I bought these from Massdrop and run them through a Topping D70 > balanced > THX 788 via Audirvana and oh my! Presentaion Is the major difference between the two, the Ananda is smooth and diffused sounding and the Elex is more dynamic and focused sounding. It depends on the track, though. Another song that benefits the Ananda due to the warmer mids and the more present midbass. Home > Headphones comparison > Audeze LCD-2 vs Focal Elear. Elear delivers 70 percent of the Utopia’s sound—they’re that good. It has an open soundstage and high resolution. Azzaharat – Eple Trio: My impression that the Sundara is more dynamical but less nuanced still holds up with the WA22. Focal ELEX vs DT 1990 PRO, hifiman ananda, HIFIMAN SUNDARA, HD 6xx. I find the HD800 to sound a bit drier. 37 points. Own the HE-500, honestly prefer its sound to the Elex (a close second) as I … Headphones - Open Back. Time for some female vocals: The Ananda is a bit less thick in the mids, the vocals are very present and delicious, yet have more room to breathe, more detail and texture. WORLD's MOST EXPENSIVE HEADPHONES | SENNHEISER HE-1 Review. Again, in direct comparison, the Sundara sounds a bit coarse and grainy. The LCD-3 has a dryer presentation, but not always, and its bass definitely reaches deeper and has more slam. It is very light, and I find it comfortable enough, but I. miss the swivel action of previous models. But it has none of the Ananda weaknesses. Not very high fidelity, but it really brings out the differences in sound signature. Terminal 7 – Tomasz Stanko: Again, more resolution and spaciousness with the Ananda. I generally still prefer a well-amplified HE-6 over the Ananda, except for the midrange. But the SP400 has more than enough power to drive normal headphones well. this brief comparison, I must say it is hard to pick a winner. May 6, 2020 #5. Ad. With regards to dynamics and detail, they are all quite similar and have what it takes. Homesick – Airbag: This song sets them apart more than before. With “, by Led Bib, the bass is powerful with both, but the Liberty feels a tad tighter and cleaner all around, but not by much. Fantastic all arounder, but yes, it is rather intimate in height and width, although the stage and realism factor is noticeably better than my PM1. Stage depth is absurdly great for this price. Again, two different presentations that are easy for me to like, but I tend to prefer the Ananda. They are similarly easy to on the amplification needs, although the PM1 is slightly easier. Young Vivald – Modo Antiquo: Same thing with the strings, Ananda is probably the classical listeners preferred choice. Now, going totally budget with the Ananda is not nearly as bad as one could expect. I did not test it, but would be surprised if the Ananda will not sound great from a good portable amp. However, the dynamics of the Sundara is great fun. 4:30 am – Solveig Slettahjell: Time for some female vocals: The Ananda is a bit less thick in the mids, the vocals are very present and delicious, yet have more room to breathe, more detail and texture. I immediately prefer the Ananda, it is lusher, its cleaner in the treble, or at least that’s how it feels like. Joined Sep 7, 2018 Messages 470 Likes 308. Interceptor69 September 10, 2020, 6:01pm #56. Simply put, the Ananda is a lot fuller and richer in the upper bass and in the mid-range. The tonal balance of the Ananda reminds me a bit of the HE-500, which I unfortunately parted with before this review. The Sundara is harder to drive. A NOS pair would be ideal. The Ananda feels slightly less busy over all than the PM1. The already mentioned Arya is rated at at 90 dB / 35 ohm which is the same as the HE1000v2 and a significantly heavier load for the amplifier. The LCD-X is thicker in its presentation. More posts from the HeadphoneAdvice community. Edmond – Prins Thomas: The Ananda requires a tad more volume on the amp, but not much. The Focal Elear has a wider soundstage than the Mr. Speaker Aeon. , the Liberty is slightly more open, but the rounder feeling Jotunheim is not bad at all. Which of the two headphones I prefer, however, remains an open question. It has a wider soundstage. The more expensive Arya has it, but in the previous generation, even the least expensive headphones like the HE400S had swivel-action headbands. No headphone does it all perfect. The HE-6 gets even tighter and more dynamic with the more powerful Cary SLI-80. $1499. It is slightly less up front. Only 1 left in stock. Forum Donor. Customer Service 800.221.5743 or 212.239.7765. The acoustic quality of this exclusive solution allowed Focal to avoid the use of any crossover or passive filtering process in order to achieve a frequency response from 5Hz to 23kHz. Compared to the Sundara, it is several steps up with regards to sound quality, especially general resolution and effortlessness – even though the Sundara might be better at big dynamics. 