The Focal Hadenys Review - Does it replace Elex?

[@Xellorated]

Man they would've been a much bigger favourite in this price range if they just kept it at the same price as the Azurys. Regardless, it still sounds like it's a great release.

[@greymatterstome]

Fantastic. This is as solid of a 10 minute review as you can ever get. Tells me everything I need to know. But man, is this tier getting clausterphobic, even for just Focal.

[@ashishbarthwal6961]

More competition is great for us and it's the right price-point to for these companies to be competing coz most people don't go above this price-point(nor should they tbh, 99% folk will be satisfied with any 700$ headphone lol)

[@nurmbms90]

Just bought it last week as my first open back focal and yes it suits my sound profile. Reminds me of the HD600/650 with bass shelf, staging and more details.

[@ashishbarthwal6961]

Is there nice warmth to the sound? I recently discovered that really it's the warmth in the sound that I prefer over crystalline clarity. I used to think I am a detail-snob, but nah, it's the warmth at the end of the day that make things more impactful

[@GoldenJar]

​@@ashishbarthwal6961 I want to know this too. Please share if you find out.

[@jamesstevens968]

How is it for gaming

[@TheVeganVicar]

Thank you for the headphone review, Monsieur Valour!

[@Stormfury1403]

It would be nice to have your breakdown of the Stellia, even if you don’t enjoy the tuning of it. You have a good way of breaking things down that’s quite informative

[@JTB--]

Hadenys is definitely harder to pronounce than Elex.

[@TheVeganVicar]

😂

[@hartyewh1]

Ha! Denny's. ez

[@juless753]

@@hartyewh1 This has an option for me to translate it to english😂

[@toastymctoastinson]

it’s not really imo

[@marklloyd4153]

I like all my focal headphones. My favorite is the Elex 👍

[@AR-gk1kt]

Thanks for making the video. I use the DT1990 for daily/studio use and the Elex as a pure pleasure headphone, whether the Hadenys replaces the Elex is the exact question I have. My only criticism of the Elex is that the bass at times feels a touch too lean to be fully immersive and at higher volumes they can bite, so it's good to see the bass is signifcantly increased with the Hadenys and they're generally smoother. The only doubts I have are whether they scratch the same itch as the Elex, which I feel have a beautifully detailed, delicate, graceful sound; also whether to go 109 Pro of course.

[@WXHPOYA]

Great review! For those who have tried Hadenys, how does it compare to the Clear MG? Is Clear MG still worth it for twice the price?

[@JeroenNietDoen]

I can't find the Focal Clear OG and Elex anywhere in Europe. So the Hadenys is an option. I'm debating the Hadenys vs Ananda nano. Any suggestions?

[@S.G54321]

If eq is possible. The Ananda Nano with Oratorys EQ is extremely hard to beat. Extremely. As good if not better than Meze 109 Pro, Audeze LCD-X 2021 and yes Focal Clear OG/MG. If EQ is not an option. The Focal Hadenys will be the one with maybe the more agreeable and smoother tuning out of the box which you may prefer with no EQ. The Ananda Nano is tuned towards brighter and analytical. Maybe to bright for some. But it's technicalties are unmatched unless you spend nearly double the price and start looking at headphones like the Arya Organic, HE1000 line and more higher end headphones.... Really depends on your use case. My personal pick. The Ananda Nano with eq.

[@JeroenNietDoen]

@@S.G54321 is EQ possible? Well...I'm actually considering purchasing a Midgard 3/Modius over an Asgard 3 with DAC because....I can add a Lokius. Love that look.

[@lemiath]

i found a store on ebay that had sold new focal elex's in the past, contacted them and they listed one for me which i bought at £650 like a year or 2 ago and it's been fantastic, might be worth giving a similar try (i'm in the uk)

[@P.7005]

@@lemiath can you give the name of the store? im in the same boat

[@lemiath]

@@P.7005 my elexs have since snapped at the headband and is a common flaw and because I bought from eBay it's not covered by warranty I wouldn't recommend

[@srkgv]

How does it compare to the Clear Original?

