Looks like my head is the wrong size and/or shape…
Jokes aside, do you have any advice about EQ? I’m quite new to the hobby
no, trust me, this big head does more harm than good in most cases. I’m usually scared to try new brands because of my large head lol
I’m learning EQ as well, I actually find resolves eq profiles and just kind of tweak to my liking. You can spend alot of time learning frequencies, how they affect sound, and what you do and don’t desire.
Hahaha I feel better now 
I’m open minded about EQ but I’m scared about damaging the headphones, are there any danger of ruining the headphones?
Should I use EQ APO + Peace EQ or only the 1st?
My plan is copying Resolve’s EQ and maybe later I’ll make little adjustments.
What App do you suggest to use on Android devices?
Thank you very much
Peace is just a more friendly GUI for the EQ APO. Install EQ APO an than Peace.
It’s perfectly safe If you use it normally. Just don’t do something silly like adding 30 dB gain on bass frequencies and you’ll be fine.
I use Poweramp Equalizer for Android. It’s a very powerful tool and the best part is that’s system wide, but you can bypass for UAPP and leave it on for streaming services, for example. You can also have independent profiles for each output (USB DAC, BT, wired headphone, etc.). It has a trial period for you to test it but it’s pretty cheap.
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It looks like Dekoni has brought back the Stellia Limited Edition Pads:
Dekoni’s Stellia-style earpads are back! After the successful run and subsequent end of the Limited Edition series earpads, we’re happy to state that they’ve returned in their full glory.
I look forward to seeing how they compare to my stock pads when they arrive (currently backordered).
Update: I just received a shipping notification for this order so they might not actually be backordered.
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For me it was the opposite. The Elegia with the stick pads did always hit a pressure point behind my right ear. With the Dekonis Stellia pads it got really better and I was fine with the Elegia till I got my Aeon 2 noire that where on a totally other level.
After that I could go back to the Elegia, did feel uncomfortable, heavy and just clunky.
I really dislike that stiff headband design by now.
Sold mine.
Focal Elegia impressions
The Focal Elegia is old news of course, but I thought others may find value in my thoughts since the Elegia are readily available for the closeout price of $399.
My credentials: First off, in the audio field I don’t have any! I’m just a normal joe with a day job in IT/cloud sales leadership and architecture. I don’t see many reviews for high-ish gear discussed with a nod towards metalheads. The majority of my listening is Metalcore, Metal, Hip Hop, Emo, Electronic and Pop. Typically very busy music.
Build, Comfort and Aesthetics:
The Focal Elegia are impeccably built. They feel exceptionally luxurious when unboxing. The headphones have an appropriate heft, feeling like you have gotten something for your money. Visually they are beautiful. From the aluminium cups to the headband they look every part of premium headphones. The cans look comically large on the head when worn and conjure jokes about Princess Leia. Otherwise i am pleased with the build and presentation. I do worry a bit about the reports of headbands cracking, but I can’t report on what might happen.
I was concerned about their weight and heft initially. While they are not as comfortable as my DCA Aeons, comfort is still good. Clamp force is moderately strong, but not to the level of new Sennheisers. The Elegia doesn’t disappear on your head, but they don’t bother. Earpads are nice and plush, while still being firm. I would appreciate a touch more cup swivel. The spring-loaded cup stick to your head pleasantly.
I have gauged ears (7/8) and some jewelry I wear interferes with the ear pads. Not going to be a concern for most but it’s there. This impacts comfort more than seal or sound quality. Overall, comfort is good, not great.
Accessories: The case is sublime. Slightly smaller than the DCA case, but not by much. You will not be slipping this in a briefcase. It is appreciated though and definitely seems that the case design received some care and was not an afterthought.
The cable is terrible. Too short, too much memory. It carries a signal though, and that is the best thing I can say about it it. My set did not include the Ikea lamp cable, but the black rubberized version.
Subjective sound and Performance: After getting around the high of the unboxing and initial admiration of the design and build, I found these headphones exceptionally easy to drive. I only need around 40% volume on the Macbook Pro (M1 Pro). When plugged into the JDS Labs El Amp 2, I cannot comfortably go past 9 o’clock with low gain, usually floating around 7 o’clock and adjusting depending on track. There appears to be minimal, if any difference in sound being driven from the Macbook amp or the El Amp 2. If anything, there is a slightly fuller sound from the El Amp with more low end, but this could be bunk. When working, there is no functional difference in sound between the discrete amp and laptop.
The tuning of the Elegia is…weird. I think it sounds overall great! But it is also very different than other headphones in my collection and it’s the first set of cans that I specifically noticed the tuning. I’m not an EQ person, so I judge the headphones on their default presentation. As DMS mentioned, they are very unique and I think that can be a strength or a failure depending on your preference.
Soundstage: quite good for a closed back. I don’t have any complaints and is definitely better than the DCA Aeon Closed X. Probably still not as good as the he400se, but that isn’t quite fair as that’s closed vs open back. Definitely not as good in soundstage as the PC38x.
Isolation: My partner hates these “ear boxes”; she can speak to me and I can’t hear a damn thing. As good as any closed-back I’ve experienced. Sound leakage is minimal in my experience.
My current darling band, Spiritbox, sounds great on the Elegia. You can hear many small details and easily pick out solo notes that don’t show up as readily on lesser headphones. ‘Rotoscope’ maintains the funky, brilliant Billie Eilish-ish djent sound while ‘Circle with Me’ comes alive with the insane lead guitar riff complementing the rest of the band exceptionally well.
