Short answer: the Focal Stellia, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #325 of 429 over-ear headphones by sound quality (rated 2.9/5) at $2,280 and is still sold new; the Sony MDR-Z1R ranks #346 (rated 2.7/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 429 over-ear headphones, so if sound quality matters, consider the Dan Clark Audio E3 instead, ranked #1 at $2,299.
What the Focal Stellia does well: A closed-back design with a beryllium dome driver keeps sound in and outside noise down, and the 35 ohm, 106 dB/mW load runs well from a phone or portable player. Watch for: Presence, treble and air all fall 4 to 7 dB below target, and oratory1990’s measurement shows a 12.8 dB dip near 9.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and recessed.
The case for the Sony MDR-Z1R: Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. The catch: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used.
Buy the Focal Stellia. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Sony MDR-Z1R is no longer sold new.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Focal Stellia | Sony MDR-Z1R | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,280.00 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #325 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones | #346 of 429 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 53 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.04 dB standard deviation | 3.04 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.48 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic (beryllium dome) | 1 x 70mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 35 ohms | 64 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL/mW | 100 dB/mW |
| Weight | 1 lbs (435 g) | 0.8 lbs (385 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 4Hz - 120kHz |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Focal Stellia:
- Audeze LCD-3 vs Focal Stellia
- HEDD Heddphone 2 vs Focal Stellia
- Dan Clark Audio Voce vs Focal Stellia
- Audeze LCD-3 vs Dan Clark Audio Voce
- HEDD Heddphone 2 vs Dan Clark Audio Voce
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Focal Stellia: $2,280.00 Amazon $2,280.00 eBay
Pros: A closed-back design with a beryllium dome driver keeps sound in and outside noise down, and the 35 ohm, 106 dB/mW load runs well from a phone or portable player. Sub-bass is within 0.5 dB of target at 30 Hz and bass sits about 2.4 dB above, which suits listeners who like a warm, full low end.
Cons: Presence, treble and air all fall 4 to 7 dB below target, and oratory1990’s measurement shows a 12.8 dB dip near 9.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and recessed. At 435 g it is heavy for a closed headphone. The Audeze LCD-3 rates higher at a lower price.
Full Focal Stellia review and specifications →
| Released | Feb 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.04 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic (beryllium dome) |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 56 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 35 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1 lbs (435 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,929 Hz | +3.8 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 106 Hz | -5.9 dB | 1.22 |
| Peak | 1,706 Hz | -3.4 dB | 1.03 |
| Peak | 49 Hz | +2.7 dB | 1.02 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 297 Hz | +1.3 dB | 1.62 |
| Peak | 6,023 Hz | -3.3 dB | 5.53 |
| Peak | 4,268 Hz | +3.1 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 164 Hz | -0.9 dB | 2.58 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sony MDR-Z1R Discontinued eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 3.7 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 70mm dynamic.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 4.3 dB low with an 8.6 dB dip near 4.2 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. A Harman score of 53 places it in the lower part of the over-ear rankings.
Full Sony MDR-Z1R review and specifications →
| Released | 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.04 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 70mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 120kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 53 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 64 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.48 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (385 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 141 Hz | -5.2 dB | 0.91 |
| Peak | 3,946 Hz | +7.1 dB | 1.82 |
| Peak | 3,295 Hz | -8.7 dB | 5.04 |
| Peak | 5,822 Hz | +3.1 dB | 2.39 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,407 Hz | +0.9 dB | 2.65 |
| Peak | 554 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.54 |
| Peak | 2,152 Hz | -0.7 dB | 3.57 |
| Peak | 239 Hz | -0.3 dB | 2.55 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples