Hey everyone! New to the forum. I know this is an older thread so if there is a newer one please point me in the right direction. I am looking for a little advice from the group. So my 3 headphones I currently have or will have by next week are the Elear w/ Clear pads which I am told are the exact same as the ELEX and the Ananda’s from Hifiman and the Drop 6XX. I am trying to decide if I should keep the 6XX or return them and just stick with the Elear and Ananda’s and Add maybe a different headphone or amp into the mix at a later time. I do love the vocals from the 6XX and the warmer sound. I haven’t heard the Anandas yet but have heard they are a much better 6XX essentially. Wondering what your thoughts are, I appreciate the advice.
My set up is the SMSL THX200 and the SMSL SU-8V2 and the XDSD for portable listening.
Variety is the spice of life! I think if you feel/find yourself grabbing the Elears more often than the 6xx than I would send them back and look at another amp that is different, maybe the new Magni 3 or Heresyfrom Schiit
Most definitely! I think if you are just getting into tubes, my favorite intro is the (Mass)Drop.com Eddie Current ZDT Jr. Or if up to it building a Bottlehead Crack.
But, if tubes are next I would keep the 6xx as they would benefit the most from tubes … I wouldn’t pair planars or the Focals with tube amps unless they can bring down the power output (I’m not the best qualified to talk on this, but planars and Focals tend to get blown out/bloomy sounding on tube amps… especially OTL tube amps).
You might also look at a tube hybrid like the Schiit Lyr, Drop.com MCTH or even the Loxjie
sorry for not linking the threads to the other amps…I’m on my phone and it’s a PITA lol hit the search icon on the top and search the forums for them
Hi and welcome!!
That’s a nice Frankenstein’s monster you are creating there!! Making a Clear with Elears and Clears pads!! Just kidding!! I also own the Elears and HD6xx and my current amp is the same as yours, but with BifrostMB.
HD6xx shines with the Bifrost/THX200 combo, but also love the Elears with them. Since they sound very different I’m keeping both for now.
Just yesterday I ordered the Elex pads from Drop, just because they are the original from Focal and where only $60, I’m not expecting my Elears to become Elex, but let’s see what happens when I get them…in April
I have never heard the Elex what characteristics make it differ slightly? I’m still fairly new to all of this so I am still learning to read audio graphs.
Because if you bought an Elear and Elex pads, and are expecting them to perform like the Clear, that’s a VERY different scenario than putting Clear pads on an Elear and expecting it to sound like an Elex. Putting Clear pads on an Elear sounds mostly, but not exactly, like an Elex, but the technical performance, FR excepted, will be the same.
The Elear and Elex use fundamentally the same chassis and driver and differ primarily in their packing and pads. Putting Elex pads on an Elear sounds like an Elex. Putting Elear pads on an Elex sounds like an Elear.
But the Clear have a different driver, different pads, and are on a different level of technical performance, despite being tonally very similar to the Elex.
That Eddie Current ZDT Jr. sounds looks like a winner on paper! I requested it via Drop let’s see if they do another drop for it in the future. How much did it set you back when they did the last drop do you remember?
