Focal Elex Review: I've Been Looking for this HD600 Upgrade!

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@monsterbill

For me, my HD600s are solid, inoffensive all-arounders, and outstanding vocal specialists. So, to say that another headphone is better in every way except vocals, is a little like a restaurant is being better in every way except the food.

Yep.

The HD600 was my first serious set of headphones. I bought the Elex ~5 years ago as an upgrade, but found vocals to be metallic and the treble to be piercing. Over time I began to wince at the thought of using the Elex, so I sold it. I upgraded to the far less sharp and more airy OG Clear and still have it. If you are not treble sensitive the Elex can deliver clean, ‘deconstructed,’ and punchy sound.

I still have my HD600.

@Fc-Construct

As for the food analogy, I’d say it’s more like eating fried rice made with jasmine vs sushi rice. Jasmine rice is ideal but sushi rice is still pretty darn good and hardly takes away from the quality of the meal.

Nice review overall. I can’t get with the rice analogy because base character doesn’t carry over the same way or to the same extent. The HD600 has known limitations (e.g., rolled off bass and treble; limited dynamics; plasticky timbre) while the Elex has others (e.g., piercing treble, exaggerated dynamics, metallic timbre). Pick your poison…neither is “ideal” to me but I continue to willingly use the HD600.