Focal Celestee Review - How does Focal's new closed-back headphone perform?

Focal Celestee: www.headphones.com/products/f...
Focal Celestee Review: www.headphones.com/blogs/news...
Focal Celestee frequency response & measurements: forum.headphones.com/t/focal-...
Become an expert on headphones: www.headphones.com/pages/rese...
Learn about headphone measurements and frequency response: www.headphones.com/pages/meas...
How frequency response impacts sound signature: www.headphones.com/pages/how-...
Podcast: theheadphoneshow.fireside.fm/
Twitter: / headph1show
Twitter: / resolvereviews
Source equipment
Amp - SPL Phonitor X: www.headphones.com/products/s...
Amp - Cayin IHA-6: www.headphones.com/products/c...
Amp - Schiit Magni Heresy: www.schiit.com/products
Amp - Cayin HA1A MK2: www.headphones.com/products/c...
DAC - iFi Pro iDSD: www.headphones.com/products/i...
DAP - iBasso DX220: www.headphones.com/products/i...
DAC - Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro: www.headphones.com/products/m...
Headphone Recommendations:
Entry level
AKG K371: www.akg.com/Headphones/Profes...
Sennheiser HD 560S: www.headphones.com/products/s...
Sennheiser HD6XX: drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennhei...
Midrange
HiFiMAN Sundara: www.headphones.com/products/h...
HiFiMAN Ananda: www.headphones.com/products/h...
Focal Elex: drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-focal...
Audeze LCD-GX: www.headphones.com/products/a...
High End
Focal Celestee: www.headphones.com/products/f...
Audeze LCD-2 (with EQ): www.headphones.com/products/a...
Focal Clear: www.headphones.com/products/f...
HiFiMAN Arya: www.headphones.com/products/h...
Sennheiser HD 800S: www.headphones.com/products/s...
ZMF Auteur: shop.zmfheadphones.com/collec...
HEDDphone (heavy): www.headphones.com/products/h...
Very high end
Rosson Audio RAD-0: www.headphones.com/products/r...
ZMF Verite Closed: shop.zmfheadphones.com/collec...
Focal Stellia: www.headphones.com/products/f...
Summit
Focal Utopia: www.headphones.com/products/f...
HiFiMAN Susvara: www.headphones.com/products/h...
IEM Recommendations:
Moondrop Blessing 2: www.headphones.com/products/m...
Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk: shenzhenaudio.com/products/mo...
DUNU SA6: www.headphones.com/products/d...
Thieaudio Monarch: www.headphones.com/products/t...
Campfire Andromeda 2020: www.headphones.com/products/c...
64 Audio Nio: www.headphones.com/products/6...
64 Audio U12t: www.headphones.com/products/6...
Empire Ears Odin: www.headphones.com/products/e...
00:00 - Intro
00:54 - Build, Design, Comfort & Isolation
04:06 - Sound: Subjective
07:15 - Sound: Objective
13:23 - Sound: Summary
13:35 - Comparisons
17:39 - Conclusion

[@barrypewtress5762]

I have been wanting a better closed back for my collection. I want these.

[@jonasgmunder7214]

Barry Pewtress go for it! You won't regret it...😉

[@ohmyMoha]

What is your collection?!

[@DuranInternational]

Love the color can’t wait to purchase

[@ftlaud911]

Great review! Very attractive HP. Definitely a great option for closed back. Open back fan and have Elegia if needed. Chased the dragon and spent way too much $ and glad to have finally stopped after getting the Clear. Added the RME and completely satisfied. Miss my Arya's so may add them later. In the meantime surprisingly enjoying the M570 which IMHO is the best buy currently available. Far from perfect, but for $200 a steal.

[@titienne3931]

Thanks for the video !

[@DonHamlin]

Thoughtful and very helpful analysis as always. Thank you for the excellent comparisons.

[@TheSwiftnick]

Great review of the Focal's, thanks!😃

[@humanbass]

Very smooth FR. Im impressed.

[@marksafe5463]

I love the color! Kinda wanna save up for these...

[@jonasgmunder7214]

I got them...paired with a&k kann cube... What can i say...it's a dream....no comparison with the elegia i own also....the dynamics are so much more forward, the details also....and the build quality is so much more sturdy...Totaly happy with them....merci focal!!!

[@falcodarkzz]

Wow great to hear they improved on the Elegia

[@DBSTH0R]

Great review and awesome headphone. It should sell like hot cake. Congratulations to Focal. :) Had I not gone for Clear Pro few months ago, I would have already pre-purchased these.

[@dill6078]

I bought Clear Pro last June.. These are tempting me as a closed back pair even though they seem really similar (Only own the Clears)

[@DBSTH0R]

@@dill6078 Well, they do seem to have a more correct tuning than Clear + better materials & slightly better cable. I especially like the added bass. Not that the Clear is lacking, just that I got used to it. Much like you do with a car which has more power than the one before it. :) Especially for the music I'm listening to. If I was buying today, I'd get these over the Clears no second thoughts. In spite the low impedence. Having 2 versions of the same headphone at this price range isn't really appealing to me. And selling Clear Pro to replace it with Celestee I am not sure about - Focal apparently doesn't allow warranty transfer. My current thought process follows what Andrew said: that it is good to have several headphones because our brains adjust to the FR of each one after a while. Because of that I am now eyeballing Verite Closed (my use case scenario shows I need a pair that blocks outside noise). And Arya is also tempting due to the apparent synergy with my setup...

[@greymatterstome]

Excellent review. I suppose if one can get around the lack of staging, this one would appeal to those who found the Clear to be too bright and a bit shouty. I thought this would just be an updated Elegia but it seems to take some strengths of the Clear and draws those in as well. Focal definitely is ahead of other companies in the integration of their product tiers

[@Assimilator702]

I would 100% consider this an upgraded Elegia. The Focal family of headphones have much more in common than not use to the unique design of the drivers and all they have in common. After all we’re talking about frequency response. All the other Focal uniqueness and benefits are still present in all the models. And yes Focal is extremely far ahead of the curve compared to totter headphone companies. That is mainly due to the fact that Focal is a speaker manufacturer and design and build their own drivers. You ever hold a Focal headphone driver in your hand? They’re designed like high end speakers and built like tanks and not like the usual flimsy headphone drivers that weigh nothing.

[@oscillatingdailyaudio]

I have the Elegia and think they are excellent with EQ...Really considering these

[@AQUPAS]

These are just as nice as the Focal Radiance 😍

[@musen296]

This is a great review. Literally everything I wanted you to do, further in to the video you did. Like I was watching and hoping you would compare the freq-response to the Radiance which you did. Then I expected a separate comparison later which you also did. It's seldom you get a video that gives you everything you want. You're quickly turning into my favorite reviewer despite having having wildly different music preferences. I do wonder though how these 2 stack up with EQ against each other. How would they compare with harman 2018 EQ and then harman combined. I'm aware they are new headphones so I might have to wait for that answer. For me based on what you said I would have to go with the Radiance. "Better" bass with wider soundstage seems right up my ally.

[@jamiesmith6838]

Another great video! Thank you. There's a strong possibility my $600 headphone limit just got exceeded? The Celestee sounds like a great substitute to their Stelia, if that's even plausible at $990? My favorite closed back! That will save me $2K for a Luxman L-505uX or Yamaha's A-S2100?

[@Gustav0Silva]

Nice!!! Thank you

[@williamcatalano1762]

These are so beautiful... I'm getting a pair. Eventually lol

[@Theatre_Of_Noise]

@The HEADPHONE Show - great review as always. In your Audeze LCD-2 2020 review you stated that those were the best headphones under $1k (I don't believe you specified style - open or closed back - and as long as you EQ). Do you still stand by that or has the Celestee surpased them? Thank you.

[@shadouxg7150]

I asked him on discord and he said he would take the lcd 2 over this

[@bakarenibsheut12]

Is it possible that headphone companies intentionally make parts of the product imperfect (eg: choosing to include unwieldy cables) so they can "solve" a problem they themselves created in their future products, thereby giving people an incentive to upgrade?

[@johnhayes8476]

Gorgeous headphone!

[@sameermana2003]

A couple of things I wanted to mention/ask. I actually bought the elegias a couple of weeks ago and it didn't have the cloth cable in fact it's very similar to the one with the Celestee. I'm wondering if you've pad swapped with the elegias to see how the sound is altered with either. I'm wondering if getting the Celestee pads will improve my elegias. Btw great review as per usual 👍👍👍

[@rhodey2952]

Awesome review. Damn... This review is getting me... Makes me want to just give these a try. Only thing I wish this had is leather on the underside of the headband but at least it's dark and not like the elegia or reg clear.

