Focal - Elex

HD580 (an older model in the HD5xx/6xx line) is what got me into nice headphones and they were my comfy go-tos for a long, long time. I finally retired them when I got the Focal Elex, because they fit the same bill for forget-they're-on-your-head comfort for me, and the sound was a little better across the board. Gotta say, though, now that I have kids in the house, my closed-back studio headphones (Beyer DT 700 Pro X) are what I would most accurately call laid-back listening. "Blocks out the screaming" has become my top audiophile bullet point.

This guy’s got it right. Personally I’d find a pair of used Elex if you want to try Focals; they’re basically a super 6XX with bass. Very little will sound “better” than the Arya at this price point. I prefer the Meze 109 Pro and the HE6se V2 over the Arya, but I wouldn’t say they’re objectively better.

A couple of reasons: 1) I much prefer the older style Focals; they're bigger and to me much more comfortable, plus I like the option of running balanced (one of my favorite amps is balanced only). 2) The Hadenys is more expensive, and I rarely see it pop up used. The Elexes are often available around $250 and the Hadenys is more like $350; I haven't spent enough time with the Hadenys to have A/B'd them, but the Elex is a pretty perfect sound, especially for people who like the 6XX.

I'd recommend the Meze 109 Pro (used, MSRP is $799) or 105 AER (new, $399); both have a really lovely, buttery, warm character and will compare favorably to Sennheisers as well as probably my favorite aesthetic in hifi AND the most comfortable headphones I own. I bought the 109 for myself as a "job stability is awesome" gift right before I got laid off, and they're hands down my favorite headphone of the 100 or so I have right now. I'd recommend the Focal Elex instead but it's been out of production for years and they're a little challenging to source, but they're basically a super-6XX with incredible vocals. Reviews: 109: [https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/meze-109-pro-review/](https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/02/08/meze-109-pro-review/) 105: [https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/](https://daemonxar.wordpress.com/2025/06/05/meze-105-aer-review-another-great-meze-product/)

Snag a Focal ELEX, it’s great. That or HD6XX / Sundara.

Focal elex 100%, don't have mine anymore but when I did I loved them. Or just go some cheap iems which will do the same for much cheaper.

For closed back I would recommend FT1, very satisfying mid-bass and comfortable pads. I think the step up from HD600 is the Focal Elex. Neutral but dynamic and punchy.

Seems like most of the reviews here are negative, I disagree. Are they as good as my Bowers and Wilkins PX8s, or my Focal Elex, no. Are they as good as my Bose quiet comfort, no but close. So why do I love these headphones? I don't need the wire like the Focal, I get better ANC and noise cancellation than Bose, and unlike the Bowers and Wilkins I can use them with more than one audio source without it always forcing my phone to be the master source. They are outstanding for their use case, I want a set of headphones that will be equally good at ANC with my phone as they are on my computer. Are they the best at any of them? There may be better at ANC while maintaining a clear representation of the sounds around you, but I have found it. I like to have tea in the afternoon. While using the headset upstairs I could clearly hear the music I was listening to, the sounds from my computer (both through the headset), and the whistle from the tea kettle downstairs and two rooms away. None of my other headsets did that. Is the music fidelity as good as Focal (wired and amped) or Bowers and Wilkins, no. But that is not what I wanted, I wanted something that had a good balance across all possible uses. This is exceptional at balancing the different needs while also providing an exceptional pass through of the sounds around you.

They are good, but those are good for the budget type headphones. HD6xx, Sundara, Edition XS/XV, Focal clear, Focal Elex, HD800S, Moondrop Cosmo/Para, DCA, and than there are e-stats Edit: than there’s a bunch of Peerless 50mm driver based headphone, and more luxury headphones like Meze and ZMF