Thanks for your willingness to evaluate two instances of an HP because you respect the comments of others and want to give the HP a fair shake. Speaks well of your approach and integrity as a reviewer.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I have always been curious about unit variance. This doesn't get covered enough.
@Miskatonic-University5 жыл бұрын
Totally agree, this 2nd take was actually a nice surprise, pretty useful and fair. Kudos!
@bertreviews5 жыл бұрын
Great review, interesting that the FR & tone is so good! Love the pricing analysis
@wethermon5 жыл бұрын
Look one of my favorite reviewers is here! Guys give Bert a visit!
@RC-qc2nz5 жыл бұрын
I give Bert a try
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Bert is awesome
@HenryFanboy5 жыл бұрын
Metal said there’s tons of variations on the Elex ou-
@bigyeetus28665 жыл бұрын
Holy shit your icon and name lmao
@LuboAck5 жыл бұрын
Sucky Josh's Hair Line I heard him say the same 😂
@s7robe2975 жыл бұрын
se tonight!
@HenryFanboy5 жыл бұрын
klucohor Did you typo? I don’t understand
@LuboAck5 жыл бұрын
Sucky Josh's Hair Line edited for you
@Assimilator7025 жыл бұрын
I just got my Focal Elear for a killer deal. Open box for $499 shipped. I planned on letting them play for a few hours while I did some things around the house but after a quick “peek” I was pulled in. I know the Elex is a “fixed” Elear ........ it Im not hearing the defects people were complaining about. The mids are not recessed on male or female vocals to me. Tats are presented very well when mixed up front bass is ample, digs deep but isn’t overdone in the least. My plan was to get the Elex and possibly get a set of Elex to compare and sell off one of them. But after a bit of listening I don’t have many complaints besides that treble peak but it not that bad on most music. It’s actually worse on music like Chris Isaak Forever Blue. And Metal sounds AMAZING! I’m hearing little sounds I’ve never heard before! I hear no clipping as some claim. I truely feel the complaints about these headphones were people really nitpicking....as in they wouldn’t DREAM of getting rid of their Elear.......but hey Focal if you want to retune them......do these things. It can’t be this absolute hard line of Elear awful and Elex are the second coming of audio. I’m leaning MUCH closer to keeping these than getting rid of them.
@jamespeck26385 жыл бұрын
I don't know of any other reviewer who goes through such a thorough and precise sound analysis, or have his superior ability to express exactly what he hears. This is not his regular job, he just does it for the fun of it. I am amazed.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
It is passion, not money, that motivates the most, and damn do I love audio.
@thecardoski5 жыл бұрын
Everyone has different likes and dislikes, nice to see a second review. I found with the Elex it took a while to either burn in my brain or the cans. But after a while and with your EQ settings and upgraded tubes in my preamp these really mellowed out. I swear it sounds like I am listening to speakers, not a wide SS but detailed and dynamic also the bass is so darn smooth. I agree however that they are too costly, especially for those of us up North eh.
@kohnfutner96374 жыл бұрын
You're still one of the most honest reviewers with the most sensitive hearing but always right.
@Assimilator7024 жыл бұрын
If the damn Elex pads weren’t so expensive AND difficult to buy we could all just buy an Elear and buy the pads. I had the Elear and loved them but there was a scratch on the left hanger that bugged the hell out of me considering I paid $550 for the headphones so I sent them back. But @ $400 for the Elear for an open box I could deal with a slight ding. I took my pair apart to examine the drivers before I sent them back and the drivers Focal uses are in a different league than ANYTHING Sennheiser or Beyer Dynamic uses. They are truely high end full range Hi Fi drivers that are built like tanks. No other company has a headphone driver even close to or in the same category as the Focal drivers. With the Elex selling for $600 I would still go for the Elear @$400 since I loved the sound signature and the natural tonality. The low end from an open back headphone with the Elear pads is amazing.
@crazyneonate86265 жыл бұрын
I love that all headphones should be cheaper! The only thing I would say about this review is that i feel like your selling the imaging a liitttle bit short. Im not saying its the best ever but i would say its the best ive ever heard especially for gaming. Never have I heard from behind to the left and stuff like that. I haven
@grehula3 жыл бұрын
Came here to (re-)watch the review and figured out, that I miss your reviews so much! Hope, you will do some in the future!
