Focal Clear

I like the sentiment, and as a low volume listener (80dB LAeq at absolute max, usually mid-70s) I never had this problem with any Focal units I've heard, but I can agree that this is pretty shit for those who choose to listen at louder levels.

Then again, there are reports of the same happening at lower volumes, so likely a QC thing?

 

Its not just at low frequencies at high volumes - I can hear it even at moderate volume levels. It does seem to happen at spots in a recording where the dynamic range is greater.

I compare it to a cheap subwoofer installed by a teen ager in the back of his honda crx or a cheap squire amp turned up all the way.

Maybe this particular unit has a problem, I wont rule that out. I am about the 30th person to test it out. But talking with a few people that were very early on the list, they experienced similar issues. Even more - seems that other people have noticed this on other samples of the headphone. I even found @cskippy asking if this breaks up the same way as Elex when the loaner was first announced. Its a really nice headphone, with good bass, good detial and stage otherwise. I find myself really enjoying it and then I hear the driver bottom out and I cant help but think

 

I haven't had any of my Focal headphones* bottom out. I know they do it, as Focal themselves have said so, but I've not had it happen once in coming up on two years of ownership and daily use.

I am not the type that listens pathologically quietly either. A couple of drinks and a bass-heavy EQ (for when I'm too lazy to swap to a difference headphone) and things can get cranked up substantially.

Which makes me wonder what tracks, at what listening level, are exhibiting it - if for no other reason than it'd be interesting to see if I can replicate it. And from there maybe to see if a) there is either enough sample variation for it to be a concern or b) there's a failure mode that causes it to occur at lower than normal (intended) levels.

--
*Two pairs of Utopia, a Clear, an Elear and an Elex.

 

I can report back tonight with some specific songs and time stamps and all when have the Clears and my library, but I remember thinking "wow this is bad" while playing Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock and the distorted guitars kick in. I'm mostly mad because I do really like the headphones outside this 1 major flaw.

 

What does the bottoming out sound like? I sometimes get a metallic ping on the left driver. Wondering if its the driver or my amp.

 

Wrong. They rip your eardrums to shreds above 70db so you're never in danger of going too high

 

Must be sample variation, or some other reason. Busy playing the SP track now at well above comfortable listening volume (well, very loud and cool but unsafe) and not a single clip or excursion noise, guitars sound sharp and clean, well separated from the vocals too. I’m at volume 50 on high gain on the R-28 (for reference, my ‘normal’ listening level is volume 35 and I have mild hearing loss so that would be loud for most people. Ok, im using an Elear not a Clear, but still, Clear should be more tolerant if anything. YMMV.

 

The more I listen to this loaner, the more I come to the conclusion, this headphone must be broken. I am hearing extreme break up and distortion on the lower end at medium and higher volumes. I've tried multiple sources, all same. Again, I hear enough promise where I want these to be good. Hoping this is a one off problem with this pair and not something more indicative of the whole line up.

Does someone who owns a clear they believe is 100 % functioning want to try this guy out? @Vansen is next / last on the list, but I am sure his golden ears would come to the same conclusion I have. Maybe the powers that be and have say over the loaners can chime in.

 

I've got (own) the entire Focal line-up ... and have no issues with any of them. I spent today really pushing the Clear ... probably further than I should (I blame the Scotch). No issues at all. I'm confident my units are all 100% normal.

Since @Vansen is now local (we've not gotten to connect yet), it might be best to send to him, and then we can (if he wants) get together to compare. And if not, it'd make for less shipping and an easy hand-off.

...

I've pushed mine as far as I dare for the sake of my hearing (WAY louder than I would ever normally listen, and I'm not a softly-softly type listener). No issues at all. I know they do have an excursion limit, but I've not hit it with any of their models yet.

So if it's useful I'm happy to help assess ... and no worries if not.

 

I had pretty bad distortion in my Elears - easily apparent in the lower frequencies even when playing at low volumes (left channel only). It's definitely not bottoming out.

Eventually I de-soldered the driver and figured out that the driver surround was deforming on one side when the driver was asked to move any great distance. Touching the driver lightly on a particular edge would result in a weird crinkling sound and I could see small folds appearing in the surround. With a bit of poking around I was able to smooth everything out and reassemble. So far everything seems to be working fine (fingers crossed).

Not sure if this is exactly what @JoshMorr is experiencing, but I would seriously doubt if the driver is bottoming out.

 

I get distortion as well. It's only in the lower frequencies as everyone else is reporting but only when using a tube amp. It's fine using the SS Benchmark HPA4.

 

I remember that Focal had the same problem back in the day with the Focal Spirit One's.
Tyll had an article about it, I wonder if something similar has happened in this case?

 

I didn't have that problem with the loaner, but I'm a lower volume listener. I liked what I heard. @porkfriedpork who was after me said he heard the driver banging on the housing from the bass. And he's a volume cranker.

I'd suggest trying the headphone at multiple volume levels and see at what volume the problem surfaces. I don't know how the driver is attached to the cup, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of those points failed.

Also, the packaging on this headphone was awesome. So can't point fingers at the box for the problem...

 

You could literally hear the driver banging on the housing, as if someone
was hitting the headphones with drum sticks. This was not a subtle bass
distortion but actual clanging. Its the sort of thing where you shut your
amp off fast for fear of damage.

I noticed this with IHA1 at 3/4 volume. The amp isn't a powerhouse so
this is nothing extreme. The problem was noticeable and repeatable for
Pink Floyd's "Hey You".

 

It's not a bug, it's a feature.

Protect your ears, you fools!

 

From what i read i concluded this was related to a known issue with focals. I don't have the link handy but I was only able to produce the "effect" on one song in one situation (extreme bass and volume). I probably listen to music too loud so its a very specific situation. I love my utopia's.

 

A simple test would just be to play a ~35 hz test tone at onlinetonegenerator.com and turn up the volume. Eventually you'll hear the rattling.

I have some tracks that have very wide dynamic range and a lot of subsonic information, and every Focal headphone I've tried produces this rattling at loud but not damaging levels. Of course this is an exception and not the rule - most commercially produced tracks don't have a ton of dynamic range and rolled off or light deep sub-bass, so it isn't a problem even at high levels.

It doesn't seem to be the drivers themselves, but points of contact between the drivers and parts of the housing. It clearly isn't a form of harmonic distortion off the driver. It's a mechanical sound.