[@rodrocdl]

I'm so interested in the Azurys. I am really enjoying the Audezee Maxwell but I would like a wired closed back headphone to connect to my gear.

[@oso_Peligroso]

But does the bass crack?? In your review of the Azurys you mention that they don't crack, but the problem was NEVER with the closed backs. I can drive my Elegia into the ground and they never pop. The Open Backs all pop and crack. Talking about cracking with closed backs and ignoring the opens automatically makes me think they either do crack, or you didn't test it. Do the Hadenys crack or pop with heavy bass?

[@RambleStorm]

So wait for a sale... got it!

[@Tssukiii]

I did some Jiu Jitsu for a couple of years, nice shirt

[@MegaFlackFerry]

I tried Hadenys a couple hours today. The comfort wasn't that great for my ears/head. Sound Quality is good but I would like a bigger soundstage and better Imaging/Separation. I keep my DT 1999 Pro.

[@chronometa]

Jiu jitsu dad? A hifier you don't want to mess with.

[@Damien_N]

Been looking forward to hearing these. I have Bathys. But i definitely fancy a nicer open back

[@azad-4286]

How can you make a video comparing Focal headphones and not mention anything about its dynamics?

[@R3s1d3ntAl13n]

How do the Azurys and Hadenys compare to the Radiance and Celestee?

[@BC_CARS]

See the problem is I got my Elex at $400 on sale. These are $300 more for me and I don’t think I can justify that. The Elex coming from the Sundara? That’s a massive jump forward imo

[@sleepyrhythms6668]

Plus due to the higher impedance Elex pairs much better with tubes. Focal and Feliks amps are one of the good standards in the audio industry out of everything I’ve ever tried at CanJams.

[@BC_CARS]

@@sleepyrhythms6668 I’ve wanted a tube amp for a while. Your convincing me to get one lol

[@Slambear]

Same. Got it for 450. Only other pair is 6XX.

[@JeroenNietDoen]

Sadly, the Elex is not being sold in Europe. So unless you want high shipping + taxes + import taxes. Same for the OG Clear, nowhere to be found in Europe.

[@mychildrenareashamedtobese3398]

I have more headphones than I can count, some very high end, and the Elex's sound fantastic to me. They offer amazing sound for the price.

[@vaibhavpisal]

Do Azurys - Hadenys perform similarly? What about Hifiman Edition XS. I can strech my budget to Azurys but not anymore.

[@jamesstevens968]

The focal hadenys aren't much more than the Azurys go with the open back much better sound I'm just hoping the hadenys has enough strong bass.

[@sy0635]

Hadenys or arya stealth??

[@jackschrier3717]

I like Focal, taking my Clear MGs on holliday with me :)

[@gillmanjr87]

I'm torn between this and the Audeze LCD-2 classic for my next set of cans. I currently have the Ananda and HD6xx with an Aune S9C and a tube amp. I'm going to be buying one of those in the next month or so and I just can't make up my mind...

[@WyattOShea]

Voshua Jalour

[@christophefranchi6176]

Hello Joshua, between Hadenys and Clear which one do you prefer ? Thank you!

[@heshere]

Love the content, Still trying to figure out what headphone to go with. Im sure you heard this before but you look just like Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen from green arrow. 😆

[@stealthelf5048]

If you had to choose between the 650hd/660s2 and the Hadynes, which would you prefer?

[@Trainwreckstv3tv]

650 hands down

[@Chiren1337]

@@Trainwreckstv3tv Lmao, Hadenys hands down way better and I own them both the Hadenys have more texture in the bass very wide soundstage especially for a openback and focus in the treble with an excellent level of detail like 85% of the detail in the OG Clear which I also own, And they're as comfortable to wear as the 650. I would go with the Hadenys all day, but ofcourse eveyrone has a different ears/taste. @stealthelf5048 If you're looking to buy one of these 3 I would recommend checking them out in a store.

