Short answer: the HEDD Heddphone 2. It ranks #172 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $1,999; the Focal Stellia ranks #180, rated 2.9/5, and costs $2,280, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the HEDD Heddphone 2: A full range Air Motion Transformer driver sets it apart from conventional dynamic and planar designs, and the open back gives a spacious presentation. Watch for: oratory1990’s measurement shows treble about 8.9 dB below target with an 11.8 dB dip near 9.6 kHz, which leaves cymbals and air sounding muffled, and sub-bass falls 6 dB short by 47 Hz.
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. The catch: 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.
Buy the HEDD Heddphone 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Focal Stellia and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| HEDD Heddphone 2 | Focal Stellia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,999.00 | $2,280.00 |
| Ranked | #172 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #180 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 56 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.17 dB standard deviation | 3.04 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.95 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.27 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.7 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Air Motion Transformer | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x Air Motion Transformer (full range) | 1 x 40mm dynamic (beryllium dome) |
| Impedance | 41 ohms | 35 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 89 dB/mW | 106 dB SPL/mW |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) | 1 lbs (435 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How HEDD Heddphone 2 compares with other leading options:
- Audio-Technica ATH-AWKT vs HEDD Heddphone 2
- Fostex TH909 vs HEDD Heddphone 2
- Audeze LCD-3 vs HEDD Heddphone 2
- HEDD Heddphone 2 vs Dan Clark Audio Voce
- HEDD Heddphone 2 vs Sennheiser HD 820
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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
HEDD Heddphone 2: $1,999.00 HEDD eBay
Pros: A full range Air Motion Transformer driver sets it apart from conventional dynamic and planar designs, and the open back gives a spacious presentation. In oratory1990’s measurement the low mids sit about 0.8 dB above target, and its warm tilt suits listeners who dislike bright treble. Its rating equals the Audeze LCD-3 and sits above the Dan Clark Audio Voce.
Cons: oratory1990’s measurement shows treble about 8.9 dB below target with an 11.8 dB dip near 9.6 kHz, which leaves cymbals and air sounding muffled, and sub-bass falls 6 dB short by 47 Hz. At 89 dB/mW it needs a dedicated headphone amp to reach comfortable levels. It weighs 550 g, and the open back leaks sound and offers no isolation. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full HEDD Heddphone 2 review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.17 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Air Motion Transformer |
| Drivers | 1 x Air Motion Transformer (full range) |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 41 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 89 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 47 Hz (-7.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.95 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.0 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 | +7.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 126 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.26 |
| Peak | 6,938 Hz | +5.6 dB | 1.34 |
| Peak | 1,094 Hz | -2.8 dB | 3.12 |
| Peak | 9,336 Hz | +3.0 dB | 2.62 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,136 Hz | +3.1 dB | 2.31 |
| Peak | 1,441 Hz | -1.4 dB | 3.31 |
| Peak | 3,207 Hz | -1.8 dB | 5.46 |
| Peak | 131 Hz | +0.4 dB | 2.04 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Focal Stellia: $2,280.00 Amazon 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