[@bosk1n]

Same happend to me in previous reviews.. I ended up getting myself an Elegia. And now I am wondering - where to cut my family budget to get myself Stellia :D

[@JeffJacquesmd]

I just returned a set of Empire Ears IEMs to Headphones.com and asked for the Radiance in exchange. Received them yesterday morning just after your announcement of the Celestee. Having owned the Clear but having sold them as I need closed back HPs I am seriously enamored of the Radiance's SQ and detail. Interesting to see the FR's comparing the Radiance and the Celestee. While that FR data is very interesting I actually enjoy the warmer tuning of the Radiance. Would love to be able to listen to these side by side. As always an excellent review. Cheers

[@dill6078]

I own Clears and these are tempting me...

[@JeffJacquesmd]

@@dill6078 they “sound” like they’d be a great closed back compliment to the Clear

[@darkroom8317]

I have been leaning toward the Clear Professional (due to colour) for a while now. I don’t want the Radiance due the Bentley logo, but after watching this video 4 times today as well as a bunch of others, I have come to the opinion that I am going to pre-order these this weekend

[@dill6078]

I own Clear Pro and am tempted by these even though I probably shouldn't?

[@DBSTH0R]

As another Clear Pro owner - go for it! The tuning is spot on, the materials are much improved (my red pads for instance leave red stains on white stand I put them on) and the cost is down I believe partially due to lack of extra pads and more cables.

[@tomsimonis]

@@DBSTH0R Would love to know what kind of Amp you use for your Clear Pro's, assuming you would also use it for the Celestee, if you got one. Thanks!

[@DBSTH0R]

@@tomsimonis Using D90/A90 combo. Prior to that I was using THX 789 but found it too bright with Clears. Not so much with A90, I still hear Clear's peaks with it, but they are easier to "handle" for the lack of a better word / explanation. Barely fatiguing, if at all. Sometime down the line I'd love to get Phonitor amp or something class A like Flux lab FA-10 or FA-12. But current desk space doesn't allow for it. :) Don't have Celestee yet. That and the new Clear Mg I plan on demoing at my local store when this crazy situation settles down a bit and they have it in stock.

[@mikeg2491]

It’s weird to me people don’t want a car logo on their phone but they’d be fine with a focal logo on their car dashboard. I got the Radiance and absolutely love it, the sound is more important to me.

[@jeofthevirtuoussand]

In my opinion.. the best looking focal period. That blue and rose gold 😍😍

[@vincenthusvh]

@ResolveReviews: how does the Celestee compare to the ZMF closed-backs?

[@letsbefrank3]

Hi there, thanks for your reviews (have subscribed). really useful. I'm currently using HD6xx and would like a closed-back 'upgrade', so looking at the Celestee and also the Elegia. With the Elegia being widely available in the UK for £599 and the Celestee at £999, would you say the extra money is worth it? I'm out of work at the moment so selling some bits to afford these and don't want to waste £300. I would hope for a slightly larger soundstage than the HD6xx with better extension in both directions. Better imaging and detail would be a nice bonus. My musical tastes sound very similar to yours. Any advice appreciated and keep it up!.

[@henanethy4757]

Thanks for the review. I know they are different type of headphones, but can you tell how you compare Celestee with Sunnheiser HD 660S? Thanks

[@LazYevgen]

What about pad roll? Can u try it with different Focal pads? Also if you would choose between this and Audeze XC... what would you pick?

[@crisyorke1328]

Just bought Celestee and they are perfect! Everything is just right and intimate sounding.

[@nitinvaid89]

I have hd660 currently.. so you recommend it buying over 660? As I love the sound staging of hd660 specially vocals

[@crisyorke1328]

@@nitinvaid89 Did't own a Sennheiser, even though I did purchase a HD800 6 years ago. Celestee is a straight to the point, play directly at you type of headphone - intimate, dynamic (just the right amount of bass), neutral (slightly forward), warm and musical headphone, all round headphone especially for jazz, vocal and classical.. I tried the Sony Z1R in the past and I don't like it. My grado 225 sounds better than the Z1R (don't know why). I pair my Celestee with chord mojo and voila, end game headphone for me!

[@nitinvaid89]

@@crisyorke1328 i did bought celestee and it was worth it for me now i am looking for balanced cable for it....

