Focal Clear

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by The Alchemist, Nov 15, 2017.

  1. SoupRKnowva

    SoupRKnowva Official SBAF South Korean Ambassador

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    I went back to Definitive Audio here in Seattle this afternoon, I was hoping to listen to the Clears balanced out of the GO2A this time, I grabbed an adapter off amazon I was hoping would work. Turns out they couldn’t find the box and therefor couldn’t find the cable in question.

    Anyways, I spent another 45 minutes or so listening to the Clears single ended like last time.

    The last time I said there was a song by Soen that sounded strained, and I thought it might have been them showing some dynamic compression I hadn’t heard before. But this time I realized it was there in a lot of the progressive metal I listen to, and it was always with male vocals, it ended up giving me a headache after a while, something I noticed last time but thought might have had something to do with the physical headphones. I’m not sure if it’s the upper mid aggressiveness @Hands is talking about, but considering it’s almost entirely from certain male vocals I’m inclined to think so. Or it could be some sort of resonance around there.

    These cans do do a lot correct, intellectually I like them quite a bit. Something like the new Archspire record sounds incredible or a lot of my favorite pop sounds excellent as well. But if the music hits the right spot in the frequency range they start to give me a headache.

    Anyways, I’d recommend people check them out, they just aren’t for me after all.
     
  2. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    I'm hoping @Vorlon is wrong about 'less relaxed presentation', does it come with people who beat you up as you listen?

    Clear is already so aggressive about shoving its technical excellence straight into your brain, do not pass by the ears, do not collect 200$.

    One that's aggressive overall sounds a mite terrifying.
     
  3. Vorlon

    Vorlon self-important, pompous ass

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    Finally caved in and ordered the Clears. The HD 660 S are now gone as a trade in.

    I'll be posting some in depth impressions once I get them (with some luck next week). Then later on after a month or so of experience it's time for a more comprehensive HD 800 S vs. Clear shootout. I'll likely end up keeping both, but time will tell.

    In the mean time I've ordered some Sennheiser HD 650 headband cushions for some potential DIY ergonomics improvements...
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2018
  4. Mithrandir41

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    I just got my Clears today as a compliment to my LCD-4s. I'm running them balanced out of a Jot I picked up last year. With no burn-in, I can already tell that I like them a lot. I never liked the Elears much, but did own the Utopias. My cold impressions are that the Clear is Focal's masterpiece in tonality. I think they are just behind the Utopias in layering/microdetails, but not by much.

    It probably has something to do with the lack of a noticeable treble peak, but the bass level is so much better balanced to my ears than on it's big brother. I've heard others say that the clears sound boring or analytical, but I think they fall on the warm side of the spectrum, with virtually no sibilance or harshness I can hear. I'm excited to see if there is any improvement with maybe 40 hours or so of burn in. I also think I hear less character with this driver than the beryllium on the Utopia. That sounded dryer to me than this iteration of their aluminum/magnesium driver.
     
  5. taisserroots

    taisserroots Friend

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    I got to try these at audio sanctuary on the dave+skull amp alongside a good few other pairs of headphones.

    Then utopias were too uncomfortable for me to wear longer than a minute but I did get to try them.

    The clears were much more comfortable and didn't clamp as much, having said that it was still quite stiff.

    In terms of overall tone, the clear was the least coloured of all the focals in this sense, it didn't have the nasalness of the utopia. However it was a considerably less resolving, trading blows with the hek v1 in terms of resolution which itself is just a tier above the he560 and emu teaks. The tone however wasn't accurate the presence came across as dipped and while it wasn't as muffled as the hd800 It was obvious at other points

    What it excelled in was dynamics and impact. It gave a greater sense of body than every other headphone apart from the utopia. It did this with a wider stage than the utopia, however it was really grainy, more than my hd580.
    It was a narrower stage than my 580, albeit with more depth and better imaging (which came across as more natural) but for some reason came across as really congested, it is probably a consequence of the grain.

    Bass response was an improvement over the hd580 in terms of control and extension. However in comparison to the rest of the sound it came across as slightly bumped.

    The lower mids were conveyed better than the upper mids. It meant that the fundamentals came across quite well with good transient response and speed.

    In general the mid texture was a bit smoother over compared to other summit-fi cans and it's signature pushed this forward. The hekv1 had a similar level of texture, but it didn't highlight this so it wasn't as bothersome.

    The treble had noticeable issues. Snares came across as if someone had grabbed them just after they had struck them making a TUSHH sound instead of the TISHHhhhh that they should usually make.
    Upper notes on string instruments like violins seemed to lack the edge they should do.

    While there was a significant amount of air conveyed through the upper treble. It didn't help with the congestion caused by the grain .

