FIRST HIGH-END closed-back headphones by Focal
To enjoy an incredible listening experience in total privacy, without worrying about a noisy environment disturbing this moment of pleasure: this is the promise made and kept by Elegia. In these high-end circum-aural closed-back headphones, we have combined the best of our skilfully created technologies, developed and assembled in our workshops in France. Elegia incorporates a new generation of exclusive full-range speaker drivers capable of operating in a small inner environment whilst ensuring exceptional dynamics and the most precise sound reproduction. Whether it’s the motor, the frameless copper voice coil, the dedicated 110 micron surround or the “M”-shape inverted dome, Elegia's speaker drivers are a mass of innovation dedicated to sound purity. And when connected to portable audio players, these headphones are incredibly high-performing. Zero resonance, excellent soundproofing: the naturalness and realism of the sound is striking from the first few seconds of listening.
Loading a speaker driver into a “small room” makes it extremely sensitive to its environment. Our engineers’ 40 years of expertise and know-how led to specific work being undertaken on the vents, so as not to limit the frequency response in the low-range and thus properly manage the air flow. With Elegia, there is no resonance to disturb the listening experience. And the closed earpads round off the remarkable soundproofing.
Elegia is equipped with a new generation of electrodynamic transducers which provide great elongation, at the heart of extremely dynamic sound, and a linear, extended frequency response of 23 kHz. The geometry of the new, half-roll NBR surround guarantees a lightweight moving part that is always under control, even at the lowest frequencies and the highest volumes. The sound reproduction is incredibly precise. And thanks to the "M”-shape inverted dome and its larger emissive surface, listening becomes sensational.
With its well-mastered geometry, Elegia's headband moulds perfectly to the head, providing optimal grip for on-the-go use. The 20mm memory foam microfibre earpads as well as the yoke, which also moulds perfectly to the wearer’s face shape, are both key contributors to the headphones’ supreme comfort. They are also incredibly good-looking: noble materials such as leather, solid aluminium and microfibre finish off Elegia to a tee.
• A 3.5mm stereo jack adapter
• A 3.5mm to 6.35mm jack adapter
• A carefully finished, hard-shell carrying case. Thermoformed in the shape of the headphones, it protects, stores and carries Elegia with peace of mind.
Jude Mansilla from Head-Fi introduces Elegia, our first high-end closed-back headphones, during a review with Nicolas Debard, our Home Audio Products Manager.
Read moreSuch a unbelievable "closed-back" headphone. So linear and "easylistening" for a unique price!
Great sound, lush, but precise and a my entry point into high end headphones.
Excellent
Fantastic sound , very pleased with my purchase. And sevenoaks hifi store in Norwich
Very nice product. I heard many headphone but i like this headphone.
Very comfortable, great sound, good sound isolation, feel very well built, cable could be a little longer for home hifi listening though.
Almost incredible audio quality on a luxurious but elegant and sturdy presentation. On the version I got, even the only often criticised on reviews issue has been corrected: their cable! Now it’s a flexible, rubberised, and substantial, with beautiful branded details 3.5-3.5mm one. It’s length is still 1.2m, though.
Fantastic headphones, very comfortable & great sound quality.
Great product, awesome sounds and paired up to my Astell & Kern and I'm a happy camper.
Thank you for a great product.
Wonderful product, great sound
First Class Quality Product, Excellent Sound, Very High-End Headphones For Audiophiles Best Ever
Good sound
Fabulous headphones! Great sound, superlative build quality, excellent carry case. I wish the cable was longer so I’m going to have to invest in an extended cable. Much prefer these to my Sennheisers and my B&O H9. If you can find a pair in stock would highly recommend.
One word, WOW! Simply amazing.
Love these headphones. Great detail and balance.
Well packed. Great quality, Great sound, very nice case. Visually stunning. Over all great product.
My end-game headphones as of 2023, while coming from the HD 6XX and HD 598.
Comfort is a 7 out of 10 due to the weight. Bass is an 8 out of 10. It's clean, present, and can reproduce sub-bass when needed. Mids are a 7 out of 10 due to the peak at the upper mids creating a nasally, slightly-honky character. Highs are a 9 out of 10 due to smoothness and for the lack of harshness and sibilance.
Detail retrieval is a 10 out of 10. I heard things in my favorite tracks that I'd never heard before. Soundstage is an 8 out of 10 . Imaging is a 10 out of 10. Separation is a 10 out of 10. Timbre is a 7 out of 10 due to the problem in the Mids as mentioned earlier. The black cable is rather stiff and retains memory from the bends in the box, so 7 out of 10 for that.
