Focal Celestee review | TechRadar

The more neutral tonal balance of the Focal Clear Mg is absolutely perfect but the stronger bass presence and impact of the Celestee is ... 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For Amazingdetailandimaging Class-leadingbuildquality Easytodrive Against Mediocresoundstage Heavy Nobalancedcableincluded TechRadarVerdict TheFocalCelesteeisoneofthebest-soundingclosed-backheadphonesyoucanbuy.Theheadphoneshavegobsofresolution,impact,andpreciseimaging.Moreimpressively,theCelesteedoesn'tpunishlistenerswhohavepoorqualityrecordings.However,ifyou’relookingforsoundstagewidth,you’llhavetofinditelsewhereastheCelesteedoesn’tprojectsoundveryfar. Pros +Amazingdetailandimaging+Class-leadingbuildquality+Easytodrive Cons -Mediocresoundstage-Heavy-Nobalancedcableincluded TODAY'SBESTDEALS$899atAmazon$899.10atCrutchfield$990atSamAsh30-secondreviewFocal,therenownedspeakermanufacturer,jumpedintotheheadphonespaceseveralyearsagoandmadeanimmediateimpactonthespace.Itslineupofopen-andclosed-backheadphonesbecamesomeofthemostrecommendedheadphonesforaudioenthusiasts. Mostrecently,Focalrevisiteditsclosed-backofferinganddiscontinuedtheElegiainfavorofthenewCelestee,whichwe’llbereviewingheretoday. Alongwithafreshcolorway,Focalhasrevisitedthedriverandtuningofitsclosed-backofferingwiththeCelesteeandspoileralert:it’sexcellent. FocalCelesteeatCrutchfieldfor$899.10Priceandavailability TheFocalCelesteeisavailableworldwidefor$999/£999/€999/AU$1,399. Intermsofcompetition,theBeyerdynamicDT1990standsoutasanexcellentvaluefortheresolutionandbuildqualityyougetforits$599(£589,AU$1,159)askingprice.However,theDT1990canbefatiguingtothosewhoaretreblesensitive.They’realsosemi-openback,sothey’renotmadeforanofficeenvironment. TheSennheiserHD820areoneofthebestclosedbackheadphonesyoucanbuytodaybutaretwiceasexpensiveastheCelestee,butdefinitelynottwiceascapable.Intermsofvalue,theCelesteeoffersalotcomparedtotheSennheiser. ThatleavesAudezewithitsLCD-2ClosedBack,whichhasincrediblebassresponsebuttheCelesteeisabetterbalancedheadphonewithbettermidsandhighs. (Imagecredit:LewisLeong)DesignTheFocalCelesteedoesn’tstrayfromthetried-and-truedesignoftheentireFocalheadphonelineup.Ontheoutside,theCelesteesportsanewcolorwaywithnavyblueandgoldaccents.It’sdefinitelymoreofapolarizingcolorwaychoicecomparedtothesilverandblackofthepreviousElegiaheadphone. Theearcupsfeatureanew“honeycomb”designthatmimicsthedesignoftheopenbackFocalClearMg,buttheholesarefilledinsteadofcoveredbymesstomaintainthatclosedbackdesign. ThebuildqualityoftheCelesteeisexcellent,andsomeofthebestatanyprice.Theheadphoneiscoveredinsemi-anilineleatherthatfeelspremium,butthatpremiumfeeldoescomeattheexpenseofbeinglighweight:theCelesteeweighsinatahefty430g,whichissignificantlyheavierthansomeofitslessexpensiverivals,buttheheadbandhelpsdistributeitsweightacrosstheheadandtheclampingforceisjustright. Includedinthepackageisawell-builthardcarryingcaseaswellasa4-footlongcable,whichterminateswitha3.5mmjackwitha6.35mmadapter.It’sabitdisappointingthatFocalomittedthebalancedXLRcablefromitsotherheadphones,butunderstandablesinceFocalispositioningtheCelesteeasaheadphonethatyoucantakeonthego. (Imagecredit:LewisLeong)FeaturesTheFocalCelesteefeaturesa40mm'M'-shapedaluminiummagnesiumdomedriver,whichislightweightwhilebeingincrediblystrong.Thisdrivergivesgreatsoundquality,whichwe’llgointointhenextsectionbelow. HelpingwithbasscontrolandimpactistheportedFocallogo,whichallowsairtomovebehindthedriver.Thisdoesn’tallowambientsoundin,whichisimportantforapairofclosedbackheadphones.Intermsofnoiseisolation,theCelesteeisverygood,blockingamajorityofoutsidesoundandkeepingmusicin.You’llhavenoworriesusingtheseinaopenofficeenvironment. TheFocalCelesteehasanimpedanceof35ohmsand105dBSPL/1mW@1kHz,whichmeanstheseheadphonesareextremelyeasytodrive.TheysoundgoodstraightoutofasmartphonebutaddinganexternalDACandampelevatesthesoundqualitynoticeably.Withsuchhighsensitivity,abudgetDAC/ampwillyieldgreatresultsandtheheadphonesaren’tpickywithampingunlikeotheraudiophileheadphones. (Imagecredit:LewisLeong)AudioqualityTheFocalCelesteeareoneofthebest-soundingclosed-backheadphonesyoucanbuy.Theseheadphonesoffergobsofdetailandincredibleimaging,allowingyoutopreciselypinpointwhereeachinstrumentiscomingfrom.Imagingissogood,youcansenseinstrumentsbehindyou. Intermsofsoundstage,theCelesteeisaveragewitharelativelynarrowpresentationwhencomparedtoopenbackheadphones.TheCelesteepresentsmusicinaveryforwardmanner,likeyou’reinthefrontrowofaconcert,whichsomemayenjoy.Thoselookingforanexpansivesoundstageandlaidbacksoundshouldlookelsewhere. Intermsoftonalbalance,theFocalCelesteeiswarmwithanoticeablebumpinthebassandsub-bassregions.Thishelpsmakemusicsoundimpactfulandfunbutit’sslightlytoomuchforourtaste.ThemoreneutraltonalbalanceoftheFocalClearMgisabsolutelyperfectbutthestrongerbasspresenceandimpactoftheCelesteeisundeniablyfun.Basshasgreattexture,resolution,andimpact.WewereimpressedhowwelltheCelesteewasabletoreproducerealistic-soundingkickdrums. Midsarewellrepresentedandneverdrownedoutbythetippedupbass.Vocalistssoundnaturalanddetailed.WewereimpressedwithhowwelltheCelesteewasabletolayerinstruments,wherelesserheadphoneswouldstruggle,creatingasmearymess.AgreatexampleisthesoundtrackforTheDarkKnightRises–thereareatonoflayersoffast-movinginstrumentswhichcansound“fuzzy”ifaheadphonecan’t decayanotequicklyenough.TheCelestee’saluminumandmagnesiumdriverdoeswondersheretokeepeverylayerseparateandcontrolled. Highsareexcellent,providingsparklewithoutanyfatigue.WhilethebassoftheCelesteedefinitelystandsout,itdoesn’tstopthemidsandhighsfromsoundingexcellentaswell. (Imagecredit:LewisLeong)FinalverdictTheFocalCelesteeisoneofthebestsoundingclosedbackheadphoneswe’veheardandwhileit’sexpensiveat$999(€999,AU$1,399),it’scompletelyjustifiableforthoselookingforoneheadphonetodoitall. TheCelesteeisagreatchoiceforthosewholookforawarmerandmoreforwardpresentation.Whilewewishthesoundstagewaswider,it’sunderstandableforaclosedbackheadphonetobemorelimitedinthisregard. Expecttoseetheseonourlistofthebestover-earheadphonesTODAY'SBESTDEALS$899atAmazon$899.10atCrutchfield$990atSamAsh LewisLeong LewisLeongisafreelancewriterforTechRadar.Hehasanunhealthyobsessionwithheadphonesandcanidentifycarssimplybylisteningtotheirexhaustnotes. 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