@metal5713 жыл бұрын
no plans for that at the moment, i still talk about headphones occasionally on twitter
@UnhingedBecauseLucid5 жыл бұрын
Confront you brightness demons and give us the Sundara review.... it's ok if you drink while filming.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
That subtle reference to the Z T90 video tho
@HenryFanboy5 жыл бұрын
Based on a brief Canjam listen, his impression has been he doesn’t find Sundara to be a good value as the cheaper he-4xx is similar sounding
@UnhingedBecauseLucid5 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 lol
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Yeah I'm not sure Sundara is really all that great. Ananda impressed me a lot more but it is more pricey. I'd probably need 4xx and Sundara side by side to give a proper review
@UnhingedBecauseLucid5 жыл бұрын
@@HenryFanboy they've recently dropped to 350....
@alvarg5 жыл бұрын
have you heard the focal clears, I've read that the elex is closer to a hd600 upgrade due to being it brighter and the clear being more of a hd650 upgrade.
@trixniisama3 жыл бұрын
The best upgrade to the HD600 and HD650 (6XX also applies) is the gear you use them on. They scale crazy high and continue to sound better and better with higher end gear.
@Riseun5 жыл бұрын
After hearing the whole focal lineup. I can pretty much say they sound nice I guess but they don't do anything amazing, I pretty much agree with your prices. Well I missed the elex but clears I heard. I don't think they are the headphone for me tbh. I want a headphone that can do something all the others cant so I can have one headphone for x and y and headphone #2 for a and b. After all I can't seem to find a headphone that can do all of what I want, at the same quality one headphone may do this one specific thing. Really nice reviews too!
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Yep such is the world of audio. Doesn't matter how much you spend, nothing is perfect
@KazeSword5 жыл бұрын
Just curious, how does the Elex compare to some of the seemingly more forgotten flagships like the beyerdynamic T1?
@katzparov4 жыл бұрын
I have a suggestion for you to try to increase the Bass and punch and IMPACT of Focal Clears (Which have perforated earpads) Simply take heavy foam stripping (approx 1/4 inch thick) and an inch or so wide) Such as stripping included with air conditioners. Cut a strip long enough to snugly fit around the Focal earpads. Have the foam facing the earpads......Simply tape the ends together on the paper backing side.You'll find it significantly prevents the bass from being lost through perforated earcups..plus it helps create a better seal around your ears.......I've also tried placing soft vinyl stripping (roughly 1/2 inch wide against the inner side of the earcups, but it tends to produce an echo effect.......But for pretty much no money at all, since you may already have the stripping in the house, you can improve the bass rather than paying for expensive new earpads. Stripping placed on the outside of the Earchups seems to make a huge difference..Please let me know what you think if you do try it. You can also try this on smaller on ear headphones where you can cut some stripping as wide as you like. It makes quite a difference in comfort and sound.
@edmundgil60085 жыл бұрын
Wow! Good for you bro. Also like your comments on EQ.
@gyroscopics4 жыл бұрын
Finally - someone shares my opinion that the Elex has less details than HD600 in upper-midrange and up. I own both and posted this comment in (Mass)Drop. To describe in another way, the Elex has more grain/grit but less micro-details in the upper register compared to HD600/6XX. This is not generally noticeable but obvious in some songs in my test playlist.
@divinecurrent90534 жыл бұрын
Something interesting I've noticed with the Elex, there is also a small peak at around 5800 Hz that is definitely audible with sine sweeps. When EQed down by 3 dB, along with the other 10.5 kHz peak, to my ears it sounds nearly perfect as an upgrade to the HD 600 series. Not in terms of natural timbre, but in every other category including imaging, soundstage, bass extension, speed, dynamics. I still keep the Sennheisers around because of their crazy realistic timbre that I haven't heard any other high end headphone beat, including the Elex. But of course the Sennheisers have that bass roll-off, which has been fixed to some extent with the 58X. The 58X actually sounds more dynamic and tighter in the bass to me than the 600 and 650 and has a less shouty 2-3 kHz midrange, but at the cost of less treble detail. Anyway, just wanted to share my experience with the Elex, because I think with the right EQ the metallic timbre can mostly be fixed and then it turns into a viable $600 upgrade to the Sennheisers, which can't be said for many other headphones even over $1,000. I also can't imagine the Clear being a huge improvement over the Elex, considering they use the same or similar pads and the same aluminum-magnesium drivers but a different voice coil.
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
What you're looking for next then is the Borealis
@jiahengliao49582 жыл бұрын
Did you have QC issues with the elex, a lot of people on drop are saying it
@metal5712 жыл бұрын
I never owned one myself so can't tell you personally but I do know Oluv's Gadgets has been through at least 3 of them already and Focal in general has widespread reliability issues so not too surprising
@sonicthehedgehog9895 жыл бұрын
I have the elex and the hifiman sundara. I clearly prefer the sundara, the naturlness the details the harmonics it's just better than the elex in my opinion.
