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Huxleigh
84
Jun 7, 2018
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So I picked up an Elex secondhand and (speaking as someone who detested the Elear) have been thoroughly impressed in the time I’ve spent with it thus far.
This is an excellent headphone. And while it is not without a few weak points, I think it might actually be a worthy successor to the Sennheiser HD 6X0.
Speaking as someone who — preposterously enough — owns the 580, 600, 650 (originally stock but lately modded) and has largely tailored their listening rig around that family of headphones, this is not faint praise.
Well done to Massdrop x Focal!
Jun 7, 2018
Huxleigh
84
Jun 9, 2018
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HuxleighAs a point of information...
The Sennheiser that the Elex tracks most closely with of the aforementioned three is the 600. The Elex offers comparatively greater clarity, speed, significantly more extension and delineation in its bass, crisper treble, and considerably more dynamic punch. It shares a broadly similar tonality and soundstage with the 600. Despite the Elex's superior technicalities and other attributes, one might even conclude that these two headphones are more similar than they are different.
Bear in mind, the 600 has more demanding amplification requirements than the Elex. In most headphone rigs, I suspect the Elex's strengths will be far more apparent than in my own. The 600 is only capable of narrowing the gap from a suitably synergistic amplifier.
Jun 9, 2018
MaverickAH
746
Jun 11, 2018
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HuxleighMy opinion on the Elex mirrors yours quite a bit. To it, I would add the following:
I've owned an HD 565 Ovation for many, many years. It is the precursor to the 580 & the 600 family sound. There's little to no difference in sound between it & the original 580. Running both the Elex & the 565 on my phone (HTC One M9 Harman Kardon Edition), shows a world of difference in a head to head comparison. The 565 sounds wonderful on its own but pales in comparison to the Elex in this role. A lot of this has to do with the 565 being more difficult to drive but the Elex is still clearly the superior headphone to the point of almost making the 565 unlistenable.
In my main rig (YBA YM501 / CTH) it's a different story. The gap is lessened. It's still in the favor of the Elex but not nearly as much. Truth be told, I've come to believe that the CTH was designed around the HD 6XX. It most definitely has a synergistic bond with the Sennheiser 600 family. Nothing wrong with that, BTW.........
Quite a few people reporting that they don't like the Elex with their CTH. I'm not one of them. As my pair of Elex have broken in, I've come to enjoy them in this current setup. They are very revealing & what I believe I am hearing are the limitations of the CTH. With the CTH I feel that I am getting the max from the HD 565. Not so with the Elex. The Elex is capable of much, much more. Time will tell.........
Jun 11, 2018
Huxleigh
84
Jun 11, 2018
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MaverickAHAppreciate the detailed thoughts! Rare to see impressions of the HD 565, let alone comparison with newer headphones.
A few notes by way of reply...
The jury’s still out as to how well the Elex pairs with the CTH. In many respects, I think they work well together. However, the harsher aspects of the Elex’s metallic treble are unpleasantly highlighted. Combined with the Elex’s propensity for shoutiness in the midrange, this can end up sounding unpleasant.
My criticisms of the CTH are that it gets a bit thin toward the upper registers and could use a bit more grip and extension in the lows. Modest improvement to these areas would turn it into an optimal performer for its price point and beyond. But it’s still plenty good as it is.
While the HD 6X0 family enjoys notable synergy with the CTH, I can assure you from firsthand experience that series of headphones is capable of scaling to greater heights. But diminishing returns come into play.
I plan on trying a NOS 6922 in my CTH later today. Perhaps that will yield some positive results with the Elex.
Jun 11, 2018
MaverickAH
746
Jun 12, 2018
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HuxleighWell, although I've always used headphones, it's only been in the last year or so that I've used them with a critical ear & I still consider myself a novice to the higher end of the market especially when it comes to amplification. What I feel that I am hearing with the Elex is, for lack of a better word, the "floor" of the CTH. At this point I am hesitant to ascribe anything negative to the Elex. They have smoothed out a bit as they've burned in. I would say that they are clear & quick. They are not kind to bad recordings. They most certainly let you know what's going on in a recording, almost to a fault........
Yes, they can sound forward but in this era of v-shaped response curves, I am not totally convinced that they are not accurate. I have a B&O H7 that I haven't listened to in several months. My memory is telling me that their sound is very reminiscent of the Elex but with the mids dialed back a bit. I'm going to have to pull them out & do a compare.
Jun 12, 2018
jaydunndiddit
3262
Jun 12, 2018
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MaverickAHI'm one of those other folks that enjoys the Elex + CTH pairing as well. I am using an iFi iDSD BL as my DAC so that could have something to do with the added synergy as well. Truthfully, it's my favorite pairing thus far. There's something so rich, musical, and dynamic with the Elex I don't get from my 6XX, 4XX, NightOwls, etc. They really encompass what I love about listening to my loudspeakers but just in a headphone form factor. And honestly, ever since I got them, I find a hard time going back to the likes of the dark 6XX and NightOwls.
Jun 12, 2018
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