[Usernames must be unique]

Been trying to choose what to buy for my next headphone and as always i have become rather torn between the options. I had been hoping that the mm-100 was going to be a well made Edition XS but it looks like it will be another few months before they will be in store in Australia and the QC does not look amazing. So now i am trying to choose what to buy any help would be great.



I work from home and then end up spending to much of my spare time listening to music and gaming so any headphones would be used daily for 6-10h. I listen to a bit of everything but like a bit of bass. Decent positioning is also important to me for gaming as well as being able to get replacement earpads/cables because i would hope the headphones to last 3 years.



My list of possibilities so far with the issues i see



Edition XS - Anyone actually know how many of these get returned any store owners out there <3

mm-100 - Glued on Pleather earpads only last a few months and the sound.

6XX - Surely I would be more if i spent more

Drop DCA Aeon Open - Does not compare to XS

 

[dunring]

I have the Edition XS and for gaming the Ananda Stealth is even better. The Audio Technica ADH1000X is excellent as well, even better for female vocals and doesn't need an amplifier.
I use the Simgot EA500 for music and gaming daily, but the Seeaudio Yume 2 is even better with its soundstage if you need the noise isolation of an IEM.

 

[Usernames must be unique]

Yer i think will enjoy the sound signature of the XS over the Ananda but i will def try them both out in store before buying. I will def check out some Audio Technica ADH1000X reviews completly missed that one. I know IEM are all the rage atm with great new things coming out but i have always gravitated towards headphones just prefer them.

 

[catscratch]

This would be better off in the help and suggestions subforum.

The 6XX/650/600 is just about an ideal daily driver, light, comfortable, fatigue-free, and good sound with most genres. It's also reliable, easy to repair, easy to take apart and more importantly easy to put back together again. The only catch is that the earpads wear out quickly and need to be replaced every 1-2 years. Save the rest of your money or spend it on an amp.

It's not the best for bass though. Nothing's perfect.

I think headphones.com now sells the Focal Elex directly. If that comes with Focal's regular 5 year warranty, it might be worth a look, more punchy than your 6XX with better staging and imaging, but you do give up some treble smoothness and midrange tembre. It's also heavier, but comfortable enough. The drivers will only go up to about 105-110db in the bass, so if you like to listen super loud and put a 20db bass boost on top of it, then this won't do, and you're probably better off with a planar.

Finding a place to listen for yourself will be your best bet.

 

[TaronL]

Focal's regular 5 year warranty

Unfortunately the 5-year warranty only applies to the Utopia in North America. On Focal's other high-end headphones, it is 3 years in North America and that now applies to the Elex as well if purchased through us!

 

[Shane D]

Been trying to choose what to buy for my next headphone and as always i have become rather torn between the options. I had been hoping that the mm-100 was going to be a well made Edition XS but it looks like it will be another few months before they will be in store in Australia and the QC does not look amazing. So now i am trying to choose what to buy any help would be great.



I work from home and then end up spending to much of my spare time listening to music and gaming so any headphones would be used daily for 6-10h. I listen to a bit of everything but like a bit of bass. Decent positioning is also important to me for gaming as well as being able to get replacement earpads/cables because i would hope the headphones to last 3 years.



My list of possibilities so far with the issues i see



Edition XS - Anyone actually know how many of these get returned any store owners out there <3

mm-100 - Glued on Pleather earpads only last a few months and the sound.

6XX - Surely I would be more if i spent more

Drop DCA Aeon Open - Does not compare to XS

A huge bang for the buck is the Ambrosia's from a small outfit in Georgia (USA), called Nectar Sound. They have a great all round sound and the price is $399.00. Good bass, nice mids and enough treble. They are an economy build, but come with a one year warranty. I am sure the builder would help you after that time for a fee. He uses generic parts and even a well known driver that he tunes himself.
https://nectarsound.net/

He also makes, what I hear, is a pretty good electrostatic headphone.

 

[Davidzak64]

The Focal Elex is a very versatile headphone with great dynamics, frequency response and soundstage. They are very hard to beat for the money if you can grab them off drop for $599.
Comfort is great for me, but I do have a small head. Good Luck with your search.

 

[Davidzak64]

This would be better off in the help and suggestions subforum.

