Focal Clear

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

  1. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    From what I can tell from a bit of online sleuthing is that it seems as though there have been three production batches of the Elex pads: one from 2018; another from 2020, for which there were problems with unit variations, and now the latest batch from 2021, which seem to be fine and of the same standard as the 2018 ones.

    Re. the unit variations, in July 2020, a Drop representative posted this statement: "Our internal testing has confirmed that the latest batch of pads varies in weight from the “stock” pads by as much as 15%. Although we have reported these concerns to Focal, they have not offered us a substantive resolution at this time, and we’re continuing to try to work with them on a solution." As a result, Drop offered customers a refund even as it also let them keep the pads.

    Drop does not have these concerns for the separate batch of the 2021 Elex pads. The statement about these latests pads refers to the previous pads from 2018: "Before shipping out to customers we tested and compared samples from this batch against those from a 2018 sample. We compared materials and construction to ensure they were identical. The new samples were also weighed to get an average of 20.63 grams. Our reference sample weight is 20.35 grams giving us confidence this batch had been made to the correct standards."

    ---

    I recently purchased an older, pre-2021 pair of the Elex pads. They were in their original packaging and seemed to be unused. I'm guessing they're from 2020; I can't prove they're not earlier ones. I picked them up right before Drop released the latest ones (oops).

    These older, pre-2021 Elex pads are firmer and require a tiny bit more effort to compress than my recently-purchased replacement Clear pads, which are far softer and much easier to compress. (My lab assistant, aka my wife, notices the same difference between the two). What this means is that my pre-2021 Elex pads feel much closer to my original Clear pads, which are at least two years old (I purchased my OG Clear used).

    In other words, the replacement Clear pads purchased new in 2021 are softer and squishier than the firmer Clear and Elex pads, which were both purchased before 2021.

    ---

    Here are the original, stock OG Clear pads - on the left in both images - and the brand new 2021 replacements:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I realize these aren’t the best photos (and my phone’s camera isn’t exactly perpendicular or perfectly horizontal/vertical to the pads). But I measured the pads and had the same findings as a member on another forum.
    • The old, worn-in pads: the outside thickness of both the pads at the bottom, i.e. where the seam runs across the thickness of the pad, is 23 mm. (The seam faces down when the pads are on the headphones).
    • Both pads’ thickness on the side, i.e. 90 degrees around from the seam and where the pads are the thickest, is 26mm.

    • The new replacement pads: not only are the pads different in size to the old worn-in ones but they’re also different to each other at 20 and 22 mm (at the bottom, where the perpendicular seam is).
    • The thickness at the sides again varies, at 21 and 22 mm.
      • Put another way, that’s a 4-5mm difference in thickness, which would seem to be pretty significant.
    The good news is that, in some slapdash A/B blind comparisons, I couldn’t reliably hear differences in the sound of my Clear with these replacement pads vs my old ones.

    Admittedly, I don’t have the best hearing - I’m in my mid-40s and have suffered some hearing loss - and, also, my testing was far from scientific or rigorous. (My wife indulged me and switched the pads over without me seeing which ones were which). And before deciding to do a blind test, I’d compared the pads and had convinced myself that the new replacement pads were slightly bassier and warmer, and that treble was less well extended with them. When I did the blind A/B comparisons, though, I couldn’t reliably pick out the new vs the old pads; in several tests I did no better than pick them out correctly half of the time.

    So, all of this is to say that while the pads are different, physically, to my ears they don’t make for a meaningful difference in the sound—at least insofar as I can tell. And all of this, of course, disregards how the aging process of the pads - as the material stretches, flexes, and absorbs moisture - may affect everything, or not.

    ---

    I did some comparisons of my pre-2021 Elex pads with my original Clear pads but I'm not confident in my findings and will wait to post impressions until I'm more confident. I'll go only as far as to suggest that while I thought there might be slight differences in the sound, I can't be sure, and I suspect this suggests that the differences are quite small.
     
  2. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Maybe the "2021" pads I received are leftovers from the dodgey 2020 batch, but I would say the 2021 batch are not the same squishiness* as the stock Clear* pads or my 2018 Elex pads. I don't think I'm buying anything from Drop ever again (famous last words).

    *Edited for clarity
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2021
  3. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    I've got a pair of Elex pads ordered from drop last week and I'll post up a comparison to the stock pads on a pair of Elex I picked up from gaspasser, that I believe are 2018 vintage, but I might be wrong.