    My biggest issue with these is that they have a particular issue regarding seperation and layering. While it's ok most of the time. In any busy song or chorus with a lot of sounds going on it would smother sounds together.
    When it came to the chorus of back to black the whole thing smothered together like I was listening to a cheap speaker.
    While it's ok in slower music it ruins more energetic music like no other headphone does. Another discord user, mv95 also mentioned this without me having ever mentioned it to him.

    While it's a technically good headphone.
    It doesn't escape the pitfalls of upper Mid-fi and has significant issues which can ruin songs.
    Unforgiving cans will split glare at you, but it doesn't ruin the song, it highlights an issue in the master.
     
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  6. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    I do agree with you that the upper mids/lower treble is dipped a bit (which I correct with a little EQ from the loki), I don't find the same issue you do regarding layering. I've listened to some of the most dense mixes I have, sometimes quite compressed as well from Periphery, Rush, Joe Satriani, and a touch of Carlos Kleiber and find them to unravel dense mixes pretty well overall.
     
  7. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    It's possible they are referring to the more forward nature of all the Focal headphones, or possibly timbre issues that I heard causing things to sort of hash together...? I dunno.
     
  8. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    That could be. Just another example of people hearing things differently I guess. I prefer my EQd LCD-4 , but would reach for the Clear before the HD 650.
     
  9. DaveB

    DaveB Acquaintance

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    This about sums it up for me as well. There is a dull area in upper mid/lower treble that makes the transients in that spot sound reticent and 'decaffeinated'. Due to this, everything else sounds smoothed over.
     
  10. AllanMarcus

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    Sorry if I missed it, but any comments on what makes the Clear Professional different from the Clear? Other than the color and that the pro comes with less cables (but a longer one), but cost more?

    The pro also comes with spare cushions.

    https://www.focal.com/headphones/clear-professional/
     
  11. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I think Focal is taking after Sennheiser's marketing cues with the HD660S.
     
  12. Mithrandir41

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    That looks like a shit deal. I will keep my regular silver Clears, thank you.
     
  13. AllanMarcus

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    From a list price perspective, the deal is "meh", but I'm not sure what makes it "shit". The Clear lists for $1500 and the pads for $200. With the "pro" you get the clear and pads for $1700. I don't think pro mixers used "headphone balanced", so the longer, coiled cord is probably better for studio use. I have to admit, I work in an office, not a studio, so I don't know how much "pros" want a longer cord.

    What makes the deal "shit"?

    This assumes the pads are $200. I'm not sure what they sell for. Elear pads are 150 and Utopia pads are 250.
     
  14. taisserroots

    taisserroots Friend

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    I mean 55 ohm drivers is a big change. Assuming all they did between the clear and elear was change the voice coil, I'm wondering what this will mean for the clear pro.

    I feel like they did it too early to cause the used market price drop that happened with the utopias. Sucks for anyone wanting to buy them
     
  15. Mdkaler

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    The red looks funny at first. But now that the headphones is dark grey/black, it actually looks sharper than grey on silver.

    Hopefully the uglier one will end up cheaper cause nobody wants them.
     
  16. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

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    Those red pads and headband look stupid, did they choose the color scheme while watching Austin Powers?
     
  17. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Thanks for that, now the clear is forever associated with Mike Myers.

    Focal does seem to have a design team that's very fond of the "Designer Concept" look.

    The kind of stuff you see in magazines that makes the press gush and gets awards, but nobody actually wants to own.

    Personally I don't really want to own the Philippe Starck Juicer of headphones or speakers, but it seems to be working for them *le gallic shrug*.
     
  18. Mithrandir41

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    I didn't look down far enough to see the extra pads... But the Clears have 3 cables. They should let you buy the version you want at the same price. I don't find added value here.
     
  19. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

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    Ah yes, they're mmm...attention grabbing? Definitely not "me too" designs, for better or worse.
    We have to wait for the Focal Dull Unprofessional, with shiny gold plated body and old chalkboard style dark green earpads and headband, that's the one to look for :p
     
  20. I_want_all_the_tacos

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    It was confirmed from a user in the HF thread that there are no sonic changes to the Clear Professional via e-mail correspondence with Focal:
    "Hi Phil,

    Clear and Clear Professional are very similar. Indeed, only the finishes Black and Red Vs Grey) and the accessories supplied are different.
    Clear Professional is sold with a 5m coiled cable, a 1.2m cable, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter and a pair of additional cushions.

    Best regards,
    Marine, Community Manager Focal"

    So yeah, I think the price difference is mostly that you get the extra set of ear pads, which aren't being sold separately yet, but looking to be priced around $200. However, no balanced cable for the Clear Professional so it still seems like a worse deal than the regular Clear, assuming pads will eventually be sold separately.
     

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