[@jamesstevens968]

Focal hadenys it's a no brainer. Sennheiser 650 lacks bass.

[@Chiren1337]

@@jamesstevens968 Pretty much I own them both and they're in a different league compared to the HD 650, these compete legit with 1000-1500 bucks headphones.

[@wicked_cool7]

660s2 is really veiled when compared to the HD400. I like the bass but classical music is horrible. I just got the Hadenys and hope they will be better as they are compared to the 600/650.

[@MaxKnoxwille]

Stick with Bathys for now. It's wireless and if I want to go serious I'll connect it via usb.

[@RavnHood]

The Hadenys is the sharpest, most sibilant, and plastic feeling headphones I've listened to. I tested Grado sr325x, Sennheisers hd 620s, hd 660s2, Focal Hadenys, Celestes, and Meze 99 Classics back to back, all in the same amp, and the Hadenys were immediately painful. I am super confused.

[@v_x6329]

hadenys burn in is real. I had a similar response, now 2 days later after burn in they are half as sharp and bass is incredible. But i also use eq.

[@jamesstevens968]

Hi josh are these good for video games and watching movies i have the focal elex but there kind of heavy are these better than the focal elex .

[@Sh4kki]

Can you test the Tago Studios T3-01? Japanese Headphones which should be in the same league as these.

[@blackberuang]

ANOTHER FOCAL VIDEO?! WTF

[@foldspacenavigator6011]

Purchased the Bathys with no regrets and enjoying them immensely….so despite the curious price differential, look forward to a listen at the SoCal can jam. Thanks for the broadcast.

[@TheVeDyA]

Try fio fa19 iem, waiting for a review

[@markovlasic1978]

what are the sonic differences between this model and the new sennheiser closed back 620s?

[@Mani-aX]

did they fix the bass popping issue with these also?

[@SupplyNinja]

Yes they did. josh stated so in the Azurys video.

[@mychildrenareashamedtobese3398]

I think the bass popping issue is massively overstated and is more than likely a production flaw on a small number of units. I've listened to Clears, Bathys and Elex's and none could be driven to clip or "pop" even at unreasonable volumes. Focal has sold a huge number of headphones and the vast majority of purchasers have not complained. I think they had very bad luck that a bad pair landed on Amir's test bench. His reviews have a ton of reach.

[@Shout0]

How does the bass compare to something like the HD58X? (Even with EQ) Is there more sub and mid bass?

[@Imagine-ww6gm]

Hi, what do you think about the Hifiman He-4XX in 2024? Since there's more cheaper planar magnetic headphones that came out after the 4XX, is it still better than all the planar magnetic headphones at the same price?

[@davids2214]

I assume the Aune AR5000, at less than half the price, is not as good as this. But would be interested in a comparison.

[@markshenefelt7611]

Aune is fantastic. Haven’t tried this yet.

[@sandorfuleki5060]

You can shape it, twist it however you want Josh, the OG Focal Clear is still the best. As an owner of one, I approve of your message.

[@StaRStuNinHD]

Hey kinda off topic but I was wondering what all I need for my audio setup... I have good pair of headphones and just recieved the topping a90D was wondering what else I need. Just the DAC? something like the D90. Some advice would be great! thanks

[@marklloyd4153]

I don’t like the cheap looking plastic cups . The metal on the utopia Elex and in my opinion the jewel like appearance of the Clear OG are stunning and look expensive . Almost everyone makes plastic , but no one made anything that looked like the Clear OG with the mesh .

