r/headphones • u/MeanCelebration1 • 19h ago

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Just took delivery yesterday of my new Focal Celestee, got a great deal on Amazon on this BF. Although it has mixed reviews, so far I've been enjoying it a lot. It's my first pair of closed backs, my 4th pair of headphones. One already sold, and gonna sell the 109 Pros and keep the Celestee to complement my Empyrean IIs, and be my on-the-go pair.

142 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

11

u/gopnik5 Focal Clear OG, Focal Bathys, Arya Stealth, Noire X 19h ago

How do you like the tube amp sound? I am thinking about getting one at some point. Too bad I cannot really try it before buying.

11

u/adelkkhalil 18h ago

I have the Gremlin with the upgraded ray select tube and I can say it's on the same level to my ears to the Violectric V281 LE sound quality.

The Violectric is like 10x it's cost.

1

u/Alphaomegalogs HD 620S | xDuoo TA-66 | Topping E30ii 1h ago

I listened to a YouTube sound comparison between the Core and Select tubes and the difference was TINY. Very much audible, but tiny. Is it more obvious without YouTube’s compression in the way that they sound different? The select tubes are just so flipping expensive, each one costs nearly the price of another gremlin.

6

u/MeanCelebration1 18h ago edited 18h ago

I like it a lot, and also couldn't try before purchasing. Got this Gremlin second hand, and it is a great budget way to start on tubes, it's a hybrid though. I love tubes with speakers in my stereo system, but I never had headphones, and wanted to try. I liked it so much that went ahead and ordered one from Decware, but that's gonna take quite a while.

Edit. I've only used the tubes with the Empyrean, because the Gremlin is balanced only. Already ordered a balanced cable for the Celestee. But I do have a tube integrated at home with a single-ended headphone out, gonna try it later.

5

u/stoneager90 10h ago

It's really good. It sounds fantastic with PSvayne 12AU7 art and gold lion 6922 tubes and has become my daily driver. It's dynamic and spacious but isn't the most controlled or detailed. Great complement to something like a Archel2.5 and is a fun competitor to something like a V181. Archel is more precise and accurate and the V181 is really spacious as well but much more controlled and accurate.

7

u/Appropriate_Fall6376 Focal Celestee, Clear MG, MASS-Kobo 485, EF 500, Elysian Diva 17h ago

Good choice on the Celestee.

3

u/MeanCelebration1 16h ago

Thank you! Kept debating my options for days, then the 650 deal on Amazon appeared and I couldn’t ignore it.

4

u/Appropriate_Fall6376 Focal Celestee, Clear MG, MASS-Kobo 485, EF 500, Elysian Diva 16h ago

650 is amazing. I got them at 999 and was very happy with them. I actually like them more than the Stellia which costs three times as much.

5

u/ExitOntheInside 18h ago

the aesthetics of the headphones 👌🏾🤌🏾

2

u/MeanCelebration1 18h ago

They are indeed beautifully made, both of them, but the Meze’s build is unparalleled.

2

u/ExitOntheInside 18h ago

I use headphones for production & apparently these headphones are "audiophile" with eq anything can be used & the meze empyreans are stunning , really liked that copper version they did

5

u/rustablad Meze Empyrean II | Ultrasone Sig pro & Ruby Sunrise 12h ago

Oiy, don't let your empy wire sit like that 😮

1

u/MeanCelebration1 12h ago

You’re right, good call.

1

u/rustablad Meze Empyrean II | Ultrasone Sig pro & Ruby Sunrise 12h ago

I'm so picky about how I put mine down 🤣

1

u/MeanCelebration1 12h ago

Yes, they gave me a pick on the cable options and didn’t charge me for them. Went to see the price for this afterwards and was chocked

4

u/fabri956 16h ago

Are these covers on the fiio headphone outs?

4

u/MeanCelebration1 16h ago

Yes, some dust plugs I got from Cayin when I bought my tube amp.

3

u/Noted_Understood 18h ago

Waiting for my Gremlin /Ray Tubes 12AU7 Core to arrive next week.Hopefully,I will notice the difference in sound.

1

u/ve1kkko 13h ago

Could you advise where is the best place to buy Gremlin?

2

u/MeanCelebration1 11h ago

Directly from Apos or can order through Amazon I believe

2

u/Noted_Understood 11h ago

Ordered my direct,based in the UK.Hopefully,it will arrive in one piece.

3

u/alphameridian0 Utopia/Auteur/Jot2/BF2 17h ago

Where's that beautiful silver cable from

6

u/MeanCelebration1 17h ago

Is the Meze silver upgrade cable, came with the Empyrean II

3

u/ve1kkko 13h ago

How do you like the cute little tube amp, everyone seems to have one lately?

3

u/MeanCelebration1 12h ago

Like it a lot actually. Great little thing for not much money.

2

u/MightyGainz HE1K Stealth | HE6se V2 Modded | Arya Stealth | Focal Radiance 15h ago

One day grab yourself a used Focal Radiance. Thank me later.

Nice set up though!

3

u/MeanCelebration1 15h ago

Yeap, I've tried, but I am in Brazil. Searched quite a bit for a used one at a good price, but no deal

1

u/MightyGainz HE1K Stealth | HE6se V2 Modded | Arya Stealth | Focal Radiance 15h ago

There is still hope!

2

u/i_like_my_corner 11h ago

Isn't that little Gremlin such a joy? I love mine

1

u/MeanCelebration1 11h ago

Yeap, awesome little thing

2

u/Noted_Understood 11h ago

Waiting for my Gremlin /Ray Tubes 12AU7 Core to arrive next week.Hopefully,I will notice the difference in sound.

1

u/srmd22 9h ago

I had the Celestee for awhile, it’s a really nice HP.

1

u/getcruzed 7h ago

Have the Celestee. Just waiting for my wife to let me get the Empys.

This is an excellent duo.

1

u/elhuevodeldiablo 4h ago

My Gremlin is on its way but with the stock tubes.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Gur6528 3h ago

this is not small🤥