[@crisyorke1328]

@@nitinvaid89 AWESOME! What DAC/Amp are you going to pair it with? 4.4mm cable?

[@nitinvaid89]

@@crisyorke1328 I have topping DX7 PRO just got this today

[@RayCabrera1]

Have you tried the Dekoni Stellia special edition pads on the Celestee?. Wondering if it widens the sound stage on the headphones.

[@AnkarnoExa]

Just pre-order myself one last night. Can't wait to see how great they actually sounds!

[@flatbubba]

And….?

[@random-internet-dude]

More and more ASMR stuff, i think you're into something Andrew. 😂 Inb4 Resolve ASMR blows up online Jokes aside, i really dig the look of the Celestee it looks stunning in your video; probably my fav with the silver Clear from Focal. Pictures online did a poor job imo. Now i wonder how it compares with the D9200, particularly for details retrieval and timbre.

[@TheOttacat]

With EQ, would you hear a difference between these and the Elegia?

[@matejgrim]

Now right of the bad - this is imo the best looking headphone from focal, because I liked the stellia in the first place.

[@prabinpaudel5572]

Somewhat attainable endgame for me. Hope I save enough! ❤️

[@williamcatalano1762]

These will most likely be my closed back end game. I almost pulled the trigger on the Elegia when they were like 550 dollars new and didn't because of the bass not being there from what people said. Glad I waited in the end. These look way better and it sounds like they do sound miles better than the Elegia.

[@samlee2562]

.... Endgame.... Ha!..... No more headphones for 40 years..... 😂🤣🤣😅😂🤣😂

[@williamcatalano1762]

@@samlee2562 Yeah the biggest joke ever right? Always chasing that dragon lol

[@prabinpaudel5572]

@@samlee2562 no more headphones until the endgame breaks.. 😂

[@dill6078]

@@prabinpaudel5572 I currently own Clears but these are very tempting as a closed back alternative...

[@ryanblack1251]

Andrew! Quick! Do I get the Celestee or the new Clear Pro? I like super analytical sound, open/closed doesn't matter too much for me (closed is just a plus), and I also use headphones for reference use from time to time (mostly for hobby sometimes professionally). I also like IEMs so for super "closed" options I don't mind having to pick up better IEMs down the road. Help me senpai!

[@falcodarkzz]

Try both dude, it’s the only way. No reviewer can read your exact tastes and biology.

[@NicodemPL]

Would love to see comparison vs Z1R

[@Artaois13]

These look great but I have to hold off to see what else they are releasing this year. Hopefully a new open back around this price with leather earpads. I do wish they would add just a little oval to their earcups.

[@markschneider2042]

Love it

[@JaxxMono]

I’m most curious to see how it compares to the Elegia with the Dekoni sheepskin pads

[@christosdemetriades6031]

What's your opinion on the Bang&Olufsen Beoplay H95, or Bang&Olufsen products in general? Thank you in advance.

[@gcb2101]

The 6k peak of the Clear was a showstopper for me, glad to hear these don't have that.

[@kayvee163]

Love the Focals. Designed to perfection and they are elegant looking cans unlike the odd, heavy design of almost all the other branded audiophile headphones. I am just wondering which is the best closed back with a wide soundstage? Any suggestions?

[@Assimilator702]

I’m just happy to get the detail retrieval, overall frequency response and massive dynamic capabilities in one headphone with great bass. I guess it’s like the bean bag analogy for designing subwoofer enclosures. You can have THREE things but not any more. Compromise one characteristic or all three and you can have that fourth.

[@dill6078]

Stellia by far but it's also 3x the cost

[@sobechance]

Sony Z1R

[@dill6078]

@@sobechance Man I would love a pair of these but they are $2500 AUD, worth an extra $1100 over celestee?

[@marcusthomas3921]

The video quality here is beautiful. Has your camera gear/lighting changed at all?

[@ResolveReviews]

No I'm just wearing a different shirt.