@DarkPa1adin5 жыл бұрын
how does Elex compare to DT 1990 pro?
@casualmime27925 жыл бұрын
Poorly imo. Both have similar detail retrieval but the DT 1990s have better build, comfort, warrenty, and somehow manage to be lighter. DT 1990s also have lower harmonic distortion and are easier to eq around than the Elex.
@pyregazer92105 жыл бұрын
synergy in your gear is overlooked sometimes. I think it is maybe the most important part possibly. These pair very well with the lyr 3 and a darkish, bass heavy tube imo. The tubes I found to work for these HP's don't really shine with the senns I have though. It is strange to me that although the tone can sound similar with the senns and the elex, they really do like different sounding tubes.
@s7robe2975 жыл бұрын
Since you love eq. I’d suggest using a lotoo paw series DAP as a transport. They have a dedicated blackfin DSP chip for eq.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
Compared to HD6XX at $199, most cans are overpriced. So if you look at it from that perspective, then I can see how the Elex isn't worth $699. However, if you look at it from the other end, namely the high end, where we have the $5k SR-009 and Sonoma, the $4k Utopia and LCD-4, etc, I think that the Elex is a superb value. If you judge everything by the HD6XX value though, then the higher end cans should also be much, much cheaper. The Utopia and LCD-4 should probably be no more than $1.5k, preferably less. If you go to the extreme, you can say that the Utopia isn't even twice as good as the HD6XX and I highly doubt that it is and thus should ideally be priced at no more than $600-800, even if you factor in the R&D and better build... Ok, $1k at the most.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Yeah see that's kind of where I stand though, though I think I'd put the ceiling somewhere around $2000 considering the potential significant upgrade between near 1 grand and just below it pricing and the multi kilobuck land stuff
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 $2k for the Utopia? Still overpriced as hell compared to HD6XX at $199.
@s7robe2975 жыл бұрын
metal571 I just want an abyss Diana or a good room to put some decent speakers in haha.
@johnyang7995 жыл бұрын
Yeah yeah compared to 58x, even 6xx is overpriced..
@ernestryles5 жыл бұрын
Yeah. Headphone prices have gotten completely out of hand.
@dalejail5 жыл бұрын
@metal571 can you review the sundara?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
If I'm sent one
@Minon1574 жыл бұрын
You said you love to use EQ, would be curious if you used Oratory1990 EQ for the 58X, for me it fixed some of the issues with treble and boomy bass.
@HenryFanboy5 жыл бұрын
Good video. If the resolution seems to be on par with 660, and having better bass extension, better materials and I guess still some level of R&D since Elear itself is only a ~3 year old headphone, I think its price would be more respectable around the 400$-450$ mark, considering there may be some minor variance and possible clipping in the bass. Also including the balanced cable. But I’ve not heard it, so my words don’t hold value as much. Price regardless, I would still buy a 660 or 6xx over Elex
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
I still didn't really experience clipping on these units interestingly, although Utopia appears to clip when cranked on bassy music I found out at CanJam lol
@cussyrichards61214 жыл бұрын
You talked about frequency response but you didn't talk about what the Elex is apparently famous for... macrodynamics. When music has large dynamic swings, people say that the Elex sounds like someone swinging a 10 tonne hammer through your face - it is meant to sound physically violent. In your experience are the dynamics that obviously big of an upgrade over the HD660s or DT1990 or LCD2C?
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Yeah they're some of the best. Guess I must have neglected to mention that
@mehcustom244 жыл бұрын
@metal571 would LCD-2C with all the correctional Eq be suited for mixing? Let’s say in comparison to the Elex/660s? It’s just that the LCD-X is so much more expensive. Thank you.
@GiulianoM144 жыл бұрын
Just saved me $700 thanks. So what do you think is a "real" upgrade to my 6XX that I have been rocking for the past 2 and a half years now? How much would I have to spend to get something that is worth it for the price while being significantly better than the 6XX?
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Well as someone who asked the same question for many years, I ended up with an LCD2F with EQ
@JohnSmith-ck5qk5 жыл бұрын
have you tried the elear with elex pads ? because most used elears are like 400 and the elex pads are only about 50 on massdrop. It seems like a better buy cause massdrop items second hand tend hold their value well
@kohnfutner96374 жыл бұрын
The dam cord doesn't plug into a 3.5mm port. Real smart focal.
