It has been quite a run since France-based Focal entered the high fidelity headphone scene. What started with the Utopia has grown to uncharted expansion across the price categories of high-end headphones. The newest addition to the line up is called the Celestee and is a closed back design at an interesting price point.
The Focal Celestee follows the company’s inertia with the “M-shape” dome driver, in the case of the Celestee its 40mm in size and constructed with and aluminum and magnesium material. Like many of the other personal audio products from Focal, the outside design pushes for a luxury feel. The Celestee comes wrapped in semi-aniline leather and a new navy blue and copper colorway.
The included carrying case is a ridged, woven design with the same color scheme worked into the external looks. As a follow up to the closed-back Elegia headphone, the new headphone does appear to sport some more refined looks (at least from the imagery). Apparently Focal went all in with some of the aesthetic refinements, from the PR release:
A BRAND-NEW NAVY-BLUE COLOR
Focal January Press Release
Focal focuses on combining sophisticated shades to create headphones with a highly original identity, unique in its market segment. The brand has chosen Navy Blue after working with a Designer & Product Colorist. It is the first time this blue has made an appearance in the Focal collection, and it blends harmoniously with the Soft Copper finish.
“Navy is the new Black. Dark blue is a versatile and timeless color that has been increasing in popularity. By choosing Navy Blue, we are adding a sophisticated, sumptuous feel to the headphones. The combination of this blue with copper and bronze accents is a trend influenced by interior and accessory design, and has become popular in watchmaking and consumer electronics sectors. These shades offer a very interesting and elegant alternative to more traditional chrome and silver parts.” Doris Bölck, Designer & Product Colorist
UNIQUE FOCAL SAVOIR-FAIRE
For over 40 years, Focal has been characterized by French innovation and manufacturing. The engineers have taken inspiration from their developments with the Elegia headphones and introduced acoustic treatment inside the Celestee earcups. The sound is precise, balanced and boasts beautiful depth in the bass. This exclusive technology is enhanced by the French savoir-faire of Focal: once the five manufacturing stages involved in the speaker drivers are complete, they are tested and measured, and then kitted out by dedicated teams to provide uncompromising audio quality.
FINE MATERIALS AND COMFORT
Celestee incorporates a combination of fine materials. Once again, attention is paid to every detail, including the accessories with the thermoformed woven carrying case in colors to match the headphones. The clean lines of the aluminum yoke create controlled geometry to mold perfectly to the head while providing optimal grip. The choice of a semi-aniline leather and microfiber headband, as well as leather earpads, provides added comfort while offering excellent soundproofing, whether you use Celestee at home or on the go.
The Focal Celestee will retail for $990 when it becomes available in February 2021.
More info: Focal Celestee