[@RizqiAngga]

@@ResolveReviews hahaaaaaaaaaaaahahaaaaaaaa

[@johanneswolff6732]

Nice Video

[@klaushaunstrupchristensen7252]

Great! I have this belief that the 300 Hz dip has crept, wrongfully, into all types of audio reproduction, because loudspeakers will interact with the closest room boundaries. The reflection of the floor between listener and loudspeaker leads to a substantial dip in the frequency response around 250-400 Hz. This was studied in depth in the 1970’s by the late great Roy Allison. Anyone interested in the loudspeaker room interface should read Roy Allison’s papers, which are easy to find online. By the way the papers are easy to grasp. So how does this matter with headphones? Well.... I theorize that because we have become so accustomed to this dip in the frequency response, we actually prefer it to be there even though it is a distortion. Beware that at the concert hall there is an identical dip in frequency response, so the distortion is compounded thing. First there is a dip in response created at the concert, then there is a dip in the listening room increasing its depth. This means that with recordings made with very close miking, this dip in response is actually desirable, because it recreates the dip lost with the close miking technique (semi anechoic thereby no interaction with anything ). Well audio is difficult and strange, but it’s part of the fun. Greetings from Denmark

[@thegloriouspotato6223]

That's super interesting. I wonder how many more audio preferences have been influenced by similar things.

[@MohammadAli-zl4pe]

Excellent review containing a great detail. One question, how does this compare with HD 650? Although they’re different but any comparison will help. Thanks in advance.

[@fftechsupport]

I hope there will be a comparison between IE-Z1R and celestee. As they probably are two of the top closed back headphones right now

[@MrLeeCox]

You mentioned in the live show these are great for reference. Which open would you recommend at this price point?

[@dill6078]

Ananda, Clear on sale

[@ZeBubba]

A slight dip in the lower mids tends to clean up the bass nicely. This seems right now like the closed-back to get for 1k. If I worked in an office I'd be very tempted.

[@DBSTH0R]

I am curious how would Celestee's or Radiance's pads work on Clear. I know you said it is best to keep the stock pad on your headphones, but non the less...

[@jhrajgor]

Does anyone know if the sound, particularly the low end, changes when wearing glasses? I have heard that the stellia's sound does change when wearing headphones and was wondering if it's the same case with Celestee as well? Thanks.

[@stefanhansen5882]

Stunning headphone and great review! Trying to decide on a budget for a pair of headphones, what would you suggest spending on headphones if I have $2,500 for headphones, preamp, DAC and (if needed) streamer? Thanks!

[@dill6078]

I'd go like 1800 headphones 700 dac/amp or even 2000/500 imo.. Headphones make a WAY bigger difference than dac/amp, plus stuff like Focals can run off anything. (I run my Clears off of Atom DAC+AMP, tried many high end stuff in store and the differences was so minimal it would be like throwing money down the drain)

[@stefanhansen5882]

@@dill6078 Thanks. I was thinking about one third of the budget for each component. I wonder what other people think.

[@dill6078]

@@stefanhansen5882 Honestly I'd buy from a shop that allows returns like Amazon and see what your ears think, everyone is different

[@stefanhansen5882]

@@dill6078 Best advice. Thanks Dillon, I didn't even think about that, although it is the obvious thing to do. Still, having some guidelines, not to try _every_ combination of components might be great.

[@dill6078]

@@stefanhansen5882 I feel like most of a better amp/dac's sound is the owner trying to justify the stupid pricetag, honestly an Atom/Schiit stack is more than good enough

[@pedrosilveira2972]

I'm trying to decide between the LCD XC and the Celestee now. Would you say the XC has a superior technical performance? and if it weren't for the weight would you take the XC? BTW i intend to EQ the XC if i buy it

[@ResolveReviews]

Yeah XC is definitely still more technically impressive - but the weight is a killer and yeah... some EQ.

[@vincenthusvh]

Is the technical performance of the Celestee superior to that of the DCA Aeon2?

[@WestonWill]

Didn't realize you were Canadian till I watched with my new GL2000's. :-) ATH-M50X; white guy > GL2000; Canuck.

[@preet1979]

I have been looking to buy audiophile headphone mostly to listen to classical music. Are they good for that or are planar magnetic better for the job

[@mikylenaidoo1779]

The Stellia has a very claustrophobic and warm signature to my ears leaving me searching for details rather than just hear them easily , which is why I opted for a Z1r as my closed back headphone ,which for my ears , sounded so much better save for image placement. Will I feel the same as the stellias when I listen to the Celestee?

[@HercahyoAdiSaputro]

Yes. Staging is not celestee/stellia greatest strength. Their strength is detail, resolution and accurate timbre If you don't want that claustrophobic feel, get a ZMF close back

[@chillazar]

I'm glad these exist, but at the time I bought them, the Radiance were more what I wanted from a headphone to complement my Hifiman Arya.

