Focal expands high-end headphone range with Stellia

Focal has today drawn the curtains on a new pair of high-end, closed-back headphones, the £2799/$3000 Stellias.

The Stellias, which we were given a behind-the-scenes look at during CES last month, are Focal’s second pair of closed-back headphones after introducing the sub-£1000/$1000 Elegias last year.

They join the open-back Elear, Clear and flagship Utopia models in the French brand’s growing high-end headphone portfolio, and are designed as a hybrid headphone for use both at home and on-the-go. They aren't exactly compact cans ideally sized for your bus commute, but he who dares...

Our first peek at the Stellias at CES 2019

Our first peek at the Stellias at CES 2019

These gorgeous puppies (just look at them…) utilise Focal’s next-gen drivers, which include several familiar Focal technologies such as ‘M’-shaped pure Beryllium dome and a copper voice coil - as found in its siblings.

Vents have been integrated into the design to extend the speaker driver’s frequency response, while foam has been positioned behind it to absorb high frequencies.

No doubt hoping to replicate the Utopia’s success, they also borrow the headband and yoke mechanics developed for the flagships. With that innate curvature, their memory foam leather earpads, and their two cognac and mocha finishes in mind, the Stellias do ooze a certain luxury - as you'd expect for their price, of course.

High-end headphones deserve high-end care, of course, and to that end the Stellias come with a rigid travel case in matching cognac and mocha woven finishes, inside of which are both 3m, 6.3mm-ended and 1.2m, 3.5mm-ended cables.

The Focal Stellias are available now, and we already can't wait to get our ears around them.

MORE: Focal enters high-end DAC market with Arche

Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.