26dB/mW higher sound pressure level Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I find it hard to pick a winner. There are headphones that dig even a bit deeper in the bass, there are headphones that feel even a bit more snappy and dynamic. Print Email. Again, more resolution and spaciousness with the Ananda. The HE560 still has its place, though. Stretching G – BHZ: This slow improvisation is delicious with both. The Ananda comes out as a bit brighter overall. This has the obvious side effect that previous Hifiman screw-on cables and 2.5 mm HE-1000 style cables won’t work with the Ananda (as well as the Sundara and Arya). Dekoni Audio is the premier provider of high quality replacement ear pads for audiophile, gaming and pro audio headphones. The Ananda has Edition X/HE-1000-style ear shaped ear cups and Sundara-style headband. The Ananda is easier on the power as well. The bass is less elevated, with a gentle bump around 100 Hz. This means that the Ananda has a somewhat softer presentation overall, lacking some of the visceral impact that some highly excursive dynamic driver headphones like the Focal Elear or Elex offer. $600 - My Pick (1990) - https://amzn.to/2Lqxncv $700- Also Great (Elex) - https://www.massdrop.com MORE! This has the obvious side effect that previous Hifiman screw-on cables and 2.5 mm HE-1000 style cables won’t work with the Ananda (as well as the Sundara and Arya). In many ways, the HE1000 v2´s presentation is not very different from the Ananda´s. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Amplifier: Leben CS300XS, Source: Mytek Liberty DAC. These are two very different headphones, yet still, the Ananda manages to sound not too different from either. This subreddit is dedicated to a community of enthusiast and newcomers. Take it slow – Little Hurricane: Oh, the LCD-X has this deliciously meaty presentation. Both have a nice and present warm midrange. 2) Ananda vs HD800 Amplifier Violectric V200, Schiit Jotunheim Multibit DAC. An example is that Focal Elex is not available from any australia seller. The Ananda is fatter and warmer in the midrange, but without sounding less detailed. Edmond – Prins Thomas: The Ananda requires a tad more volume on the amp, but not much. Except for the added midbass presence of the Ananda, they sound quite similar on this track. Not that the Elear is not good, but my preference is clear. But they are quite close, and considering the huge price difference, that is a big win for the Ananda. As with all headphones, preference is subjective: If you hate the forward sounding midrange presentation of e.g. Starting off with Vicente Amigo´s dynamic guitar in “Tres Notas Para Decir Te Quiero”. Again, the Ananda is wider and more open sounding, but the Elear has a better sense of separation and dynamics. I found nothing wrong with the original Hifiman screw on cables, but I am glad to see that they move away from the 2.5 mm plugs. 2 - Focal Elex At this price and the reviews, especially from users, they sound like a no-brainer buy. It's an open secret that the Elex is a re-painted Elear with Clear pads attached, so these impressions can be considered to be equivalent to impressions of the Elex. However, the Ananda does scale well with a better amp. If my chart is 8 ohms, it shifts a row, with 1 watt as the power at the 2.83V sensitivity.. The bass and drums hit harder and feel more dynamic with the Elear,: There is no doubt that this track plays to the Elear´s stronger sides. Stanko´s  “Terminal 7” feels more spacious with the Taurus. Ananda vs Focal Elear . All in all, they are both great. 99 $ 599. Now, the Ananda slams almost just as hard as the Sundara and is still generally more resolving across the spectrum. Especially noticeable with Vicente Amigo’s flamenco guitar (Ciudad des las Ideas), where the LCD-3 simply is marvelous. Not very high fidelity, but it really brings out the differences in sound signature. Also AKG K702 is $140 in China but $200 (was $300) in Australia, same to Hifiman's Sundara $350 overseas but $600 inside Australia. Can anyone tell me from their experience with the two, the differences between Elex and Sundara and which one would you choose? As much as I like the HE560, I must say I immediately find it a bit lacking in mid presence, and this is very obvious in direct comparison to the Ananda. On the other hand, the