@PartySpock3 жыл бұрын
So Sennheiser nailded it, what you can say about value for money if you, rather can hear the difference .Thanks nice video
@Chase-yg5no5 жыл бұрын
I'd buy one if it weren't for the soundstage :/ I feel like if the K702 and Argon can do such a great job with Soundstage, more expensive options should also be able to do it. I know, Soundstage is not the best determinate of headphone quality, but it REALLY bothers me when stuff sounds narrow like the HD600s does.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Yeah once you get used to living with a much wider stage it's really disappointing to hear this from the Elex. Soundstage and detail are subjective points that measurements can't show and are really important when the price creeps up to this level and above
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 I am pretty sure CSDs are a good indicator of resolution. The less ringing, the more information you can hear.... Also, impulse response, but I heard that's pretty much the same thing as CSD graphs, except differently represented.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
See this is the thing - CSDs and impulse responses look perfectly flat when a headphone is equalized flat. Unless there's a serious design flaw they are not showing more information than the FR already shows
@Chase-yg5no5 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Agreed, and also it's very important to note that measurements aren't always what you hear. Size of enclosure, shape of pinna, and age of hearing all factor into stuff like detail and soundstage. I have a buddy with K612s that believe they're more "detailed" than my K702, but I have the opposite opinion. Without measurements, these terms are defined by the "ear" of the beholder. Another example is how different Metal and Z's interpretation of soundstage was on the HD599. Unless Sennheiser has stupidly bad production variation, the only changing variable is the wearer.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
When it comes to Z I don't know what to expect anymore. I heard he liked 800S but not 800 even though those two are so similar lol. A lot of sound is subjective so always have to keep in mind that soundstage and grain cannot be measured (not yet). All I can do is compare in a relative sense.
@User01554 жыл бұрын
best headphone under 200 considering details?
@michaelhayes53165 жыл бұрын
I totality understand that too ! Have you uh been sippin’ granddaddy’s cough syrup ?
@nostract05 жыл бұрын
Hi metal571 , you had a similar positive opinion about the frequency response with DT 1990 Pro. Which one would you say among DT 1990 pro & Elex (I know u found both a bit bright) will be better for mixing/editing work as well as a daily driver.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Hah yeah the Elex resolves a lot better than the 1990 as I remember it. Even the DT880 has better detail than the 1990 in my experience. Elex is the overall best reference can for serious mixing work among these
@nostract05 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Thanks man. Well, the Beyer's do market DT1990 as a professional gear but the focal's don't. The audio gear market do function in mysterious ways!! But I have to say DT 1990 build quality is one of the best.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
The Elex has that same metal quality feel to it also. Definitely worth trying
@nostract05 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 👍 I will. Thanks
@elongatuspiranha5 жыл бұрын
I bought this headphone because of your review and I love it! You're right that it could use a hint of warmness.
@muna50665 жыл бұрын
I'm not trying to be rude, but the word is "warmth". "Warm" follows one of those weird word patterns so it's an easy mistake that I've made too! Cheers
@johnvalatos40735 жыл бұрын
Interesting review. Love my HD600, if I was to upgrade what would you recommend for less than $500.? Oh and what recent metal are you listening to?
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
Elex is a good upgrade IMO, although it still won't have the smooth, even highs like HD600. But Elex is better in most other ways by a good margin. Also, I think Hifiman HE-560 or Sundara are decent upgrades overall over the HD600, but will be missing the mid bass punch of the HD600 and also lack reliable quality control, so are more prone to breakage. So I would still rather go with the Elex.
@stanstaniboy76554 жыл бұрын
Nothing, there is nothing there at sub 500$, it's absurd how well engineered and tuned this thing is. There is different sound to have though, side grades basically.
@robinraff14865 жыл бұрын
@metal571 would you think a Sennheiser HD800 for about $800 / 700€ is a good deal?
@divinecurrent90535 жыл бұрын
Hey Metal, what headphone do you find responds the best/cleanest to EQ in this price range? Stuff like the Elex, LCD-2 Classic, DT 1990, perhaps even the HD800 used? I'm a longtime user of the HD 600, so I would prefer something that equalizes well to a neutral sound signature with minimal distortion.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Personally I'd probably get a used LCD2 fazor made in 2018 or later with the most updated headband and EQ that thing
@vote4ulvio4 жыл бұрын
Focal Elex or Audeze LCD X??
@kbeau9374 жыл бұрын
LCDX as better detail. if thats what your going for.
