The Focal Stellia are premium closed-back over-ear headphones that are outstandingly well-built. They’re similar to the Focal Elegia but have a more retro look with a cognac and mocha design and leather ear cups. They come with a great hard carrying case and detachable braided cables, including a 1/4" TRS adapter and an XLR cable. They’re a bit more versatile than the Focal Elear since their closed-back design isolates a bit more noise; however, they’re still bulky headphones that aren’t the best for use on the go, especially since they don’t have a microphone or any in-line controls. That said, they have a well-balanced sound and are comfortable enough to wear for long listening sessions.
Our Verdict
The Focal Stellia are poor for mixed usage. Although they’re good, comfortable, critical listening headphones, their design isn’t versatile enough to be adequate for any other use. Their premium build is durable but bulky, which makes these headphones hard to grab and stash in your bag when you’re on the run to work or heading to the gym. They’re very comfortable, which is great for use at the office or while commuting, but they don’t isolate very much noise, so they might not be ideal. Since they’re wired, they have no latency, which is great for watching TV or gaming, but they don’t have a microphone or any in-line controls, and their short TRS cable is a bit restrictive.
-
Premium design and build quality.
-
Good audio reproduction.
-
Comfortable fit.
-
Bulky design.
-
Bass delivery varies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Focal Stellia are decent for neutral sound; they have a fairly balanced sound with overall good audio reproduction. They have deep, punchy bass, good treble, and an even and flat mid-range. However, their bass response is sensitive to fit, and whether you wear glasses, their mid-range is a bit overemphasized, which can make vocals and leads sound slightly forward, and their treble is somewhat veiled, which can negatively affect brightness and detail. Overall, they sound versatile enough to accommodate most genres of music and are comfortable enough to wear for long periods.
The Focal Stellia are disappointing for commute or travel. Although they’re very comfortable headphones and come with a great hard carrying case, their isolation performance is mediocre. They isolate more noise than the open-back Focal Elear, but they still let in all the low rumbles of bus and plane engines. They’re also quite bulky and can be cumbersome to carry around. However, if you appreciate their design and sound performance, they can be used as travel headphones as long as isolation isn’t an issue for you.
The Focal Stellia are inadequate for sports and fitness. They're bulky over-ear headphones that don’t have a very stable fit and are likely to fall off if you exercise with them. They have leather ear pads that reduce breathability and will stain if you sweat while wearing them. They’re also not wireless, and their cable is quite thick, so it’ll likely get in your way, and can get hooked on something which would yank the headphones off your head.
The Focal Stellia are sub-par for office use. They're very comfortable headphones which means you can wear them for long periods without experiencing fatigue. They also do a fair job at reducing office chatter and noises produced by A/C systems. They’re a bit leaky, though, so you might bother your colleagues if you like to listen to your music loudly. You should be fine if you work in a quiet, uncrowded office.
The Focal Stellia aren't suitable for wireless gaming. They don’t have a microphone or any controls. However, if you don’t require a mic or dedicated controls, the Stellia could be suitable for single-player gaming since they’re very comfortable, have no latency, and sound alright.
- 5.5 Mixed Usage
- 7.1 Neutral Sound
- 5.0 Commute/Travel
- 5.1 Sports/Fitness
- 5.6 Office
- 4.3 Wireless Gaming
- 6.3 Wired Gaming
- 2.2 Phone Calls
- Updated Mar 27, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Apr 10, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Apr 08, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 08, 2019: Early access published.
- Updated Apr 06, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Apr 02, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Focal Stellia are remarkably well-crafted audiophile headphones that stand out thanks to the premium materials used in their build. They have a straightforward wired design and well-balanced sound but aren’t very versatile since they don’t block much noise and are a bit bulky. They look great, but may not provide as much value as other models in the Focal lineup, like the Focal Clear Mg.
If you’re looking for headphones for neutral sound, check out our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones. See also our recommendations for the best closed-back headphones and the best headphones for studio use.
The Focal Stellia and the Focal Celestee are similar closed-back audiophile headphones, but the Stellia have a slight edge. Unlike the Celestee, which use aluminum and magnesium alloy drivers, the Stellia's drivers are beryllium. They're able to reproduce bass more accurately, and their treble is more neutral. However, both headphones are very comfortable and have a high-end build.