[@shreyanshyadav3285]

Have you tried both?? Could you elaborate on the differences between the two......

[@land_walker]

Hopefully you can get in some LSA headphones. Their closed back HP-2 Ultra is the best closed back I have ever heard, and it's $750.00. It does need ZMF Ori pads though, so I guess it's more like $800.00.

[@cbassplissken]

This. I followed this advice and the LSA HP 2 is brilliant for the price with the Ori pads.

[@CEDARMULCH642]

Question, would you upgrade the cable to a black dragon V2? I would be plugging this into a Bose companion 5 multi media speaker system. ( The round dial).

[@vincentquy]

Andrew, thank you for the review. Anyway, if you have time can you please try putting the Celestee pads on Elegia and see if they have any improvements on the Elegias? I think my Elegias are still holding up really well, no reason to upgrade yet. The only thing I don't like about Elegias are the pads.

[@AsAssin4life]

The mariana trench that is 4k doesnt bother you?

[@sleepingatsea3420]

Upgrading to the Dekoni sheepskin pads was the best thing I ever did for my Elegia. Definitely recommend

[@mikegoddard7354]

we want to know, regardless of portability, this or the elex??? sounds like you are saying the elex is still better at your remarks at 6:00

[@PartySpock]

The colors of these Focal headphones kisses your eyes. Do they the same for your ears.I want them all.NOW

[@jorgeluisfernandez2560]

Bro between this and radiance for a close choice, which You think is better? Thanks a lot

[@Milezperhour]

Does anyone know the tube amp that was used in the thumbnail? Looks beautiful.

[@jimmiefu8998]

How does the celestee compare to the beyerdynamic t5 3rd gen?

[@haziee3108]

would love to see how these would compare to an elex. Also, would clears be worth the jump in price from these?

[@allansh828]

I'll choose Clear over Elex any day. For the extra spending, you get a much better headphone, a carrying case and an extra balanced cable.

[@reifortes_8691]

I know this a headphone review channel but I've wondered, what mic does Andrew use for his reviews?

[@alphamarshan]

It looks like an Aston Origin

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

I realize it's in a completely different price class, but how would you say this compares to the ZMF Verite? Either Open or Closed, as I'm fine with either. I "can" afford the Verite, but if it's not at least 150% better in order to justify its 150% price premium over the Celestee, I'd like to go for whichever provides better value.

[@filovirus1]

no matter - I'm still very VERY happy with my Elegia I got last year for 399.00 USD (felt like deal of the decade) paired with Schiit Modius+Magnius stack. Stellia is not aesthetically attractive to me but if they make it in deep crimson rather than light cognac color they have now, I will give it a serious consideration for purchase.

[@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST]

I agree. I also got in on the $399 Elegia deal on Adorama back in October. Took me months to get into the sound signature, but now I love it. I also have the Modius and love it. I did order a Magnius last week but it's backordered.

[@1ce2berg]

Can't decide between a combo of the Celeste + ZMF Aeolus OR a combo of the Radiance/ZMF Eikon + Sennheiser HD660s + a better quality amp and upgrade cables for both hp's

[@johndowling7211]

Can you review the Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas please

[@tomdavis6371]

I bought mine Sunday and they are due to arrive tomorrow. My collection is modest compared to others, with this being just my second pair of cans with an MSRP at about the $1000.00 price point, the other being the Audeze LCD-2. The remainder include the Audeze EL-8 Open Back, Sennheiser HD-535, and 600, KEF M500 and Space One, HiFiMan Sundara, and Sony XB950BT. I can hardly contain myself waiting to hear these but I do wish they would include a 6+ foot cable.

[@tomdavis6371]

After listening for four days I like them more than on day one but I am still kind of trying to get accustomed to closed back headphones. My Space One are closed back but it's been a while since I've listened to them. I'm not a fan of the included cable, primarily because it's too short for my needs so I decided to purchase a seven foot cable from Periapt which is a bit of a more robust and I suspect better quality cable than I usually purchase from Amazon for about $16-18 each. I am not personally interested in spending hundred of dollars on cable unless someone were to offer me a trial so that I could hear with my own ears how I could possibly justify the ridiculous cost.

[@tomdavis6371]

Sent them back. Just not my flavor. I'll stick to open headphones.