The Elegia delivers on tracks by Post Malone. The bass and sub bass is tight, controlled and impactful. Detail is easily discernible in both the mids and highs. ‘Wow’ especially sounds great in the lower regions while Swae Lee’s vocals in ‘Sunflower’ shine. ‘One Right Now’ is the current track I measure everything with and the Elegia excel.
Songs by Architects sound excellent, as is par for these metalcore titans. Mids don’t deliver as much as I would like, but they are present. To that end, the Architects album ‘For Those That Wish To Exist At Abbey Road’ comes alive and just slays. The symphony opens up the songs so much and the Elegia seem tailor made for this type of record.
To that end, the mix of piano and aggressive guitars sounds quite good on Make Them Suffer’s track ‘Contraband’. I find this type of symphony-ish hardcore sounds…fine on most headphones but sound amazing on the Elegia.
Comparisons:
Elegia vs DCA Aeon X Closed: The Aeon X Closed are my favorite headphones out right now. They might not be to everyone’s taste, but the planar separation and super-tight bass really speaks to me and the music I enjoy. They are effortlessly comfortable and fully disappear when I’m at my desk working. Do they sound better than the Elegia? That’s hard to say. Yes and no. For me, the Aeon Closed is more versatile; I think it sounds better on average with a wider variety of music. The critical shortcoming of the Aeon X is that it is not at all portable; it needs GOBS of power and I have to run it on high-gain, around 1 -3 o’clock on high gain with the Atom+. You also look like the Great Gazoo when you wear it so I’m not trying to bust it out at the coffee shop. Dynamics on the Elegia win for sure but I’m not that sensitive to this.
Elegia vs Hifiman he400se: The more higher-end headphones i listen to, the more I appreciate how good the HE400se is. The Hifiman definitely do not sound as good as the Elegia or the Aeon X. Does it sound 80% as good? Absolutely. The Elegia don’t sound four times as good as the he400se nor does the Aeon. The value is just insane. I still enjoy the HE400se despite having access to the ‘better’ headphones. If i wasn’t a nutbar and wanted to collect, I would be perfectly happy with the HE400se.
Elegia vs Moondrop Aria/7hz Timeless: Hype-city on both of these; the Aria sounds amazing for both the price and the form factor. I ordered the Elegia because I prefer over-ear headphones to IEMs and was thinking of using the Elegia to replace both of these. I’ll probably keep the Aria because it sounds so good and is cheap, but while the Timeless sounds incredible for the form factor, I can’t wear them for too long regardless of tips. I like the Elegia better than both of these and for me they serve the same purpose.
Elegia vs Airpods Pro: Well, let’s be real. The Elegia destroy Airpods Pro on everything but convenience. This isn’t an indictment of the Airpods, because the convenience is their primary job and I use them as much if not more than any other headphones. The Airpods sound great for what they are, and I feel like they sound better than they need to.
Conclusions: I was very reticent to order the Focal Elegia, because my only experience with Focal otherwise is Focal speakers I installed in my car. I didn’t love them at first, but they grew on me with time (and with tuning the overwhelming treble). The Elegia lost the first round to the DCA Aeon X and I still feel like I made the right choice in choosing the Aeon X first. But I have come around the Elegia so far; more listening is still needed. Would I have bought them at $900? No way. There is just too much in way of diminishing returns and I have a mortgage to pay. But at $400? These are probably the best dynamic I’ve heard. Will I keep them? Probably. I am curious about how this compares to the AKG K371. I haven’t heard the AKG but in a world where the K371 exists, the value of the Elegia isn’t as compelling. But as a counterpoint to the DCA Aeon X Closed and as a less fussy option to IEMs, I could see myself happy with the Elegia.
As an “only” headphone, I don’t think the Focal Elegia fits the bill. There are too many options that don’t have the polarizing tuning and response. But as a complement to other cans and at the bonkers discounted price? I say take the leap.
Sources:
Macbook Pro (M1 Pro) —> JDS Labs Atom+
Macbook Pro (M1 Pro) —> direct to headphone jack
PC —> JDS Labs switcher —>El Amp 2
Apple Music Lossless (ALAC up to 24bit/48hz) via Macbook Pro
Apple Music (AAC 192kbps) via PC
To be honest, I can’t tell the difference between lossless and not.
Reference tracks:
Rotoscope - Spiritbox
Circle with Me - Spiritbox
One Right Now - Post Malone + The Weeknd
Wow - Post Malone
Sunflower - Post Malone + Swae Lee
Doomsday - Architects
When We Were Young - Architects
Save Dat Money - Lil Dicky
Let Go (Frou Frou cover) - A Static Lullaby
Contraband - Make Them Suffer + Courtney LaPlante
Shivering - ILLENIUM feat. Spiritbox
Concrete - Poppy
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Thanks! So whatever the mod, there is no good reason to choose elegia over celestee, except that elegia might be a more pleasing daily driver in terms of listening pleasure (vs. analytical/neutral listening)? At least that’s what this review suggests Focal Elegia - Closed Back Headphones - Official Thread - #470 by Twinguin
Would you consider the beyer 700 pro x an alternative to celestee for my purposes? And sorry to dump all my questions here at once (not able to start new topic yet due to my status)
@Retiarius Thanks for this thorough review! So helpful. I wonder if you can report on the celestee with alternative pads. I’m looking for a Focal Clear sound but kind of rely on a closed back solution for now (studio+listening purposes). Cannot afford Stellia, so Celestee is probably my best alternative? Or Elegia? Would like to not rely on EQing too much.
Another question regarding alternate celestee padding would be improvements in comfort. I have a narrow, boney head, so the fit and seal was not ideal for me. Any workaround ideas?