Focal Stellia

I have had the Stellia's about a week now and have only spent a few hours with them so this may be premature if there is a break in period with these which I have not found any info on. I purchased the Denon 9200's early this year and have spent many hours with them so I thought I would use them as a comparison tool and played my favorite music through both, comparing after each song. There is a clear difference in width and depth between the two headphones, the Stellias have a wider and deeper sound stage, depth being the most impressive. The Stellias are not bass heavy, they will not smack you in the side of the head and this is not a bad thing. Bass is deep with a more refined impact. I would say the Strellias have an edge in detail but the Denons have better clarity in the upper bass, low mid range which for me is the important range for the type of music I enjoy. The Denons are definitely more upfront and can get a little harsh in the high mids, low treble areas at higher volumes. The $1400. price difference between the Denons and Stellias in my opinion is too much for the difference in sound. The build quality on Stellias is better overall but I think you're unnecessarily paying for a carrying case and some fancy packaging. I have no need for the carrying case and all the packaging is just going to take up space in my closet. The Stellias would be best to eliminate some of the extra packaging and lower the price down to $2200. range. I am using the Moon 230 Amp.

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Wholeheartedly Recommend

When I ordered these, I half expected to return them because I thought they couldn't be worth the high price (though I did get them on sale). Even when I received them and saw how nice the packaging was and the quality of the build and their wonderful appearance , I was still skeptical. But upon listening to them, I was completely convinced that they are worth it. They are truly exceptional and, even 5 months later, I am still overjoyed every time I use them. The look might turn some off (seeing them online, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not), but in person I find them to be very attractive and not at all ostentatious. Build quality is excellent, but the plastic parts seem to "creak" a bit when handling them (but not while listening). I don't have the vocabulary to describe the sound, so look elsewhere for that, but they sound amazing. They are my favorite headphones. Comfort can be a significant issue for me. As with my Focal Elex phones, I find these to be extremely comfortable. I have a large head, but clamping pressure is not overly tight and is comfortable. If I shake my head side to side, they move a bit, so they are not super tight. But during normal use, I am never concerned about them moving or falling off (unlike my LCD-2s). They are also very light. Pressure on the top of the head is not an issue, even after wearing for an extended period (this is an issue for me with most 'phones). These are the most comfortable phones I've worn.

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