Focal Elear and Utopia

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by SingSing, Jun 14, 2016.

  1. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    The moon audio open box deals come with the Focal warranty. There's no downside.
     
  2. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    Hey man, any deals you know of around the $2300 mark? Moon are out of stock on the open box....
     
  3. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    I'm sorry man, I don't. Moon-audio is the only one that sells them with the warranty, and head-fi used prices are higher than open box for some reason
     
  4. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    and Rthomas addressed PacoTaco's bewilderment.
     
  5. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    Not entirely. When I made the comment, the Utopia open box was in stock and had been for several weeks (only out of stock off and on.) I only know this because I keep going back and forth between the HD800 + Auteur/Atticus or just buying the Utopia open box and going with the Gungnir Multibit instead of Yggdrasil.

    Even now, it's only backordered and new stock is in next week. Same shit happened with the THX00s back when. People sold for more than MSRP, and I got threatened with a ban on head-fi for reporting those people.
     
  6. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    While I don't condone reselling for a profit, if people choose to buy it, then that's on them. It's the same thing for GPUs on the market. With Bitcoin mining they rose to an astronomically inflated price that was just absurd yet people still bought them. I chose to wait it out.
     
  7. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    there' a bit of a limit to that I think head-fi should have. They have a rule against it, but then get annoyed when people report it being broken.
     
  8. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    True. I think ebay is the more appropriate place to put an item anyways. Head-Fi and SBAF for sale should be about people trying to give decent deals so people can enjoy the things they aren't using anymore and save some money.
     
  9. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    After spending years using Ultimate Ears custom IEMs I decided to move to headphones. I already knew from browsing that the HD800 and HD800S were considered tops in imaging and soundstage, which has always been important to me. Tyll gave such a glowing review for the Elears on InnerFidelity that I went ahead and bought a pair. That was an $800 mistake. I found the Elears too bass heavy with veiled treble and really poor imaging. Long story short I also bought the HD800S. They may be my reference headphone for years. The only minor complaints I have with the HD800S are that slight treble peak and a somewhat lean presentation. I have a Kenzie coming next week and we will see how that tube amp matches with the phones. Now that I am happy with the HD800S I am just building the rest of my system around the phones for best sound to my ears. Oh, and I no longer read InnerFidelity. I think the best advice is to be found right here on SBAF.
     
  10. slankoe

    slankoe Tongue tastes of LH butthole

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    I still respect Tyll's opinion and think he is one of the more reasonable reviewers in the industry. Having said that I was almost misled into buying the Elear, thinking they were a clear winner in regards to my own preference. However, I waited before buying these to eventually find out through reviews and SBAF threads that Elear are not the absolute best like everyone else seems to say online, but have a flaw in their tone. The annoying midrange dip seems similar to the problem I had with the Audeze EL-8, which I eventually did not end up liking nearly as much as I thought I would.
    My $0.02

    Update: Removed some text from this post which I no longer agree with. Also adding that now having tried Elears, I was pleased with the sound. They have the dynamism of Focal Clear and Utopia, and are similarily resolving detail like the Clears. But the upper-mid missing info is real and does affect many genres of music making them sound less immersive and transparency takes a hit. The EL-8 is a worse offender overall however.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2018
  11. Jinxy245

    Jinxy245 Vegan Puss

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    I'm understand your thoughts, and of course you're entitled to your opinion but there is still a lot of great info to be had from Innerfidelity. You have to take ANY review in context of who's writing it (IMO, YMMV and all that)

    Tyll clearly stated that the Elear played into his penchant for a smoother sounding headphone. I haven't spent a lot of time with the Elear (yet, I have a used one in transit now) but from the few demos I've had, his description of the sound is spot on.

    I don't always agree with Tyll's tastes, but I do almost always understand what he's hearing from his reviews.
     
  12. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    Perhaps I was a little harsh on Tyll if so I apologize. I do still scan Innerfidelity but will never use advice there to make a buying decision again. I prefer to take advice from owners who actually paid for the product they are reviewing. If you watch Tyll's videos he does not even own a high end 2 channel system but instead listens nearfield with an old pair of Harbeth HL-P3es2 monitors (now replaced by P3ESR) next to his computer. I am not certain he even appreciates how well a two channel system based on say, Maggies can image. I do think a headphone reviewer should ideally also own a high end two channel system for comparison.
     
  13. Muse Wanderer

    Muse Wanderer Friend

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    I would be even more cautious with reviews from people who paid for their product. Audio nervosa and new toy syndrome can cause havoc to even the most objective reviewer. As for persons who apparently receive products left, right and centre from manufacturers, especially with sugary coated price reductions after reviews (!) - I would be even more wary.

    In my experience, first hand listening was essential to target my purchases, even (especially) at audio shows. As an example after sampling all Audeze headphones at a table, it was so obvious that every single one of them was craptastic. The Elear, after a few seconds of listening at an audio show, was an abomination! I just couldn't understand how one could even conceive and advertise such a product.

    I also rely on few reliable experienced reviewers who really don't mince words. As for speakers, they are generally so much better than any freakin' headphone, that there is no useful comparison to be made. Furthermore patience until any hype subsides pays off so much dividends at the end.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2017
  14. Galm

    Galm Still looking for Little Red Riding Hood

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    If funds are less of an issue there are places that will let you borrow headphones too. I did that for a couple headphones to get a week with them with my own gear to do a comparison. They won't have everything, but the more popular headphones seem to be available. It was what I did before buying my current headphones. Short of literally buying the headphone this is the best way to test if something will work in your set up.

    Edit: I agree Muse, I also super hate giving reviews of headphones that have incentives. It's not helpful.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2017
  15. Muse Wanderer

    Muse Wanderer Friend

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    That is a good idea too if shipping costs are not prohibitive. Loaners are also a great way to evaluate stuff. However price reductions from a manufacturer for so called reviews of loaner stuff is a huge no go for me. That is a red flag unless that person can be trusted from past experience.
     
  16. jowls

    jowls Never shitposts (please) - Friend

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    Pinging @jexby from the Clear thread. Can you share impressions of DSHA3F and Utopia? DSHA2 already seems to play to Utopias strengths, so I would be interested to hear how an amp designed by Doug for the Focals performs...
     
  17. loki993

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    Curious Im seeing Elears showing up on the used market for anywhere from 550 down in some cases under 500. Is there a reason people are selling them so cheap, relative to what the cost new at least?
     
  18. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    That's a good question to ask. Presuambly they aren't too happy, I guess?
     
  19. loki993

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    What would they not be happy about? Im curious because I was going to try to find an Elex but when I saw all these Elears for sale for, at least what I would consider, a low price for that they go for new, I started thinking maybe I should try the Elear. I just want o make extra sure there isnt something going on, like something wrong with them before I drop even 500 on a set..that still a lot of coin.

    edit....after more reading I think it seems the tuning of the elears may be a bit plain for people and possibly people are selling them in preparation of getting the Elex.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2018
  20. dontfeedphils

    dontfeedphils New

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    I sold mine for $550 over 7 months ago. Retail seems to be around $700 at the right place, $150 off for used isn't that large of a gap.
     

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