[@NiSHAN256]

This is crazy good graph for a closed backs!. I wonder if they "cheated" with front dampening?.

[@MobileAura]

Does this apply to iems as well. My iems have dampers in the sound tubes is that cheating or a legit technique. 💜😎

[@NiSHAN256]

@@MobileAura It's a legit technique but it has some drawbacks. It reduces the sense of clarity and the sound speed. No free lunch :).

[@MobileAura]

@@NiSHAN256 What are the upsides to it? I'm assuming probably to lower those shrill frequencies? My v14 sound shrill even with dampeners 😅

[@Assimilator702]

@@MobileAura Change the tips you use. 90% of the time smaller bore tips will reduce excessive treble energy. And yes those tube dampeners are essential for proper BA tuning wether they are located in tubes or inside the BA housing in a proprietary design like many Chi Fi companies employ.

[@Assimilator702]

Focal uses the fine mesh for front dampening. Or they could have possibly used a stiffer surround.

[@povertyspec9651]

I own the Celestee and also the Clear Mg Professional :)

[@thebaonguyen3486]

Can you tell me the differences between them ?

[@LeJohnz]

Ignoring form factor entirely, would you rather have the Focal Celestee or the Thieaudio Monarch as your daily driver?

[@lavelis9088]

Which amp/DAC would you recommend for driving these?

[@ComedyCravingsProductions]

Can I use this for my phone listening to music?

[@TazulIslam-gz1om]

How does it compare with the utopias ?

[@aceofspades6667]

I think the office performance needs to be addressed a bit more. Plus expand on sound isolation and sound bleed. When sitting in an open cubicle environment if my neighbor going to hear my music and will I hear their phone calls?

[@Mr1stcat]

They're closed back headphones do you know what that means 😒

[@aceofspades6667]

@@Mr1stcat wow what a snarky headphone... yes I know what a closed back means! But closed backs have different levels of sound bleed and isolation in an office setting. I work in an open office environment and there are people having loud conversations and phone calls teams calls etc... i want something that will provide isolation and no sound bleed so that can't hear my music at decent levels. Get over yourself and you snark there cat.

[@NanthaaComposer]

Hi brother, thanks for this review 😊, plz let me know, are you preferred the Celestee over the Focal Clear? Because I would like to buy this one before I used focal Clear Thanks ❤

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Resolve here - I like the Clear better

[@NanthaaComposer]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow ok thanks for the reply 😊

[@krisrudecki9477]

Is this the closed back clear we've all been waiting for? ... maybe ... :D

[@jonasgmunder7214]

It is...😉

[@GrandHeresiarch]

I bought them and they are. Not a cheap pair of headphones but worth it? Absolutely. Very satisfying to listen with.

[@--chris--]

@@GrandHeresiarch i have the clear but i find the bass lacking. does the celestee have more bass?

[@jyexe525]

Hello ! Is it good for movies on my Mac and my tv ? I mean sound like cinema ?

[@Shoaibexpert]

Is an upgrade from Elegia (EQ'd) to the Celeste worth it? Thanks

[@tdg176]

I have the same question 🙋‍♂️ would consider selling my elegia for these as I can’t take my elegia portable as the freq response its so mid boosted

[@theprince6590]

How can I enjoy these headphones to the fullest using an iPhone 📱 12 pro max , do I need an dac?

[@mikesatteson1534]

I considered the Elegia some time back but was put off by indications that its FR was significantly degraded when wearing eyeglasses. Is this really a thing (perhaps given the comments on clamping force variability)? And need I be concerned about such an effect with the Celestee?

[@sameermana2003]

I have the elegias and I wear glasses and I didn't notice any loss in quality as a consequence of it. They're not bass heavy but they do have bass ...it's balanced and tasteful bass to my ears. And although the Celestee appears to be an improvement... I'm doubtful as to whether they're worth near enough double the price of the elegias

[@Assimilator702]

Get the Elegia now while they’re still available for a low price. I have the Elegia and the bass is reduced a touch with glasses so I won’t wear glasses while wearing the Elegia. For my head a bit more clamp would be beneficial. Luckily the Elegia work very nicely with the Dekoni Elite Sheepskin pads which increase the bass slightly but not by much while the treble and midrange is not negatively impacted. When you feed the Elegia some juice the low end wakes up a bit. They sound amazing on the Asgard 3. I bought my Elegia from Adorama for $423 shipped and they were brand new and sealed.