@LazYevgen5 жыл бұрын
yep! Totally agreewith you. They are still overpriced. even 599 would be ok. i would get those... but 700 is too much
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
Overpriced compared to what?
@LazYevgen5 жыл бұрын
@@vm6038 compared to all other options
@s7robe2975 жыл бұрын
Yevgen Chupak have to disagree. Obviously I would love to have gotten these for less, but they’re damn good, and they’re hard to beat at their price.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@LazYevgen Do you have any data to back up your claims? Or at least have you heard all those other options and compared them directly to the Elex before coming to this conclusion?
@ernestryles5 жыл бұрын
V M Do you? Very few people have heard every option.
@LuboAck5 жыл бұрын
Agreed with you on the cable! It’s painful to look at it. I have the Elex and 6XX and agree that the SQ is not that vastly different, but built quality of the Elex is fenomanal compared to any of the 600 series
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Indeed that is a big advantage, but the use of so much metal also makes them quite a bit heavier. Didn't really bug me in practice though
@LuboAck5 жыл бұрын
For me it’s just the right weigh. I personally like a little heft to it. Especially when I spent $700 in it. It means business when you hold it 😄
@jurumal5 жыл бұрын
I also compared the 6XX to the Elex and also found the FR to sound very similar to the point that I debated if it was worth keeping both. Both seem to have a similar emphasis in the mids. Elex has a larger image tho in comparison. I currently also have the Clear and it has less of a midrange emphasis, slightly larger soundstage (probably due to stiffer pads), and less hazy overall sound. I had my non-audiophile brother listen to both the Elex and Clear and he said the Clear was like watching HD TV and Elex was standard definition. However, Elex has the funner SS.
@crazyneonate86265 жыл бұрын
@@LuboAck man that is kind of true XD
@wallfire235 жыл бұрын
Can you suggest a great aftermarket cable for the Elex for use with a balanced amp with XLR output? The stiff cable drives me nuts, like you mentioned.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Periapt
@P.70054 жыл бұрын
Hey metal have you tried the clears? If so how do they compare? I listen to a lot of hip hop and electronic music
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
I have but never directly compared to the Elex so can't help as much there
@devilworshipper54535 жыл бұрын
Hi Can you please tell me which one would be a better choice for a metalhead : E Mu Teak, TH-X00 Ebony, or LCD-2C? (I like bass guitar fast with slam) Thanks
@Juanixtec5 жыл бұрын
Not the LCD2c without EQ, The massive dip at 3.5-4k will take A LOT from the guitars
@cisco1504 жыл бұрын
Hey Metal571 i have chosen theses headset what would you remove from the list. I'm licensing to Rap, Hip-hop, Reggeaton, Trap, Spanish Music. Focal ELEX vs DT 1990 PRO, Hifiman Ananda, HIFIMAN SUNDARA, HD 6xx. Like some bass, vocals and highs dont like bass overpowering my music tho
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Scratch everything but Ananda and buy it new with a warranty
@cisco1504 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 will do thanks tough choices. What amp would u recommend. Xfi are any good going to hook them up with my pc gigabyte z390 master motherboard. And use them for some gaming as well
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
They're pretty easy to drive, could start with that in the meantime but a JDS Atom DAC and amp will power just about anything if you go the dedicated headphone amp route
@cisco1504 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Ok bet Thanks so much
@miked30585 жыл бұрын
Hey Metal it's Mixman, great to see you at CanJam. I see you like the Elex better now? Well, I am selling mine. I am more into the Hifiman sound now. Will probably come back to the Clear or Utopia if I can get one cheap enough. See if you can get an Ananda for a review. I now have an Edition X V2, and I wonder how it sounds in comparison?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Yeah Elex is not bad. Still missing that stage a lot that even Audezes have. Definitely need an Ananda soon. Was good to meet you and fun talk
@miked30585 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Same here, good hangin' out. Yeah, my LCD X is still my reference, warm sound and all......just a little heavy! Really liked the hell of the Stellia, but a little too much right now. Street pricing on the Utopia is actually better. I do like the Focal sound though and will get another one depending on funds. The Elex is a really cool, fun HP though and I would say a good pairing to have would be a LCD2C and an Elex. Different sound signatures but good HP's for not too much money. Right now for me, I'm going to get either a used HEK V2 or maybe an Ananda to have a different sound from the HEX, we'll see.