Focal are better-built headphones and feel sturdier. It has decent sub impact and extension, but like most planars, people who are looking a lot of midbass impact similar to what many dynamics can provide may be disappointed. My other pick would have been the Ananda, but the lack of comfort and built is unacceptable at this price segment. They are quite different, but both are very good. Hi, my 10 year old BD-Player (Pioneer LX52mk2) has just finished working - I played a disk and it froze after 20 minutes, and did not want to play another disk even after a cold reset - it read and read and never got into any menu.Since reading in disks got slower and slower in the preceding year I think there is a problem with the drive. Compulsion – Röyksopp: The LCD-X is thicker in its presentation. The separation is better on the Ananda, the soundstage is wider. Both play well with both amp the Audio-gd Master 9 and the Woo WA22, but especially the HE560 becomes more fun on the WA22, which energizes the mids a bit. Terminal 7 – Tomaz Stanko: Again, the Ananda is wider and more open sounding, but the Elear has a better sense of separation and dynamics. Live Chat. The Leben is again warmer and fuller sounding, as lovely as always. But the Sundara holds up quite well. It is from a company called mass drop that does bulk buys and adds some of their own design changes. The Sundara is harder to drive. Prins Thomas´slammy electronica drums of “Edmond”, is also equally punchyand satisfying. The other headphone is called Arya, and sports a higher price tag, different driver technology and headband. With regards to treble and bass, they are more similar, and generally level of detail feels similar. 18:34. This means that the Ananda has a somewhat softer presentation overall, lacking some of the visceral impact that some highly excursive dynamic driver headphones like the Focal Elear or Elex offer. Similarly good, I must add. I've recently acquired the Focal Elex and the Beyerdynamic DT 1990. I have an Elex and a 650, and while I think the Elex is an upgrade for most genres I don't really hear any improvement for some genres. Thanks for your submission to r/headphoneadvice. The Ananda seems to me to be something of a combination of the LCD-3 and HD800. Add at least two items to compare. The bass is a lot tighter, the soundstage is more precise and deep. Cellophane – METZ: A noisy little tune this one. The Ananda has a more intimate and warmer presentation, but we are not talking about huge differences. Ting – IPA: Again, in direct comparison, the Sundara sounds a bit coarse and grainy. The Ananda comes out as a bit brighter overall. Quad Era 1,Denon AH D … Audeze LCD-2. ShiZo Senior Member. Thanks very much and good luck on your search for headphones! Which of the two headphones I prefer, however, remains an open question. Press J to jump to the feed. I'm someone who has really fallen in love with my HD650 and the comfort of drifting off into warm syrupy bliss. Focal Utopia Attack and Decay Envelopes from 10-Cycle Burst At a glance the decay envelope doesn't look any faster than Elex, which is already quite fast. will_f , May 2, 2020 As much as I like the HE560, I must say I immediately find it a bit lacking in mid presence, and this is very obvious in direct comparison to the Ananda. They are 1.5 m and 3 m long, with a standard 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm plug respectively. In conclusion, the preference for LCD-3 of Ananda seems to depend on the amplifier. Focal Clear Shop now at Amazon HiFiMAN ... suggested Focal Utopia Focal Elear HiFiMAN Ananda Audeze LCD-X Audeze LCD-3 Sennheiser HD 800S Focal Clear Professional Cleer DU Flips Audio HD650 Focal Elear. The Sundara feels more dynamical, it slams harder. share. The quality of the Ananda seems good, it feels solid enough, but I am a bit worried about the plastic parts where the hoop that holds the cups meets the headband. In many cases, these revisions occur due to c… Focal Elear $ 980. It is a bit smoother and more open, yet still lush and inviting. It is not  a big surprise, since a song like this really makes some frequencies dominate. The bass is more textured, tighter and reaches deeper with the HE-6. The DT 1990 is more analytical while the Elex is more fun, forward sounding. Like some bass, vocals and highs dont like bass overpowering my music tho … HIFIMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones with High Fidelity Design Easy to Drive by iPhone/Android Comfortable Headband Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping Black The Ananda is definitely a smoother ride with more micro detail. The bass and drums hit harder and feel more dynamic with the Elear,: There is no doubt that this track plays to the Elear´s stronger sides. Midrange is similarly resolved on both but the Ananda has faster transients leading to them being better suited for electronic and fast-paced music. My impression that the Sundara is more dynamical but less nuanced still holds up with the WA22. When I try them both with the Cary SLI-80. It has 3.5 mm mono-plug detachable cables, which seems to be the new standard for Hifiman, as they have abandoned the fragile 2.5 mm plugs. I find the HD800 to sound a bit drier. Popular comparisons. 