    Edit: threw them on a scale: Drop 2021 Elex replacement pads=20g; original pads=20g. Replacement pads measure 24.4mm deep/thick, outside-to-outside, not including the split mounting pins; original (used) pads measure 23.5mm. Both appear to be wrapped in exactly the same pseudo-suede. The drop pads are just a smidge stiffer, pushing from the circumference of the pad inward toward the pad opening. They feel exactly the same compressing the pad from the pad face toward the headphone baffle.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2021
  4. tatalor51

    tatalor51 New

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    Hi,

    Small issue with my Focal Clear Pro (not MG). I hear a faint crackling sound on my right side at random intervals when I move my head or when the cable moves around a little. Put a bit of tape on the cable plastic termination so it fits better (was moving around a bit) and it's a bit better but still happens. Happens both when nothing is playing or with music/movies.

    Since I bought them new half a year ago, wondering if I should try and solve the issue using warranty. It's not too big of an issue and, since the cracking is very very faint and only happening somewhat rarely, might be hard to reproduce. Sometimes doesn't bother me but sometimes is annoying as hell.

    Happened to anyone?

    Thanks!
     
  5. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    Does it sound a bit like something is moving around in there? Mine has that on the left side but i haven’t noticed anything problematic otherwise. Sometimes it goes away and comes back later. Been too lazy to look into it…
     
  6. tatalor51

    tatalor51 New

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    Not moving around, more like an electrical contact of sorts, not sure. Moving/pushing the plastic termination of the wire gently while connected to the headphone seem to reproduce it most times.
     
  7. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    Have you tried any of the other cables? If this issue has to do with the connector in the headphone itself, I'd get it sorted out under warranty, especially if there's a risk of a loose connection breaking entirely free at some point in the future.
     
  8. tatalor51

    tatalor51 New

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    Yep, tried with other cable and also by pluging in left and right sides inverted. The noise is still in the right cup only.
     
  9. ksat90

    ksat90 Acquaintance

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    Just to report back after using toggling between pads on the OG Focal Clear (Al-Mg drivers) for a few months, the stock pads are still the best, even if they're a little bright compared to Dekoni's various pads. The Dekoni's all sound a bit hard and glarey even if the upper-mids and treble are lower in volume. I'm gonna try my hand at getting the Drop Elex pads too.
     
  10. Justin S

    Justin S Friend

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    I know I'm late to the party on this one, but I thought I could add another bit of data for people interested in the Clears and the Elex.

    After picking up a used pair of Elex at an excellent price, I got summit fever for the Clears when I found them on sale. While they're both here, I thought to compare the two of them under the shadow of the Sennheiser 600s and 6XXMs(Kiss mod).

    TLDR; The Elex are fast, clean and exciting. The bass is tight and clean. There is a bit of grain in the treble that can get tiring. Clear is a solid level up from the Elex in staging, bass and detail presentation. They present more around the sounds (room cues etc.) and more harmonic richness than the Elex. They're a bit bright and bassy, but smooth up top and ultimately well controlled in the bass. I don't feel either of these headphones are super Sennheiser anythings - they're closer in tone to a monitor speaker with metal tweeters (in a good way).

    Chain W10 Roon-> PCI-E USB -> Ghent Sheilded USB -> Yggdrasil LIM | Geshelli J2 -> BAL -> Jotenheim 2 (low gain) -> BAL -> HD600, HD650Ms, Focal Elex, Focal Clear.

    Playlist

    Brian Blade - Landmarks
    The Bad Plus - And Here We Test Our Powers of Observation
    Songs:Ohia w Scout Nibblet - Peoria Lunch Box Blues
    Karen O. - Turn the Light
    Wilco - Jesus, Etc
    Thom Yorke - Not the News
    Sudan Archives - Nont for Sale.

    CLEAR

    - The bass is instantly a feature of the clears. With the Yggdrasil, it's almost too much. It's clean, but I feel it gets a little overwhelming depending on the material. This is not the case with my Geshelli J2.
    - Hearing a lot of musical harmonic information with the Yggdrasil, also hearing a lot of physical cues - the wood of instruments, room reflections etc.
    - Sense of space is quite deep.
    - It's a mellow but detailed presentation
    - Drum tones and cymbals are rich and detailed as well as being visceral and dynamic.
    - I do feel like there's a dip somewhere in the frequency response - there is something a bit muted about them in the midrange. It's certainly not unpleasant, but something I might want to track down with EQ at a later point.
    - The Clears don't sound like the HD600 or 650s. They're closer to sounding like a monitor speaker with metal tweeters. It took me a while to figure this out. Thanks to @ChaChaRealSmooth for giving me some clues on this. I use monitors with metal tweeters at work and at home - so I get the sound.
    - Having said this, I don't find the Clears metallic sounding.
    - Playing stuff like Nont for Sale - Sudan Archives, the Yggdrasil LIM+Clear is just too much bass for me. A -2dB low shelf at around 70 fixes this for me. On the J2 it's perfect.


