The Focal Elegia are above-average critical listening headphones. They're the closed-back variant of the similarly designed Focal Elear. These premium headphones are very comfortable for long listening sessions and have a great build quality thanks to a metal frame and a detachable cable. They're a bit more versatile thanks to their closed-back design and shorter cable, which allows you to use them outside as well. Unfortunately, they won't be the best to use outdoors since they have a bulky design, their isolation performance is average-at-best, and they don't have an in-line remote with a microphone for calls. Nevertheless, these are headphones that should please most users who can afford them.
Our Verdict
The Focal Elegia are mediocre for mixed usage. They're designed for critical listeners who want to enjoy their good audio reproduction anywhere. They're the closed-back variant of the Elear, so they might be more versatile, but they're still not portable and stable for sports. They do, however, isolate more noise and could be a better choice for commuting or at the office, but won't as good as noise cancelling headphones or other closed-back over-ears we've tested. Unfortunately, their short cable won’t be ideal for watching TV, and they don't have a microphone for gaming.
- Solid and durable build quality.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Bulky design.
- Bass delivery varies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Focal Elegia are above-average for neutral listening. They have an extended and powerful bass, a flat and even mid-range, and a decent treble. However, they have a slightly forward sounding mid-range. Overall, they're versatile for a variety of music genres and will please most users. They're also well-padded and comfortable for long listening sessions, and their great build quality will last you years.
The Focal Elegia are sub-par for commuting and traveling. They isolate more noise than the open-back Focal Elear and are very comfortable headphones to wear during long flights. They're also more travel-friendly thanks to a shorter cable, a good solid case, and a more lightweight design, but they still won’t be ideal for this use because of their bulky size and mediocre isolation performance. If you don’t mind the over-ear design for your commutes, these are decent, but won’t be as great as noise cancelling headphones.
The Focal Elegia are poor for sports. These over-ears are very bulky and not stable enough for physical activity. They'll wiggle around and fall off easily as soon as you start running or working out. They also have a thick cable that will be in your way. Heat will get trapped under the closed-back ear cups and make you sweat more than usual.
The Focal Elegia are mediocre for office. While they are comfortable for long hours and they have decent sound quality, they don’t isolate much noise and leak a bit so might not be ideal for a crowded office. If you’re working at a quiet office without too much ambient noise or chatter, they can be a good option for listening to music at moderate volumes.
The Focal Elegia are sub-par for gaming. Even if they have a decent sound quality and are very comfortable, they don’t have a microphone for online gaming. However, if you’re gaming alone in a quiet room and have a stand-alone microphone, or don’t need a microphone, these could be great headphones to game with thanks to their wired connection, great comfort, and good sound.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 09, 2023: We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Focal Bathys Wireless in Microphone Style.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Dec 21, 2018: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Focal Elegia are good and versatile critical listening headphones. They have good audio reproduction, excellent build quality, and are very comfortable for long listening sessions. They're the closed-back variant of the Focal Elear, making them more versatile thanks to better isolation and a shorter cable to use outside without a problem. Unfortunately, they have bass delivery inconsistencies and they are very bulky headphones. They're also quite expensive and some headphones below might be better choices for their great price-to-performance ratio. See our recommendations for the best critical listening headphones, the best DJ headphones, and the best headphones for studio use.
The Focal Celestee are the next generation of closed-back headphones in Focal's line-up, and they replace the discontinued Focal Elegia. Both headphones offer very similar overall performances and share the same comfortable and high-end design. However, the Celestee have a better passive soundstage performance while the Elegia can reproduce more low-bass.
The Focal Bathys Wireless are a more well-rounded pair of headphones than the Focal Elegia. If you're looking for more casual use headphones, you'll want to consider the Bathys. They're wireless headphones with USB-DAC mode, which converts a digital audio signal into an analog signal and reduces artifacts in your audio. They also have a companion app so you can customize their sound to your liking and noise cancelling to help block background noise around you. That said, the Elegia are wired headphones that are more comfortable and better built.
The Focal Elegia and Focal Elear are two similarly-designed headphones that have the same great comfort and build quality. However, the Elear are open-back headphones, while the Elegia are the closed-back variant. Both have good audio reproduction, but the open design of the Elear will give you a more speaker-like experience. On the other hand, the closed design of the Elegia will isolate more and leak less, making them more versatile for outside use cases.
The Focal Stellia and the Focal Elegia are very similar closed-back critical listening headphones. They’re both very well-built, comfortable headphones. The Elegia have a more understated design whereas the Stellia have a retro look that stands out more. Some people may find the leather ear cups of the Stellia more pleasing on the skin and they also come with an XLR cable, which is a nice touch. They sound fairly similar overall, but the Stellia’s bass is a bit punchier, and their treble is slightly less underemphasized. Overall, it comes down to personal preference and taste; however, the Elegia provide better value for most. That said, if you’re looking for a more premium listening experience, the Stellia may be worth the investment.
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