2 - Focal Elex At this price and the reviews, especially from users, they sound like a no-brainer buy. Forum Donor. Oh, the LCD-X has this deliciously meaty presentation. Especially vocals are a delight. The HD800 is more open and spacious, but also more clinical or cold sounding. Sales & Expert advice 800.606.6969 or 212.444.6615. quite interesting reading. But these cans are so differently tunes, that directly comparing them is hard. All in all, the Ananda does not stand back in performance to the LCD-X, but they are so differently tuned it is hard to describe. the (I think) "standard" 2.83V signal yields 2 watts at the speaker via increased current. The Focal Elears are a top contender for best headphones in their price class, while the Focal Utopias are one of the very best headphones on the planet. I’m getting Focal Elears extremely soon (will be delivered in a few short days! Then again, we are more focused on good sound rather than grandeur looks, so there’s still chance for redemption. The HE560 has a tremendous bass – and so does the Ananda. : The sound signature between the two headphones is not dissimilar. Both are in the $500 to $700 range. The Ananda comes out as a bit airier and a bit cleaner. This track sounds much better with the Ananda, the relaxed and detailed presentation gives it a sense of flow that the Sundara cannot match. That said I'm really happy with the Elex and have apparently been lucky and had no QC issues. Close. The Pioneer never was a fast player. Amplifiers used: Woo WA22 and Audio-gd Master 9. They also interact more with the pinna and create a more open soundstage than the Focal. Compare this to the Focal Elex for example, and this one doesn’t really win any beauty pageants amidst such competition. I want to thank Duet.no for providing the review sample. 4:30 – Solveig Slettahjell: No doubt here, the Ananda´s rendering of the female vocals is in a different class. Two cables are included, one with a 6.5mm plug and one with 4-pin XLR, allowing an easy match-up with the variety of desktop amps Massdrop and others make. It is managing to convey both the snappiness of the Mytek and fullness of the Schiit. Comparing my two favorite amps for the Ananda turns out to be somewhat of a tie. Also, R.E.M.’s “How the West Was Won..” is an easy win for the LCD-3. All in all, these are two great headphones with slightly different presentations. But for me, having a sweet, slightly pronounced midrange reminiscent of the HD650, but with more resolution, wider and deeper soundstage as well as great bass- and treble extension, is a fabulous thing. Focal ELEX vs DT 1990 PRO, Hifiman Ananda, HIFIMAN SUNDARA, HD 6xx. They are 1.5 m and 3 m long, with a standard 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm plug respectively. The Ananda has a great soundstage, reaches deep in the bass and has delicate highs. The Ananda is sometimes warmer and lusher in the midrange, has some more of that bloom, and a special kind of sweetness. Both have a nice and present warm midrange. I get the sense the Sundara excels at the big dynamics, the Ananda excels at micro-dynamics, to put it that way. ), and I have a one-off flagship, and Zelda themed, Double Helix Cables balanced cable to pair it with. There is a post somewhere online where someone pad rolls between all the focal lineup. But the preference towards the Ananda is just slight, there is plenty to like about the LCD-3. They are both great headphones with similar qualities. The LCD-2C’s bass, like most planars, is quite linear. Focal ELEGIA Audiophile Circum-Aural Closed-Back Over-Ear Headphones (Black/Silver) 4.4 out of 5 stars 75. Log in or register to post comments; COMMENTS. Headphones - Open Back. Contact Us. While Massdrop Focal Elex and HiFiMan Sundara did a great job getting their respective technologies down to lower price levels (and for the sake of argument, I consider the Sundaras to be in this price range), MrSpeakers’ Aeon Flow Open was my choice in the end.. A noisy little tune this