The Focal Clear Mg are better headphones for neutral sound than the Focal Stellia. The Clear Mg have a more neutral sound profile, more consistent audio delivery, and a more immersive soundstage. However, the Stellia are closed-back headphones, which some users may prefer since they leak less audio and isolate against more background noise.
The Focal Stellia and the Focal Elegia are very similar closed-back critical listening headphones. They’re both very well-built, comfortable headphones. The Elegia have a more understated design whereas the Stellia have a retro look that stands out more. Some people may find the leather ear cups of the Stellia more pleasing on the skin and they also come with an XLR cable, which is a nice touch. They sound fairly similar overall, but the Stellia’s bass is a bit punchier, and their treble is slightly less underemphasized. Overall, it comes down to personal preference and taste; however, the Elegia provide better value for most. That said, if you’re looking for a more premium listening experience, the Stellia may be worth the investment.
The Focal Stellia are slightly better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 820. The Focal are better-built and feel like more premium headphones. The Sennheiser are mostly made of plastic and, although they feel durable, they don’t feel quite as luxurious as the metal and leather build of the Focal. Both headphones perform reasonably similar sound-wise, but the Sennheiser sound a bit boxier. They’re similar headphones otherwise, so your decision will mostly come down to preference.
The Meze Empyrean and the Focal Stellia are high-end headphones, but the Meze offer a better overall sound performance. While both headphones are very comfortable and well-built, the Meze are open-back headphones with significantly better frequency response consistency and a wider, more immersive soundstage. They also come with a better carrying case to help protect them when you're not using them. The Focal are closed-back headphones with a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also block out more ambient noise, and leak less audio at high volumes, which is good if you're listening to audio in a shared space.
The Focal Elear are better critical listening headphones than the Focal Stellia, but the Stellia are a bit more versatile. The Elear are open-back headphones that produce a more spacious soundstage than the Stellia; however, they’re a bit bass-light. Although the Elear provide better value for use in a quiet listening room, the Stellia have deeper bass and also isolate more noise, which is better for use in environments with more ambient noise.
The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO are better closed-back critical listening headphones for most people than the Focal Stellia. Their treble response is less veiled, and their bass response is slightly more balanced. The Beyerdynamic also come with additional ear cups and come with a longer, coiled audio cable. The Focal do have a more premium look and feel, though, and come with a better carrying case. The Focal are worth considering if you prefer their more premium design, but the Beyerdynamic provide better value overall.
Test Results
The Focal Stellia look great. They share the same design language as the Focal Elegia but have a more retro look with a cognac and mocha color scheme. The headband is well-padded and covered in full-grain cognac leather. The yokes and back of the ear cups are also cognac in color but are made of metal. The ear cups are plush and densely padded with mocha leather covers. These headphones are reminiscent of vintage leather headphones and have a design that stands out more than the Focal Elegia or the Focal Elear.
The Focal Stellia are very comfortable over-ear headphones. Their headband is well-padded, and their ear cups are large and deep. They’re lighter than the Focal Elear, and although they are a bit bulky, they don’t feel fatiguing to wear over long periods. The leather ear cups feel pleasing on the skin and seal a bit better than the fabric coating of the Focal Elegia, but they may not seal as well on everyone and can create gaps around the ears.
These headphones don't have any controls.
Like most closed-back over-ear headphones, the Focal Stellia aren’t very breathable. Their leather ear cups are comfortable but also trap a fair bit of heat around your ears. They won’t be ideal for sports as you will sweat more than usual with these headphones on. These headphones fit somewhat awkwardly on our testing equipment, so we had to find a way to make them fit more tightly, which means the results may be warmer than what you would experience on a normal head with a normal fit.
The Focal Stellia aren't very portable. They don’t fold into a more compact format, and their ear cups don’t swivel to lay flat. They come with a nice carrying case to protect them when you’re out and about, but it adds additional bulk.
The Focal Stellia come with a large hard carrying case that helps protect the headphones against scratches, water exposure, and physical damage. The interior is molded to snugly fit the headphones and technically fits the Focal Elegia and Focal Elear, too.
The Focal Stellia are outstandingly well-built headphones. Just like the Focal Celestee, they're made nearly exclusively of metal and have very few moving parts, making them feel durable and solid. The ear cup padding and headband have full-grain leather covers, which lends a very high-end feel. The cognac leather finish does stain easily, but this is expected of a natural leather product. The headphones come with a thick detachable braided cable that you can replace if broken, but they don’t come with extra ear pads like the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO.