@MFHRaptor5 жыл бұрын
That's quite a statement on the Elex! If Elex is that good, then what makes the Utopia positioned so high? Other than the sheer resolution, what does the Utopia improve upon in comparison?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Mainly resolution and probably even more dynamics. When I demoed it it was another level of detail above HD 800 I believe, but it's very very aggressive in the treble, though the treble peaks are over in an instant after music excites them. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to review one this year. Not my cup of tea but I can see why people like it
@frosty68455 жыл бұрын
The Utopia's price probably has more to do with the beryllium driver, carbon fiber and leather than sound quality
@Cookinberry5 жыл бұрын
Woah. Where can you find a used Lcd2c for $399?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Look at the other comment about this. But I think I undersold that price a bit. They're more like 500
@MrYetiASX5 жыл бұрын
Ok, I'm in front of a pile of 700 bucks, and have the choice between the HD 800 (non S) and the Elex. Considering that I already have the DT1990, and that I listen to a broad range of musics (classical, film scores, rock, metal, pop, rap, edm, etc) and that I game "competitively", what should I go for here? I guess the obvious answer is HD800, but at the same time, I would love something that shines in rap/edm. Maybe it's 1990+HD800 vs Elex alone and more money. What do you think? Thanks in advance.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
All of that stuff is quite bright for EDM, I'd look at getting a used LCD2 fazor made after 2016
@MrYetiASX5 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Ok, so basically, 800 now and LCD2 later on? Thanks!
@cryptogymbro4 жыл бұрын
Elex vs Edition XX?
@KojiCO-ConvinceM5 жыл бұрын
Curious, witch amp and DAC do you use to test your headphones?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
At the moment it's a Topping D50 and a THX 789
@sebastianalleyne10734 жыл бұрын
What is the difference between this and the Focal Elear? From my understanding, they use the same driver but have different pads.
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
I'm not sure if it's been proven or disproven that it's exactly an Elear with different pads, but I wouldn't be surprised personally
@sebastianalleyne10734 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 I feel like they would have mentioned it if they changed the driver. On the website, the driver has the same specs and they say the pads bring down the bass 2-8db but this is all they mentioned about what they have changed that impacts the sound. I own the Elears and I think I might just purchase the Elex pads, still not sure though.
@Tripokaridos223 жыл бұрын
There is NO Upgrade if they DONT work after some months ... Quality Problems on Elex is something most reviewers dont say.
@metal5713 жыл бұрын
I had no idea how bad the Elex quality issues were at the time of this review. I think Oluv has gone through at least 3 units now - you have a point.
@Tripokaridos223 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 I think most people are willing to use this kind of headphones for many years... And having so fast problems is something for me unacceptable on that price also. Even some 20 years cheap Koss work great until now.
@metal5713 жыл бұрын
This is a constant audiophile headphone problem. Very few manufacturers have a lifetime warranty, and the Audezes, Focals, and Hifimans of the world are known for their failures
@Tripokaridos223 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 I really like Focals and Hifiman but i am not using them every day and i am very careful with them. But with my Senns i sleap with them my kids listen with them and.never had a problem. Other than that i have to say Hifiman to me was very kind and support my Sundaras 2 times without problems. B&W and Focal on the other hand they dont.
@dozer32__4 жыл бұрын
what eq is everyone using?????
@DarkPa1adin5 жыл бұрын
i thought it was eL eX instead of E-Lex?
@soulfulfool2 жыл бұрын
Elex also have defective drivers? My clear cant handle bass and start to rattle like mad, way cheaper headphones can handle volume level like this with ease
@metal5712 жыл бұрын
They're all like that with high volumes
@soulfulfool2 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 thats kind of silly but they sounds good anyway
@metal5712 жыл бұрын
@@soulfulfool all the Focal open backs I mean specifically yeah they have excursion limit issues if you like to listen very loud
@soulfulfool2 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 its not that loud I would call it very loud, its kind of deep rumbling bass that kill the driver at certain SPL, my other headphones work just fine at same volume and im not deaf :)
@jamesbittle21384 жыл бұрын
If the Elex isn't the Sennheiser HD600/6XX/660 upgrade what is?
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Borealis
@jamesbittle21384 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Thanks, I appreciate it. Others on the boards have mentioned the ZMF Aeolus as well, but I haven't heard them as of yet.
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
@@jamesbittle2138 Auteur would be a lot closer than the Aeolus in FR, see my Auteur review
@llevine65105 жыл бұрын
Hey metal, any plans to review autuer?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
If all goes as planned I'll be reviewing all the ZMF open backs starting later this month
@rdtstudios4 жыл бұрын
What EQ you use buddy?