one. I find it really hard to prefer one over the other, but they are different. vs. vs. 17 facts in comparison. A key staple for the most demanding professionals. The mids definitely sound more balanced and has much better male vocal presentation. Having golden ears hardwired by lossless silver to his brain using ultra-pure diamond solder, Mr.Headphoneer is in a totally unique position when it comes to critical listening. the Sennheiser HD650 or the Oppo PM1, you might not be as happy about the Ananda as I am. The Elex is an amazing pair of headphones for USD$700 (or even less than USD$500 for a used pair), but it still sounds different from the Aeolus. Haven't heard the Ananda, but Hifiman also have QC issues, just FYI. But maybe the Ananda is finally a worthy upgrade from the HE-500? Comparison between Focal Elex and Hifiman Sundara? The Ananda is brighter, with a wider soundstage, and tends to be nicer with vocals. The background blackness is also blacker with the LCD-3. The Ananda has Edition X/HE-1000-style ear shaped ear cups and Sundara-style headband. Only 1 left in stock. Unless you're willing to get Clear pads for the Elear (+$200) or can get a pair of Elex pads, I'd steer clear of the Elear. The Ananda is not lost at all with the small black box. I also compared the two DAC/Amps I had at hand using the Ananda. Comparing them both to the Auralic Taurus, it does indeed easily come out on top. The two cables supplied with the Ananda are of an ultralight “wire inside tube”-design, very similar to that of the HE-1000 v2. Going on to some string music, the two solid-state amps seems to present more of that nice and dry texture, but I still love the Leben. The Focal Elear are great looking headphones that have a high-end and premium feel. They are both great headphones with similar qualities. It this what gives the Utopia it's "fast' character. (And I mean OEM pads, none of that dekoni junk) Ishca has a very good critical review of the LCD2C on headphones.com and I believe that there are some direct comparisons to the LCD2F, Sundara, and Elex there. The fact is that Focal hasn't been specific about how the Elear and Elex are different (I'm just seeing heresy that a spokesperson said differences in tuning are just with pads). They do not sound too far apart. Focal Clear vs Focal Elear vs Focal Utopia - Duration: ... MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Open vs Focal Elex - Duration: 16:13. save. Like some bass, vocals and highs dont like bass overpowering my music. But, they are sold by Drop, so I will get a hefty tax and delivery cost on top of the $700. With regards to amplification, the Ananda sure scales with the amplifier, but seems to not require a lot of power – which is a good thing. With strings, I feel the same, the Questyle is in the middle of the Master 9 and the Leben, tonality wise. It basically sounds the same as the $1500 focal clear but with a hint less sub bass. The treble is more pronounced with the Ananda, which many will find a definitive pro since the Elear has a reputation of being a bit too much on the dark side for some (not me, though). Especially noticeable with Vicente Amigo’s flamenco guitar (Ciudad des las Ideas), where the LCD-3 simply is marvelous. Starting off with the Leben, both headphones sound great. With this nice wind instruments trio the Ananda has the upper hand. The HD800 has more space, the Ananda has more warmth, but they are not miles apart. The difference in slam is to some degree leveled out by the WA22 (I believe the Master 9 was being held back because I didn’t use the balanced output). That is where the tiny remainder of swivel action is allowed. HIFIMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones with High Fidelity Design Easy to Drive by iPhone/Android Comfortable Headband Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping Black The two cables supplied with the Ananda are of an ultralight “wire inside tube”-design, very similar to that of the HE-1000 v2. They are really very different. It does lack some spaciousness and super fine detail but it has the power and slam that the Ananda needs. The HiFiMan Ananda are better critical listening headphones than the Focal Elear. Even 470 ohm ATH-R70x with single-ended cable is loud enough at volume level 65. But the trend is similar to before. I listen to mostly shoegaze and dreampop, some classical or Brian eno. But these cans are so differently tunes, that directly comparing them is hard. Compared to the HE560, Ananda takes a lot of the great qualities from the older sibling, adds some midrange presence, and requires a lot less of the amplifier.