Reference-Setting Closed-Back Headphones Achieve New Levels of Balance, Realism, Dynamics, and Responsiveness
The luxurious cognac color scheme distinguishing the Focal Stellia circumaural closed-back headphones speaks to their richness, rareness, smoothness, lusciousness, and sophistication. Akin to the precious, distinctive, and often-imitated yet never-replicated drink that inspires its looks and attests to its superior French craftsmanship, Stellia is reserved for music lovers who appreciate the finer things in life and want to savor every last note. And because of its leading-edge technology, innovative features, and uncompromising ergonomics, Stellia allows you to do exactly that in a manner that until now has not been associated with closed-back types. In addition to providing traditional advantages tied to closed-back 'phones – isolation from the outside, ambient noise soundproofing, listening while in public or on the go – Stellia delivers new levels of tonal balance, acoustic boundary expansiveness, and mammoth dynamics in a closed-back model.
Anchored by a new generation of exclusive speaker drivers – appointed with frameless 100% copper voice coils and a patent-pending, 1.6-inch, full-range, M-shaped pure Beryllium dome – that offer an astounding 5Hz-40kHz frequency response, Stellia reproduces the highest treble details and lowest bass passages with hair-raising precision and realism. When playing back vocal material, Stellia renders the singer(s) with multi-dimensional realism and scale. Another secret behind its gorgeous performance pertains to the integrated vents that extend driver capabilities. Focal positioned EVA foam behind the driver to absorb high frequencies while acoustic diffusers break up standing waves to eliminate any interference. No wonder Focal created a robot strictly dedicated to manufacturing each Stellia to painstaking specifications.
Such obsessiveness extends to Stellia's prestigious comfort factor and wearability. Adorned with full-grain-leather headband, ear cups (finished with a matte-brandy stainless-steel case, and cushions (augmented with resilient memory foam), Stellia weighs under one pound and feels practically weightless to the user once the music begins. Stellia's headband and yoke components are directly borrowed from Focal's critically acclaimed flagship open-back model, Utopia. The consistent curve between the mechanical elements offer seamless coziness and opulence no matter your head shape or face size.
Befitting reference 'phones that encourage mobile use, Stellia arrives in a faux-leather cognac/mocha-colored protective storage case that includes two high-quality cables (a 10-foot type for use with high-end amplifiers and a 3.4-foot version with 0.125-inch stereo jack for connections to portable players). Lest we forget, Stellia's extremely low impedance (35 ohms) means it is tailor-made for use with portable devices and positively sings when paired with a headphone amplifier.
If you've been thinking you could only get premium loudspeaker experiences from open-back headphones, you haven't heard Stellia. Our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee says you're in for a risk-free audition you'll never forget.
“The Focal Stellia is not only a luxuriously designed headphone, it's also hands-down the best performing closed-back headphone I've ever heard, no matter the musical genre. For me, the Stellia's combination of luxury design and materials, along with its unparalleled sound quality, justifies its luxury price. I found the Stellia to be beyond reproach from a sonics perspective, exhibiting a linear response across the audio spectrum.”
—Bob Barrett, Home Theater Review, Best of 2019 review
“The sound balance is full and forward and swathes of detail can be heard that you may not have noticed before in your collection. If you prefer closed-back personal listening, these headphones set the benchmark.”
—Christopher Breuning, Hi-Fi News, Outstanding Product review
"It rivals the very best open-back competition in a domestic environment, proves to be exceptionally comfortable for long listening sessions and continues to delight when it's time to leave the house too. The price may seem aspirational for a headphone, but it is without doubt the finest Focal offering I've heard yet."
—Hi-Fi Choice, Editor's Choice Award
"And of course, the Stellia's angled drivers played loud, clear, and dynamically. And yes, the sound seemed larger and more frontal when I closed my eyes."
— Herb Reichert, Stereophile, 2020 Headphone Product of the Year Award
"So, to sum up, the Focal Stellia rank as a top-tier closed-enclosure headphone that delivers on all its promises – great sound, beautiful design, excellent comfort, premium parts, high compatibility with a wide range of headphone amplifiers, a full complement of cables supplied with the headphones, and a price commensurate with this level of excellence."
— Steven Stone, Hi-Fi+
