Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have been awash with discounts on popular wireless models sporting active-noise cancelling and many more features – but what if you're not fussed about these mega-popular cans from Sony, Bose and Apple and simply want a great deal on a solid pair of proper, wired, audiophile-grade headphones?
We've got the answer: these Focal Elegia headphones are on a fantastic 48 per cent discount, down to £439 at Sevenoaks from their high original price of £849. That's nearly half-price off this lush pair of closed-back wired headphones from the French high-end brand.
Wired headphones might seem old-fashioned, but they're fuss-free and if you've got a lovely hi-fi set up at home with a headphone amp, plugging in a pair of hi-fi headphones and listening to your music in peace is a thing of joy.
We reviewed these Focal Elegia closed-back wired headphones back in 2019 (when they cost £799) but now their price is slashed in half in this Cyber Monday deal, making them worth considering even more now.
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Yes, there are new contenders from Focal, B&W and Apple at the premium £700-£800 price point that currently deliver great, five-star sound quality as well as wireless connectivity and ANC features. But this deal is for those serious hi-fi fans that don't want to faff about with Bluetooth, ANC and apps.
The Elegias certainly look like a premium pair of headphones, firmly wrapping your head and ears in luxury. The silver-and-black design is showy but sleek and built to last; the leather padding is showroom carpet levels of thickness; the 20mm of memory foam on each earcup give your ears the feel of sinking into a super-soft sofa.
The closed-back design means they won't leak like Grados, and the headphones sport 40mm aluminium/magnesium dome drivers. There's no ANC of course, but the Focal Elegia isolate pretty well. Slip them on and you'll be immersed in a big, spacious sound. There’s a pleasant depth to bass when required, a clear, spacious top end with plenty of attack, and timing is good but not faultless.
The Elegia are ideal for at-home listening and the closed-back svelteness means they can be worn on-the-go, too. This versatility helped set these wired cans apart back when we first reviewed them at full price: now at nearly half that price, they are definitely worth considering more than before.
There are rival headphones from Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Gen) and Grado RS1x that are better when it comes to absolute detail, precise timing and ultimate musical entertainment, but none of those pairs are available at this incredible under-£500 price that the Focals are right now. At this price, the Elegia are nothing like their sorrowful namesake – they might just bring you the (headphone) joy you're after.
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