The Focal Stellia have a stable enough fit to remain on your head during casual listening sessions but won’t be ideal for sports. If you attempt to run or work out with these headphones, they are likely to fall off. They’re fine otherwise, though, so you shouldn’t have a problem with them wiggling around too much unless you’re making exaggerated movements.
- Focal Stellia headphones
- 4' 1/8" TRS cable
- 1/4" TRS adapter
- 10' XLR cable
- Carrying case
- Manuals with faux leather wallet
The Focal Stellia have sub-par frequency response consistency. Their bass delivery is consistent across our human subjects, except for the one who wears glasses. If you have a lot of hair between the headphones and your ear or wear glasses, you may experience a noticeable drop in bass. The maximum deviation at 20Hz is about 8dB for our human subjects. There’s a fair amount of inconsistency in the treble range, with up to 10dB of deviation depending on the position of the headphones on our dummy head. This means that your treble response may change as the headphones move around on your head. If you're looking for audiophile headphones with more consistent audio delivery, try the Focal Clear Mg or the Meze Empyrean.
The Focal Stellia have excellent bass accuracy. Low-frequency extension (LFE) is at 10Hz, and low-bass is within about 1dB of our neutral target, which means these headphones have deep and extended bass with an appropriate amount of thump and rumble. This makes them suitable for bass-heavy music like hip-hop, EDM, and film scores. There’s a 3dB bump that begins in mid-bass and continues into high-bass, however, which can make these headphones sound a bit boomy and muddy.
However, it is worth noting that their bass delivery varies significantly across users and is sensitive to the quality of fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses. This represents the average bass response, and your experience may vary.
They have fantastic mid-range accuracy. The response is even and flat throughout the range and is within about 3dB of our target curve. This suggests an overall clear and balanced reproduction of vocals and lead instruments; however, the slight overemphasis in the high-mids results in vocals and leads that may sound a bit forward.
The Focal Stellia have okay treble accuracy. The response is relatively well-balanced, which is important for producing accurate vocals and lead instruments. However, it is slightly veiled. The dip from 4kHz to 8kHz will have a small negative effect on the brightness and detail of the vocals and instruments. That said, not everyone experiences treble frequencies the same way, so your listening experience may differ.
The imaging performance is excellent. Weighted group delay is at 0.32, which is great. The group delay graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Also, the left and right drivers of our test unit were well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase. This is important for the proper placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field. However, these results are only valid for our test unit, and yours may perform differently.
The Focal Stellia have a poor passive soundstage performance. The PRTF graph shows that the response doesn’t follow our reference very closely. There’s a limited amount of pinna interaction and activation, and there is no 10kHz notch present either. Since creating a speaker-like soundstage is dependent on the amount and accuracy of pinna interaction, these results suggest their soundstage will be perceived as relatively small and located inside the listener's head. Also, because they have a closed-back design, they will feel less open than the open-back Focal Elear.
The Focal Stellia have sub-par noise isolation. These headphones don't have active noise cancelling and don't isolate you from noise in the bass range. This means they let in the deep rumbles of bus and airplane engines. They do alright at blocking out speech, isolating in the mid-range by about 15dB. They perform fairly well in the treble range, responsible for sharp sounds like S and T sibilants or A/C fan unit noises, isolating by about 28 dB.
Their leakage performance is unremarkable. The significant portion of their leakage is spread between 500Hz and 5.5kHz, a relatively broad spectrum concentrated in the mid and treble ranges. Therefore, their leakage will sound fuller than most in-ears and earbuds but not as loud and full as most open-back headphones. However, the overall level of the leakage is not too loud. At 100dB SPL, the average leakage at a 1-foot distance was 43dB and peaked at 61dB, which is about the average office noise floor.
These headphones don’t have a microphone.
These headphones don’t have a microphone.
These headphones don’t require a battery.
There's no companion app for the Focal Stellia.
The Focal Stellia don’t support Bluetooth. Since they're wired headphones, they have virtually no latency, which is great for gaming or watching videos.
The Focal Stellia have a 1/8” TRS connection that provides audio on consoles and PC as well. They also come with a 1/4” adapter and an XLR cable for compatibility with different amps, receivers, or other forms of audio gear.