    ELEX

    - Elex sounds more normal to me coming from HD600s - especially in the way the bass is presented,
    - Certainly faster, snappier, crisper than the Sennheisers. They're exciting when you bounce back and forth with the Senns , especially listening to fast busy stuff.
    - presents less harmonic richness than the Clears - that inner detail/glow from instruments and voices. I hear less of the wood tones in bass, strings, drum tones etc. with the Elex
    - Elex are thinner sounding than the Clears.
    - Bass is very tight and quick. It is less viscerally slamming than the Clears, but it's fast and well controlled.
    - A touch grainy in the upper treble - cymbals, high piano etc.


    I am really enjoying the Clears and am going to put the Elex up for sale. The Elex are very good, but the Clears better suit the change I was looking for.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2022
  11. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Thanks, that's useful info. Out of curiosity, how would you rate them? Clears on top?
     
  12. Justin S

    Justin S Friend

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    Yes. I would put the Clears on top with more detail, better extension, deeper staging. I didn;t talk about it in my review, but they';re not as comfortable as the Elex, but its a small price to pay for the sound.
     
  13. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Nice review and comparo with the Clear. Great, now I need to get Clears :confused:

    I’m not a big fan of the silver and the light grey pads though, which I’m bound to stain. I may look for a pair of Clear Pro.

    How specifically do you find them less comfortable than the Elex?
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2022
  14. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    Yeah the pads will get nasty and get a bit frayed on the sides in my case. Foam is still good though after 3? years. Been looking at some replacement pads and over here they go for 80 euros a piece. Which is kinda stupid.
     
  15. loadexfa

    loadexfa MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I got a headband cover and spare pads for mine, including a set of Elex pads (haven’t tried yet to see if they sound the same). So that should handle cleanliness/staining issues over time. I don’t recall the Clears being less comfortable but I haven’t had an Elex in a while. Perhaps they weigh more. I also agree the Clears are a really nice step up from the Elex and I enjoyed those.
     
  16. Justin S

    Justin S Friend

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    I use one of those little headband sweaters on the Clears and plan to order a set of spare pads for the future ($150 CAD - Gulp)

    The clamping is quite strong (which I like) and the pads are more firm than the Elex pads - I don't think they're any heavier. I'm already getting used to it (or the clamping is relaxing), but I find with my giant head and firmness of the pads, I require a short break once in a while. Less and less, though. For me, the sound of them is worth adapting to the ergonomics.

    PXL_20220215_165031384.jpg
     
  17. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Gotcha re: clamp force. I ended up bending the Elex headband just a bit as well to get them to fit comfortably.
     
  18. crenca

    crenca Friend

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    I have assumed that this aspect of Clear/Utopia sound is in part due to of a small upper bass rise and thus a bit of bleed into mids. Would be interesting if you locate a dip. Another aspect, and ultimately the more important one in my opinion, is the lack of tonal "density" or "weight" in the mids. The Focals are so fast, and decay quickly, but even then the 'inbetween' of vocals/mid centric instruments still sound a touch "light", though I wonder if we are just so used to other transducers adding a touch of roundness, weight and "euphony" here.

    By the way, the Utopia is yet another whole step up in detail/cues, staging (though it might be a touch narrower, it's deeper), etc. Like marv said in the past depending on your budget it might be worth stretching for a used Utopia if you are seriously considering the Clear. I modify my Clear with Dekoni 'hybrid elite' pads because it warms them up a bit, provides better comfort, and this sound is what I'm looking for in a bedside system. Utopia's I leave stock pads because the Dekoni's take away a touch of the detail, not what I want in my main rig.
     
  19. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Justin got a good deal on the OG Clear, similar to used pricing. To move up to a used Utopia would be more than double that, based on the prices I see listed in Canada. Plus, with new, you get a warranty. God help you, and your wallet, if you have an issue with a used Utopia and need to get it repaired…Focal will probably charge you as much as a used Clear o_O
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2022
  20. AdvanTech

    AdvanTech Friend

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    Something else to think about: I didn't feel like Clear needed EQ. Utopia, on the other hand, did. I even changed DACs for Utopia so, for me, it wasn't as simple as a quick swap of headphones. Enjoy the hell out of your Clears!
     

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