@SeanSisco5 жыл бұрын
$399 used proce glue LCD2 Classic? Please provide insight on where to look. Thank you!
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
I thought I saw it a few times but they've been going for more than that lately. Around 500 seems more likely to be fond
@SeanSisco5 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 ok that's consistent with what I've been seeing, but thank you for the response, much appreciated!
@MrBattlestar104 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 shoot which sites would you use to find used headphones?
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
@@MrBattlestar10 Head-Fi classifieds and r/avexchange
@MrBattlestar104 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 thank you very much
@konna2005 жыл бұрын
I think you might like HiFiMaN Sundara!
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Ananda betta
@EternalLife915 жыл бұрын
Hi metal571, have you been to Europe? If so, which countries did you go to?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
I have not, but I've been all over the US and Canada to lots of national parks thanks to a lot of family vacations
@lumntoob9995 жыл бұрын
Is there a specific place you see the lcd 2c go for around 400 used, on eBay it's been crazy they go for the cheapest around 550 and I see most of them sold for around 650+.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Head-Fi classifieds and reddit /r/avexchange
@lumntoob9995 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 thanks
@Natarian865 жыл бұрын
I believe metal understated the used prices on the classics. Head fi and reddit ranges $500-600, not $400. ONE being sold for $400 doesn't count.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
I believe you guys are right. I just know that considering the going rate for full LCD2s is something around 600 or 650 right now I wouldn't price mine much more than 400 if I sold it
@Natarian865 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 classics are back up to $800 from the holiday sale
@steveassante67974 жыл бұрын
Heh,Heh,Heh........... Some of us don't like the sound of "High Hats" no matter how the sound is 'Resolved". How's that joke about the woman who liked dating Musicians who was dating a Drummer go ? When someone found out she was dating one & someone said to her " I thought you said you were dating a Musician !) (Orchestral Percussionists excluded though, there's a whole different level of Tonality to what they play).
@memberrrberry72825 жыл бұрын
Would you pick the Elex or Lcd 2c?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Personally the LCD2C but that's just for my taste and has nothing to do with the headphone being technically better
@memberrrberry72825 жыл бұрын
metal571 I have the LCD2C as well and I absolutely love it, was thinking about getting the Elex because of all the hype but I think I’m gonna hold off.
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
If you like the warmer tone on the Audeze I'd just stick with that and save up for another upgrade to Lcd2f or something like that
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 But you did say you would value the LCD2C at $599 vs $499 for the Elex, so I assumed you did find LCD2C technically better. Besides, LCD2C does have lower distortion throughout, so shouldn't it be better, at least when EQ'ed?
@RabbitConfirmed2 жыл бұрын
which headphones are you using there?
@metal5712 жыл бұрын
Now long-discontinued Sennheiser HD 380 Pro which I don't own anymore but did at the time
@RabbitConfirmed2 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 Ohh I see, may I ask you out of the blue what's your current favorite closed back and open back headphone?
@metal5712 жыл бұрын
Of all time so far that'd be a 2016-2017 LCD-4 with it's original pads that aren't made anymore and there are so few good closed backs but of the high end ones I've demoed, although not for a very long time, something between the LCD-XC 2021+, Stellia, and Verite Closed
@jasonwhitehurst75765 жыл бұрын
I bought them and sold them as they just had no bottom end even being open back.
@HHRS5 жыл бұрын
what is that headphone Metal is wearing?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
It's always the 380 Pro
@jacoblussier10155 жыл бұрын
What do you think of the elear?
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
Not worth it when Elex exists. Sounded much grainier than clear or Elex to me
@jacoblussier10155 жыл бұрын
@@metal571 could you describe grainy? I have the elear and I dont seem to be noticing anything resembling a grainy sound. And thanks for the quick reply!
@metal5715 жыл бұрын
The difference between the 58X and the 600 in clavinetjunkie's sound demo of the two
@ewqqweasddsazxc5 жыл бұрын
I really want to hear about Sennheiser HD 630 VB from you sir. Thanks.
@josesantiagoortiz53415 жыл бұрын
You are not from France my brother,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,good review.
@2thousand6394 жыл бұрын
ZMF Aeolus or Hifiman Arya or Focal Elex?