All in all, I'm very pleased with these headphones. I am enjoying them every day while working from home at my desk. It is very lively and dynamic, perfect for waking up the senses on boring work days.
I am impressed with Focal and will likely buy another product in the future.
I'll Start this review by stating this is my first "Audiophile" Closed Back. These are fantastic, especially at this price point. They feel premium when you pick them up. I thought they were going to be heavy and fatiguing after a few hours of listing, but they just disappear on my head. These also sound fantastic! They are easy to drive, so they work great with a phone, but if you have a DAP or any sort of amplifier, then they really shine! Absolutely sound better then i could have hoped for!
Terrific, dynamic, lively, musical sound!
Fantastic headphones for a great price.
Best closed Back Headphone that I have used. Very comfortable with wide open back sound
Sounds so good they keep me too late every night. Aways want to hear just one more song.
Po pierwszym dniu słuchania jestem zadowolony z zakupu. Zobaczymy jak będzie, gdy się porządnie wygrzeją. W porównaniu z moimi poprzednimi słuchawkami Sennheiser 58x są rewelacyjne. To tyle jak na jeden dzień słuchania.
Amazone clarity and detail. Can wear them for hours. Closed back so very curious about the open back version.
Immaculate sounding headphones. I was planning on a pair of open-backed until I tried these and felt in love with the sound. The clarity is incredible and the instrument segregation makes listening to familiar music sound new.
In addition to the sound, they look stunning and have a fantastic build quality.
Product was tested against two other products of similar price. The Focal Elegias were preferred as they seem to have a wider range dispute being closed.
I listen to a lot of classical, world, folk, jazz, and seventies and eighties rock. This headphones produce a more rounded sound as my wife says.
Extremely happy with the Elegia
Never heard closed back headphones sounding this good! They need a little breaking in but the sound quality keeps improving!
Using the Elegia with a chord mojo 2 dac hooked either to my cd transport or Qobuz from my MacBook gives a truly high end performance. I love the soundstage and fun listening experience.
Good sound straight out of the box. Looks like a million and sound the same. No problem to use your phone or computer but you should definitely use an amp. On the minus side, the cord is to short.
Very happy with these headphones. Suits me well. Use them for all types of music and gaming. I use DT1990Pro, Sennheiser HD600, Dan Clark Aeon closed, Modified Fostex T40RP MK3, Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch headphones and if I had to choose one it would clearly be Focal Elegia as no.1. They are not as comfortable as Dan Clark but it is not far off. Very detailed without being tiring. Feels like good quality so will buy a pair of Clear MG Pro because I want to try a pair of open headphones from Focal as well.
Tuned weirdly but it is a very fun headphone. Very open sounding despite being closed back and comfortable to wear, even with glasses.
The short: wow, excellent clarity and division of sound, especially for a closed back.
The long: If you are tepidly entering the hi-fi, audiophile world and want to make that leap from mid tier Svega or Fostex to a higher tier experience, these will not steer you wrong. Certain, experienced users with a more developed palate may debate pros and cons of the audio presentation (for me, the bass isn't quite as poppy here) but at the end of the day, these do NOT disappoint. If I want to listen to anything, these create as create of an atmosphere as I have experienced, with excellent isolation beaten only by ANC and comfy ear pads I can wear for hours. They are a bit heavier than expected, but not an annoyance.
When buying at this level of precision, quality, and price, you never want to pick up a subpar product. These are objectively an excellent choice to wade into high-end headphones.
Just sounds heavenly (celestial :))
This Headphone is stunning, I've been using it for 1 Year. The best closed back Headphone, I've ever listened to ... (kinda). The Stellias are better indeed, but that's another price class. The Elegia is currently 500 Euros on Amazon, that is indeed a bang for buck!
First off fit and build on these are first rate. Head band and ear cups are very comfortable. I'm driving my Elegia's via a Graham Slee Bitzie DAC and it is a match made in heaven. Using Tidal as a reference for streaming material, something like Massive Attack's Teardrop is beautifully detailed and controlled but a definite step up on my previous headphones (high end Bluetooth AKG), side by side listening and comparison is jaw dropping. The way the sound stage opens up at around the 3 minute mark on Deep Purples 'Child in Time' 1995 is pure Wow moment. Very happy customer.
