Focal Elex Review: The Super HD600 - Audio Discourse

The bass on the Elex is tight. The transient response is superb and lets the Elex easily slam. While it can't compete with the Utopia, the Elex ... Skiptomaincontent FocalElexReview:TheSuperHD600 Fc-Construct | January10,2021 Getlink Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email OtherApps IntroductionAcoupleyearsago,IhadthechancetotryouttheFocalUtopia.Frommyshortlisteningsession,Iimmediatelyunderstoodwhythey'regenerallyconsideredtheworld'sgreatestheadphone.Butthefourthousanddollarorsopricetagwasnotforme.EntertheFocalElex.Atamuchmorereasonableaskingpriceof$700andbearingsimilardriverstoitssiblings,theElexhasgainedareputationasa"babyUtopia"ora"superHD600".IknewitwasonlyamatteroftimebeforeIgotmyhandsononetohearitformyself.Andthoughthehypetrainhasmostlycomeandgoneforthisheadphone,herearemythoughtsontheFocalElexwithcomparisontothevenerableSennheiserHD600.What'sintheBox?Insidetheblackboxistheheadphonesthemselves,nestledinfoam.You'llfindacoupleofbookletsforproductinfoandapromobrochureforFocalasacompany.Otherthanthataretwofabric-sleevedcables,oneXLRandtheotherwitha6.5mmjack(1/4"foryouAmericans).Thesecablesareatrocious.Ithasanungodlyamountofcablememoryandawkwardlykinksbecauseofthat.I'dhighlyrecommendgettingsomebettercablestoreplacethis.AsfortheElexitself,thebuildqualityisrathernice.It'sahandsomeblackandfeelssubstantial.Thatsaid,IintrinsicallyhandlemyElexalotmoregingerlythantheHD600.Weightwise,it'ssignificantlyheavierthanmyHD600.Yetdespitemyinitialfearsofitbeingtooheavyforregularuse,IfoundIcouldgoacouplehoursbeforeneedingtotaketheoffandstretchabit.Comfortwasquitegood.IactuallypreferittotheHD600exceptfortheweight.Theclampforcewasn'ttootightandthepadsmoldsnicelyontomyhead,evenontopofmyglasses.Thepadsaresurprisinglypliableandconformatthelightesttouch.Igetthesensethatasealhasformedaroundmyears.Italsodoesn'tgetabitwarmliketheHD600does.Idon'treallyfeelapressurepointonthetopofmyheadthankstothethickheadband.SoundTomyears,theFocalElexislessthe"babyUtopia"andmorethe"superHD600".WhileElexretainsalotofthedynamismfoundintheUtopia,thelevelofresolutionandsheernuanceoftheUtopiaisonacategoryofitsown.Assuch,Ididn'tgetthesamesenseofwonderfrommyfirstlistentotheElexthatIwasexpectingfrommymemoriesoftheUtopia.Butshiftingperspectives,itisanexcellentupgradetotheHD600. Sowhatmakesita"superHD600"?Tuningwise,theElexisaleanneutralwithabrighttouch.ItsmidsaresimilartotheHD600butcutsdownslightlyonthelowermids.ItintroducesatrebleforwardnessthatwasabsentontheHD600.Onatechnicallevel,resolution,layering,andstagingtakeaconfidentstepforward.ThebiggestadvancementtheElexmakesovertheHD600isitssenseofdynamicsandclarity.Touseatiredanalogy,listeningtotheElexislikeremovingaveilofftheHD600.AndIdon'tmeantheso-calledSennheiserveil(thatIdon'tevenbelievein!).OntheElex,recordingsfeelimmediatelycleaner.Songseffortlesslyadoptanotherlayerofmusicalityandliveliness.Bass:Forallit'sgreatness,Ithinkit'snosecretthatthebiggestweaknessoftheHD600isitsbass(well,maybeasidefromitssoundstage).It'snowherenearbadbutthelackofsubbassandbluntnessofitsbassresponsehadalwaysleftmewantingalittlebitmore.Well,theElexeasilyresolvesbothofthosecomplaintswithatradeoffinmidbasspresence. ThebassontheElexistight.ThetransientresponseissuperbandletstheElexeasilyslam.Whileitcan'tcompetewiththeUtopia,theElexisbynomeansaslouchwhenitcomestodynamismandresolution.Eveninbusypassages,bassnotespossessagreatsenseofdefinitionandcutrightthroughthemix.WiththeElex,thesubtlevariationsinhowthedrummerattacksthekickineachconsecutivenotecomestolife.Groovingbassguitarlinesaresimplydeliciousastheyflitinandouteffortlessly.Incomparison,theHD600soundsdownrightflatandcompressednexttotheElex.Simplyput,theElex'sbassresponseishighquality.ThatunidentifiablesenseoflongingIfeltwhenlisteningtotheHD600ismethere.Qualityaside,whataboutquantity?TheElex'sbasstakesthereferenceroute.Thoughitextendsnicelydownwithplentyofpresenceinthesubbassregion,itisn'tparticularlyelevated.Thesamecanbesaidforitsmidbass.ThisgivestheElexaratherleanappearance.It'sfarfromanemicbutdoesn'tsoundhuge.Whilethetomsandkickaremeaty,itdoesn'talwaysfilltheroomsotospeak.Personally,it'sabitofashamebecauseforbassthishighquality,Iwanttohearmore.IfindmyselfturninguptheElexjusttosoakinthatgoodness.I'vetriedtoEQitlightlybutwasn'tsatisfiedwiththeresults.Mids:Tomyears,themidsoftheElexandHD600arerathersimilarintonebutwithadistinctlydifferentpresentationtoeach.WheretheHD600hasawarmer,smoothedoversound,theElexisleanerandmoreengaging.Vocalshavesuperbplacementwithouteverbeingtooforwardorrecessed regardlessofmaleorfemale.Ifindvocalsalsoblendbetterintothe mixwiththeElexthanontheHD600.Electricguitarshaveacleanergrittothemwhileacousticguitarssoundsharperonpluckedstrings.Asawhole,instrumentsfeelmorespacedoutandopenontheElexthanontheHD600.Inavacuum,IthinkIslightlypreferthetonalityoftheHD600buttheoveralltechnicaladvancementsontheElexmakesmeleanheavilyinitsfavor.Oftentimes,whenitcomestorhetoricontheHD600,itinevitablycirclesarounditsexcellenttimbrethatfewotherheadphonescanmatch.Andundoubtedly,theHD600soundsphenomenal.ButIdon'tthinktheElexlagsbehindinanyway.ItsequallypleasingtomeastheHD600.PerhapsitspresentationislessrelaxedtocomparedtotheHD600butIhavenocomplaintshere.Treble:TheElexisnoticeablybrighterthantheHD600withatrebleforwardnessthatbringsoutthebrillianceoftheupperharmonics.Ifyou'reusedtotherelativelylaidbacktrebleoftheHD600,theElexmaysoundfatiguingforthefirsthalfhourorso.Hatsandcymbalsarecrisp.Bell-likeinstrumentsandtheuppernotesofaxylophonehaveadelicatecrystallineclaritytothem.TheElexbringstolifethetrebleofalotoftracksthatwerepreviouslysmoothedoverontheHD600.Thetradeoffisabitofashorterdecaythathidesthelasttrailingringofthecrash.Ifyou'rearegularreaderofmyreviewsonAD,you'llknowI'mnottrebleshy.Assuch,thetrebleoftheElexfallscloselyinlinewithmypreferences.Idon'thearanyproblematicspikesordipsthatadverselycolorsthetreble. OnecomplaintI'veheardwiththeElex'strebletimbreincomparisontotheHD600wasitsoundsmetallic.Truthbetold,IwasalittleapprehensiveofthisaswellwhenIfirstboughtit.ButIdon'treallyhearitforthemostpart.Iconcedethatinsomepoorlyrecordedtrackswherethecymbalssoundincoherenttostart,thebrightnessoftheElexdoesaddametallicglintasitamplifiesthealreadydiscordantsound.Otherwise,it'snotaconcernatall.I'mverypleasedwiththetrebleoftheElex.Presentation:ThesoundstageoftheElexislessintimatethantheHD600,butnotbymuch.I'dsaythere'sabout20%moreheight,width,anddepth.WheretheHD600constantlyfeelsclosedin,theElexopensupjustenoughtocurbthatsensation.Imagingisnoticeablybetterwithnuancedplacementsinthesoundstagethankstohowdistincteachnoteis.IthinktheleannessoftheElex'stuningcontributestohowmuchmoreopenitiscomparedtotheHD600.InstrumentsreallyfeelliketheyhaveaspacetobreatheandplayinwhereontheHD600itfeelslikethey'recorralledintoanarrowspace.IfindthatthissenseofspaceontheElexaddsalottomyenjoyment. ResolutionisalsoastepupontheElex,thoughitisn'timmediatelynoticeablewhencomparingsidebyside.Instrumentseparationandlayeringaresignificantlybetter,takingadvantageoftheopennesstheElexprovides.ItouchedonhowdynamictheElexisinthebasssection,butitreallyisthecornerstoneofthisheadphone.TracksgainalayerofenergyandlivelinessthatIneverknewwasmissing.Comparingthemsidebyside,it'strulylikealayerofcompressionwasappliedontheHD600andremovedontheElex.It'sanimpressivestepupastheHD600ishardlypoorindynamicsitself.Wordsreallydon'titjustice;Ifinddescriptionsaboutdynamicsfallflatwithoutachancetohearityourself. ShouldYouBuyIt?Clearly,IlovetheElex.ForthefirstfewmonthsthatIhadit,Ididn'tevenbothertoA/BitwiththeHD600Ihadlyingaround.Whileitdidn'tliveuptothe"babyUtopia"dreamIhad,itdidfulfillthe"superHD600"promise.ItwasonlyasIbeganwritingthisreviewandspentafewafternoonsdirectlycomparingthemdidIcometoappreciatejusthowmuchbettertheElexwas.PrettymucheverythingaboutthesoundoftheElexwasastepupintherightdirectionfromtheHD600Iwasusedto.It'saheadphonethatI'vecometoappreciatethemoreIlistentoit.TheElexlinesupcloselywithmypreferencesandIwouldbecontentifIweretodeclarethisasmyendgame.Ifaheadphonewasnothingmorethanitssound,theFocalElexwouldhavemyhighestrecommendation.For$700,it'swellwortheverypenny.Itsvaluepropositionisonthelevelofa$200HD600.Butthereareafewexternalcatchesthatmakeholditback.ForthosefamiliarwiththeElexstory,thereisabigelephantintheroom:qualitycontrol.Iwon'tgotooheavilyintothedetailshereasIdon'tknowallofitmyselfbutsufficeittosaythatonsomeunits,itsdrivershaveapropensitytodie.Whileitdoeshaveatwo-yearwarrantywhennew,I'dhatetobeonthereceivingendofDrop'scustomerservice,especiallyasFocalseemstohavetakenahandsoffapproachtotheElex.Toexacerbatetheissue,gettingnewpadsfortheElexdowntheroadisn'tbeveryeasyandFocalpadsingeneralarepainfullyexpensive. Attheendoftheday,perhapstheElexwastoogoodtobetrue.IwishwithallmyheartthatIcouldconfidentlyrecommenditbutIcan'tingoodconscience.Instead,itgetsacautiousrecommendation.I'msurethatthereareplentyofproblem-freeElexesoutthereandfailuresareinevitableforanyproduct.IfyoucanstomachthelowriskthatcomeswithbuyingtheDropxFocalElex,IcanthinkofnothingelseIwouldbuyfortheprice.Aswemoveinto2021,Icanonlyhopetheheadphonespacereceivesanewchallenger,onethatfurtherrefinesontheElexandbringsamorecustomerfriendlyexperienceatanequallyaffordableprice. 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