[@DaiPad881]

I have the Azurys and Bathys and did want the Hadenys as i’ve never owned an open back, Now i’m having second thoughts

[@darkfirebeast32yt]

These aren’t the only open back in this price range if you want something cheaper you could go for the senheuser hd600 but things like even the focal elex and hi-fi man sundara or édition xs are good options that are a little bit cheaper

[@hpol3603]

For someone that talks so much about the DT1990, he knows very little about it. The DT1990 has a massive treble peak, and I mean MASSIVE!!! It is one of the most treble forward sounding headphones on the market. Its not a good headphone to compare in terms of the treble forwardness… From a review from Resolve: ”The biggest issue is a large peak in excess of 11dB at 8.5k. The 8.5K peak also adds a sizzle-like quality to the sound, and it becomes very obvious when toggling EQ on and off. Lastly, it makes the consonants (S and T sounds in particular) incredibly sibilant and piercing to listen to.

[@MemeEnthusiast24]

Ears are subjective, sound is subjective

[@hpol3603]

A large treble peak of 11db at 8.5k is not subjective, its not suppose to be there… If you like that or not, thats subjective…

[@irondad007]

@@hpol3603perfectly stated.

[@savvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvva]

@@hpol3603he does know about it, he even modified his pair with foam to reduce the peak

[@CookinBeatloaf]

Man that looks like garbage online but you nail your aesthetic too so I'm mixed. To me the first ques would be - did they fix their ongoing driver issue?

[@bushyyido163]

Didn't they only have QC / Driver issues with their Elex/Elear/Elegia lineup... AFAIK the Hadenys are fairly new to the market and could have faulty first batch or whatever they call that, but I have about 1000$ to spend for a headphone and I really want the best bang for my buck. I don't want to buy the Hadenys and then have its drivers fail on me, because its an expensive headphone. Will these headphones have the same QC/DRIVER issues as the Elex/Elear/Elegia (I beliveve I've heard some Clears having that too, but not too sure) or will these be more durable and have strong drivers that will last. I apologize for the many questions, but I just want to know as to not spend my money in the wrong place and get a broken product or one that will not last.

[@dewittfiala5021]

Uve never sounded more like a a paid hack than you did here

[@thaflybear]

haha

[@robertholcomb5450]

Ouch. Just because he loves it?

[@JireSoftware]

please man, get closer to ur sm7b and tone down the high-end 🙏it's a shame to be an audio-focused channel with such great production value apart from that!

[@amadismusic_SWORDFISH]

hmmmm... clear is the same price as this. and also arya stealth, at least in your country. How is it possible that I know that and not the reviewer?

[@mikeabcable]

Do not recommend to any trypophobia

[@SheepDude-qp7ux]

Hi josh

[@dietasdf]

Giving me trypophobia

[@前田日明-w8u]

Aggregophobiac design.

[@sheanreal]

First

[@safugpac2691]

Can't be used balanced unfortunately, a big pass for many of us.

[@mychildrenareashamedtobese3398]

Blind AB Balanced and not balanced. I have two balanced amps, and good balanced cables. I also have reasonable ears, I can't tell the difference when volume is equalized. JDS labs has provided tech information regarding balanced cabling if you are curious. They just released a balanced Element II+ but clearly begrudgingly and basically say so in the product documentation.

[@CookinBeatloaf]

Oh no you can't use a 50ft cable without noise

[@jamesstevens968]

No it really doesn't matter balanced or not you can't really tell the difference they sound the same

[@oneonlynono]

Hi thank you heaps for your Video ... I went last Week End in Melbourne , Australia to the "Stereo Net Show" where I discovered " Focal " Headphones the Clear Mg and the Utopia but they are way too Expensive ... the "Hadenys" was sadly not on Display.. I listen to mainly Orchestra Music and my No1 is " Eternal Eclipse " orchestra kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5nZm5SPq8-GjK8si=PHvf2CgbIC9Fp7gP ... would you recommend me the " Focal Hadenys "for my Listening ? Please or have you another Open Back Headphone that you would strongly recommend me without going bankrupt ? Please Please Please