Fantastic 1st impresión, only 1 day in! Level of clarity/detail and bass accuracy is excellent. Soundstage and airiness, unbelievable for a closed-back headphone, highly recommend!
First impressions - before fully running in - are that these are fantastic headphones. If these improve further over the next few days then I will be even more delighted. I had not imagined a closed back headphone could sound SO open. Bravo on the sound. I have the newer (rubber finish) cable and this is better than I had expected but still a bit stiff. Clamping force is fairly high too but that's always going to vary with head shape and size.
Perfekt, großer Hörgenuss
Chapeau Focal !! Edles Design, hervorragender Tragekomfort, sehr gute Verarbeitungsqualität sowie ansprechende Materialanmutung und letztendlich natürlich auch die Sound Qualität haben mich sehr überzeugt. Bestimmt wird der Elegia nicht mein einziger Focal-Kopfhörer bleiben ! :-)
Good quality build
Comfortable to wear for long periods of time
Good solid sound high end and bass pleasing midrange
Highly Recommend
First 11 hour flight using the Focal Elegía, great isolation, comfy, amazing sound, no ear fatigue, although is not necessary a headphone amp I used a FiiO DAC, great combination
So far very detailed and comfortable. Bass response is smooth and clear. Love these headphones.
Amazing headphone!
Amazing details and soundstage. A little low when it comes to lower frequencies but I still love listening to hip-hop with the Elegia. With acoustical music and vocals, the Alegia is just breath talking!
Very happy that I spend a little over $500 for this pair. I'm in love
My first closed back headphones and I couldn’t be more pleased . I wanted low impedance as to be able to use with portable devices like my old iPhone.
Simply Perfect for me, great imaging, and i can appreciate every detail in my music.
Great clean sound and Really comfortable.
great
Great for 24bit streaming
LOVE IT ELEGIA IS THE BEST GET ONE
top !
Nutze meinen Kopfhörer den ersten Tag. Kann aber schon sagen , dass ich begeistert bin. Brauche jetzt nur noch eine Kabelverlängerung um den Kopfhörer auch zu Hause richtig nutzen zu können.
These headphones are true craftmanship.
The attention to detail of the headphones are wonderful.
I am listening to my music in a way i could never have dreamed of !
I am mind blown by them , they are so majestic.
Thanks Focal !
Superb sounding headphones, effortless dynamics & musicality with sweet treble & midrange & tightly controlled bass, with plenty of extension power, so no need to play really loud to get inside the music. Excellent instrument separation & soundstage too. Highly recommended for all genres of music, I love them!
It Looks and Sounds very well
Just a great sound I really can’t fault them
Yeah….just WOW!! Love love love these Elegias!
Don’t forget to burn in to maximise the true potential of these masterpieces! Did I say WOW…..wow.
Sound like an open back, truly remarkable!
Excellent sound quality and craftmanship for this headphone.
Stage is limited due to the construction but again wider compared to other closed headphones I own. I'm listending mostly to Indie, Rock and Jazz, occasiaonaly Classic, and whatever I play it's a joy to listen to the music selected. Every detail is there in classic and enough punch for rock music.
Nice voices too.
Very comfy to wear and not noisy at all for the rest of the household.
Super happy with the purchase, the only point of improvment is the connecting cable that could be of a higher quality, procudes some noise if you touch it or if it slides on you clothing - can be a bit annoying, depending on the music.
Maybe I'll go for an upgrade here.
Molto soddisfatto dell'acquisto. Forse i bassi, li avrei preferiti "più caldi".
A great great headphone
Great headphones
Having come in at the top with the Stella, which I could not live with for the price, this is a much more appealing offer.
The value for money represented here is much more in line with competition and the return on that investment is rewarded.
A higher value proposition and a very good listen to boot.
Love the width, quality and mid range presence.
Highly recommended.
I purchased for only 370£ and at that price, killer.
Excellent sounding phones and extremely comfortable for extended use.
Great detail and sound-stage perfect with my Chord Mojo
I bought the Elegia Headphone for my son and the Celestee for myself. Both headphones are beautifully crafted closed back headphones, love the fit and the a nice clear a sound.
These are outstanding headphones, with amazing resolution and clarity. For critical listening, these have become my "go to" for greater musical insight. Thank you!
This headphone ist the best I ever had.