[@dill6078]

Yes, he stated that it took many tries to get the FR graph done because of how different the seal is depending on pressure etc, glasses will 100% mess with them as they do Stellia and Elegia

[@cbassplissken]

The Elegia was one of the worst mid fi headphones I’ve ever heard. I use plastic frame glasses. I did try it without them and did not notice a huge difference. The driver was obviously extremely capable but the fit of the focals clearly do not work for me and my head. I tried dekoni sheepskins as well. Nothing in this review would lead me to believe this headphone is any different especially since Resolve said he struggled to get a seal with the measurement plate and not to even fully trust his measurements. Definitely try before you buy or get from headphones.com or other place with a full return policy.

[@cbassplissken]

I was wrong Resolve just replied to me and said these seal quite a bit better than the Elegia. Focal closed backs might be back on the menu.

[@nadtz]

No interest in buying but I'm digging your review(s) anyway. Those are some gorgeous headphones which says a lot since I'm very utilitarian when it comes to aesthetics.

[@HiFiGOAudio]

Well this increases my confusion between the Clear and These haha!! I honestly have no issues with an open-back but I am just more confused now about which one to buy.

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

If that's the case, I think probably still the Clear. Open back still has an advantage.

[@JTB--]

I'll throw in my 2 cents since I just got the Celestee and had the Clear for a few days. Both sound awesome... but the Clear clipped on certain tunes. Bass heavy music at high volume would clip the clear a lot. Clipping/distortion etc... has NEVER happened with the Celestee and I've tried. Even at ear piercing volumes I couldn't get the Celestee to clip. And clipping is a huge deal breaker for many

[@JTB--]

@@nhatlam96 If you have a really powerful Dac/Amp like the iFi Black Label that also has a Bass boost mode... you can easily get the Clear to Clip at high volumes with Bass heavy music. Focal even admits this about some of their drivers. Now with that said... the Clear should not Clip if you listen at "Normal" volumes. But some will want to crank their headphones volume up high for certain genres of music now and then and on occasion the Clear and Elex will clip. If you listen at normal volumes then you have no worries.

[@falcodarkzz]

The Clears are miles better, I’ve tried both

[@straleno]

How do these compare to the LCD-2 Closed Back? I know you didn’t love those, but curious to hear your thoughts.

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

I'd have to hear a new one. It's been a long time since I heard one haha

[@straleno]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Thanks. Meant to ask, how do they compare to Elex? I love those and would like something similar but closed. I never really bonded with the Elegia.

[@yusif.heybatov]

It needs Clear MG's red pads... Can I buy them separately?

[@bitterbuffalo8997]

Why you no try on the headphone? That's my favourite part.

[@Grooverski]

I like forward/analytical done right. I got ADX5K and wonder how is Celestial signature in comparison? (I also share your music genre preferences) Never owned Focal headphones but these look interesting.

[@ResolveReviews]

ADX5K is brighter for sure, and more upper treble. I liked it though because it's well balanced at least.

[@Grooverski]

@@ResolveReviews That’s fine as ADX5K need good tube amp and mellow DAC to tame some of that top end excessive energy (gotta be patient and careful when pairing amps/dac with therm). How do Celestial compare to mid-tear ZMF CB headphones?

[@falcodarkzz]

There are people I've seen hoping that these might be close to the Stellia. I auditioned both together today, and unfortunately, the Celestee I nowhere close. The Stellia are superior in every category I could put my mind on; detail, imaging, soundstage, layering, they're a much, much better headphone. I might add, the Stellia are the best I've ever heard.

[@alexkx3]

And so they should be for over twice the price! 😅

[@Karim-ik5ij]

I always wondered if he could tell which one is which when blinded....of these higher end versions.

[@gregou69110]

Hello HEADPHONE Show, have you compare Focal Celestee with DCA Aeron 2 or Ether ?

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Celestee is definitely better than A2C, but not necessarily the noire. I'll be looking to review that soon.

[@hdjekso7930]

how does this compare to the elex?

[@ChestermereToday]

Celeste or DT1990 for Electronic Music listening?

[@briancaulfield7251]

I wanna get a pair of these AND Clears 😅

[@DBSTH0R]

Wait for the new version of Clears to come out. Recent leak and Clear price drop shows it should be revealed soon. :)

[@falcodarkzz]

@@DBSTH0R no wayyy