The 6XX/650/600 is just about an ideal daily driver, light, comfortable, fatigue-free, and good sound with most genres. It's also reliable, easy to repair, easy to take apart and more importantly easy to put back together again. The only catch is that the earpads wear out quickly and need to be replaced every 1-2 years. Save the rest of your money or spend it on an amp.

It's not the best for bass though. Nothing's perfect.

I think headphones.com now sells the Focal Elex directly. If that comes with Focal's regular 5 year warranty, it might be worth a look, more punchy than your 6XX with better staging and imaging, but you do give up some treble smoothness and midrange tembre. It's also heavier, but comfortable enough. The drivers will only go up to about 105-110db in the bass, so if you like to listen super loud and put a 20db bass boost on top of it, then this won't do, and you're probably better off with a planar.

Finding a place to listen for yourself will be your best bet.

Excellent description of the Elex.

 

[Shane D]

The Focal Elex is a very versatile headphone with great dynamics, frequency response and soundstage. They are very hard to beat for the money if you can grab them off drop for $599.
Comfort is great for me, but I do have a small head. Good Luck with your search.

Elex's are awesome! And you can now buy them from Headphones.com. Last sale price I saw was $549.00 and they will have the regular 3 year Focal warranty. And then you will even be able to get after warranty service.

Elex was my favourite headphone for years. I just recently moved "up" to the Clear's and it was not much of a difference, to me.

 

[tyk103]

The Focal Elex is definitely on my “want” list, even if I don’t need it haha.

 

[Davidzak64]

Elex's are awesome! And you can now buy them from Headphones.com. Last sale price I saw was $549.00 and they will have the regular 3 year Focal warranty. And then you will even be able to get after warranty service.

Elex was my favourite headphone for years. I just recently moved "up" to the Clear's and it was not much of a difference, to me.

I've been wanting to ask you about the step up to the Clear's. Would you say they are maybe 10% better on a technical and musical level? I'm not one to spend big money on this hobby. I'm pretty satisfied with what I've acquired over the last two year's pretty much for free. Buy low and sell high. Keep the one's you like.

 

[Shane D]

I've been wanting to ask you about the step up to the Clear's. Would you say they are maybe 10% better on a technical and musical level? I'm not one to spend big money on this hobby. I'm pretty satisfied with what I've acquired over the last two year's pretty much for free. Buy low and sell high. Keep the one's you like.

I don't even think they are 10% better. I had them going head to head for several weeks and if there was a noticeable difference, I really couldn't hear it. Of course bare in mind that I am not an audiophile, nor do I have golden ears.

Back when I bought my Elex's, they were on sale for $599.00US. That was right around $1,000.00, landed, in Canadian dollars.
At the same time, Clear's were selling for $1,999.00, plus tax (15%) up here. If I had bought the Clear's and then heard the Elex's, I would have been a VERY bitter man.

I do like going from zero warranty (mine were about two and a half years old) to three years and being able to get servicing after warranty though.

But the Elex's through Headphones.com, should be the way forward for a ton of headphone buyers.

 

[Davidzak64]

I don't even think they are 10% better. I had them going head to head for several weeks and if there was a noticeable difference, I really couldn't hear it. Of course bare in mind that I am not an audiophile, nor do I have golden ears.

Back when I bought my Elex's, they were on sale for $599.00US. That was right around $1,000.00, landed, in Canadian dollars.
At the same time, Clear's were selling for $1,999.00, plus tax (15%) up here. If I had bought the Clear's and then heard the Elex's, I would have been a VERY bitter man.

I do like going from zero warranty (mine were about two and a half years old) to three years and being able to get servicing after warranty though.

But the Elex's through Headphones.com, should be the way forward for a ton of headphone buyers.

Awesome . Thanks for the detailed information I'm in search for a fantastic deal on a pair of HE6 next.

 

[Shane D]

Awesome . Thanks for the detailed information I'm in search for a fantastic deal on a pair of HE6 next.

I got my HE6se V2's from Adorama for the same price, $599.00. Love them also and never looking to sell them. But I was lucky enough to already have a very special amp to pair with them.
HiFiman sells them for $609.00 and calls them open boxes.

 

[Raketen]

Think the ath-r70x is a decent option missing from the list.

Beyers seem popular with gamers (1990/880/TYGR?), so maybe worth looking into.