Arriving in a sturdy carry case that suggested quality, these headphones did not disappoint, even on the first listen out of the box. The luxurious experience of placing them on my head felt similar in quality to opening up the throttle on a high-spec BMW.
The closed-back, around-the-ear design is roomy and comfortable, and the solid aluminum yoke ensures a nice fit on the head. The earpads are augmented with microfiber-covered memory foam. The headphones feature a 40 mm driver and 5 Hz–23 kHz frequency response.
When I put them on and played my first bit of music, my response was one word: Wow! The sense of clarity, air, depth and power came through within a few notes. While that may seem like an exaggeration, it is not. Throughout that day, I found myself working with them and forgetting they were there. When we used them—we had two pairs—in the St. John studio, the whole gang agreed that they were superb. I found myself tweaking reverbs and setting EQ points with them because we could pinpoint with accuracy and focus.
The Elegia headphones are not wireless; you do have to connect the included cable to the two earpieces, which is the one thing we wished were different. Due to time constraints, I was unable to get the optional 16.5-foot coiled cable for the sessions, which would have connected to the headphone extensions a bit easier, but that’s not an issue considering how good these things are. I will integrate them immediately into my home studio productions because they fit a niche in my composition, recording and mixing world. Yes, at just under $900, these are a pricey option, but like buying a fine automobile, you pay for quality. They are worth it.
Focal • www.focal.comr