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Personally of those I'd rather have Aeolus because Elex is too metallic in the treble and Arya is too bright in general around 7k
@MetalsForBrunch5 жыл бұрын
I told you soo. Just kidding lol and thanks for giving the elex another shot because I truly think it is the best headphones at this price range especially for the build quality and premium materials. The extra costs goes to research development, labor and quality/premium materials. I wouldnt compare this new headphone to a 15 year old hd6xx headphone with very cheap materials used and old tech of the design build. I would say the true value of the hd6xx should be $100 not $200 for old tech headphone but it sounds decent. I do agree that the elex should be priced at $500. I only paid $690 for mine and its still a bad ass headphone for my taste. Anything over $500 for headphones wont improve much in sound but will improve on build quality, premium materials with accessories. I reccommend not EQing headphones at all just pair them up with a good dac/amp then youre good to go.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
I have to add that I just a get a feeling that your review doesn't provide enough details. There's no comparison to other headphones around that price range or a bit higher, like LCD2C or HD800. You have both of those and are quite familiar with them, so why not do a head to head vs. the Elex? Otherwise, when you say that Elex should be $499 and LCD2C should be $599, it's not convincing because you don't actually explain why you believe the LCD2C is better. You need to compare man. I respect you a lot and generally really like your reviews, but I think you are dropping the ball somewhat with these latest quick reviews where you seem to rush through it too much without providing solid support for your arguments.
@yttean984 жыл бұрын
There are many people doing headphone reviews and you want people who support and watch your content to contribute to your Patreon site, if you want people to do this then your channel must provide services other similar channels do not, I don't find this to be so. Henceforth I am not watching this so I don't have to contribute.
@metal5714 жыл бұрын
Lol what, you are allowed to watch reviews without joining the Patreon, and if you don't find the channel helpful you don't have to subscribe or watch them either. I'm not going to care, this is just a hobby for me and not a full time job.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
Also, you should've probably talked a bit more about the Elex' technical abilities. I haven't heard the HD660S, but I highly doubt it can match the Elex in transient response and dynamics. The Elex driver is extremely fast and has much higher excursion than traditional dynamics like the HD6XX. It's also a more open design and sounds more open with a soundstage that isn't really bigger, but more open and effortless with less strict boundaries... Or something like that. I do see that LCD2C has extremely low distortion. Like crazy low across the board. So I suppose that means it's a technically better headphone if you iron out that frequency response... I don't think HD800 measures better than the Elex though, does it? I haven't compared the measurements of the two directly. From my experience of the HD800, I wasn't really impressed with its resolution. It was better than the HD6xx series for sure, but not like mind blowing or anything. I don't think Elex give up anything to HD800 in technicalities, except soundstage. However, I haven't tried the HD800 or Elex out of expensive amps and DACs to test their scaling abilities.
@Juanixtec5 жыл бұрын
" has much higher excursion" in forums I've read it can reach max excursion, so it is a double-edged sword " more open design and sounds more open with a soundstage that isn't really bigger" That Doesn't make any sense The HD800 is like a midpoint between the LCD 2c and the Elex in THD
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@Juanixtec How about less housing reflections with the Elex? Does that make more sense? The sound can move out more freely than with most other designs. I would say this results in greater transparency where the music feels less like its coming out of the cans and more like it's just happening. More like live event I guess.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@Juanixtec Yes, Elex reaches max excursion earlier than other designs, which I think is probably a compromise Focal had to make in exchange for the greater dynamics.
@vm60385 жыл бұрын
@@Juanixtec Ok, so HD800 has less distortion than Elex. LCD2C has the least distortion. Does that make the LCD2C the best of the bunch technically if you don't take into account frequency response differences? Not sure. There's more to quality than THD I assume. Like decay/CSD, excursion/dynamics. And of course frequency response does matter a lot. Not everyone is willing to and may not have access to proper EQ to fix the FR. So the Elex is the best of the three for using stock with no EQ because of its most even and natural tonality.
@Juanixtec5 жыл бұрын
@@vm6038 That doesn't make any sense, reflections are a fundamental part of how we hear sound and the casing of the HD800 is by far a better one, pinna reaction is almost identical of what you should expect from speakers all because of a great casing. And again, you're just sounding like a massive fanboy, the dynamic range is STILL one of the HD800's most acclaimed feats and is like a benchmark for all other hi end headphones, same as detail retrieval, and even so the HD800 has a different tuning curve than the Elex (Far field vs diffuse) which is almost as perfect as someone has intended them to sound (to be fair, measurements of the Target FR have changed, so the Elex has a natural advantage to the HD800. still the 800's can take massive amounts of EQ like a champ still outperforming almost any focal). If you havent noticed even Metal puts them into a heavier hitting price ranges, While the Focals should be priced around 500 the HD800 is still worth it in the 1000 USD bracket, and not even counting for the used ones you can find for around 500.