Though I had some of Audeze which cost 2000 Euro. Besides some Beyerdynamics, Grado, AKG and Obravo Hamt-1
But I love the elegia most.
Thank you
Best closed back headphones I’ve heard by far!
This is my 1st pair of Audiophile headphones, so I am learning.
1st My listening environment necessitated closed back HP.
2nd I wanted great sound stage and depth. I listen to a wide range of music.
3rd Good quality, well built. Thus far I have not been disappointed. I'm finding the more I listen to the Elegia the better they sound. So far I am very pleased with the purchase.
So far, so good. Very attractive looking, initial listening is superb. These are my first French-made headphones, Too good of a price to pass by.
Amazing headphone hearing every detail and through that opening up for a musically world on another level
Great mid forward tuning and excellent base extension.
First impression:
Great presentation, build and comfort. Great balanced soundsignature for all music listening. I would recommend to others.
Sound great, fit great
Amazing sound quality at a very good price.
Sold my Sundaras immediately, these puppies are the truth. Surgical immersion but still a “tight” sound if you’re into that and really clean bass response. No bass canon but the way it plays bass is purely immaculate
They sound Beautiful! Started my headphone journey with Sundaras. These are much more refined. Simply beautiful mids. A good contrast to the Sundaras. Was worried it wouldn't be a step up but a lateral step. It is most definitely a step up. And a step in a different/better direction. Now I understand why so many folks have several sets of cans. I could wear these all day long and am sure they will become my daily driver. And when it comes to the physical aspect. My word these are a physical work of art. So solid and so comfortable. So beautifully detailed. These will be with me a long time! Thanks Focal! Maybe some day I'll pickup a pair of Clears. But I am a pretty cheap bastard so it may be a ways off.
Love these headphones for late night listening as they are closed back, yet still have the sonic qualities I enjoy from open back headphones.
Excellent at price point
Great sound, great dealer! Any thing perfect! I don't miss my AUDEZE EL-8
Bought 500€, I wanted headphones that last. I'm not disapointed, the quality is really good and it looks easy to repair.
I had a Beyerdynamic headset for 4 year (250€). The quality was very low, glue everywhere, impossible to replace the pads...
The elegia is worth it.
So far only had them a few hours and very impressed.
This is a very good pair of headphones with great design and comfort. Sound quality is phenomenal
The best i ever had in my life
Probably the most “open-back” sounding closed-back headphone.
Signature, timbre, separation, dynamics (even micro-dynamics), soundstage at their best!
Add to the above a premium level of construction and you get a premium altogether product in this price range.
Thank you FOCAL!
The sound is exceptional, upgraded from m50x, definitely worth the price.
Incredible build quality and they sound every bit a good as they look. A step up well worth the investment
A gloriously and artistically built pair of closed-back headphones!!! Three cheers for FOCAL; they must have surpassed themselves!
The headphones -although apparently on the heaviish- feel and sit on the head perfectly, no irritating forcing clump force. Soundstage, for a closed-back headphone- is phenomenal while separation and dynamics exceed many of their open-back rivals!!!
The build quality is outstanding with numerous touches similar to many upper premium rival sets.
All the time I’ve been writing my impression I’ve been listening to the “Thimar” album by one of my favourite oud musicians (Anouar Brahem) and man, such musicality, dreamy airiness and blissful detail!!!
Once again, THANK YOU FOCAL!!!
Just had them for a day, but they are just absolutely brilliant. Best headphones that I have had.
Excellent service and excellent headphones
Quite happy with the headphones, they sound absolutely mind-blowing combined with a proper DAC+Amp.
Overall great imaging, soundstage and clarity. However, the stock cable is absolutely atrocious. The build quality of the stock cable and the stiffness is seriously a joke for a high-end product. It even has a microphonics issue when it's bending, as the left cup often loses the sound.
Love the Bass response. Nice high end.
Best sound. Premium product. High quality materials.
i LOVE THEM!
Sehr gute, bequeme Kopfhörer! Das Kabel ist ein bisschen kurz.
Beautiful design and cabling. Great rich sound.
Awesome sounding closed back headphones. I like the balance of the different frequency's and soundstage. The sound is not tiring at all! SMOOTH sounding!
Well designed. Easy to drive. Comfortable wearing.
Very pleased just as expected from all other reviews I have read.
Very comfortable and sounds good on all sources, Phone, Headphone amp, Integrated amp, Bluesound Node2i direct from 3.5 jack output.
Still to run in so will advise on improvements.