Aiva; they extend further with more linearity. The Aiva is warmer and a more relaxed listen with relaxed mids . The Elex is a more dynamic, faster, lively headphone with awesome dynamics and resolution. Neither have a large soundstage, but the Elex is definitely paints a better picture of a 3-dimensional space. Really no comparison between the two, IMO. Compared the Aiva to the Elear, and they have more in common due to their recessed upper mids and somewhat uneven treble. The Aiva's definitely have a mild V shape to them, and with that uneven treble and extra energy up top, can get sibilant on some tracks. That's and issue I've never had with any of my Focals despite them being bright leaning headphones in general.
They're both pretty different, honestly, and will come down to what music you prefer and your preferred FR. However, the Elex and Elear offer better clarity and resolution without breaking a sweat. It's what they're known for much like their speed and high level of dynamics. If you're looking for a warmer, laid back, more "musical" headphone, the Aiva is a better bet if you don't care about technicalities or enjoy picking apart your music.
The Aiva's are also heavier and I don't distribute their weight nearly as well as the Focals. My ears would touch the cage for the Aivas but I have a bit more room inside the Elex albeit not by a ton. Both are built well, but the win goes to the Focal for their all metal and leather build. Unless you just really love wood. I find the sliders and gymbals of the Elex superior and the headband definitely distributes weight a lot better since it's better padded and fenestrated. I tend to wear my Focals (Elex and Elegia) for 8+ hours a day at work and home and forget I'm wearing them most of the time.
The Elex also comes with two cables, one of which is a balanced 4-pin XLR. Not to mention, they have one of the nicest storage boxes of any headphone in its price range. You don't have to remove your cables prior to storing your Focals so that's always a huge plus when it comes to connector longevity. You also get quite a few more pad options with Focal and with them being so sensitive to pad swaps, you can dial them in a bit more to personal taste.
Just my .02 cents, of course. Tried them from Amazon due to all the hype and ultimately sent them back.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Oct 20, 2019
tooitchyThe Elex and Elear are pretty much identical sans a pad, headband, and colorway swap.
TonyRizo
179
Oct 20, 2019
tooitchyI received the Monolith M570 and they sound pretty fantastic all the way around. Super detailed.
phopho
28
Oct 24, 2019
carinisheadYou cannot be kidding. You want to spend more to buy a worse product? If you really want to get Elex, eBay occasionally has them as open box on sale for $330. If you really want to get Focal, Clear open box $800 on ebay would be a good choice. Elex and elear is like small bump while elex and clear is like night and day.
phopho
28
Oct 24, 2019
jaydunndidditElex and Elear have the same driver bro, I don't know what are these people talking about.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Oct 24, 2019
phophoTypical misinformation. Will confirmed this ages ago so I'm sure they just haven't read through that super old thread.
carinishead
56
Oct 24, 2019
phophoEnded up sticking w/ the Aiva... If it's not for me, I'll think about trying Focal... Sucks we have to wait a month :\
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